What’s the biggest upgrade a computer setup can undergo other than a new computer, external display(s) or a massive audio boost? It’s the very platform the setup sits on — usually a desk. In my case, it’s an Uplift Standing Desk V3, which I reviewed recently (five stars, btw).
It’s a huge upgrade aesthetically and functionally. And it changes how I mount and use my gear, too.
Seems like smallish portable monitors are cropping up more often lately as fixtures in computer setups featuring other display options. Today’s dual-Mac setup sports a massive curved external display with an 18-inch portable just below, front and center.
And those aren’t the only two screens. A tablet mounted on an arm comes into play too, but it’s not an iPad.
After several years of covering the Cult of Mac setups beat, I still rarely write about my own. But major new upgrades call for it. Since a spate of recent changes, I’m still rocking the M4 Pro MacBook Pro as my main daily driver. But I replaced dual 4K external displays with a pair of 5K touchscreen displays. And I dipped my toe into the world of serious mechanical keyboards for the first time.
In Setups world, the struggle continues over display preferences, in terms of those who want bigger and those who want more. Today’s MacBook Pro user dwells on the “bigger” side an an ultra-wide monitor user, but they actually want to downsize from a mammoth 49-incher and get something with a higher refresh rate. Meanwhile, they’re thrilled their M1 Pro MacBook Pro still runs like a champ. And they conceived a way to have Touch ID while hiding the keyboard it comes with.
If you work with visual media in some way — like as a graphic designer or video editor — you know how important color accuracy on external monitors can be. Today’s M4 Pro Mac mini user relies on a pair of BenQ monitors specifically calibrated to match Mac colors. They’re actually made for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, to reproduce the rich colors on the laptops’ Liquid Retina (Air) and Liquid Retina XDR (Pro) displays.
And that’s not all. The sleek and deceptively simple setup actually packs in a surprising amount of cool gear. See below.
After finally incorporating a proper pair of speakers into my evolving MacBook Pro setup in late 2024 — following years of writing Cult of Mac setups articles, often with a focus on high-quality audio gear I shamelessly envied — I just upped my rig’s audio ante again. And this time it’s mainly from the input perspective. I added a new Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface, a condenser microphone mounted on an arm and, ridiculously, two more pairs of over-ear headphones (I already have too many cans and earbuds).
Everybody loves a big, beautiful external display in a computer setup — and this LG OLED TV monitor is a great way to go. Today’s setup is built around a 42-inch LG OLED TV plugged into a MacBook Pro.
Also: See if you can guess what the cool-looking desktop wallpaper showing on the display pictures. Answer below.
If you don’t have big bucks to spend on high-end, audiophile-worthy speakers and headphones to use in your computer setup, you can’t really go wrong with uber-affordable Edifier audio gear. Today’s featured M2 MacBook Pro setup — an exotic entry from Nepal, no less — keeps the tunes flowing through a nice set of Edifier bookshelf speakers and a comfortable pair of over-ear noise-canceling headphones. They simply get the job done well — without breaking the bank.
★★★☆☆
Perfection is hard to find in life, and so it is with the world’s many and varied earbuds. In my hands-on Edifier Comfo C earbuds review, I look at how the supremely comfortable and secure the clip-on wireless earbuds fit, making them a solid choice for many active users. And yet for me, that same fit keeps the sound quality from being all it could be, which makes me less likely to wear the buds.
After years of writing Cult of Mac setups articles, often with a focus on high-quality audio gear — and after endlessly rearranging my own workstation — I’ve never managed to incorporate a proper pair of speakers into my setup. Until now. Previously, I’ve relied on MacBook Pro speakers, earbuds, over-ear headphones and, occasionally, a portable Bluetooth speaker or two. But now I’ve added a great-sounding and nice-looking pair of very affordable Edifier speakers that just fit right in.
I’ve focused on my own workstation just a few times in several years of handling Cult of Mac setups coverage (this is setups article number 569 for me, by the way). Well, now it’s that time again, thanks to two major new upgrades in my personal rig. First, I replaced my trusty silver M1 Pro MacBook Pro with a brawny M4 Pro model in space black. And second, I installed a set of bookshelf speakers right in the workstation for the first time.
As we’ve pointed out in product news coverage and reviews, Edifier is one of those smaller companies that always seem to come across with great value. Its audio gear is solid and sounds great, but it’s on the inexpensive side of things. And that’s the case for the Edifier powered speakers in today’s MacBook Air setup. The workstation features a penguin plush toy that doesn’t just use an Edifier box as a chair, according to the user. The stuffed animal apparently rocks out, too.
A new pair of bookshelf speakers from Edifier should catch the attention of Apple users who love clear sound from a compact package — the Edifier MR3 2.0 Monitor Speaker System. And the near-field monitor system brings studio-quality audio to your desktop at a surprisingly accessible price point of $120.
The wired or wireless MR3 speakers earned the coveted Hi-Res Audio certification, making them an ideal companion for Apple Music’s lossless audio streaming. With a flat frequency response in a wide range, from 52Hz to 40kHz, these speakers deliver the kind of neutral, transparent sound reproduction that audio professionals and discerning listeners demand.
★★★★☆
Using a time machine, the new Edifier D32 Tabletop Speaker could show up in the 1950s without raising an eyebrow, given its retro-cool design. But it sure would surprise everyone, not being a radio and failing to do anything at all because the necessary audio technology didn’t exist yet. But in the here and now, those who like the old-school look will find the box packs a sonic punch and connects to practically anything that streams audio.
So whether you’re a Mac user seeking a stylish addition to your desktop setup or someone with a space that needs a substantial audio source — even the living room of a small house or apartment — the D32 is poised to impress, especially for its very reasonable price. I can’t say it’s perfect, given some connectivity struggles, but it’s great.
★★★★☆
Looking for good Bluetooth headphones that won’t throttle your wallet? In this Edifier W830NB headphones review, I look at Edifier’s latest noise canceling set. They might just be your ticket to affordable listening.
Following up on its W820NB model, Edifier packs serious punch for the price in this $80 pair (or $63 for Amazon Prime Day!). Just don’t expect them to beat out top-shelf cans from the likes of Apple and Sony.
Today’s M3 MacBook Air setup features a retro-cool speaker unlike most you’ll see in workstations. When people look beyond the laptop for sound, the usual answer is bookshelf speakers. But the doctor who runs this MacBook Air and iPad Pro setup likes an unusual choice — an Edifier desktop speaker called the MP230.
Is there a doctor in the house? There is with today’s M3 MacBook Air setup. The good doctor finds the slender laptop covers all needs, especially with an assist from an 11-inch iPad Pro, an external monitor and an unusual choice for a desktop speaker.
Looks like today’s computer setup user spent bigger bucks on an M2 MacBook Pro and an epic ultra-wide curved display, and smaller bucks on a good sound system. That’s smart, because you can get high-quality near-field-monitor speakers for your desktop without spending a mint — if you go with something like this user’s Edifier R1280T speakers.
Edifier’s new D32 speaker, a stylish and powerful wireless speaker that looks a bit like your grandfather’s radio, packs modern audio technology. Its hi-res audio capabilities and robust 60-watt amplifier system sit inside a hand-made wooden cabinet with crazy-cool retro buttons. And it costs just $170, which might seem steep to your grandpa, but it’s not bad.
If you’ve read much of Cult of Mac’s computer setups coverage, you know we love good audio. And we love it more when it’s high-value, where the sound is great despite affordable pricing. Edifier R1280T speakers meet that mark.
Edifier is a brand that has long lived in that space. And today’s MacBook Pro and PC laptop setup makes good use of a pair of powered Edifier bookshelf speakers that even MacBook Pro’s fine set of six can’t really compete with (outside of portability).
★★★☆☆
I’ve made no secret of my admiration for Edifier audio products in the past few years, but the streak couldn’t go on forever. But it’s not you, Edifier. It’s me, maybe. I blame my oversized head and clunky glasses for standing in the way of my affection for your sleek new Edifier Comfo Run sports headphones. I just couldn’t get the fit quite right for the best sound.
But I could see all sorts of athletes, and really anyone who prefers to keep earbuds and other objects out of their ear canals, loving these things. They work by air conduction.
Edifier’s new QR65 Active Monitor Speakers pack 70 watts of power with hi-res audio certification, put on a light show and act as a fast gallium nitride (GaN) charger for your other gadgets, too.
And the value-oriented Chinese audio brand brings all that and more across for $369 per pair.
If you had a gigantic 49-inch curved ultra-wide display, would you dream of adding more external monitors to it? If so, would you stack them, or add one or two displays in portrait mode (vertical) on either side of the big screen?
A MacBook Pro user with a giant Samsung display is pondering those very questions.
It’s only natural that a user would clean up his computer setup to show it off to the world, and that’s exactly what TechDaily’s Wade B. did with his MacBook Air and Studio Display setup before sending it to us with a video.
“It’s really the first time I’ve ever had a desk that wasn’t a total disaster area,” he told Cult of Mac.
While Apple is finally putting out an M2 Mac Pro even as its powerful Mac Studio machines conquer most hardcore computing tasks, the truth is most users can more than get by with an M1 or M2 Mac mini. That goes for Bill Penhale, who sent us his setup from Shorewood, Illinois, near Chicago.
“I am pretty techy for 70, ha!,” the retired sales director told Cult of Mac. And judging by his M1 Mac mini-powered setup, with a fine 4K external display, solid audio and loads of external storage, that’s certainly true.