Home office starter kit: Everything you need to build a productive workspace

For those who want to take their home office setup to the next level, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 4 is a WFH workhorse. Complete with zippy multitasking performance, a 1080p webcam ideal for work video calls, a stellar all-day battery life, and compatibility for up to three external monitors, the fourth-gen T14s is the basis for a productive work day. Our sister site, PCMag (which is owned by Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis) tested the Intel i7-1356U configuration of this notebook and found that it had more than enough power for daily tasks, using Google's suite of apps, and even light video and photo editing for those who dabble in content creation.

Virtually everything about this laptop is customizable to your needs. The base configuration of the T14s comes with a 13th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, 16 GB of memory, and a 256GB solid-state drive. Power users can easily upgrade their picks to one of the i7 processor options and more SSD storage (up to 2TB) for smoother performance, and folks who really care about screen quality might swap the entry-level IPS screen for an OLED version.

Working from bed may sound enticing as a concept, but trust us, it's not. All it ends up getting you is a messed-up sleep schedule and back pain. So, it's best to avoid that and skip to the part where you have an actual desk instead. Having a desk in any capacity is better than working from random areas in your home, but we're partial to adjustable standing desks — not only can they make you more productive, but they can also save your posture (we aren't meant to be sitting all day).

It's a hefty investment, but the best desk we've tried is the Vari electric standing desk. Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Dylan Haas took the desk for a test run and absolutely loved it. He thought that the finish and quality of the desktop itself was durable and felt high-quality, as well as all the hardware pieces that hold it together. The ComfortEdge design is also a nice bonus, which acts kind of like a built-in wrist rest and makes long workdays much more bearable. The electric portion of the desk is simple and effective, featuring two arrow buttons to adjust height on the fly, as well as four programmable buttons which you can assign height presets to for more seamless transitions. The package also comes with some freebies, including a pair of desk hooks, a coaster, and some cord wraps. The only negative aspect of the experience was the initial setup of the desk, which was thankfully simple, but required way more heavy lifting than expected. Just make sure you have someone around to help you out.

While not included with the desk, Vari also sent over some of their desk add-ons to try out, including a cable management tray, drawer, and file cabinet. All of them are of the same high quality of the desk itself, especially the super heavy-duty file cabinet that feels basically indestructible. But, if you're only going to buy one, we definitely recommend getting the cable management tray — it's a game-changer for keeping your workspace organized and stress-free. If you can also afford the drawer, it's a welcome addition for some quick and convenient storage.

If you're going to be sitting at a desk all day, a good chair is an absolute must. And no, that old chair that's sitting at your kitchen table is not going to cut it from 9 to 5. The Razer Fujin Pro will, though.

Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Dylan Haas spent a few weeks with the Fujin Pro, and he was really impressed with it — he thought it was comparable to the Herman Miller Aeron Chair, which is high praise in its own right. The Razer Fujin Pro is constructed using a breathable mesh material that keeps you cool and supported throughout the day, as well as durable aluminum alloy hardware that feels like it will stand the test of time. Materials aside, the real star of the show is the chair's ergonomic design and suite of adjustments that you can make for extra comfort and support while you're clocked in. Among the Fujin Pro's adjustment options are lumbar support height and depth, a 4D headrest, movable armrests, and a reclining function. There are seemingly endless combinations that you can make, which leads us to believe that this chair is truly a good fit for anyone. Even after weeks of use, Haas never felt uncomfortable in the chair, and felt way better physically after each workday from sitting in a more supportive posture.

The Razer Fujin Pro is also a breeze to keep clean, even though the mesh material can sometimes hang onto lint. But, it all comes off easily with a quick wipe-down using a damp cloth. The only real struggle with the chair was the setup, which was easy to follow, but kind of hard to do by yourself because of the heavy pieces involved. Razer recommends having another person to help you put it together, and we definitely agree, because it can get pretty intense. Other than that, though, the Razer Fujin Pro emerges as one of the best desk chairs we've ever sat in. The high price tag might cause potential buyers to raise an eyebrow, but this is one of those occasions where we think the hefty investment is worth what you're getting.

Sitting for hours every day may be bad for your health, but standing in one place all day can get pretty uncomfortable too. Pair your standing desk with our favorite under-desk treadmill, the WalkingPad P1, to get your steps in during working hours. With a longer deck than most under-desk treadmills at 57 inches, the P1 offers taller users space for longer strides. But that doesn't mean it takes up too much real estate in your home — thanks to its unique folding design, you can still store it under your bed or couch when you're not using it.

Thought the P1 doesn't have a ton of fancy features, its simple design is one of the things our Deputy Reviews Editor Miller Kern enjoyed about it. She noted that it was easy to set up and use, plus its connected app allowed for seamless speed adjustments. The app also lets users make workout plans and track walking distance. It's not exactly the most practical device for actual workouts, but for increasing activity throughout the day, it does the trick.

You don't realize just how noisy your home is until you try to work in it. A good pair of noise-cancelling earbuds, like the Bose QuietComfort Ultras, can block out the chaos and help you focus. The QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are impressive, from their audio quality and fancy Immersive Audio feature to their comfortable, secure fit and decent battery life.

Mashable Contributor Timothy Beck Werth loved just about everything these buds had to offer, but particularly noted how good the noise cancellation was. He mentioned that he'll pop the earbuds in even when no music is playing, just to silence the world around him to focus or take a nap. The comfort was an added bonus — he was able to wear the buds on a six to seven-hour flight and suffered no ear fatigue. Throw stellar audio quality into the mix and you've got yourself a pair of winning earbuds.

The only real gripes he had with the Bose QuietComfort Ultras were pretty minor: the charging case was quick to show signs of wear and tear, plus the earbuds could be a little difficult to remove from the case. We're not thrilled with the price, but our reviewer found it to be fair given the quality.

Read our full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Noise-Cancelling Earbuds.

If you're working from home, we're willing to bet that you're constantly in video meetings. Unfortunately, not every computer has a built-in webcam — or has a crappy one built in — which means you'll have to buy one separately. Our recommendation: The Logitech MX Brio. It's not a cheap webcam, but the value was undeniable after our testing period.

Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Dylan Haas tested the Logitech MX Brio for a few weeks and came out amazed by the camera's video quality in both natural and low-light situations. Whether you're recording video or streaming into a meeting, the 4K UHD cam is crisp and keeps you looking your absolute best. The wide-angle lens packs a lot into each frame, but it can be adjusted if you want a tighter shot. Speaking of framing, the camera also comes with an adjustable mount that allows you to deeply customize the angle of your shot, even if it's directly below the camera — just put it into Show Mode for a perfect top-down view of your workspace. Other highlights include a built-in privacy shade and Logi Options+ support for even more adjustments like lighting, white balance, ISO, shutter speed, and more. Or, you can just let the camera do the work for you in auto mode.

The Logitech MX Brio does come with a built-in microphone, but the output didn't sound amazing during our testing period. It's ultimately serviceable, but we recommend using a microphone or pair of headphones if you're going to be recording audio or video chatting. And, while the amount of adjustments you can make is welcome, moving the camera can be finicky at times, so just be mindful that it's not going to fall off while you set up the frame.

While employers likely use a ton of digital tools to keep private data private for their WFH staff, your personal computer offers an open door to hackers, trackers, and breaches. That's where a VPN comes in handy — especially if you're a freelancer, small business owner, or contract employee. While there are a handful of VPNs we recommend, NordVPN is one of our favorites.

Well-known partly due to its aggressive marketing, we're happy to report that NordVPN does, in fact, live up to the hype. It's built for power users who know their way around a VPN and want to customize features, but it's just as easy to use for newbies hoping to boost security while they scroll, stream, and more.

Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel tested out NordVPN's Standard service and found the annual plans to be a killer deal due to the highly customizable app packed with features like multi-hop connections, security extras like an anti-malware/tracker tool and a dark web monitor, and a commendable privacy overhaul (including its bug bounty program).

It's not without flaws, though. We found that it often took longer to connect than we'd prefer and it's pretty annoying that the split tunneling feature is only available for Android and Windows users. Plus, the transparency blunder in NordVPN's past still puts us a little on edge — though the company has worked hard to repair users' trust. It can certainly get expensive if you opt for a monthly plan, but the long-term deals are beyond worth it.

Read our full review of NordVPN.

Mashable Choice winner and our top MacBook pick for most people, the M2 MacBook Air is an excellent companion for your home office setup. The base model packs 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage but can be upgraded to up to 24GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. The M2 chip is truly a powerhouse for basic computing, and the 13.6-inch display gives you more screen real estate than previous models. As of mid-2023, the M2 MacBook Air also comes in a 15-inch model with two extra speakers starting at $1,299.

Other highlights, observed by Mashable Tech Reporter Alex Perry upon testing, were the "rock-solid battery life, keyboard that's to die for, and enough horsepower to handle everyday tasks with ease." The 1080p FaceTime HD camera is also an appreciated upgrade from its predecessors, as well as the four-speaker setup with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support.

A few downsides of the M2 MacBook Air Perry noticed were the refresh rate (only 60Hz), the lack of ports, and the look of the camera notch. But these are all minor grievances in the grand scheme — if you're still holding onto an ancient MacBook, it's a worthy upgrade and "an ideal job companion with excellent performance and one of the best keyboards around."

Read our full review of the M2 MacBook Air.

Viruses, malware, ransomware, and phishing threats are all looming dangers when you're online — dangers that could lock you out of your system, uncover private work documents, or reveal banking information, passwords, and other confidential information. That's why investing in antivirus software for your home office setup is probably a smart idea (particularly if you work from a PC).

Our top pick for antivirus software, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus, was tested by our sister site PCMag (which is owned by Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis), and earned a stellar 5 out of 5 rating. Its suite of features is a force to be reckoned with — including effective ransomware protection, real-time behavioral monitoring for files and links that look suspicious, virus detection, an ad-tracking blocker, malicious website blocking, a password manager, and more. In other words, it's far more than just an antivirus tool; it's a full security suite.

The only real gripes noted in the PCMag review were the sluggish speed of the first scan (though Bitdefender’s system graciously warns you beforehand) and the fact that the VPN that comes with the antivirus software is extremely limited. In order to access the full-featured VPN, you'll need to pay a separate subscription fee.