Top products from r/Battletops

I'm slightly older if that really matters. Here's my advice.

One thing you can do right now without buying anything is to remove the stickers off of your laptop. Seriously, it makes a difference.

For all my recommendations I'm going to list price first as I imagine budget being a concern.

$5 - Do you only use the external drive when at your desk? If so, mounting it to the corner of the desk, the wall, (or if you ever pick up an external monitor, the back of that) might look cleaner.
I use this stuff to stick things - https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-051141397252-Extremely-Mounting-414P-ST/dp/B018GKCI82/ You can find it at stores like Target.

With all the cables coming out of your laptop, I think a USB hub would really help your setup as all of the cables would go directly into one place. If your laptop has a USB-C port and supports charging over it, you can get a USB-C hub so you can connect peripherals and charging over one cable.

$15 - If you don't have USB-C, something like this looks good - https://www.amazon.com/Anker-4-Port-Macbook-Surface-Notebook/dp/B00XMD7KPU/

It has four USB 3.0 ports and is very clean and small. However, the cable is a bit short.

Around $79 - If you do have USB-C, I have this hub and it's pretty good, however the cable is short and can feel a bit loose at times.

$25 - A basic colored mousepad might look cleaner if you want to go for that look. I have this mousepad and recommend it, but it's all personal preference.

$35 - I think you should pick up a headphone stand so the grease and oils don't get on your laptop screen, I recommend this one - https://www.amazon.com/Satechi-Aluminum-Headphone-Stand-Holder/dp/B019PI9QFC/

It gives you three extra USB 3.0 ports, a headphone jack and comes in four different colors, and has a solid aluminum build. If you don't need those extras, this stand is still aluminum and comes in at $12 - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GZFX6ND/

Probably around $100-$150 - The biggest upgrade you can make here I think is an external monitor and keyboard. It would improve your setup's ergonomics significantly. This desk looks pretty small, so I would recommend something no bigger than 24 inches in screen size. The resolution of the screen and such would depend on what you want and your laptop's power. However, I highly recommend at least 1920x1080 resolution.

$25 - If you ever do decide to upgrade to an external monitor, you probably wouldn't be able to use two screens on your desk, and the closed laptop would take up way too much space. I would recommend this laptop stand - https://www.amazon.com/Vertical-Adjustable-OMOTON-Aluminum-Chromebook/dp/B0769G51R7/

I have it myself and it's very well built, adjustable, and makes things a lot cleaner if you use an external monitor. It has branding on one side but if you flip it you can just use the side with no branding so it looks super clean. You can make it very stable on the desk with some simple double-sided tape.

That's all I have for now. Enjoy your setup!

This sub has been a huge inspiration for my own little setup. Shout out to the few people here who have stacked monitors, you've helped a lot more than you know lol.

Here's the setup...

1. Samsung Notebook 9 15" (NP900X5T-X01US)
   
   • i7 8550U, MX150 2GB 25W, 256 GB NVME SSD, 16 GB DDR4, plus a 256 GB microSD card
     
     
2. BenQ GW2280 1080p monitors X2
   
   
3. Vivo Dual Monitor Desk Stand
   
   
4. Dell KM717
   
   
5. Fiio E10K (mounted under the desk) and Sennheiser HD569 (also under the desk)
   
   
6. Cable Matters USB 3.1 docking station
   
   
7. An old tablet stand, link here, though I don't recommend spending that much on it. I totally lucked out on this one cause this laptop has pretty terrible thermals, so propping it up allows heat to rise out from the hinge where the vents are. It's not a huge improvement to thermals, but I can still win some games in Apex so I'm not complaining.
   
   
   Just a little venting and maybe some advice for anyone working on their battletop. If your laptop has a Thunderbolt 3 port, and you intend to connect multiple monitors via a docking station, figure out how many monitors your laptop supports over Thunderbolt. It turns out my laptop only supports ONE monitor over Thunderbolt, which screwed me over. I have to use a USB 3.1 dock, which only supports up to 10Gbps, while the port on my laptop supports up to 40Gbps. Because Apple laptops (supposedly) only support one monitor over Thunderbolt, the vast majority of Thunderbolt 3 docks only have one HDMI/DP port, and another Thunderbolt 3 port. I ended up spending quite a bit on a Thunderbolt dock that is no use to me, which is a little annoying. I spoke to Cable Matters support at length about this, and they helped a great deal so I definitely recommend their products.

Hi! I'd definitely recommend a mount, as it clears up a great deal of desk space. I'll post a link to the one I got off Amazon below. As far as mounting it, if you have the exact same desk then the mount/clampdown screws should line up perfectly with the metal frame under the desk on any of the corners. If you have any other questions or want more detailed pics just PM me.

Mount-it! MI-751 ! Single Monitor... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052ATODM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Thank you!

I was very inspired by friends and people here and over at r/battlestations.

I didn't want to spend a ton on a philips hue lightstrip ($80), so I found this alternative on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072QWJRBS/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's worked great for me so far! Have to use a remote instead of being able to use my google home to control it but for $65 cheaper that's a no-brainer for me.

Behind my laptop I have one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E7684I2/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's how I got the two-tone look. I like it a lot.

I actually just got it from an old job, and it dosent have any branding but from a quick search it looks like it could be this one on amazon. It's OK but its hard to get the monitor as close to the wall as I'd like it.

Thanks! It's an AmazonBasics one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WRDS8H0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jBMxCbW119CZG

Been pretty happy with it!

Here you go! :)

Laptop: Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM Signature Edition

• i7-8750
  
• GTX 1060
  
• 16 gig ram
  
• Intel SSD 660p ~512 Gigs
  
  External Hard Drive: My Passport Ultra ~ 2 terabytes
  
  Monitor: Philips 278E9QJAB 27"
  
  Keyboard: Razer Cynosa Chroma
  
  Mouse: Redragon M711 Cobra
  
  Cooling Pad: Cooler Master NotePal
  
  Speakers: JBL Flip 4
  
  Headset: Corsair HS60 Pro
  
  I sort of want to get a better mouse, but this cheapo 20 dollar mouse has served me well for the last 2 years, haha

Yeah this stand is great, I strongly recommend it.

The ones i buy for work aren't cheap but are amazing for the price. For what you're doing I'm sure that works fine, if you want to upgrade at some point something like this acer is probably fine, just keep an eye out for deals on IPS monitors and find a resolution / screen size you like.

^^I ^^went ^^to ^^Ohayocon ^^last ^^week... ^^Obviously ^^I ^^don't ^^know ^^anything ^^about ^^watching ^^Japanese ^^cartoons ^^on ^^a ^^second ^^monitor ^^>_>

Can do you one worse; there's like 5 of these under the desk: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XZPYP7Y/ and a bunch of little circular wire grips/etc. along with my network switches/hubs/surge protectors all fixed to the bottom side of the desk.

..but as upgrades happened over the year(s) I've been popping out cables here and cables in there. It's hard to plan where each cable needs to go, which hub needs to be used, which power supply to connect to, etc. with a desk this long. I end up moving them around a lot until I find the perfect length cable/hub for practical use. I think it's all about where I want it now though. On top of that, my laptop and a lot of the gear need to be readily mobilized.

The plan is to create an under-desk diagram, unplug every cable and rewire the entire office neatly sometime soon; I may have time this Thanksgiving weekend.

I would say whatever you can afford, typically you can get a 24inch 1080 60hz for a decent price around 100 bucks. If you game a ton then I would go for a 144hz monitor, but for cheapest and soonest 1080p 60hz is good! I have a laptop and have seen people use a laptop mount to put a monitor side by side with laptop. Here and a cheap monitor link here (look at amazon reviews to see images of it in use) Also a mouse and keyboard would also be needed for an external monitor since you wont be using laptop one anymore

Mount IT Laptop + Monitor works pretty good.

So I know this is a little bit old but, is the laptop on the monitor arm?

EDIT: Ok, let me guess, is it the Amazon Basics Notebook Arm Mount Tray?

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Notebook-Arm-Mount-Tray/dp/B010QZD6I6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464827806&sr=8-1&keywords=laptop+vesa+mount


That's so awesome, I've never seen those before, I may end up using this in my setup!

Nice setup, dude! Is that the Inspiron 7559 or 5577?

Also, cable raceways mounted under the desk and possibly on the wall would help hide some of those cables. I used these.

I think so, they also have those cool laptop and monitor mounts so your laptop is used like a second monitor! Here is an example: https://www.amazon.ca/VIVO-Motion-Monitor-Articulating-STAND-V102C/dp/B074GBF93N/ref=asc_df_B074GBF93N/?tag=googlemobshop-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292925657954&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3838258290251494878&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001253&hvtargid=pla-355469742678&psc=1

You got a nice setup going on here, I like the consistency of the color theme. Idk what's beside your laptop and monitor, it looks like a pillow. Maybe get that out and move your laptop beside the monitor with a nice stand. You may not notice now, but the continued pressure over your laptop screen will damage it overtime. Also some red LEDs could give your setup a lot more life.

https://www.amazon.com/Vertical-Adjustable-OMOTON-Aluminum-Chromebook/dp/B0769G51R7/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537528467&sr=8-3&keywords=laptop+stand+omoton

https://www.amazon.com/LEN-Lights-Waterproof-150LEDs-Complete/dp/B01I6AT920/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1537528500&sr=8-6&keywords=led+lights&dpID=613d0pDJP1L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

You should check these two out. I got them for my setup and they work like a dream, specially the laptop stand.

I like where you are heading. Could really take it to the next level with alaptop stand a dual monitor mount

I'm using this stand for the laptop/middle monitor. It's help up decently, although it isn't super sturdy. Works okay for my purposes.

As for the laptop, I haven't had any problems related to heat although I admittedly don't pay super close attention to the temps.

Yeah, it's a Vivo Monitor Arm and a Vivo Laptop Stand

It's the E-Element Z-88. Just a little budget mech, I went with the Otemu blues. It's actually really great for the price, to my surprise. Keycaps kind of suck though.

A dual VESA mount, then a VESA laptop cradle so you can mount the laptop to it.

It would give you back a ton of real estate, make it cleaner, and make everything more adjustable.

Separated:

MonMount Dual LCD Monitor, Desk Mount Stand Arm Holds up to Two 27" Screens, Black (LCD-194B) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AMNX0F2/

VIVO Laptop / Notebook Tray Holder for VESA Mount Stand / Fits 100 mm Plate Holes (STAND-LAP2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z1VBIE0/

Together:

Mount-It! MI-3352LTMN Laptop Desk Stand and Monitor Mount, Full Motion Height Adjustable Holder, Fits up to 17 Inch Notebooks, VESA 75, 100 Compatible with 22, 23, 24, 27 inch Screens, Carries 44 Lb https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K7NDBZQ/

Thanks, I use this monitor arm. It's a little janky, but it gets the job done.

My apologies, looks like that was confusing (was not intended to be). Clarifying, I was looking at doing 3 USB-C to HDMI and then using a dock/hub to handle USB and ethernet. Thoughts?

Dock I was thinking about - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01FWT7MEA/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1500569051&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=USB-c+dock&dpPl=1&dpID=51zxp5dugRL&ref=plSrch

However, I may just hold off till the hengedock comes out - https://hengedocks.com/pages/tethered-docks

A one of their horizontal dock would be legit but 5 hundo is a bit steep for me.

I used these for the mounting

Adjustable Computer Monitor Laptop Desk Mount– Monitor Arm Desk Mount with Keyboard Tray, C Clamp and Grommet Mounting Base - Fits 13 to 27 Inch LCD Screens Up to 22lbs, Notebook up to 17 Inches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DWM9WNM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Vw83BbYD3WKTY

Link

LG 34UC80-B 34-Inch 21:9 Curved UltraWide QHD IPS Monitor with USB Quick Charge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074JKT894/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KxMYCbA39VA5V

LG 34UC80-B 34-Inch 21:9 Curved UltraWide QHD IPS Monitor with USB Quick Charge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074JKT894/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Iy1aBb49N7HW6

This one: VIVO Dual LCD LED Monitor Desk Mount Stand Heavy Duty Fully Adjustable fits 2/Two Screens up to 27" (STAND-V002) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009S750LA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ZKW3Bb370XR3H

24" 1080p Acer for only $110

MacBook Pro 2016 w/Touch Bar
Dell S2718
Vivo combo laptop+monitor vesa mount https://www.amazon.com/VIVO-Adjustable-Computer-Monitor-STAND-V002C/dp/B00FOTABWY
Drevo Calibur wireless keyboard
Varmilo 68m keyboard
Logitech MX Master mouse
Etsy wooden wrist rest

This one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FUOILAC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is the mount:

https://www.amazon.com/Mount-MI-3352LT-Adjustable-Articulating-Computers/dp/B00FUOILAC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483917363&sr=8-2&keywords=mount+it+laptop+stand

And it can be yours for $13!

Led Strip Lights 6.56ft for 40-60in TV,Pangton Villa USB LED TV Backlight Kit with Remote - 16 Color 5050 Leds Bias Lighting for HDTV https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072QWJRBS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_aSzTAbHE8KM7S

No dock, just a laptop stand from Amazon. Used a standard thunderbolt to vga adapter to run the first and a usb to vga to run the second.