Other gear
I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to electronic gear, as are many radiologists. Some of this is useful (such as having your own great mouse) and some of it is purely for entertainment purposes. There is a wide range of products that you can get, and much more comprehensive sites when it comes to reviews. However, this is just a few of the products that I find useful.
*disclaimer: links on this page are Amazon affiliate links. I get a small referral fee which helps fund this site if you purchase through these links.
Mice/Keyboards
As a radiologist, you spend a lot of time at a computer. Sometimes this is your own computer at home, and sometimes this is a work PACS station. I think having a really nice mouse makes your day that much easier. Moreover, many of these mice and keyboards have programmable buttons that can really streamline your workflow and make you more efficient, whether reading studies or working on other projects, such as grants or educational work.
Wireless mouse – Logitech MX Master 3S
I’ve been using the Logitech MX Master series mice for a long time, and this is the most current edition. This is my personal favorite wireless mouse. I have several of them, one for the office and one that I carry around and use as my personal mouse on various PACS workstations. The bluetooth connectivity is great because I can use bluetooth on my own laptop and the dongle on the workstation, switching between them easily with the button on the bottom. The high quality scrolling (which includes high speed freewheel scrolling), excellent fit to your palm, and long battery life make it excellent. The most recent version has new quiet click buttons, which are slightly off putting when you first start to use it but I’ve really started to dig. If you want to save a little money, you may consider the also excellent Logitech MX Master 2S, the slightly older version of the same product.
Wired mouse – Razer Basilisk
While the wireless mouse is great to carry around, for my own computer at home I use the Razer Basilisk. I’ve always been a fan of Razer products. They look great, perform great, and have a lot of customizable options. This one has programmable LEDs as well as programmable buttons. There is a wireless version, but for my home station I don’t really feel the need to worry about having a battery charged all the time. The only caveat I have with some of these Razer products is the reliability has been a little less than I would like over time. In a 5-6 year period, I’ve had these mice develop minor problems with clicking and the control wheel. For this reason, I really prefer the Logitech mouse above.
Keyboard – Razer BlackWidow
I told you, I’m a sucker for Razer products. This full size keyboard with mechanical switches will make you regret all those hours you spend hunched over a small laptop keyboard. The clicky keys provide a nice level of feedback for touch typing, and the keys are durable. I personally prefer the Orange switches, but the Green are highly regarded as well. The custom lighting looks great
Webcams
In the era of so many online meetings, having a good webcam is the difference between looking and sounding good and being garbled and blurry. Personally, I prefer the camera with integrated light, which makes it much more versatile in different lighting situations. If you don’t need it, there are other options.
Webcam with integrated ring light – Razer Kiyo
This is an outstanding webcam that includes an integrated ring light. This makes you look much better for those meetings, particularly in dark rooms. The light is adjustable with a little ring around the webcam. If you need to carry it around with you, it’s portable and won’t take up too much space in your bag. It has a decent quality integrated microphone as well. My only caution is that be sure you don’t overpay, as many times these are going above the list price.
Other webcam – Logitech C920x
If you don’t need or want the light, this is a pretty good alternative and may be at a better price if its in stock. I have a long history of good experience with Logitech products, so I definitely recommend it.
Audio
I can’t tell you how much time I spend listening to music or videos when working alone, either at home or in the reading room. When I don’t want to disturb anyone, I start with one of the headsets. A small portable bluetooth speaker is a great thing to have in your arsenal for those long call nights too.
Wired Headset (with microphone) – Kingston HyperX Cloud II
This is a great gaming headset if you need and want a built-in microphone. When you’re not using it, you can just detach the microphone. One other advantage of this is that it has it’s own USB sound card, so you can use it on any computer that has an available USB port, like a laptop that may not have a headphone jack. The sound quality is great, the earphone design is comfortable and high quality, and it comes with exchangeable pads so you can easily exchange them if you prefer felt over smooth pleather.
Wired Headset (no microphone) – Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
If you don’t want or need a microphone, these headsets are still affordable, will last forever, and have outstanding audiophile quality. The earpieces are super comfortable and sound replication is great. Bass levels are a little less than what you may be used to if you listen to a lot of other brands, but this may be preferred in many settings.
Bluetooth speaker – Ultimate Ears Boom 3
You can find cheaper portable bluetooth speakers, sure, but do you want to be stuck with them on call when they don’t stay playing for your entire call or won’t play while charging. I’ve been using UE speakers since they came out, and I still have one of the old mini boom units that is going strong. This is going to make your call nights better, trust me.
Summary
This is just some of the stuff I like to use at work and at home while working. I think having good equipment to use can make your work life a lot easier and more fun, so I’ve enjoyed having these things and personally recommend them. I’m sure everyone has a preference, but these have worked well for me. Let me know if you like them or have other recommendations.