The New York Times - WFO(utside)

A person types on a laptop on a table outside with plants in the background.

Kerkez/iStock

YOUR GUIDE:

At some point during every drizzly, gray Pacific Northwest spring comes one of my favorite rituals: the first work-from-outside day. Recently, the rain paused, temperatures rose, and I tore off the pollen-dusted cover of my patio table to make room for my laptop. There's always something invigorating about shifting my Zoom background to unfurling ferns and blossoming dogwoods after huddling in my home office all winter.

As Wirecutter’s senior editor for home office coverage (and as someone who's been working from home for over a decade), here’s my advice: Investing in the right gear makes a world of difference when it comes to making the great outdoors the best possible workspace.

Build an outdoor focus zone→

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Soak up the sunshine

Our pick for best portable monitor, the Asus ZenScreen MB16ACV, plugged into a laptop in front of a blue background.

The best portable monitor

Yes, you can live your best two-screen life, even outside. Explore our brand-new guide to portable monitors.

A laptop with different kinds of power banks surrounding it.

Keep your laptop juiced up, minus the outlets

A high-capacity power bank can save the day when your laptop is low on battery and outlets are out of reach.

Four portable camp chairs in front of a tent.

A spot to sit

One of our favorite portable chairs has a built-in canopy, which will give you a little patch of cool as you work.

A deal on an excellent portable phone charger

Sarah Kobos

Don’t let your phone die while you’re away from your desk. We’ve spotted a sale on the best portable power bank for folks who have an iPhone 12 or newer.

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Anker’s magnetic power bank snaps onto the back of MagSafe-equipped phones and provides nearly a full charge at a fast-enough speed, while also working as a stand when you need one.

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Save $19→

When you clock out … head inside for a gaming session

De-stress after a long day by playing a video game. Everyone’s talking about The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom—a long-awaited game our experts are already impressed with. But if you’re not a Zelda fan, there are plenty of new releases to look forward to, as well.

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Everything we’re playing this month→

Thanks for reading, and happy Tuesday. You can reach the Wirecutter newsletters team at newsletters@wirecutter.com. We can’t always respond but we do love to hear from you.

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The New York Times - WFO(utside)

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