Is your computer getting on in years?
The good news is you might be able to put off purchasing a whole new PC if you consider a few accessories that can breathe new life into that aging machine.
Hundreds of peripherals are available today, such as fancy new mice and keyboards, speaker systems, microphone headsets, big monitors, wireless routers, and gaming controllers, just to name a few.
The following is a look at a half-dozen accessories to spice up the functionality of your computer.
Control freak
Don’t mouse around with the accessory you touch the most. If you’re in the market for a new mouse, Microsoft’s Arc Touch Bluetooth Mouse ($69.95) fuses fashion with function as its radical design looks as good as it feels.
The aptly-named wireless peripheral features a unique crescent-moon shape that folds to reduce its size by half, which is ideal for taking it on the road for use with your laptop. Simply curve the mouse to turn on or flatten it to turn off.
Speaking of battery life, the Arc Touch now features Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy, therefore it sips rather than gulps power, and works up to 30 feet away.
BlueTrack technology means it can be used on multiple surfaces without sacrificing precision.
Button up
If you’d prefer to replace your mouse and your keyboard at the same time, the Logitech Wireless Performance Combo MX800 ($169.99) features a wireless keyboard with auto-illuminated keys, quiet performance, and well-placed and -shaped keys for added ergonomics and comfort.
The sculpted mouse features Darkfield laser tracking, which lets you use it on varied surfaces (even glass), and includes four customizable thumb buttons.
The Logitech Unifying receiver is small enough to stay in your laptop’s USB port when you’re on the move, plus, you can easily add up to six compatible wireless devices, as well.
Like the Microsoft Arc Bluetooth Mouse, the Logitech Wireless Performance Combo MX800 requires a Windows PC, but the company offers products for Mac users, too.
On a high note
Don’t settle for the tin can-sounding speakers that came with your desktop PC, or the lousy integrated audio built into your laptop.
Instead, consider adding some umph to your game, videos and music with Creative’s GigaWorks T40 Series II 2.0 Speaker System ($132.99).
These black and yellow speakers each have three drivers – including woven glass fiber cone drivers, a cloth dome tweeter for highs and BasXPort technology -- for well-balanced and powerful sound that totals 32 watts of total power (without need a subwoofer).
These speakers include separate controls for volume, treble and bass controls; a dual RCA-to-stereo audio adapter to connect the speaker system to a television or gaming console, if need be; an aux-in jack for phones and other mobile devices; and a headphone jack for private listening.
The eyes have it
If you’re sick of staring at a small display on your desktop PC, supersize your work or play with the 34-inch LG UltraWide Curved LED Monitor (model #34UC98; $1,199.00).
Ideal for computer gamers, video editors, movie lovers and serious multitaskers, this CES 2016 Innovation Award honoree isn’t just ultra wide with its 21: 9 aspect ratio, but it offers 180-degree viewing angles and sharp quality thanks to Quad HD resolution and IPS technology that delivers vibrant colors with more than 99 percent of the Adobe sRGB standard. On the sound front, the LG 34UC98 houses two 7-watt stereo speakers.
Compatible with both PCs and Macs, this extra-wide monitor supports multiple connectivity options, including two Thunderbolt 2.0 ports, two HDMI ports, two USB 3.0 ports, and a Display port.
Speed demon
If you’ve got the need for speed, then perhaps it’s time to upgrade your router.
The new TP-LINK Archer C9 ($149.99) is a high-speed AC1900 wireless dual-band gigabit router is fast enough to simultaneous stream high-def movies and gaming online on different devices.
The three powerful and detachable omnidirectional antennas send strong dual-band Wi-Fi throughout your home – or even outside of your home, such as on a front porch or backyard. It supports both 2.4GHz (600 Mbps) and 5GHz (1300 Mbps) devices to minimize interference with other wireless devices. Under the hood is a dual-core processor to help drive performance.
Along with the option to set up a guest network, the Archer C9 offers parental controls. This white TP-Link router also features both a USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 port to easily share a printer, networked drive, or to stream media to multiple devices.
In the black
There’s nothing more frustrating than running out of printer ink – just when you need it – and then paying through the nose for a tiny cartridge at retail.
This is a thing of the past with the new Epson EcoTank family of printers as they let you print for up to two years before you need to refill the ink tanks (and at just $13 a bottle, per color, after that).
The Expression ET-2550 EcoTank All-in-One Printer ($299.99) for example, is a Wi-Fi-enabled printer/scanner/copier that has an ink yield of 4,000 black and 6,500 color prints, and can print up to 9.2 pages per minute for black and 4.5 pages for color. Pouring the bottles of ink into the color-coded tanks is also a lot simpler than replacing an ink cartridge.
Other features include support for Wi-Fi Direct and mobile devices; up to 5760 x 1440 dpi (dots per inch) resolution in color and black; a 100-sheet input tray; 1.4-inch color LCD; and multi-format memory card slot.
Columnist Marc Saltzman writes on tech devices and trends for USA TODAY. Follow Marc on Twitter: @marc_saltzman. E-mail him at techcomments@usatoday.com.
