USB-C Multiport Hub
Two ports on the laptop, six things to plug in. Check the HDMI specification rather than the port count before you buy — plenty of hubs quietly cap an external display at a refresh rate that is miserable to work on.
Compact Smart Display
A small screen that is useful on a nightstand or a kitchen counter rather than in your hand. Timers, a glance at the calendar, and a video call you can walk away from mid-sentence.
Related picks
Portable External SSD
I treat this as insurance rather than storage. A laptop dies during finals week about once per friend group per year, and the difference between an inconvenience and a catastrophe is whether last night's work exists anywhere else.
Wireless Mechanical Keyboard (TKL)
The one specification that matters in a shared room is the switch. Tactile browns are audible; clicky blues are a roommate problem. Tenkeyless also gives back the desk width you need for a mouse.
