Sometimes a computer setup may look basic or boring at a glance — but it still might get the job done quite well and pack some surprisingly cool gear. Today’s featured setup, centered on an M3 MacBook Air with dual monitors, is a good example. It features not only Apple’s great lightweight laptop driving a pair of displays, but some other solid peripherals — like a Harman Kardon Bluetooth speaker I’ve never seen before in a setup featured on Cult of Mac.
And while the user seemed unsure his not-super-cool setup warranted posting on social media, he ended up getting lots of reassurance and good advice for improvements.
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Basic M3 MacBook Air-with-dual-monitors setup not so ho-hum after all
Built for Apple Intelligence, this super-lightweight laptop packs power. It features a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina Display, 24GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage, backlit keyboard, Touch ID;. Midnight color.
- Slim and lightweight
- Large and brilliant screen
- Plenty of memory and storage
- May lack some features compared to MacBook Pro
Redditor MikeBuckets171 showcased the basic-looking setup in a post entitled, “One day I’ll have a setup as cool as the rest of you guys lol.” A commenter immediately replied, “But today is not that day.” That drew a “LMAO” from Mike. But the snark went no further, amid waves of reassurance. And that proved a point about how to post setups on social media: Don’t brag. Be self-effacing. Humility pays dividends.
Mike uses an M3 MacBook Air (24GB memory, 512GB SSD storage) in clamshell mode. It drives a pair of 22-inch Dell 1080p resolution displays through an Anker PowerExpand 8-in-1 USB-C Hub. A PlayStation 5 console is also in play, along with a Lenovo Performance webcam atop one monitor. An Apple A1243 wired keyboard — the iPhone giant’s last, discontinued in 2017 — and the popular Logitech MX Master 3S wireless mouse share input duties. For audio, he rocks a rarely seen Harmon Kardon Bluetooth speaker and Sony’s flagship noise-cancelling headphones of yesteryear, WH-1000XM4.
Solid advice from commenters
And while Mike’s M3 MacBook Air workstation looks pretty basic, most commenters sought to reassure him. Some called it cooler than average. Others said he should be grateful for what is, essentially, a great setup. Improvements can always be made in due time. To all that, Mike said he felt better — after initially second-guessing about posting the setup at all.
And commenters gave good advice (paraphrased):
- Add a third screen by opening up the MacBook Air display.
- Go for high-resolution external displays. When you decide to upgrade, there are many affordable 27-inch 4K options. The Dell s2725QC even has 120Hz and Freesync support for your PS5. You could use that one in the center and mount the two you have vertically on each side.
- The lighting isn’t doing it justice, but you have a good thing going. Add some mild bias lighting behind the monitors and buy one of those corner desk extenders — both cheap improvements for better look and feel.
Mike liked much of the feedback.
“I actually love that desk extender idea — I think I’m gonna pull the trigger on that,” he replied. “The lighting suggestion is solid, too, I’ll definitely look into it.”
Rarely seen Harman Kardon speaker
Photo: Harman Kardon
Harman Kardon is a big name in audio, of course. But I don’t recall coming across a Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 Bluetooth speaker in another setup featured on Cult of Mac. The speaker or speakers don’t appear in the photo (unless hidden behind displays), but Mike listed them as a feature. In addition to playing music, you can use them for conference calls because they include a dual microphone.
Each speaker includes a sleek, anodized aluminum handle, which doubles as a sturdy base. That makes it easy to carry each speaker from one room to another and set it down securely.
A self-tuning capability means when you power on, Onyx Studio 8 automatically calibrates to its environment, ensuring ideal sound possible no matter where you set it down.
Onyx Studio 8 pairs with any Bluetooth device for enhanced audio. You can even simultaneously connect two devices to the speaker (to share playlists, for example). With 8 hours of battery time and no power cord tying you down, you can place the speaker anywhere.
In addition to the speakers, the Honeywell Sunturalux LED Desk Lamp looks highly capable and easy on the eyes (design-wise and in terms of glare-cutting).
Shop these items now:
The stylish Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 Bluetooth speaker self tunes to give optimal audio in any environment. Includes dual mics for calls.
- Built-in aluminum handle doubles as stand
- Self-tunes to environment around it
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Bluetooth only, no wired connectivity
Computer and gaming:
Display and webcam:
Input devices and mousepad:
- Apple A1243 wired keyboard with num pad
- Logitech MX Master 3S wireless mouse
- Logitech Studio Series mousepad
Audio:
Lighting:
If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to [email protected] (iPhone pics usually work fine). 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.
