Mac setups featuring a 3D printed Mac Pro, portable screens and more in this week’s iSetups

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mac setups
Want to see a super cool custom, 3D printed HDD case? Of course you do.
Photo: Alex Castro/Morten Bietilæ/Joakim Jidbacken

The great thing about Mac setups is that they can all be completely different. While one person may dream of a super minimalist science lab-type room, another may want an inspiring, comfortable haven. That’s what makes this week’s iSetups submissions so great.

iSetups is our new show that highlights the best Apple-centric setups submitted by our viewers. (You’ll also get plenty of tips and tricks for how you can improve your own setup.) Check them out for yourself in the video below, as well as full breakdowns and links to featured products.

Alex Castro, Ad-Man

Mac setup

First up this week is from Alex Castro, a digital advertiser with an awesome MacBook Pro setup. The MacBook itself is a 13-inch 2015 model with a 2.7Ghz i5 processor and 256GB of storage. You can see it tucked away behind the monitor on the right. Speaking of the monitors, in the middle is a 27-inch AOC 1080P I2777FQ, and either side are two 24-inch Lenovo LI2323Swa monitors.  Also hidden behind the centre monitor is a Roku Express for his streaming needs.

Alex uses his setup for digital advertising and social media managing, as well as casual browsing and streaming Netflix. I love how he’s got the screens to float. I’m not sure what system he’s using for this, but it’s great for keeping the desk free of monitor stands and leaving more room for additional tech. Plus, he’s cleverly hidden almost every single cable for a super clean look, with the exception of the MacBook in the back.

If he wanted to hide the MacBook cables, he should take a look at the HengeDocks Vertical Dock I reviewed a few weeks ago. I think it’d be perfect for this setup and help hide those MacBook wires whilst also being super easy to pick up and take on the move.

For his speakers, Castro is using the Bose Companion 20 speakers, which I always love. I personally use Bose as I think they have the best overall sound within their price ranges. He’s also using the Apple Magic Keyboard and wireless trackpad plus a Logitech MX Master mouse. I’m guessing the trackpad is for general use while the MX Master mouse is for when he’s editing photos and videos as it’s much easier with a mouse in my opinion.

Also hiding in there, you’ll find a 9.7” iPad Pro in Space Grey, the Sennheiser 598 closed back headphones as well as a pair of AKG K7XX open back headphones. Hidden underneath the desk is a Meridan Explorer 2 DAC and AMP to help boost the audio quality.

Overall this is a great setup and I’m really impressed at how cable-free he’s managed to keep it. For a full list of Amazon links to products Alex owns click here.

Joakim Jidbacken, Video Editor & Gamer

Mac Setup

Next up is from Joakim Jidbacken who’s using his setup for video editing, design work and some lightweight gaming. His computer is a 13-inch 2013 MacBook Pro with 8GB of Ram and 256GB of storage. Either side of the MacBook are two PackedPixels monitors, which I’d previously never heard of.

A quick Google search tells me that they’re portable, 2048 x 1536 9.7-inch monitors that clip on to the MacBook, powered through the USB ports. They’re great to add extra screen real estate while on the move or in tight spaces, at what seem to be a steal of a price.

The MacBook is sitting in a Vogek Aluminum stand where it sits next to a 4TB LaCie Porsche Design hard drive for extra storage.

Also at the top there you can see what appears to be a tiny Mac Pro tower, but is actually a 3D-printed hard drive case that Joakim designed and printed himself. I could see a lot of people wanting one of these.

Additionally, you’ll spot a pair of UrbanEars Plattan wireless headphones and a desk-mounted joystick.

I love the comfortable feeling the office has, and can imagine it’s a great, relaxing space to work in. The only thing I would say is to look at cable management, which we’ve covered in previous episodes if you’re looking for some inspiration.

Click here for a full list of the setup used here.

Morten Bietilæ, Techy-Teen

mac setup

Last but not least is from 14 year old Morten Bietilæ from Norway who’s submitted his awesome 5K iMac Setup. It’s a late 2015 iMac, which he uses for video and photo editing with the occasional viewing of his favorite Youtube videos. To the right is his iPad Air 2, which is sitting in a custom, wooden iPad stand he made himself.

Underneath the desk he’s mounted all the extra peripherals and remotes he needs. Theres a 6-Port USB Charging Hub to charge up any of his devices and the remotes for his LED lights. As well as cleverly hiding these under the desk, his cable management is on point, as he’s taped all of the wires and plugs onto the back of the desk and used clips to guide them and prevent them dangling down.

Also in the room theres a wall-mounted TV and PS3 which again doesn’t have a cable in sight!

I think Morten’s white setup looks great, especially with the little elements of color to help break it up. Plus Morten’s whole setup is a lot cleaner and slicker than mine was at 14!

For a full breakdown and links to products featured in Morten’s setup head over to our Kit page here.

Show us your iSetup!

If you would like to submit your setup for possible showcase on iSetups, there are two ways to enter.

Submit a video

Film a video of your setup and edit it to be between 60 and 90 seconds in length. Don’t include music or graphics. Instead, create a voiceover for your video talking about:

  1. Your main computer
  2. Any additional computers you’re featuring
  3. What you use them for
  4. What phone you’re using and why you like it
  5. A little info on each of the products in your setup

Also include a writeup (in Word, PDF or Pages) listing all the products featured. This will be used to create links for each product.

Submit photos

If you’re not comfortable creating a voiceover, you can submit photos instead.

Send us three to 10 high-quality images, including an overall image of your setup and close-ups of anything worthy of featuring. Also include a Word document answering the questions below, along with the names for each product featured (please try to include desks, accessories, etc.).

  1. What is your main computer?
  2. What do you use this computer for?
  3. Do you use any additional computers? If so, what models and why?
  4. What other features of your setup are you proud of?
  5. What phone are you currently using and why do you like it?

Send all submissions to Stephen@cultofmac.com with the subject line “iSetups submission.” Please include your name (and YouTube channel if applicable).

iSetups episodes will air the each and every Friday, so keep your submissions coming in!

Make sure to subscribe to the Cult of Mac YouTube channel to stay up-to-date with all the latest iSetups episodes, plus Mac and iOS tutorials, reviews and more!

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