MacBook Pro and Studio Display replace iMac in picture-perfect setting [Setups]

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An M1 MacBook Pro and Studio Display enjoy the sunset by the coast north of Boston.
An M1 MacBook Pro and Studio Display enjoy the sunset by the coast north of Boston.
Photo: gaydude_mass@Reddit.com

Some older iMacs are being shown the door, giving way to newer Macs paired with Studio Displays. That’s the case with today’s featured computer setup. In it, an iMac gave way recently to a plenty-powerful M1 MacBook Pro paired with a brilliant Studio Display.

And the attractively spare setup, well placed in a beautiful coastal setting, is nearly all Apple — down to the input devices and audio gear.

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Apple almost all the way: M1 MacBook Pro and Studio Display replace iMac in picture-perfect setting

Redditor gaydude_mass (“Dude”) showcased the setup and its pleasing setting in a post entitled, “Consolidated to MacBook and Studio Display.” The setup and its owner live on the Massachusetts coast north of Boston.

Swapping an aging iMac for a new M1 Pro MacBook and a Studio Display makes perfect sense, if you have the mean to do it. Most people’s computing needs are easily handled by a laptop with an M1 chip and a 5K external display.

“Sold my iMac and bought a Studio Display, now just rely on MacBook,” Dude said. “Setup is in main living area so trying to make it appropriate to the room.”

It seems he succeeded, as the setup appears complete as it sits in the corner of the room not taking up too much space. And it comes with a nice view, too.

Check out that marshland view.
Check out that marshland view. An original HomePod sits on a shelf in the corner.
Photo: gaydude_mass@Reddit.com

A setup made up of mostly Apple gear

Many setups feature mostly Apple gear, but occasionally we see one that’s nearly all Apple. This one, for example, runs a 2021 M1 MacBook Pro, an iPad Air, a Studio Display and, for input devices, a Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard (the cool silver-and-black one).

And off to the side, you see more Apple: an original, discontinued HomePod smart speaker and Apple TV hardware. While the big old HomePod keeps going up in price on the used market, plenty of indications suggest we’ll soon have another big-ish HomePod that may have new functions in the home.

In Dude’s coastal home, a Netgear mesh router provides broadband internet access. He also relies on an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system to keep the juice flowing and handle backups.

“Desk area has M1 MacBook, Studio Display, iPad Air, UPS, etc. HomePods adjacent in the room. Orbi Router, modem, Apple TV, and other stuff in nearby shelf area,” Dude pointed out.

And if he ever gets tired of looking at his rich Retina display’s 1 billion colors, he can always look out the window.

The desk comes from Wayfair, but it's a few years old and may be hard to find.
The handsome desk comes from Wayfair, but it’s a few years old and may be hard to find.
Photo: gaydude_mass@Reddit.com

Shop these items now:

Computers:

Display:

Input devices:

Audio and video:

Power and networking:

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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