The Best iMac Accessories in 2020

Upgrade your iMac and your workstation with great accessories. Here are the best iMac accessories to buy. The iMac is a sleek looking all-in-one Mac, and it’s ripe for upgrades and extra features from accessories.

To start, you’ll need the perfect iMac keyboard, a great mouse and you’ll definitely want to invest in speakers or headphones. This is a great starting point. If you need more inspiration for iMac accessories and to set up your desk, check out Mac Setups and Workstations on Reddit.

Here are the best iMac accessories you can buy.

• iMac Stand from twelvesouth or Grovemade
• iMac Desk or Wall Mount
• Satechi USB 3.0 Hub and Card Reader
• Apple Magic TrackPad 2
• Logitech MX Master
• Logitech Easy-Switch K811 Keyboard
• 4TB Western Digital My Book
• Mackie CR3 Speakers
• Top Headphone Picks
• Synology DS218+ NAS
• Sit-Stand Desk
• iMac Case or Backpack

HiRise ProStand or Grovemade Walnut Stand

< id=”stand”>The iMac display isn’t at the right height for most users. If that’s the case, one of the easiest ways to fix this is by stacking a few books on your desk, but the best looking ways are to buy the HiRise Pro Stand from twelvesouth or the Grovemade Walnut Monitor Stand.

These stands allow you to raise the iMac up to a higher level so that your workspace is more ergonomic.

The HiRise Pro is adjustable and you can use the base for storage. This includes an aluminum or a walnut front plate to match your decor. The HiRise Pro is available at Apple for $149.95.

Grovemade offers an all wood monitor stand made of elegant walnut that raises your iMac up and is wide enough to slide your mouse and keyboard under when not in use, to keep your desk clean. Grovemade also offers matching accessories for your keyboard, mouse and desk. The Grovemade Walnut iMac stand is $119 at Grovemade.

NuMount Desk Mount

If you don’t want a stand, you can invest in a iMac wall or desk mount that allows you to easily raise and lower your iMac and to move it around on your desk.

You can get a NuMount iMac wall mount for $79.99 at Amazon, which works with older Mac models.

If you didn’t buy a current generation iMac with a VESA adapter built-in, you will need to buy an adapter that mounts to the stand. Two good options are this one from Human Centric that is $14.99 or the VIVO VESA mount kit for $14.99.

If you buy the adapter, you will also need to buy a monitor arm that can support your iMac. There are many options, but we recommend the Ergotron Freedom Arm for $76 at Amazon.

Satechi USB 3.0 Hub and Card Reader

The iMac doesn’t come with many ports, and if you put the iMac at the back of your desk it’s going to be hard to reach the ports most of the time anyway.

Instead of annoying yourself all the time by trying to plug something in on the back of the iMac. get the Satechi USB 3.0 hub and card reader.

This small hub is a perfect match for the iMac style and it includes three USB 3.0 ports an SD card reader and a Micro SD card reader. This means you can plug anything you need to work on into your iMac without mucking around on the back. The Satechi USB Hub 3.0 is $29.99 at Amazon.

If you want to keep your desk space super clean, pick up the USB C version which clamps to your monitor and adds a USB C port to the other connection options. This is compatible with the 2017 iMac and the iMac Pro. The Satechi iMac USB C hub is $49.99 at Amazon.

Buy the Satechi USB Hub 3.0 for $29.99 at Amazon

Apple Magic TrackPad 2

The Apple Magic Trackpad 2 is the perfect iMac accessory if you love using gestures to control your mac, or if you switch between a laptop and your iMac all the time.

With the Magic TrackPad 2, you can use all of the gestures that are part of macOS High Sierra and macOS Mojave. This also allows for precise movements and as someone who switches between a desktop and a MacBook Pro, using the same trackpad is a huge productivity boost from a muscle memory standpoint.

We often see people using the Magic TrackPad 2 and a mouse like the Logitech MX Master. They simply pick the mouse that is best for each job.

The Magic Trackpad 2 is available at Amazon for $122.99 and at Apple for $129.

Logitech MX Master

You may use this instead of the Magic Trackpad 2, or alongside it. If you want the best mouse for your iMac, the Logitech MX Master is that you need to buy. It’s not cheap, so you can look for older models that may be on sale, but if you want the best, this is it.

The MX Master is ergonomic to hold, very precise and includes a lot of customizable buttons that you can setup to handle tasks you use often. The scroll wheel lets you scroll up or down and left or right. Logitech includes a USB receiver for better connectivity, but you can also connect via Bluetooth.

The battery is rated for 40 days and, unlike Apple’s mouse, you can use it while it charges.

We also love that you can use this on any surface, even glass, so it will work no matter what kind of desk you have.

Buy the Logitech MX Master at Amazon for $129

Logitech Easy-Switch K8111 Keyboard

While I personally use the Apple Magic Keyboard so that the typing experience is the same at my desk as on my Macbook Pro, if you don’t need that constant in your life, you should check out the Logitech Easy-Switch K811 bluetooth keyboard.

This is backlit, offers more travel for the keys and it is designed with the Mac in mind so all the keys are where you want them and all your keyboard shorcuts are preserved. One of the great features of this keyboard is that you can easily switch between your iMac, your iPhone or iPad and an Apple TV so you can type wherever you need to at that moment.

If you love a mechanical keyboard, I am partial to the Code keyboard from WASD that allows you to switch to Mac Mode with a toggle on the bottom of the keyboard.

Buy the Logitech Easy-Switch K811 at Amazon for $82.82.

Western Digital 4TB My Book Hard Drive

You’ll want an external hard drive for your iMac. This will allow you to expand your storage and to make a Time Machine Backup of your iMac in case something goes wrong.

There are many options available, but we’ve had great luck with the Western Digital My Book external hard drives. It’s a good idea to get the 4TB Western Digital My Book for about $84.99 on Amazon.

This is an affordable option that is designed to stay on a desk and with 4TB of storage it’s a great value.

Another option is to invest in a Synology NAS, which doesn’t need connected to your iMac with a cable to work, and is accessible remotely. Check out our Synology DS218+ review for more on how it can replace your external drive.

Buy the Western Digital 4TB My Book on Amazon for $84.99.

Mackie CR3 Speakers

You can spend a lot of money on speakers to go with your iMac. There are amazing options like the Edifier S2000 Pro, but not every one wants to spend $400 on speakers.

The Mackie CR3 speakers deliver the best mix of sound quality and value at just 79.99 at Amazon. Wirecutter picked these affordable speakers as the best computer speakers you can buy after testing 70 different options.

There is a headphone jack on the front when you need to switch to headphones, so you don’t need to mess around on the back of your iMac, and you can control the volume with a knob. If you want bigger speakers or Bluetooth connectivity, upgrade to the Mackie CR4BT for $139.

Buy the Mackie CR3 speakers for $79.99 at Amazon

Headphones for Your iMac

There are a lot of headphones to use with your iMac and this will ultimately come down to what you are using your Mac for and how much money you want to spend. Ultimately it’s a personal choice, but we have some of our favorite options across a range of uses. Of course, you can use the AirPods, and this will keep you easily connected to your iMac and then jump back to your iPhone or iPad. Our favorite Headphones to use with the iMac are;

Jabra Move Style – $99 at Amazon – Portable, good sound, long battery life and affordably priced with a great design and wireless connection.

Plantronics Voyager 6200 UC – $174.99 at Amazon– Perfect for wearing all day and hopping onto video calls or phone calls. Use one ear or both. Super lightweight. Won’t mess up your hair or show when you aren’t using it.

Jabra Elite 85h – $190 and up at Amazon – The Elite 85h headphones are comfortable, sound great and offer very good noise-cancelling. What’s even better is the fact that you can get these for under $200 on sale.

 

Synology DS218+ NAS

The Synology DS218+ is an easy to use NAS (network attached storage) device that can easily expand the storage on your iMac without switching between a handful of external drives that take up your USB ports. With the DS218+ I am able to store loads of raw 4K footage, key backups of our website, a local Time Machine Backup, my Final Cut Pro libraries and all manner of important files.

The DS218+ starts at $299 without disks and you can configure it with disks to meet your storage needs. The software is easy to use, the connection to Mac is top notch and it earned a Gotta Be Mobile Editor’s Choice award for the overall value and performance. Learn more at Synology.

Buy at Amazon or B&H Photo.

 

Standing Desk

The desk you put your iMac on is one of the most important accessories that you can buy. We are huge fans of standing desks and there are several that stand out to us after long term testing. With a standing desk you can sit or stand based on your activity and your mood. Standing at work can help you lose weight, power through the afternoon and be healthier overall.

You can buy a full standing desk or buy one that you set on top of an existing desk. I personally like a full sit-stand desk with an electric motor, but you can get manual options and save. If you’re using one at work and have to bring your own a model that stacks onto your desk is a good option.

Ergotron Workfit TX – $499 at Ergotron – Easy to setup, put on your existing desk, 20″ of travel, keyboard, and mouse tray.

Autonomous AI Desk – $299 and up at Autonomous – Motorized adjustment, easy to assemble, memory for 4 positions

I use the Autonomous SmartDesk 2 every day and I’m testing the WorkFit TX. Both of these are great options and also work with monitor mounts and a range of accessories.

iMac Case or Backpack

While many of us use an iMac in one place, some creative professionals need to take their iMac with them to the job site to get work done. There are two main options to go with here. You can pick an iMac backpack or a Pelican style case to protect it in transit while traveling.

Gator Cases Creative Pro Tote Bag for iMac – $149.99 -$199.99 at Amazon – This is a padded bag that lets you quickly open one side and start using your iMac.

Pelican Case 1630 – $676 at Pelican – This is a super protective case for the 27-inch iMac with wheels and IP67 protection from dust and water.

There aren’t a ton of options, but you can get one that meets your needs whether it is for a quick trip across town or more involved travels across the country or globe.