New MacBook Pro equals…...new minimal desk setup?
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Hey, Im Jerry and Yes, the new MacBook Pros with M1 Pro and Max chips are phenomenal machines!
There are so many things to love about them from their new design, upgraded keyboard, the Liquid
display XDR display with Pro Motion, new, or old port layout depending on how you look at it,
and of course the brand new chips which is what really make these Pro machines.
These computers are performance beasts that can easily outpace all previous Mac
laptops and even all but the highest end Pro Macs. Now, I am sure you have seen the
benchmarks showing impressive gains over so many other machines but just in case you haven't,
I do have a good comparison video showing the 14” vs the 16” MacBook Pro with M1 Max that you
may want to check out so I will drop a screen link thingy up top. ……………...but, because these
machines are so good for professional work you probably want to create a nice little desk setup
to get some work done. So, I commondeared my daughter’s old play room……. took out some artwork
unbefitting of a professional workspace……...and got to work creating a new minimal desk setup.
For this setup I am using a fantastic glass-top sit-stand desk from Flexispot. Flexispot sent me
this desk to try out and it was really easy to put together. It comes in just 2 pieces so you
don't have to put the legs together which is nice if you have ever assembled desks before.
Flexispot has many different desk options but this glass top desk in white is very clean and modern.
There is a large drawer for storing notebooks, cables, or any other desk accessories,
that feels solid and slides really smooth. The drawer has a sort of soft close to it
so it doesn't slam but also stays open or closed where you want it to. On the right
side you have 2 usb-a ports and 1 usb-c port for charging devices like phones and tablets.
This desk is 48” wide by 24” deep and is just the right size for a clean setup.
This is a motorized height adjustable desk that can go from 28.3”-47.6” with the touch
of a button. You can raise the desk manually with the up and down buttons and you can set
up to 4 memory positions. To do that use the up and down buttons to set the height you want
then press and hold a memory button. Now all you need to do is press the memory button and the desk
will automatically adjust to that height desired, slowing down as it reaches the set number.
I am currently using an Aeron chair from Hermin Miller and
I absolutely love it. It is an expensive chair but everything is customizable on it including the
tilt, height, arm rests, and back support. You can fully recline if you want to change
things up or relax for a minute, or go fully forward for a focused work posture.
For someone who doesnt want to spend a stupid amount of money on a chair I also have an Amazon
Commerial desk chair which I used for about 2 years. It’s pretty comfortable as well but
not quite as adjustable as the Aeron. It fits me just about right as someone who isn't very tall
and my only complaint is that the arms can wobble and make noise.
The MacBook pro is sitting on a silver Aluminum Laptop Stand from NoVoo
that I got from Amazon. This stand is very sturdy with a solid base and can be adjusted in a number
of ways. Buy loosening the knob on the side you can raise and lower the stand……. The pillar can
swivel left and right……..and the platform can tilt quite a bit to accommodate any angle you need.
The platform also has rubber pads on the flat part and on
the front lip where the laptops rests against it…
The color of this stand is silver and it matches pretty well with the silver MacBook Pro
and other items on the desk. You can also get the stand in space gray from
a number of other companies so I will leave a link down below to both colors.
This stand is great for holding your laptop next
to another monitor while using the built in display.
For my main display I am using the Dell S2722QC. This is a 27-inch 4K IPS display
running at 60hz that is capable of up to a billion colors with 99% sRGB coverage.
This is a very good display at under $380 and includes 2 HDMI outputs
and displayport through USB-C which is perfect for the new MacBooks.
With a single cable you can connect the display getting up to 4k resolution AND get 65 watts of
power delivery charging which is more than enough for general computing needs….The
display can tilt up and down, swivel left and right,
and raise up and down to find the most comfortable angle. And it can rotate vertically.
There are 2 usb-ports, one on the back and one on the front, for connecting a couple of
accessories like a USB mouse dongle, and there are 3w speakers built in as well.
Overall, I have been using this display for a few weeks now in anticipation of using it with
the new MacBooks and honestly, I like it a lot. It’s not 5k and it’s not a high refresh rate, but
it is a good display with good colors and I use it scaled at 1440p to match the display resolution of
the 5k iMac. I don't use the built in speakers because they aren't any good and because
controlling them requires you to use the built in display settings….. But more on audio in a minute.
The display is sitting on a bamboo monitor stand from Kalibri. This stand lifts the display up 3.5”
if you need the display to sit a little higher while also providing extra desk space below.
This is a nice solid stand that does not flex or wobble and I have been
using it for heavier displays, too, like the 24” and 27” imacs.
And before we get to the other items I want to remind you that you can use all
this fancy new gear to build out your own youtube
channel with the help of MKBHD’s new YouTube Success class. ………...
Next up, I am using the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. I have always been a fan of
the Magic Keyboards and am happy with the direction of apple keyboards at the
moment. I like the size, travel, and feeling of the Magic Keyboards both on the MacBooks and
standalone. I find it comfortable and satisfying to type on and have no issues with lag or delay.
The new models with Touch ID are exactly what I wanted when using an external keyboard with a
MacBook Pro. I want to be able to sit down, press the touch ID sensor and get to work.
It's nice that any fingerprint you have already registered with the built-in touch ID
on the MacBook also works with the stand alone magic keyboard when paired, and vice-versa.
If there was one thing I could change it would be to add backlighting,
but overall, it's a great keyboard.
For a mouse, I go back and forth between the Logitech MX Master 3 and the Magic Trackpad.
I find both are good for general computing and they both have their own Pros….for Pros….
The MX Master 3 is a great mouse when you want or need precision pointing.
Its a full size mouse that feels good in the hand with
physical left and right-click buttons, unlike the Magic mouse. The scroll wheel
on top can be set to either free scrolling or ratcheting so if you want the inertial
scrolling like with a trackpad or magic mouse for scrolling down long pages ,it feels similar.
There is also a horizontal scroll wheel switch that is good for editing stuff on a timeline
and 2 buttons below which are configurable using the Logi Options software.
I also like to use the Magic TrackPad because the gestures are great. I love being able to pinch
to zoom, 2-finger scroll in any direction, and swipe between full screen apps and spaces like
when I have all my work stuff on one desktop and my personal on another. I usually use
it in conjunction with the MX Master 3 but it also works well for much of my work, by itself.
Right now I have the Magic Keyboard and Trackpad mounted together
using the twelve south magic bridge. You can place the trackpad on either side
and If you have OCD and want to keep the two devices aligned or if you want to sit
back and use the keyboard and trackpad on your lap, this is a great little accessory.
The Magic Keyboard and Mice are sitting on a nice little desk mat. I wanted a little pop
of color without being too bright but they have a ton of different color options. The mat is a
waterproof PU leather that feels great under the mouse but also has enough grip that the keyboard
and trackpad wont move around. The back side is a Suede material that is slip resistant but also
soft to protect your desk. At about 24” by 14”, this mat is the perfect size for this desk setup.
When it comes to audio I have been a fan of the Kanto Yu 2 speakers for some time
and have shown them in other videos. For this desk build I wanted to limit the excess bulk and the
speakers built into the new MacBook Pro are so good that for most of what I do during the day
I don't need anything else. They are loud and clear and have a good amount of base for
everything from video calls, to youtube, and even listening to music throughout the day.
If I do need to isolate the sound because someone else is home or I need to hear something more
clearly then I have the AirPods Max. I finally picked up a pair of these over the summer
because they keep going on sale and I absolutely love them. The audio is clear
and immersive with great bass that doesn't feel aggressive or annoying after a while.
With the noise cancelation, they are great for staying focused on what you are doing
no matter what is going on around you and the transparency mode is just
uncanny, allowing you to have a conversation with someone in front of you without taking them off.
Comfort Wise, they are the most comfortable over ear headphones I
have ever used and especially as a glasses wearer,
I don't feel pain or pressure when they push against my glasses arms all day. ………………
One of the down sides of the AirPods max is that they do not have a power switch
so to get them into deep sleep mode you need to put them back in the case
or getting something like this Airpods max stand.
I found this stand on Etsy, and I will put a link in the description below, but it’s a
3d-printed stand that will hold your airpods max up with a very minimal look. You have the
option to buy it with magnets built-in that will put the airpods into deep sleep mode right away
saving your battery, but you can also charge them with a lightning cable while sitting in the case.
In the back of the case they even added a spot where you
can store the lightning cable when not charging.
When you are ready to use the airpods max just lift them off
the stand and they will spring back to life.
This is a nice, minimalist stand and I recommend you check them out.
I have one last thing on my desk and that is the CalDigit TS3 Plus. As good as it is to have more
ports on the new MacBooks I still want more. The TS3 Plus has all the other ports you may need
for getting stuff done with your MacBook pro, like Ethernet, USB-A ports, and additional USB-C ports.
I am really happy that Apple added the SD slot back to the MacBook Pro but usually I film with
multiple cameras and want to get footage off both at the same time. With the TS3 Plus I can stick
one card in the macbook and one in the caldigit and quickly pull off 60-100gb of 4k footage.
This dock is great if you dont want to keep plugging and unplugging cables to the macbook
every time you sit down at the desk with your macbook or pick it up to work somewhere else.
You can leave speakers, SSDs, and other accessories just
attached to the dock and connect a single cable to the macbook.
Even this USBC display can be connected to the ts3 plus
allowing the ts3 plus to connect directly to the laptop and power it at up to 87watts.
So that is my new minimal desk setup for getting stuff done.
And yes it works for the 16” MacBook Pro too! I like the minimal aspect of it and
the simplicity. I find it to be a more relaxing space to work in and less distracting from my
regular office slash studio space which I can never keep organized. My answer always
seems to be just add more desks but I will try and keep this space a little more tidy.
The space did feel a little sterile
so I ended up re-hanging some precious artwork I had around the house.
Now be sure to let me know below what you think of this minimal macbook pro setup and hit the
subscribe button for more videos on the new MacBook pros with M1 Max chips because I have some
more ideas coming soon. Hit the thumbs up button if you liked it and ill see you next time.