I Pack This Portable Workstation Whenever I Travel - Here's Why It's Worth The Bag Space

2 days ago

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

The CaseUp Combo includes ProtoArc's wireless keyboard, mouse, and laptop guidelines for $100 connected ProtoArc's site.
The easiness of usage and carrier make it a coagulated action for improving your hybrid and distant activity setup.
However, nan mouse, while comfortable, mightiness beryllium excessively mini for immoderate people.

There is nary shortage of wireless keyboards, portable monitors, and laptop mounts connected nan market. Remote activity demands caller usage cases from tech to get our activity done, and for illustration thing else, customization is key.

To that end, what sets 1 merchandise isolated from different is nan mini specifications that make them not only valuable but integral to your workflow. I've been utilizing ProtoArc's CaseUp keyboard, mouse, and laptop guidelines combo for nan past period aliases so, and it's go a modular for my distant activity setup for a fewer reasons.

Also: I've tested dozens of ThinkPads: Here's nan Lenovo exemplary I support coming backmost to

First and foremost is nan easiness of use. Every clip I've utilized this wireless keyboard, it connects instantly to my laptop pinch nary re-pairing aliases fiddling pinch settings. The aforesaid is existent for nan mouse. Because some devices person a clear "1" and "2" transmission Bluetooth designation, location haven't been immoderate issues connecting quickly and efficiently each clip I bust them out.

Second is nan easiness of transport. The CaseUp combo includes its wireless portable keyboard, a wireless mouse, and a laptop guidelines successful 1 carrying lawsuit for nether $99, and it's 1 of nan champion bundles to commute pinch that I've used.

Personally, I'm a afloat keyboard benignant of guy, truthful immoderate chance to link to a larger committee is simply a invited upgrade. ProtoArc's Bluetooth keyboard is full-size astatine 15.2 inches long, but has a tri-fold creation that folds up for easy transport. For comparison, Apple's full-size Magic Keyboard is 16.48 inches.

When it's connected nan desk, it lays wholly flat, doesn't move around, and feels awesome to type on. We're not talking premium mechanical committee cardinal recreation here, but nan 0.63-inch cardinal recreation feels amended for a portable keyboard than you mightiness expect. The scissor switches are responsive and snappy, and nan keys are spacious.

Also: This Lenovo Chromebook easy replaced my Windows laptop for activity - and I can't spell back

Similarly, nan rodent is simply a simple, applicable style akin to Incase's Modern Mobile Mouse pinch an utterly silent click and a fluted metallic scroll wheel.

Both nan rodent and keyboard are rechargeable, pinch 300 mAh and 210 mAh lithium polymer batteries that person bully capable capacity to wherever you only request to interest astir them erstwhile successful a while. ProtoArc cites up to six months of artillery life successful nan mouse, for example.

Neither of them person yet to dice connected me, I conscionable plug them into nan included USB-C larboard each erstwhile successful a while erstwhile convenient. Regarding connectivity, nan first clip I utilized nan keyboard, it connected automatically to my laptop. The rodent comes pinch a USB-A dongle aliases tin besides link via Bluetooth.

I've been utilizing this trio of products for astir a period now, and it makes nan astir consciousness erstwhile I request to maximize productivity but person a small spot of other abstraction for nan full-size keyboard and mouse. For example, a edifice aliases Airbnb, aliases if you're conscionable moving from nan room table.

Also: I recovered a 16-inch Windows laptop that could switch my MacBook Pro (and it's $200 off)

Elevating your laptop pinch nan guidelines goes a agelong measurement toward a much ergonomic activity setup, arsenic there's nary logic to beryllium huddled complete a trackpad and show for nan afloat workday successful 2025.

ZDNET's buying advice

If you're looking for a wireless keyboard, ProtoArc's tri-fold creation afloat extends into a full-size keyboard and has comfortable cardinal recreation that lasts for months connected a afloat charge. Currently half disconnected connected ProtoArc's tract for $50, nan CaseUp Combo bundles nan mouse, laptop stand, and other cablegram successful a sleek carrying lawsuit that makes nan astir consciousness for commuting, arsenic it takes up hardly immoderate room successful your container but contributes greatly toward a portable, ergonomic activity station.

Looking for nan adjacent champion product? Get master reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.

This article was primitively published connected March 4, 2025, and was updated connected July 15, 2025.