Skip to content

↗ Research-based reviews ◎ Real-life decisions ⇄ Honest tradeoffs ◇ Plain-English advice

Home/The people behind the pictures

The people behind the pictures

Photography credits

Photography gives everyday technology its context. These images illustrate our stories; they do not show GearPlain testing the devices pictured. Our thanks to the photographers whose work appears here.

A smartphone beside a desktop power outlet and a potted plant on a white desk.

USB-C Chargers: Choose for Your Devices, Not the Biggest Number

Photo: Mike Winkler

Image license ↗

Orange charging cables with several connector types against a blue background.

USB-C Cables Compared: Charging, Data, and Video Are Separate Jobs

Photo: Lucian Alexe

Image license ↗

A black power bank on a desk beside a keyboard and an action camera.

Power Banks Compared: Pocket Backup or Laptop Companion?

Photo: I'M ZION

Image license ↗

A smartphone resting on a wireless charging stand on a wooden desk.

Wireless Charging Compared: Flat Pads, Magnetic Stands, and Cables

Photo: Nubelson Fernandes

Image license ↗

A USB hub connected to a laptop with a flash drive plugged into the hub.

USB-C Hubs Compared: Fewer Ports Can Make a Better Desk

Photo: Lasse Jensen

Image license ↗

A contoured wireless mouse beside a computer on a white desk.

Ergonomic Mice Compared: Vertical, Conventional, or Trackball?

Photo: Krunal Lakhatariya

Image license ↗

Mechanical vs. Scissor Keyboards: Choose the Feel That Fits Your Work

Photo: Kolby Milton

Image license ↗

A laptop raised on a wooden stand beside headphones and an external keyboard.

Laptop Stands Compared: Better Screen Placement Without a Crowded Desk

Photo: Workperch

Image license ↗

A person wearing over-ear headphones while working on a laptop at a desk.

Earbuds vs. Over-Ear Headphones: Choose for the Hours You Actually Listen

Photo: Vitaly Gariev

Image license ↗

A close-up of a wireless earbud worn in an ear.

Open-Ear vs. In-Ear Earbuds: Awareness or Isolation?

Photo: Sanket Mishra

Image license ↗

A microphone positioned beside a monitor on a softly lit recording desk.

USB Microphones Compared: Clearer Calls Without a Studio

Photo: Denis Nuțiu

Image license ↗

A portable speaker on a wooden surface beside a plant and a window.

Small vs. Large Bluetooth Speakers: What Makes Sense to Carry?

Photo: Mungyu Kim

Image license ↗

A smartphone in a clear protective case with a magnetic charging ring.

Slim, Rugged, or Wallet Phone Case: Comparing Daily Tradeoffs

Photo: Lee Peterson

Image license ↗

A person holding a smartphone with its screen turned off.

Clear, Matte, or Privacy Screen Protector: What Changes?

Photo: David Jusko

Image license ↗

A smartphone on a tripod recording a person exercising at home.

Tabletop vs. Full-Height Phone Tripods: Choosing a Stable Setup

Photo: Vitaly Gariev

Image license ↗

An open travel organizer with charging cables, adapters, a power bank, and headphones.

One Multiport Charger or Several Small Ones for Travel?

Photo: David Brooke Martin

Image license ↗

A portable external drive beside a computer while a person works at the desk.

Portable SSDs Compared: Capacity, Connection, and Real Workflows

Photo: Sandisk

Image license ↗

A webcam clipped to the top edge of a computer monitor.

Built-In, USB, or Phone Webcam: Which Upgrade Is Worth Making?

Photo: Bedirhan Gül

Image license ↗

A wireless router with two antennas and connected cables on a wooden desk.

Mesh Wi-Fi or One Better-Placed Router? A Room-by-Room Comparison

Photo: User_Pascal

Image license ↗

An Ethernet cable and its transparent connector on a light surface.

Ethernet vs. Wi-Fi for a Home Desk: When a Cable Helps

Photo: Claudio Schwarz

Image license ↗

A smartphone mounted on a car dashboard with a charging cable connected.

Car USB Chargers: Build a Charging Setup That Fits the Journey

Photo: Alexander Nrjwolf

Image license ↗

A magnetic battery pack attached to the back of a smartphone under pink and blue light.

Magnetic Power Banks: When the Snap-On Convenience Is Worth It

Photo: Kamil Switalski

Image license ↗

A smartphone and smartwatch resting on a multi-device charging stand on a wooden desk.

Multi-Device Charging Stations: One Stand or Separate Chargers?

Photo: TechieTech Tech

Image license ↗

A remote control with its battery compartment open beside loose rechargeable batteries.

Rechargeable AA Batteries: Build a Routine That Makes Reuse Practical

Photo: Andrey Matveev

Image license ↗

An open laptop and a tablet arranged on a wooden desk.

Portable Monitors: When a Second Screen Is Worth the Extra Bag Space

Photo: David Kristianto

Image license ↗

A computer monitor supported by an adjustable arm on a desk beside a large window.

Monitor Arms: Check the Desk Before You Clear the Desk

Photo: ergonofis

Image license ↗

A compact black keyboard with a rotary knob on a wooden desk.

Compact vs. Full-Size Keyboards: Count Your Shortcuts Before the Keys

Photo: Marcus Richardson

Image license ↗

A laptop beside two external monitors on a wooden home-office desk.

Laptop Docking Stations: When a Permanent Connection Hub Makes Sense

Photo: Agon Mustafa

Image license ↗

Wired headphones resting beside a monitor and laptop on a white desk.

Wired vs. Wireless Headphones: Choose the Connection for the Task

Photo: Ales Nesetril

Image license ↗

An audio interface with illuminated controls and connected cables beside a computer screen.

USB vs. XLR Microphones: Decide How Much Recording Setup You Need

Photo: Alex de Koning

Image license ↗

A computer monitor flanked by two speakers on a home-office desk.

Computer Speakers vs Soundbars: Audio That Fits Your Desk

Photo: Chen

Image license ↗

Headphones on a stand beside stereo equipment in a listening room.

Bluetooth Audio Adapters: Get the Direction Right

Photo: Denislav Popov

Image license ↗

A tablet in a keyboard case on a table beside coffee cups.

Tablet Keyboards: Attached Case or Separate Keyboard?

Photo: Georgiy Lyamin

Image license ↗

A hand using a stylus on a tablet screen at a desk.

Active vs Passive Styluses: Choose for Notes, Drawing or Simple Taps

Photo: Jakub Żerdzicki

Image license ↗

A hand holding a smartphone with a ring grip attached to its case.

Phone Grips and Stands: Match Your Pocket, Desk and Charger

Photo: Matúš Gocman

Image license ↗

A person using a smartphone beside an open laptop.

Phone Storage, Photo Sync and Backup: Know What Each One Does

Photo: Swello

Image license ↗

A USB flash drive plugged into a laptop on a wooden table.

USB Flash Drives: Choose for the Transfer, Not the Biggest Number

Photo: Brina Blum

Image license ↗

Hands holding a memory card beside a laptop, camera, and card reader.

SD Card Readers: Build a Reliable Camera-to-Computer Workflow

Photo: Samsung Memory US

Image license ↗

A person typing on a laptop beside a window.

USB Wi-Fi Adapters: Fix the Missing Connection, Not the Wrong Bottleneck

Photo: Thomas Lefebvre

Image license ↗

A desktop network switch with Ethernet cables connected on a wooden surface.

Network Switches: Add Wired Ports to a Home Office

Photo: User_Pascal

Image license ↗

Effective / last updated: October 21, 2026