Cult of Mac reader Nick Howard sent us his clever M1 Mac mini computer setup. It’s clever because it pulls a disappearing act, with very little effort on Howard’s part, whenever it’s not in use. Almost like magic.
“I love this setup as it’s completely unobstrusive when not being used and, in use, it offers the perfect combination of screen size and display of information for me, [while] remaining minimalist,” he said.
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Computer setup disappears almost completely when not in use
A Mac mini might be the ideal computer for the setup. It’s small enough to fit on a shelf almost out of view.
“My setup almost completely disappears when not in use,” Howard told Cult of Mac. “I use an M1 Mac mini hidden on top of one of the drawers of my desk (a repurposed G-Plan mid century dressing table) — you can just see it on the lefthand side.”
And given how simple the setup is, it’s not hard to hide its other elements. He uses a mini Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse 2 as input devices.
“The Apple Wireless keyboard and mouse both have charging cables in the slim drawer in the [center], so can hide there out of sight when not being used,” he added.
Display is the magic setup’s real star
Photo: Nick Howard
But the real star of the magic trick is the huge display — actually a smart TV — which actually hides in plain sight when it’s not in use.
Here’s how Howard described it and how he uses it:
The monitor is a 43-inch 2022 Samsung The Frame TV, which transforms into an art display when not in use as a monitor. I used to use two 27-inch Samsung 4K monitors side by side but it made the desk look too cluttered. The TV has a matt screen so is perfect as a monitor and I find having a single large monitor far easier for having multiple applications open at once, especially if I’m copying and pasting between them. I can run it at native 4K resolution but find the 2560 x 1440 scaled resolution better for day to day use.
The whole “disappearing” thing is helped along by the TV’s connectivity. Because of its light color, the cable that comes down from the left-bottom corner of the TV is barely visible in the photos, though you can see it under the desk.
The Samsung The Frame QLED 4K UHD Quantum HDR Smart TV (2022) comes with an Auto Game Mode and Art Mode Enhancer.
Big display aside, Howard has one complaint about the disappearing setup.
“The only real issue is that the position of the power button on the Mac mini is a little inaccessible in its cubby hole, but I can live with that,” he said.
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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, challenges and plans for new additions.
Samsung model QN43LS03BA is a 43-inch QLED 4K UHD HDR smart TV from 2022, bundled with a 4-year protection pack.
