Some computer setups look “clean” and “minimal” because they’re, well, empty. Under-equipped. Not all there. But today’s featured M2 MacBook Air setup with Studio Display actually brings enough gear, it just does so in a beautifully clean way that has the rest of us slobs drooling with envy.
Hell, our setup is practically a waste dump half the time, compared to this thing.
This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.
Well-equipped M2 MacBook Air and Studio Display rig defines functional minimalism
Redditor FloatingAnemone (“FA”) showcased the beautifully clean but highly functional setup in a post entitled, “Finished my minimal setup.”
Sure, it’s minimal, but it’s also complete. Sometimes “minimal” may as well mean “not actually a setup,” but FA’s rig gets the job done.
They run a 13.9-inch M2 MacBook Air on a vertical stand driving Apple’s 5K, 27-inch Studio Display with a BenQ Screenbar Halo monitor light on top. The display is mounted on a Fully Jarvis single monitor arm attached to a standing desk.
The desk also bears a Nuphy Halo 75 mechanical keyboard with a transparent silicone wrist rest, used along with a Logitech MX Master 3S wireless mouse. They sit on an attractive felt desk mat that FA said is conducive to precise mousing, despite what one commenter thought.
A key element in the cleanliness is the size of the desktop. It leaves plenty of room, so when it’s uncluttered, it looks extra clean. FA said they like to put away pens, pads, cables and more, keeping it tidy.
And the floating shelving unit on the wall on the left must help a lot, too. You can see his Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless over-ear headphones and more stored up there.
Thoughts on Studio Display
A commenter keen on learning more about FA’s Studio Display asked some good questions:
What are your thoughts on the display? I know it’s a high quality and 5k display, but I mean real world usage. Do you find the 27-inch to be large enough or would you have rather had a 32-inch or 34-inch widescreen, at a lower resolution? And also screen glare from daylight sun poking through windows, does the screen get hard to see?
And FA’s cogent reply came out very much in favor of the display:
I really like the display, it is of course very pricey but for me it’s worth it. The colors and sharpness are superior to any monitors I have previously used. It’s definitely large enough and I personally have no need for a wider display, I can fit multiple windows here without problem. I think if you need more space than having two displays would make more sense. I don’t get any glares at all on it because of the position of the windows in the room. But Apple also makes a version of the display that should be more matte and less prone to glares.
One side note: The BenQ Halo light bar on top of the Studio Display obscures the webcam lens, so FA noted he has to slide the light bar a bit to the side when using the lens.
And if you like the wallpaper on the screen, you can get it here.
Shop these items now:
Computer and stand:
Display, mount and light bar:
Input devices:
- Nuphy Halo 75 mechanical keyboard with Gateron Baby Kangaroo switches
- Logitech MX Master 3S wireless mouse
Audio:
Furniture and accessories:
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.
Apple's latest MacBook Air laptop features the powerful M2 chip, a beautiful Liquid Retina display and a 1080p FaceTime HD Camera.
