Summary of what you need to turn your laptop into a desktop PC

To create a comfortable Rimowa environment.

Even if you get used to working from home, you never get used to the tiredness of working on your laptop. Gizmodo of the United States has summarized various hardware that turns a notebook PC into a desktop PC, so why not take this opportunity to prepare a telework environment and reduce the burden on your neck and shoulders?

Because laptops are easy to carry around, they are essential for work while traveling from home to office, study to bedroom, or plane to train. There are many advantages, but when you stay in one place for a long time due to Korona-ka, the disadvantages become more and more noticeable compared to desktop PCs.

Most laptops don't have the screen size of a desktop, they're about the same performance, they're expensive, they have few port and connection options, and you have to put up with a smaller keyboard. Perhaps the most serious drawback is when using a laptop in the lap. Instead of sitting deeply and looking straight ahead, you will be facing down, which makes your posture worse.

However, you don't necessarily have to choose between a laptop or a desktop PC for your home. With the right hardware, you can turn your laptop into a desktop. You'll get many of the same benefits as a desktop PC without having to dispose of or repurchase your laptop. Below are the steps.

Let's add a monitor

The laptop screen may be bright and bright, but looking down is not good for your neck. Adding an external monitor will not only give your neck a more natural posture, but also give you more screen space to work with, as your line of sight will point upwards. If you want to see more rows and columns in your spreadsheet, or just watch a movie on a bigger screen, now's your chance.

Depending on the video output of your laptop, the cables you need for your monitor will vary (maybe you have the option of a dongle or adapter). The standard is HDMI, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt and USB-C, and you can choose the monitor from any size and image quality to suit your taste (and budget). You can work with only an external monitor instead of the display attached to the notebook PC, or you can use both screens as a dual display environment.

You have to choose from the huge number of monitors on the market, but if you don't need the highest specs like a gaming monitor, the second display won't cost you much. For mediocre usage that doesn't focus on maximum resolution and refresh rate, you'll find lots of good cospa monitors that can do the trick.

The settings are simple and easy to understand. When the laptop is connected to an external display and turned on, Windows, macOS or Chrome OS should recognize it and start outputting. The second screen layout (and switch if necessary) can be set from System-Display for Windows, System Preferences-Display for Mac, and Settings-Display for Chromebooks.

Set up your keyboard and mouse

It seems like a waste of money to buy a new keyboard and mouse when your laptop already has a keyboard and trackpad, but there's a good reason to make this investment. An external keyboard and mouse make it easier to find a more natural typing posture with less strain on your arm. You'll also be able to press keys that aren't on your laptop, and move the mouse pointer freely and with high precision (and maybe even a little less strain on your fingers).

If you purchase a separate keyboard for your laptop, we recommend a model that has as many keys as possible that are not available on your laptop, such as the numeric keypad and media shortcut keys. You may want to look for a model with customizations such as mechanical keyboards and RGB lights that your laptop doesn't have. If you want freedom, buy a wireless model.

The mouse also has a wide range of choices, including multiple buttons, multiple configuration options, and models with wired and wireless connections. You may find that a trackball mouse is better for your wrists and fingers than a regular mouse, but with either peripheral you can avoid curling your back for hours towards your laptop.

Whichever device you choose, it's easy to set up. Just plug in your keyboard or mouse, or connect via Bluetooth (or plug in the enclosed wireless dongle) and you're ready to go. Also make sure that the keyboard and mouse manufacturers have released dedicated apps for their peripherals. More options are in Settings-Devices for Windows, System Preferences-Keyboard and Mouse for macOS, and Settings-Devices for Chromebooks.

Let's introduce a stand

The stand lifts your laptop to a more desirable height for your eyes, neck, and arms. If you plan to buy an external monitor and external keyboard, you may not need a stand, but you can do it if you like.

Laptop stands are available in all materials, models and shapes. From simple aluminum products that simply lift your laptop from your desk to more complex height-adjustable models, you'll find the right product for your work environment and your laptop. Most stands will fit most laptops, but it's worth a double check, especially if you have a larger (and heavier) laptop than average.

The optimal stand will change depending on what kind of configuration you want to make your notebook PC into a desktop. Do you want to add a keyboard and mouse, and where do you want to put them? (There is also a stand on which peripherals can be placed.) Where should the external monitor be placed? Is it okay to hide the laptop or put it in a place where I can touch it? etc.

If you're adding wired peripherals such as a display or keyboard, you'll need to think about wiring, but some stands have options for that. If you buy a model with adjustable height and angle, you have the flexibility to adjust it as needed, and there is also a stand with space for your smartphone or tablet.

Let's connect the dock

Another advantage of desktops over laptop counterparts is that they have more space, such as ports and memory card slots. If you don't have enough ports on your laptop, hubs and docks are a handy accessory that lets you quickly add everything from Ethernet to HDMI. If your laptop is a popular manufacturer's model, you may find a dedicated dock.

Dock and hubs range from simple to high performance (and expensive), with multiple ports and connection terminals added to one accessory. Again, it's important to know in advance what features and functionality you need. You don't want to spend money on a laptop dock and then realize that you're missing something you need.

In addition to connecting monitors, keyboards and mice mentioned above, docks and hubs give you room to connect other accessories such as gamepads, printers, external hard disks, and graphic tablets. It's as flexible as or even more flexible than a desktop PC, but be careful not to overload your small and lightweight laptop.

These docks and hubs may require additional power, so take that into consideration when planning. Most docks and hubs work on most laptops, but always check for compatibility to see if the peripherals you choose can do everything you need.

Source: Harvard Health Publishing, Amazon (1, 2), Apple,