Instagram content creator pictures setup perfection [Setups]

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Instagram content creator Matt Tran runs his MacBook Pro with an ultrawide screen and a portable one for different reasons.
Instagram content creator Matt Tran runs his MacBook Pro with an ultrawide screen and a portable one for different reasons.
Photo: Matt - Instagram @nvzion

Austin, Texas-based photographer Matt Tran initially built his impressive setup to share his pics on Instagram, and you can certainly see a lot of them there. But now he uses his workstation, centered on a MacBook Pro and two monitors of vastly different sizes, to film and edit videos.

“I like having the 38-inch [LG] ultrawide to view the timeline on Final Cut Pro and the smaller, 15.6-inch Desklab portable monitor to review the footage,” he told Cult of Mac.

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He completes his hands-on workspace with a Satechi Compact Bluetooth Backlit Keyboard and a Logitech MX Master 3 Wireless Mouse for Mac.

And the audio portion of his daily program? He can thank a Bose Companion 20 Multimedia Speaker System for that.

Setup perfection in a single cable

A surprise star of Matt's show is his StarTech.com Thunderbolt 3 Dock. It cuts cable clutter.
A surprise star of Tran’s show is his StarTech.com Thunderbolt 3 Dock. It cuts cable clutter.
Photo: Matt – Instagram @nvzion

One of Tran’s favorite things about his setup, besides the convenience and quality of his screens for different tasks, is his StarTech.com Thunderbolt 3 Dock. It connects two monitors and sports six ports of different types for various devices.

“It allows me to power everything on my desk with a single cable,” he said. “I take my MacBook Pro with me to my work office daily, so it’s nice to be able to dock so easily when I get home each day.”

The problem with windows, lowercase ‘w’

Tran is happy with his setup and its placement next to a window right now, for the most part. But it bothers him that his monitor blocks the only window in his office.

“So I may rearrange the desk, which is something I do at least two to three times a year because I’m constantly adding to my setup,” he said.

Before he got the 38-inch monitor for his current setup, he had an LG Ergo 27-inch screen that did not block the window. So the setup was fine. And now? Well, moving the desk and monitor is easier than putting in another window.

Other changes

What the photos don’t show in Tran’s office is a second desk, two large shelves and a large Ikea Galant storage cabinet. He said he feels it’s a bit cluttered at the moment, so he may remove the second desk and the large cabinet to create a more spacious feel.

A desk tray and a disk charger help to keep things nice and neat.
A desk tray and a disk charger help to keep things nice and neat.
Photo: Matt – Instagram @nvzion

Shop these items now:

Computer equipment:

15-inch MacBook Pro (i7 chip / 16GB / 512GB)

StarTech.com Thunderbolt 3 Dock (TB3DOCK2DPPD)

LG 38-inch 38WN75C Ultrawide Display

Desklab 4K Portable Monitor

Satechi Compact Blueooth Backlit Keyboard

Logitech MX Master 3 Wireless Mouse for Mac

Accessories:

Grovemade Organizer Tray

Grovemade MagSafe Charging Stand

SUM Products Disc Wireless Charger

Audio:

Bose Companion 20 Multimedia Speaker System

Furniture and lighting:

Uplift V2 Commercial Desk

Herman Miller Sayl Chair

Grovemade Walnut Shelf

BenQ ScreenBar Plus

Crate and Barrel Luz Disc Table Lamp

If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to info+setups@cultofmac.com. Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches or challenges.

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