Super-clean MacBook Air rig shrugs off all distractions [Setups]

Some of the best computer setups look a little boring at a glance. But that’s just because they include only essential gear and they keep it well lit and free of cable (and other) clutter.

Today’s featured M1 MacBook Air setup is a good example. And that’s not to say it’s plain or overly simple. You can see that in the well-thought-out gear list below, which features 19 items.

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M1 MacBook Air setup is a super-clean, distraction-free zone

Redditor kevohreal (“Kev”) showed off the workstation in a post entitled, “M1 Air Setup. IKEA Karlby Strikes Again.”

The Ikea Karlby countertop in walnut sets a pretty classy tone, with most of the accents in black or space gray. That includes the Ikea Alex Drawer units the countertop rests on, the Ikea Adils table legs and the input devices — a black Magic Trackpad and a dark gray Logitech MX Keys Mini keyboard.

The colorful wallpaper on the black, 32-inch LG UltraFine 32UN880-B 4K Ergo Display adds some contrast, along with the white Audioengine A2+ speakers on either side of the screen, set on small black stands. The monitor itself has a clean look because it sits on an Ergo stand.

Kev seems happy with the 4K display.

“The LG ultimately won me over because of the single USB-C connectivity [and] passthrough plus support for 2x HDMI (e.g., console, media streaming),” he said.

In terms of the clean look, it also helps that not all the gear is on display in the photos. The Nintendo Switch OLED and Wacom Intuos tablet aren’t sitting out, for example.

The Intuos tablet, by the way, serves as a second input device for gestures, in conjunction with the Magic Trackpad. Kev said he hasn’t used a mouse in 15 years.

Subtle lighting and good cable management

The workspace is well lit, but not brightly lit. This is possible because of the Lofter Pro Monitor Light Bar lighting up the desk and the TreatLife LED Light Strip lighting up the white wall behind the desk.

And of course a big part of the setup’s clean look is thoughtful cable management. It’s hard to see any, isn’t it? Clearly having wireless input devices helps. But so does the use of Even Cable Raceways to straighten and cover cables, OHill Cable Clips to help organize them and an Orico Surge Protector to plug most of the gear into so one cable goes to the wall.

And if you like the desktop wallpaper on the display, you can find it here. And a version with Kev’s exact colors is here.

Not hard to picture getting to work here, is it?
Photo: kevohreal@reddit.com

Shop these items now:

Computer gear:

Display and light bar:

Input devices:

Audio:

Cable management:

Furniture and lighting:

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.