5 Ways To Use Your Laptop's USB-C Port To Level Up Your Device

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Having a laptop means traveling with more gadgets in your bag, even if you're just commuting to work. A USB hub for reading an SD card, an Ethernet cable for wired internet, a portable battery bank to keep your laptop juiced, an external storage drive to circumvent the lack of storage within — the list goes on. If your laptop has a small display or you just need the extra screen real estate, you might get a portable monitor, and if you work from home, you might get a docking station to create a desktop setup.

Similar to the five useful USB-C accessories for your MacBook, each of these items is essential if you want to get the most out of your laptop. And it doesn't stop there — there are even more that you probably haven't considered, from gadgets that can upgrade your audio to ones that streamline your creative workflows. Whether you need them is up to you to decide, but it may be hard to go back to your old setup once you learn about these gadgets. 

Depending on your laptop, you might get decent audio quality through the 3.5mm headphone port. Some computers have Dolby Atmos or Creative Lab's Sound Blaster software installed to unlock hi-fi audio performance, which makes music and games sound slightly better. Still, it doesn't change the hardware inside, which is typically a Realtek chip — and it's not very popular. To bypass the middling audio tech commonly found in laptops, you need a DAC and headphone amp combo.

There are many different pairings out there, ranging from very affordable to exorbitantly expensive. They also range in size and features. For laptop users, you can't go wrong with something like the iFi GO Link, a portable DAC and headphone amplifier that boosts your laptop's audio immediately — no software required. This tiny piece of hardware has a dedicated DAC chip inside that processes audio separately from the computer. It's also an amplifier, meaning it can power high-end headphones to deliver crisp, loud audio to your cans. It connects via USB-C, so you don't need an adapter, and it works with your phone too. 

The iFi GO Link, which costs $59, comes highly recommended by hi-fi enthusiasts. However, if you want something a little beefier, there are other options from brands like FiiO. The FiiO Retro Nano, which looks like a petite cassette player, is another USB DAC and amplifier around the same price. 

You might be able to get away with the so-so resolution of your webcam during a video conference call, but there's no excuse for bad audio. If you're using the laptop's onboard mic, your AirPods, or wired earbuds, your audio probably doesn't sound great. The good news is you can easily fix that with an external USB microphone. There are a lot of models to choose from, but here's an unorthodox idea: Get one meant for a camera. It sounds like a quirky pick, and it is, but there are advantages. 

Rode's VideoMic GO II is a perfect example. It's small, portable, and comes with a durable shock mount and a pop filter — all you need is a small Joby tripod. It has a 3.5mm audio output port to use with a camera, but what's great about this mic is the USB-C port, which lets you connect to your phone or laptop to get Rode-quality audio for your calls. This is a directional shotgun microphone, meaning it does a great job of ignoring noise coming from behind or around the device. It mostly picks up audio from the source it's pointed toward, making it a solid choice if you're using it in a noisy, crowded space. The VideoMic GO II also has a leg up on other USB microphones because it has access to the Rode Central, Rode Reporter, and Rode Connect. Using this software, you can adjust gain, add a high-pass filter, and also use fun sound effects. 

For a more traditional option that's also portable and much more affordable, consider the HyperX SoloCast. It's only $59.99, and it has a sturdy stand can swivel the microphone to your preference.

Even the most budget-friendly laptops can play games, albeit at a lower resolution. But if you're looking for something a little different and very low tech, take a look at the Arduboy Mini. This bite-sized handheld gaming console runs on the Arduino platform and uses a custom motherboard with a tiny screen, four directional buttons, and two action buttons. While you can add a plastic case and battery to the device, it's designed to run as-is by plugging directly into a computer via the USB-C port. All of the 300-plus included community-made games and apps are open-source, and some of them are surprisingly fun. The Arduboy Mini is designed for game development, after all, and there are over a dozen community tutorials on the website that teach you how to make your first 8-bit game in C++. It may not be a Steam Deck, but it's got a lot of character. 

If you want to use something a little more advanced with just as much charm, try Panic's Playdate handheld gaming console. The Playdate is an incredibly weird handheld console with a black-and-white 1-bit screen, a D-pad, two action buttons, and a crank. It's no Switch 2, but it still delivers gaming experiences you just won't find elsewhere. With Playdate Mirror, you can play the console on your laptop and even develop games. The Playdate SDK is for those familiar with Lua and C coding languages, and it's very advanced compared to Pulp, which is the company's web-based game editor. The software is designed to make developing games easy, with tools for creating chiptune music, pixel art, and simple scripts.

We take chargers and charging cables for granted, but using the wrong models can increase the time it takes to top up your battery and also degrade the power source over time. If your laptop doesn't have an easily replaceable battery, or if you're not comfortable with a DIY project of that level, you may have to buy a new computer earlier than you'd like. 

One way to check if your laptop is receiving the right amount of charge is by using a USB-C cable with an LED display for monitoring power delivery. Cables like this one from Baseus are rated for up to 100W, which is enough for most laptops. If you know what the recommended wattage for charging your laptop is, you can look at the display to see if something is wrong. If the wattage seems too low, you might have to use a different charger.

If your laptop charger has a USB-C cord that can't be replaced, you can use a power meter tester instead. The principle is the same, though these devices will often include additional information, such as readings for amps and volts. The Plugable USB-C Power Meter Tester, for example, is a relatively inexpensive and minimalist device. 

Both the USB-C cable and the power meter tester can be used in either direction. This is useful if you charge devices directly from your laptop, as it clues you in as to whether enough juice is being sent out.

Creatives who work with software like Adobe Illustrator or Lightroom know the hassle of memorizing dozens of shortcuts. Using shortcuts and macros is worth it to speed up a workflow, but it's not the most intuitive. Something like the Elgato Stream Deck + streamlines that process by making it easier to reach for certain shortcuts and macros. The Stream Deck +, which costs $199 and is one of the useful gadgets to boost productivity, was originally made for streamers, but it has since become a must-have for creators. 

The eight LCD buttons can be customized and programmed to do anything from being bound to a certain action to executing macros. Each can display a different icon, which changes based on the program you're using. The device also has several knobs that can be used for everything from adjusting your laptop's volume to fine-tuning the saturation of an image in Photoshop. 

The popularity of Stream Deck devices has essentially created a new product category. Razer, which already makes everything, including chairs, makes a Stream Deck competitor called the Razer Stream Controller. At $109.95, it's cheaper than the Stream Deck and comes with more buttons and knobs. This device also has integrations with OBS Studio, Adobe software, Spotify, and more. The Logitech MX Creative Console is another similar device, which is split into two (and priced at $199). The macro pad is its own thing and features nine LCD buttons, while the other device has a large dial and a customizable scroll wheel.