Gear under $100: 3 upgrades for your home, office or study areas
Best-sounding Bluetooth speaker: Anker Soundcore Motion Plus
Anker’s Soundcore Motion Plus is larger than many mini Bluetooth speakers, but it’s still compact and manages to sound fuller than much of the competition under $100, with bigger bass, more volume and better clarity. It’s also fully waterproof (IPX7 rated) and has support for the aptX streaming codec for supporting devices such as Samsung’s Galaxy phones. Battery life is rated at 12 hours at moderate volume levels. There’s even an app for tweaking the sound. It’s an excellent value. Blue or red versions are available for $6 more.
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Superb everyday keyboard: Logitech MX Keys
This keyboard is a great way to step up from that cramped laptop (or iPad) keyboard with Logitech’s MX Keys — arguably the smartest low-profile Logitech keyboard we’ve used. It has “spherically dished” keys that cradle the tips of your fingers, and the keyboard is responsive and tactile. In that sense, it’s similar to Logitech’s Craft keyboard, which lists for twice the price. The keys light up as your hands approach and there’s a sensor that adjusts the illumination according to the lighting conditions. You can also turn off the light if you want to save battery life. The dual layout is designed to suit both Mac and Windows users, and MX Keys is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android systems. Using illumination, you can get 10 days of operation on a full charge or up to five months with backlighting turned off. When it’s time to recharge, the battery indicator LED glows red and you can continue using the keyboard while charging via USB-C.
Best everyday mouse: Logitech MX Master 3
We’ve been fans of Logitech’s earlier MX Master and MX Master 2S mice, which shared the same design. For the MX Master 3, Logitech’s engineers have made some upgrades to both the design and the mechanics of the mouse, most noticeably to the scroll wheel, which is driven by electromagnets and is buttery-smooth to operate. It’s fast and quiet — you can zip through thousands of lines in seconds when you switch from ratchet to free-spin mode. This stylish mouse costs just less than $100, and it’s a neat upgrade for those who want a break from a stubborn trackpad.
