How To Choose Computer Outlets For Your Home Office Setup?

By Author: Jack Williams
Total Articles: 60
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A home office typically begins with a desk and a laptop, but it quickly evolves into an ecosystem. Monitor, dock & router, plus a lamp, phone charger as well as sometimes a gaming laptop with a huge power adapter all vie for space on the desk, but planning your power strategy ahead of buying can help you avoid frayed cables and tripped breakers.

Count Your Plugs

Make a list of all devices that you'll be plugging in simultaneously. Modern gaming laptops can suck up to 230-330 W on a sustained basis, while an ultrabook may take 65-100 W to charge. Add up everything else (monitors, speakers & chargers) and cross-compare the number with the circuit rating. A typical 15 A circuit in the US theoretical maximum is 1,800 W, but it's safer to stay around 80 percent ...
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Look at the Receptacle

When it comes to grounded outlets (three prongs), these days many laptop chargers as well as docks actually require a ground connection for noise isolation, so if your home or office has two-prong receptacles, it's worth calling in an electrician to permanently upgrade the wiring, rather than using adapters.

Built-In USB-C Charging Are Your Friends

Some manufacturers make wall plates with built-in USB-C power delivery ports, which is a huge convenience both for your devices & for the outlets. USB-C is growing increasingly popular, so there's a good chance you'll have phones and other gadgets that can take advantage of the extra power. Make sure to read the fine print, however, because 20 W ports (the most common these days) won't be enough to power a 100 W laptop.

Surge Protectors Are Not Just for TVs

Most modern computers (especially gaming PCs) have sensitive electronics that require a surge protector. Go with at least 1,000 joules of protection per outlet strip, preferably with a built-in indicator light that signals when the surge protection is active. Keep in mind that after a major power spike, the protector may lose some of its insulation properties, so it's always a good idea to replace it after a few years.

Plan the Socket Placement

Mount your power outlets at roughly desk height or higher so that you don't have to reach over the entire room just to charge your phone. If you're using a sit-stand desk, make sure that the outlets are far enough apart to allow for vertical movement. Finally, separate power, network as well as video cables as much as possible to avoid crosstalk.

Leave Some Headroom for the Future

Install more outlets than you think you'll need and plan your computer desk around them. When selecting a computer outlet, make sure there will be enough space for a second monitor in the future. It's also worth leaving a couple of sockets for a printer or an external drive. Consistent cable management will simplify future upgrades as well as make your computer setup as organized as possible, with the right computer outlets.

Author Resource:

Jack Williams writes about latest PC, gaming laptops, workstations and desktop service stores. You can find more thoughts at custom gaming pc blog.