MacBook Air centers wide-ranging workstation in Germany [Setups]

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It looks like a comfy chair, but you can only get it in Germany.
It looks like a comfy chair, but you can only get it in Germany.
Photo: pixel205@Reddit.com

We don’t run across huge numbers of computer setups online driven by M1 MacBook Air laptops. When a laptop is the main computer, it’s more often a MacBook Pro.

But a MacBook Air powered by an M1 chip is a formidable machine, whether you’re tossing it in your knapsack for work on the go or leaving it on a stand on your desk, jacked into a USB-C hub and external display.

An M1 MacBook Air drives today’s featured setup — located in Germany — which also features some interesting bits and pieces we haven’t seen elsewhere. Those are a nifty Marshall wireless speaker and a foot hammock.

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M1 MacBook Air drives wide-ranging workstation in Germany

Redditor pixel205 (“Pix”) talked about the setup in a post entitled, “Made myself a setup I like to work at.”

Along with an iPad Pro with a Pencil, they run a featherweight, 2-pound M1 MacBook Air sitting in clamshell mode on a Bewahly vertical laptop stand. You can see the laptop in the photograph in the back on the left, behind the plant and below the Nanoleaf Shapes – Hexagons smart lights on the wall.

The Apple M1 chip with an 8-core CPU delivers up to 3.5-times faster performance than the previous generation while using less power. It has since been eclipsed by the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips in the MacBook Pro and the M1 Ultra chip in the Mac Studio desktop, but that doesn’t make it a slouch.

The base M1 MacBook Air has 8GB of integrated memory, which is plenty for many uses. Those could include memory-hogging multi-tab browsing and working with massive graphics files.

The machine’s 13.3-inch Retina display shows clear text and vibrant colors. The MacBook Air’s fanless design is super-quiet. And when you need it, the machine provides up to 18 hours of battery life. Or at least that’s Apple’s claim.

Pix’s laptop powers a 27-inch LG 27UL850-W monitor. The IPS display features 3840 x 2160 pixel resolution, HDR 400 technology and a 60Hz refresh rate. A BenQ monitor light sits on top of the screen. You can see its dimmer control sitting in the middle of the wooden display riser.

For input, Pix uses a Magic Keyboard, a Magic Trackpad 2 and the nearly ubiquitous Logitech MX Master 3 wireless mouse.

And if you’re curious, like many commenter on the post, those two fat, red volumes to the right of the display are German law tomes.

Cool Marshall Bluetooth speaker

Next to the BenQ’s dimmer control sits an interesting little wireless speaker. It’s Marshall’s Emberton model. Even if they’re not audiophiles or musicians, many people know Marshall from its legendary amplifiers, including Marshall stacks of decades past. Just think back to a photo of Jimi Hendrix. He’s probably standing in front of Marshall amps as he wails on his left-handed Fender Stratocaster electric guitar.

Though Marshall still makes amps, it has long-since branched into more modern — and much smaller — audio components.

The Emberton, which fits in the palm of your hand, uses True Stereophonic, a form of  multi-directional, 360-degree sound from Marshall.

“By separating out the spatial content of stereo recordings, Emberton produces a sound much larger than its size and outperforms most speakers in its class,” Marshall said.

The little speaker provides more than 20 hours of portable playing time. It features quick charging, with 20 minutes of charge returning 5 hours of use. It has a silicone exterior with a metal grille and an IPX7 water-resistance rating, meaning you can actually submerge it briefly.

And as good as all that sound, Pix plans to replace it soon with the new, second-generation model.

A hammock for your feet?

Another interesting twist in Pix’s setup is its 5Fold under-desk foot hammock with integrated headphone holder. Ever seen one before? Neither have we.

It’s just an interesting form of adjustable footrest. As such, its maker claims it can “support your comfortable and correct position while sitting at your desk. Desk hammock for feet improves your health, as it`s viable to prevent Back, Foot, Hip and Feet pain and increase poor blood circulation.”

Pix uses the headphone holder for their Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700.

And how about that comfy-looking chair? It’s called a “Chefsessel Bigge,” Pix said. They got it from a German furniture reseller called Höffner. But, we’re sorry to have to tell you, it’s only available in Germany.

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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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