Best accessories for MacBook Pro Late 2016

Have a new MacBook Pro? You need these accessories.

New computers inevitably call for new accessories, but for Apple's MacBook Pro, those are especially necessary: The computer's USB-C ports may require dongles, new devices, and more. If you just picked up a new MacBook Pro (Touch Bar or no), here are my must-have accessories for it.

USB-C to USB adapter

This one's a gimme: Unless you want to replace all your cords and cables, you're going to need adapters for your existing devices. Luckily, Apple sells these for just $9, and Amazon has a host of adapters, too.

See at Apple


Lightning to USB-C cable

Sure, you could pick up an adapter for your iPhone or iPad to properly charge or sync it with your Mac, but this cable has another great use, too: You can pair it with a 29W Adapter for quicker iPhone and iPad charging.

See at Apple


Add an extension cord to your charging brick

The new MacBook Pro has a decent battery, but let's be honest — if you're going to work at a café for a long period of time, you may want to plug in. Though Apple's traditional brick charger isn't the worst option for supplying power, its cord can be too short — or the brick too bulky — in some circumstances. That's why I recommend ditching the two-prong charger connector for Apple's extension cord; best of all, if you have an old MacBook Pro or MacBook charger with one, you can swap it over to your new computer's charger at no cost.

See at Apple

Kanex USB-C SD reader

While the new MacBook Pro models shipped with USB-C ports galore, that came at the expense of some of the more well-loved connectors — including an SD card slot. If you still regularly use SD or other camera cards, you'll definitely want to pick up Kanex's USB-C SD Reader — the small device can read SD, mini SD, micro SD, MMC, and more, all at a 5Gbps transfer rate.

See at Amazon

AirPods

Unlike Apple's other hit product of 2016, The MacBook Pro still comes with a headphone jack — but Bluetooth headphones like Apple's AirPods are often a much nicer proposition. There are lots of great Bluetooth headphones options out there, but the AirPods are especially nice if you plan on using them with multiple Apple devices.

See at Apple

Waterfield Designs Syde MacBook Case

As a fan of Waterfield's many leather and nylon bags, I couldn't go through this list without a mention of the company's newest option for MacBook Pro users — the sleek and slim Syde, which offers a cute briefcase look along with a traditional crossbody strap. The bag will hold everything mentioned above on this list along with an iPhone and wallet, though it tends to bulk up a bit if you throw a charger in there. The Syde may not be for everyone, but you could easily replace this bag on your own shopping list with your personal carrying preference.

See at Waterfield Design

Twelve South BookArc

File this under the "maybe not must-have, but certainly nice-to-have" category: Twelve South's BookArc and BookArc Mod are not only beautiful additions to most side tables or desks, but they also give your MacBook Pro a sleek place to live while charging (or in clamshell mode, if you have an external monitor). The BookArc even offers an underside hook to hide and control your charging cable.

While not for everyone, they've become a must-have for my house, especially given that my charging station is in our living room.

See at Amazon

LG UltraFine 5K Display

Again, as with the BookArc, you could live without a 5K Display for your MacBook Pro. But do you want to? If you need a big-screen solution for your new computer that also gives you a docking station's worth of ports, you can't go wrong with LG and Apple's new collaboration.

See at Apple


Your must have accessories?

How did you outfit your new MacBook Pro? Any accessories I should add to this list? Let me know in the comments.

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