Essential Accessories For 2 In 1 Owners

A 2 in 1 offers the versatility of working as either a laptop or a touchscreen tablet. Enhance the experience even more with these awesome accessories.

Lifehacker and Intel bring you all the information you need to select the best 2 in 1 device for your home or business. Why choose? With an Intel-powered 2 in 1 device you get laptop power with tablet fun.

Styluses

Your 2 in 1 comes with inbuilt touch capabilities, as well as a keyboard for straight data entry, but for some tasks, a pen is just better, whether you’re using it to delicately draw your latest masterpiece, brainstorm important meeting notes, or even run presentations with a touch of flair. There’s a stylus for every possible need, so the choice is left up to you.

Belkin’s simple stylus pen, for example, gives you affordable control over your touch selections without leaving fingerprint streaks all over your 2 in 1. For a stylus with real power, pair your 2 in 1 with Kensington’s PresentAir Pro Stylus, which offers Bluetooth presentation controls, a laser pointer and a stylus all in one neat package. Surface owners, of course, can opt for Microsoft’s excellently balanced Surface Pen for all their handwritten input needs.

Docking Stations

Your 2 in 1 has plenty of power underneath the hood, but sometimes you need more. That’s where a docking station connected to your 2 in 1 adds flexibility, with the prospect of additional USB ports, networking and video output to further enhance your productivity.

A docking station can be as simple as a powered USB port to keep your smartphone charged and other gadgets connected, or a fancier model that adds display mirroring, additional sound and video connectivity as well as full cabled ethernet.

If you’re a Surface Pro 3 owner, Microsoft’s custom-built docking stations are a bit of a must-have item, with inbuilt USB ports, gigabit ethernet and security lock built into a case that perfectly fits the Surface Pro 3. If your 2 in 1 comes from another vendor you’ve still got plenty of choice, from brands such as Targus, Belkin and Kensington.

Mice

The inbuilt trackpad on your 2 in 1 can perform plenty of functions, but it’s not your only option when it comes to input choices. A decent travel mouse can increase your productivity, while a solid gaming mouse can make you a terror to your foes.

As with any laptop, there’s an endless array of choices to make depending on how and where you’re going to use a mouse with your 2 in 1. Microsoft’s Arc Touch Bluetooth mouse is an ideal travel companion with easy Bluetooth sharing for the road warrior, for example, while a larger more entertainment-centric mouse such as Logitech’s G700s might suit your more whimsical moments.

Cases

Above all, 2 in 1s are mobile devices, built for a world on the go. It’s just that sometimes, when we’re on the go, we go all out, and that’s when a case can be a wise investment. It will protect your 2 in 1 against smaller accidental knocks, while some cases can protect against much harsher environmental hazards indeed.

It’s more than that, however, because a case can let you make your 2 in 1 truly yours, adding a dash of style and colour to the already great existing designs to your 2 in 1 device. With nearly countless choices to make, we can’t suggest just one, because your only limit here is your imagination.

A good case can make the tablet side of your 2 in 1 really shine, like with the Targus Folio Wrap case for Surface Pro 3, which encases the tablet securely while offering lap-friendly viewing angles and access to every needed port.

Display, Ethernet And Other Adaptors

Image: Open Grid Scheduler
One of the great parts of a 2 in 1 is how flexible it is, because you’ve got inbuilt wireless networking, Bluetooth and a high quality display screen. Still, from time to time it can be handy or necessary to plug into other systems in order to gain secure access or share your screen to specific hardware.

That’s where it makes sense to carry a few key cables in your 2 in 1 carry bag, along with your 2 in 1 of course. If you regularly need to connect to a Ethernet network, a USB to Ethernet adaptor such as Microsoft’s official Surface Ethernet Adaptor makes it a snap to connect and disconnect at will. If you present to small groups on your 2 in 1 but find you need to hook up to a projector, a DisplayPort compatible VGA, DVI or HDMI adaptor should find its way into your gadget bag.