As a UX designer, you know that having the right gear to create captivating, intuitive, and seamless user experiences is a non-negotiable.
From sketching out wireframes to testing prototypes and everything in between, having the right gear can make all the difference in your workflow and productivity. But with so many options on the market, it can be hard to know which ones are worth investing in.
That’s why we’ve rounded up some of the best gear for UX designers on the market, so you can have the tools you need to create your best work yet. Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro, these products are sure to help you streamline your process, stay organized, and bring your ideas to life.
Best Gear for UX Designers
For Graphics Design
With a Liquid Retina XDR display with 3456 x 2234 px resolution at 254 PPI, 12-core CPU with 8 performance and 4 efficiency cores, integrated 38-core GPU and 16-core neural engine, and the ability to connect to up to 3 external monitors, many have dubbed this the best laptop Apple has ever made.
The Apple MacBook Pro 2023 is the latest and greatest MacBook laptop by Apple, and it isn’t hard to see why it’s quickly become a favorite among influencers and buyers alike.
This sleek and stylish machine packs a punch, featuring Apple’s newest M2 Max processor with 12 CPU cores, up to 38 GPU cores, and up to 96GB unified memory. This means that it’s lightning-fast and can handle even the most demanding UX design tasks with ease.
But that’s not all. The MacBook Pro 2023 also boasts a stunning 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR (non-touchscreen) display that yields a sustained brightness of 1,000 nits, peak brightness of 1,600 nits, and an unrivaled contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 that no other laptop screen can match. This makes it perfect for working in any lighting condition, and you’ll be able to see your designs in perfect clarity.
And the best part?
Despite its impressive power, the newest generation MacBook Pro has a battery life that’s simply surreal. Thanks to the power efficiency of Apple’s processor design, this MacBook’s laptop can go up to 22 hours without a charge, which is perfect for those long work sessions or when you’re on the go.
When it comes to compatibility, we have good news for you — you won’t have to worry about a thing.
The MacBook Pro 2023 sports the latest version of Apple’s MacOS and is fully compatible with all your favorite UX software, including Adobe XD, Adobe InDesign, and Figma. And with its three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI port, 3.5-mm headphone jack, SDXC card reader, and MagSafe 3 charging port, you’ll have plenty of options to connect all your peripherals.
Plus, unlike older generations of MacBook Pro, the touch bar is dead and gone, replaced by a comfortable keyboard with a full-height function key and a Touch ID enabled power key in the upper-right corner. And if you need more screen real estate, you can even plug it into up to 3 external monitors, making it the ultimate machine for any UX designer looking to elevate their workflow.
Overall, the 16.2-Inch MacBook Pro 2023 is the clear winner for anyone looking for power, performance, and unparalleled design capabilities in their laptop.
With a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display for the most brilliant colors and the perfect contrast, a powerful, energy-efficient M2 chip with an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, a LiDAR scanner for immersive AR, and ability to work with the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil, the latest and greatest iPad Pro is the best tablet for UX designers on the market.
The Apple iPad Pro 2022 is the ultimate tablet for UX designers, illustrators, and artists who demand the best in performance and design.
Its 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR touchscreen display is the centerpiece of this powerhouse tablet, boasting Apple’s ProMotion, True Tone, and P3 wide color technology to deliver astonishing colors and a crystal-clear picture. Whether you’re designing graphics or sketching illustrations, this display will help bring your work to life like never before.
But what really sets the iPad Pro 2022 apart is its incredible power. Powered by Apple’s M2 chip with an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, this tablet gives you all the computing power you need to run your favorite UX design or drawing software with ease. You can create, design, and edit on the go, without ever having to worry about lag or performance issues.
This generation iPad Pros are equipped with two cameras and an AR sensor: a 12MP wide camera, a 10MP ultra-wide back camera, and a LiDAR Scanner for immersive AR. Whether you’re taking photos, recording videos, or creating AR experiences, this tablet has everything you need to get the job done.
In terms of connectivity, the iPad Pro 2022 supports Wi-Fi 6E and 5G cellular for the fastest Internet connection possible. And with its USB-C connector with support for Thunderbolt / USB 4, you’ll have all the ports you need to connect to external devices and transfer data quickly and easily.
Finally, the iPad Pro works seamlessly with the second generation Apple Pencil, allowing you to draw, sketch, and annotate with precision and ease. Whether you’re a professional designer or just starting out, the iPad Pro 2022 is the ultimate tablet for anyone looking to take their creativity to an unreal level.
For Drawing, Sketching, Note-Taking
Bring your ideas to life with the second-generation Apple Pencil. With imperceptible lag, perfect precision, and lifelike sensitivity to pressure, sketching, drawing, and taking notes with this pencil is almost like using the real thing. Clips neatly to the side of your iPad and charges from it wirelessly.
The second generation Apple Pen is a must-have accessory for any designer or creative professional who wants to take their work to the next level. With greater precision and a softer touch than its predecessor, this pen is truly a game-changer for anyone who’s used the first-generation pen.
Whether you’re sketching, drawing, or taking notes, the second-generation Apple Pen offers a level of precision and control that simply wasn’t possible before.
One of the standout features of the second-generation Apple Pen is its low latency. With virtually imperceptible lag, this pen is ideal for drawing, sketching, coloring, and taking notes on your iPad Mini, iPad, or iPad Pro. Whether you’re working on a new illustration or taking quick notes in a meeting, the Apple Pen offers a level of responsiveness and accuracy that is unparalleled.
Another characteristic feature of Apple’s pen is its magnetic attachment. With a flat side that attaches magnetically to your tablet, this pen is always within reach if (and when) you need it. And because it pairs with your tablet via Bluetooth, there’s no need to worry about cords or cables. Plus, with wireless charging, you can easily recharge the pen from your tablet without having to fumble with cables or power cords.
All in all, the new Apple Pen is a must-have accessory for anyone who wants to take their creative work to the next level. With its precision, responsiveness, and ease of use, this pen is a game-changer for designers, artists, and anyone who wants to express their creativity in new and exciting ways.
For you: Our Apple Pen 2 Review
This Wacom drawing tablet has a 10-inch active area and an ultra-precise, no-lag, battery-free pen that helps you sketch with precision and needs no charging. It works on Macs and PCs, and has a customizable touch ring and buttons to allow you to control your software without a mouse or keyboard.
Looking for a drawing tablet that can take your UX design to the next level? Look no further than the Wacom Intuos Pro Medium. This tablet offers flawless precision for a variety of design needs.
Featuring a slim, lightweight body with a 10-inch active area, this drawing tablet also includes the pressure-sensitive, ultra-responsive, battery-free Wacom Pro Pen 2. With tilt response and 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, the pen is the standout feature of this drawing tablet. It has virtually no lag, comes with natural tilt recognition, and no parallax, making it the perfect tool for creating the most intricate designs.
The Wacom Intuos Pro Medium is compatible with both macOS computers and Windows PCs. It has customizable ExpressKeys and a customizable Touch Ring, which means you can work with your go-to software applications without having to revert to your mouse, trackpad, or keyboard. Whether you’re a professional UX designer or a hobbyist, this drawing tablet is the perfect tool to bring your creative ideas to life.
With a cardboard, kraft-brown cover, rounded corners that don't curl as easily, and 80 pages of plain, ivory-colored, 70 g/m², acid-free paper, this Moleskine notebook is ideal for UX designers who prefer to draw, sketch, and take notes the traditional way.
For UX designers who prefer to put pen to paper, the Moleskine Large Cashier Journal set of 3 notebooks is a great pick. These plain-paper notebooks come with cardboard covers and are perfect for jotting down notes, ideas, and sketches in the traditional way.
Each notebook contains 80 pages of the same high-quality ivory-colored, 70 g/m², acid-free paper that you find in all Moleskine notebooks. However, these notebooks are even more convenient to carry around thanks to their soft covers, rounded corners, and compact size, making them the perfect addition to your pocket or backpack.
But we love about these notebooks is that the last 16 pages are detachable. This makes it easy to hand over your ideas and sketches to clients or colleagues while keeping the rest of the notebook intact. Whether you’re working on a UX project or simply doodling on the go, these detachable pages make it easy to share your work with others.
The Moleskine Large Cashier Journal is a reliable and high-quality notebook set that’s perfect for any UX designer who loves to work with pen and paper. The combination of traditional design and modern convenience makes these notebooks a great pick for anyone looking to stay organized and creative on the go.
A set of Japanese-made fine, gray-fine, and extra-fine pens with a hard but also flexible felt-brush tip for your UX mockups and idea sketching needs. Filled with rich black, water-based pigment ink that works wonders on any paper.
Looking for sketching pens that won’t disappoint? UX designers, allow us to introduce you to the Kuretake Zig Fudegokochi 3-Piece Pen Set.
These Japanese-made pens come in a set of three — one with a fine, the other with a fine-gray, and the third with an extra fine tip — each with a hard but flexible felt-brush tip that can handle even the heaviest of hands. Whether you’re sketching out UX designs or jotting down notes, these pens have you covered.
The rich, black, water-based pigment ink is the perfect complement to these pens. Water-resistant after drying, this ink won’t smudge or fade easily. And when you need to sketch things out, these pens will bring out your superpower. They’re perfect for drawing UX elements and mocking up designs that are sure to impress.
The Kuretake Zig Fudegokochi 3 pens are made by Kuretake Zig, a centenarian maker of artist supplies established in 1902 as a sumi ink stick maker in Nara, Japan. With these pens, you’re not just getting the best sketching tools for UX design, you’re also getting a piece of Japanese art history.
For Time Management
Analog timer with a 60-minute dial and a rotating disk that literally shows you the passage of time as you work. Optional audible alert for those who want to be reminded when the time is up... and those who don't. Great for practitioners of the Pomodoro Technique and other time-management methods.
Looking for a sleek and stylish way to boost your productivity? Look no further than the Time Timer MOD, our favorite desktop timer.
This analog timer is the perfect tool for those who want to make the most of their workday. With its elegant design and simple functionality, it’s easy to see why this timer has become a favorite among time-management professionals and productivity geeks alike.
The timer’s classic design features a soft, cotton-ball white silicone cover, white dial, and a wine disk that disappears as the time passes. This unique feature helps you manage the flow of work throughout the day by literally seeing time pass before your eyes.
But the Time Timer MOD is more than just a pretty face. It’s also incredibly effective at breaking down large chunks of work into short, repetitive time intervals. This technique, known as “batching,” helps you stay focused and sharp, and ensures that you make the most of your time.
So if you’re ready to take your UX work to the next level, consider adding the Time Timer MOD to your desktop setup. It’s a small investment that can pay big dividends in terms of your ability to stay focused, manage your time effectively, and get things done.
