Are you a software developer? Then you know very well how a comfortable and organized desk setup can make all the difference when it comes to your productivity and focus. With the right tools and equipment at your fingertips, you can work efficiently, minimize distractions, and stay on top of your game.
Having a functional, well-organized desktop setup is essential, no matter if your work from home or in the office. From ergonomic chairs to standing desks, there are plenty of items that can help you create a more comfortable and productive workspace.
We’ve researched the top products on the market to bring you the best recommendations for your programming needs. So, if you’re looking to upgrade your workspace and take your programming to the next level, read on for our picks.
Standing Desk
55 x 24-in desktop with a height range from 27.6 to 47.3 inches. Single-motor, button-adjustable height with three memory presents. Reversible panel for left-handed and right-handed programmers. Fits 2-3 monitors and a laptop.
As a programmer, you don’t want to adjust your needs to your desk, but your desk to adjust to your needs throughout the work day. Whether you feel like standing up and typing it out or reclining in your chair and zoning out, an electric standing desk allows you to switch positions, keeping your back healthy and your mind sharp, with the push of a button.
We’ve written extensively about the best electric standing desks for software developers, but here, we want to introduce you to our top pick, the Fezibo L-Shaped Standing Desk. This desk has a steel frame, thick top, simple controls, reliable motor, and enough room for a laptop and two or three monitors. It also has three memory presets so you don’t have to look for “just the right” height every single time you move.
Ergonomic Chair
What's good enough for a whole night of gaming is good enough for a whole day of programming. This ergonomic chair is stable, offers great head and lumbar support, and has an adjustable back angle between 135 and 90 degrees.
Prolonged sitting can cause pain the back, neck, arm, and legs. Decades of sitting in the wrong chairs can lead to bad posture, allowing that pain to become chronic and making you pay a high price for that ignorance as you age. To minimize the damage, you want a chair with great neck and lumbar support to reduce the strain on your spine and muscles to a minimum.
If you’re looking for your next chair, check out our roundup of the best chairs for programmers in 2023. Or start with our gaming chair pick, the GTPlayer Gaming Chair. It’s ergonomic, fully adjustable, and, well, just cool — whether in the office or home.
Split Keyboard
A 40 to 60% split keyboard with 62 RGB LED-backlit mechanical keys. Double-shot keycaps and tactile, light-clicky Cherry MX switches make typing on this keyboard a breeze. Compatible with Windows PCs, with a USB-C connector.
To use a regular keyboard, you have to position your hands, wrists, and elbows in an unnatural way. It doesn’t feel weird to us because we’ve grown accustomed to it, but it nevertheless causes strain on the body and can cause arm and shoulder pain.
The alternative that many a programmer turn to is a split keyboard — as the name suggests, a keyboard that’s split into two parts — which allows you to position your hands at an angle neutral from one another. Using one feels weird at first, but many report it helps them feel better and type faster.
High-Performance Mouse
Finally, a mouse with quiet buttons and fast, precise scrolling! With a superior 8,000-DPI sensor, this beast of a mouse is capable of working on any surface, including glass. It has customizable buttons and can connect to up to 3 devices via Bluetooth. Built-in battery with quick charging a full 70 days of battery life.
As a programmer, you’re probably using your keyboard more than your mouse. Keyboard shortcuts, after all, are faster than moving your mouse and clicking on things on the screen, and many software development professionals find them more convenient.
But what’s the one thing you’re likely to use your mouse for when working? Scrolling through the endless lines of code in your code editor. And for that, you want a high-performance mouse that’s up to the task and whose scroll wheel won’t fail you. (Inertia scrolling? Yup, you’ve got it.)
Over-the-Years Headset
This headset has fine-tuned drivers for all your calls, meetings, and music playlists, and a rotating, noise-cancelling mic to help you keep background noise to a minimum. The leatherette pads feel soft but hold their shape even after hours of wear. And the 6.23-ft (1.9-m) cable is long enough to allow you to move around as you work.
As a programmer, you spend your work day on your computer, communicating with your team or your clients through standups, plannings, reviews, retros, and ad-hoc calls. Having a reliable headset is a must. Whether you’re jumping on a call or just need to block out the noise around you to focus on your code, the right headset can make all the difference.
A good headset can also help reduce background noise and distractions, allowing you to focus on your work. And with the rise of remote work, having a high-quality headset has become even more important, ensuring that you can communicate clearly with your team no matter where you are working from.
Full-HD Webcam
Full-HD, 1,920 x 1,080-pixel conference calling and webcam recording at 30 FPS. Captures stereo, crystal-clear audio within up to 3 ft (1 m) with two microphones. Automatically adjusts to the lighting conditions and sports unexpectedly good autofocus.
Video conferencing has become an integral part of our daily work. Whether you’re working from home or simply catching up with your teammates, having a reliable and high-quality webcam is essential. And when it comes to video quality, nothing beats a full-HD webcam.
A full-HD webcam provides clear and sharp video with vibrant colors and fine details. It allows you to see and be seen in high definition, which is particularly important for times when you need to look professional, talk through your code, or walk a stakeholder through your application.
Wireless Charging Station
This charging station can charge your iPhone, iWatch, AirPod earbuds, as well as other Qi-enabled devices, all at the same time while keeping your phone upright and ready for you to use.
A wireless charging station can be a game-changer for anyone tired of dealing with cables and cords. For programmers — who spend all of their work day at their desks — a charging station that can keep all their devices powered up without any fuss is a must-have. With one, you can charge your phone, tablet, and any other Qi-enabled devices just by placing them on the pad. And so, you no longer have to think about finding the right cable or outlet to keep every device charged.
Not only that, but with a wireless charging station on your desk, you can ensure all your devices are charged and ready to go when you need them, reducing the risk of running out of battery power on your phone in the middle of smoke testing for an urgent bugfix.
Cable Holder
Tidy up your workspace with this magnetic cable holder. The magnet keeps Lightning and MagSafe cables in place, and the detachable clips can secure any other cable up to 3.5 mm thick. The strong adhesive on the back sticks to any surface, from wood to marble to metal to glass.
Sure, cable holders may not be the most exciting desk accessory. But they are an essential of any well-organized workspace. As a programmer, you have many devices that need to be plugged in — from your computer and monitor to your keyboard and mouse. Without proper cable management, these cords can quickly become a tangled mess, making it difficult to work efficiently and creating a cluttered workspace.
A cable holder helps keep your cables organized and tangle-free. There are many different types of cable holders available, from simple adhesive clips that attach to the edge of your desk to more elaborate systems that include a variety of hooks, clips, and channels. We’ve featured the one we consider the best on the market.
Desk Mat
This vegan, polyurethane leather mat adds comfort and style to your desk with its amazing texture, look, and feel. 35 in wide and 17 in tall, it's big enough for your laptop or keyboard and mouse as well as all of your staples. It's also waterproof, durable, and comes in several colors.
A desk mat is an essential accessory for any programmer looking to create a neater workspace. Also known as a desk pad or blotter, these mats are typically made of high-quality materials like leather, cork, or rubber, and are designed to provide a smooth, comfortable surface for your hands and wrists while you work.
One of the main reasons to get a desk mat is that it can help reduce the strain on your wrists and hands caused by repetitive typing and mousing. By providing a soft and supportive surface, a desk mat can help reduce pressure on your wrists.
