Back to the grind: Affordable office tech for South Africans
Stuff writer
As we plunge head-first into the unpredictable tides of 2024, whether you find yourself navigating the concrete jungles of the corporate world or embracing the pyjama-clad elegance of remote work, we’ve got you with the office tech essentials that won’t cost you your lunch money.
Picture this: you’ve just escaped another video meeting marathon, where your ancient laptop’s camera made you look like a pixelated ghost. Fear not, for we’ve uncovered the Logitech C920 webcam. This little dude captures your finest ideas in glorious 1080p.
For those looking to minimise pesky house noises, cue the Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones. Sure, other brands might cost you an arm, a leg, and possibly your firstborn, but Wyze Labs swoops in with a pair that won’t break the bank.
Now, let’s talk about the Google Nest Hub, the (slightly older) smart device that has a voice-activated assistant and a 7in touchscreen. Need to fact-check when Elon Musk became the CEO of Twitter during your coffee break? The Nest Hub is your virtual sidekick for trivia, reminders, and maybe a bit of sneaky YouTube during those “strictly professional” work hours.
So, whether you’re optimising your workstation for office small talk or transforming your home office into a productivity fortress, our guide to affordable office tech is your ticket to upgraded work bliss without requiring a multimillion-rand corporate budget.
Zoom meetings are the new water cooler chats, but don’t let pixelated faces be your legacy. Meet the Logitech C920 webcam – a 1080p HD cam that’ll make you the star of every video call. Say goodbye to potato-quality webcams and meet crystal-clear video, autofocus, and light correction. Yup, this is the webcam your colleagues wish they had.
Sure, Bose and Sony make great headphones, but are you willing to sell your kidney for noise cancellation? Enter Wyze Labs, the Robin Hood of headphones. Its noise-cancelling chops won’t break the bank and still deliver top-notch noise-cancellation performance. Block out the chaos of your home office or the coffee shop next door without selling your soul or body parts.
Google’s Nest Hub is not just a DJ for your work playlist – it’s your office assistant on steroids. From fact-checking to setting workday alarms, this 7-inch touchscreen smart speaker is the Swiss Army knife of assistants – if you’re in the Google ecosystem that is.
Your sleek laptop might be perfect for coffee shop Instagram posts, but at home, or in the office, it needs a makeover. The Canyon DS-5 docking station is the tool that’ll level up your productivity game. This one will fit most modern Macbooks (with dual USB-C ports). It adds a variety of useful ports that you wouldn’t otherwise have access to, like one USB 3.0 port (5 Gbps), one USB 2.0 port, two HDMI ports with 4K output at 30Hz or Full HD 1080P at60 Hz and an SD-card reader.
Wave goodbye to discomfort with the Logitech K780 wireless keyboard. Ergonomically designed to keep your hands happy, this keyboard offers premium comfort at a fraction of the price of a professional keyboard. It’s compatible with everything from a PC to an iPad and comes with a rubber cradle for mobile devices that sits at the head of the keyboard.
In the Wild West of the internet, your data is the sheriff, and Google Drive’s Cloud Backup is the trusted steed. For just under R230 per month, this Google-based backup service ensures your data’s safety without breaking the bank. This option is best suited for those looking to bank 2TB’s worth of data without making use of a physical HDD (even though we’d recommend a physical backup regardless).
Cables be gone! Wireless charging is one of those invisible tech marvels that’ll make your desk look ten times tidier. Priced at just R850, this sleek wireless charger not only boasts minimalist aesthetics but can also charge more than one mobile device at a time if you spring for the add-ons. You’ll have to make sure your devices support wireless charging, of course.
Full surround sound may be overkill for work, but that doesn’t mean you should compromise on audio quality. Enter the Creative Pebble Speakers, priced at just R700. These compact speakers deliver rich audio that punches above their price range. Don’t expect studio-quality audio here – you’re dealing with a sub-R1k pair of blasters here, but it’s perfect for a small or home office.
