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Pro Display XDR completes powerful MacBook Pro rig [Setups]

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Pro Display XDR setup
The third, final and best display here is Apple's stellar Pro Display XDR.
Photo: nachoal@reddit.com

In the computer setup arms race over bigger and better external displays, one monitor reigns supreme (with a price tag to match) — Apple’s phenomenal Pro Display XDR. Today’s M3 Max MacBook Pro rig just added one to its two other displays, including the oddly square LG DualUp.

Powerful speakers flank smart TV display [Setups]

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IK Multimedia iLoud MTM speakers
You can also stand them up vertically, as shown here.
Photo: IK Multimedia

High-quality speakers in MacBooks and Studio Displays and the like are all well and good. But if you want great sound in your computer setup, you’re better off with studio monitor speakers like those in today’s MacBook Pro setup. They’re IK Multimedia iLoud MTM speakers.

The powered pair of studio monitor speakers pump out 100 watts of sound apiece. And right now they’re 25% off at $300 each. Find them in the gear list below if you want to level up your setup’s sound.

Can you handle a display this massive? [Setups]

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Big OLED smart TV display setup with MacBook Pro
When it comes to OLED smart TVs as computer displays, how big is too big?
Photo: Katert@Reddit.com

Is bigger always better? Nope. And the debate rages on over how big an OLED smart TV display should be to best-suit a computer setup. Would you go large at over 50 inches, or stick to, say, 42 inches or smaller?

Today’s MacBook Pro setup raised the issue again, surfacing some sensible advice. And the smart TV in question is on sale!

Satechi’s great USB-C hub and stand isn’t just for Mac mini [Setups]

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Satechi USB-C hub Mac Studio
Satechi's USB-C hub is also an ideal stand (for either Mac mini or Mac Studio).
Photo: Satechi

Satechi makes an awfully cool USB-C hub and stand for Mac mini that also suits Mac Studio perfectly. We’re surprised we don’t see that particular Satechi hub and stand more often in computer setups online.

But today’s Mac Studio rig with three big 4K displays makes perfect use of it. It greatly expands the machine’s capability and it blends right in like it’s not even there.

Triple 4K displays: Too many or just right? [Setups]

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Triple 4K displays in Mac Studio setup
That is an awful lot of screen real estate.
Photo: Imtog@Reddit.com

How many external displays would you consider ideal in your computer setup? Surprisingly, a lot of folks who assume it’s at least two end up regretting the idea. Today’s Mac Studio rig with triple 4K displays — three 32-inchers — sparked some debate on the matter.

That’s an awful lot of screen real estate that calls for a lot of head turning.

Slick new Yamaha speakers blast rapper’s soundtrack [Setups]

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MacBook Pro setup with new Yamaha speakers
This setup replaced big ol' Yamaha speakers with smaller new ones the user said sound just as good.
Photo: jonyoungmusic@Reddit.com

For those who get by with audio from a laptop or display speakers in their computer setup — as good as that can be these days — an upgrade to desktop speakers offer a real treat for the ears. Today’s MacBook Pro setup from a Florida-based rapper just got a nice set of brand new Yamaha speakers and jacked them in to a huge subwoofer under the desk. 

No regrets on move from monster PC to M3 MacBook Pro [Setups]

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M3 Max MacBook Pro setup
The M3 Max MacBook Pro in clamshell mode offers plenty of power in a small, mobile footprint.
Photo: juicemaistro@Reddit.com

If you have a powerful custom desktop PC, why would you switch to a MacBook Pro? We’ve seen plenty of setups that opt to include both, but today’s setup made the swap and its user feels zero regrets.

The Mac laptop is just that powerful, and the option for mobile use proved irresistible.

‘Small’ MacBook Pro rig punches well above its weight [Setups]

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MacBook Pro setup
Despite appearances, there's really a lot going on here.
Photo: dartiss@Reddit.com

Isn’t it great when someone on social media humbly displays a well put-together and complete computer setup that makes yours look like random debris? Well, at least it’s a good learning opportunity. And today’s MacBook Pro setup is an exceptional example, as it doesn’t look like “all that” — even though it is.

At a glance you might not guess that it packs about two dozen components, and the user is happy to explain how he uses most of them.

Good monitor arms ‘go a long way’ [Setups]

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Mac Studio setup with three mounted displays
This user swears by the arms his 4 displays are mounted on.
Photo: TheJTizzle@Reddit.com

Sure, you can buy a computer monitor and set it up on the stand that came in the box. But what if you want to easily move the external display around? And what if you want to have multiple screens and move them around?

Keeping monitors up off the desk and mobile can really improve your setup. And the best way to do that is to mount your screens on arms. It takes some effort, but as today’s user points out below, it’s worth it.

Can removing a 4K external display count as an upgrade? [Setups]

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MacBook Pro setup with LG UltraFine monitor on stand
Once again, a monitor riser (and other updates) elevates a computer setup.
Photo: jonyoungmusic@Reddit.com

Multiple-display computer setups are all the rage, but can a workstation benefit from losing one of its external monitors, even one with 4K resolution?

If today’s featured MacBook Pro rig is any indication, yes, it can — especially if the outfit sees a bunch of other cool upgrades at the same time, like a cool new monitor riser, an open stand for the MacBook Pro and a great new office chair.

Dual 5K displays and giant DIY desk distinguish this rig [Setups]

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MacBook Pro setup
Cleaned, reorganized and beautifully underlit, this MacBook Pro and Studio Display rig is ready for work in the new year.
Photo: dominicmannphoto@Reddit.com

People often compare LG’s UltraFine 5K display to Apple’s Studio Display because they’re directly comparable, with the same size and resolution. But rarely do you find the two in the same setup. That makes today’s dual MacBook Pro and dual 5K display setup something of a rarity.

That, along with the rarely seen Wacom drawing tablet and the truly massive DIY desk, fashioned from a kitchen countertop and mechanized legs.

This MacBook Pro workstation enjoyed a very merry Christmas [Setups]

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MacBook Pro setup with dual monitors
Sometimes the holiday season turns a half-empty desk into a powerful computer setup.
Photo: TemporaryAd_4202@Reddit

Ah, the magic of Christmas. Even a grownup can get deliriously excited about unwrapping a rich haul of computer gear that turns a Charlie Brown Christmas tree of a setup into a powerful workstation that would intimidate Ebeneezer Scrooge.

Today’s user had a decent MacBook Pro and iPad Pro to begin with, but ended up with a proper, highly functional setup. And commenters had further suggestions for additions, too. Hey, the more the merrier!

Slammin’ Mac Studio is just the start of this rig’s massive upgrades [Setups]

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M2 Max Mac Studio setup with two 4K displays
This user went from a 2012 Mac mini to an M2 Max Mac Studio plus a MacBook Air.
Photo: PBRarq@Reddit.com

A big upgrade to a computer setup is a major boost to any user. And today’s featured rig, though it may look unassuming, got a doozy of a makeover. A Mac mini dating all the way back to 2012 finally retired after a long career. And a powerful new M2 Max Mac Studio took over, with a late-model MacBook Air riding shotgun.

But that’s not all. Read more about other bonuses in the rejuvenated setup besides the laptop, and check out the full gear list below.

Thunderbolt 4 dock helps M3 MacBook Pro share massive display and more [Setups]

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Setups with two MacBook pros and an LG smart TV
A powerful M3 MacBook and its older sibling -- an M1 Max -- play nice with a big LG smart TV via a Thunderbolt 4 dock.
Photo: Halzen@Reddit.com

Today’s featured setup packs two powerful MacBooks Pro — an M1 Max for work and an M3 Pro for play. To give them hassle-free equal time with peripherals, including a big, beautiful OLED smart TV serving as a display, the user employs a Thunderbolt 4 dock bristling with ports for maximum connectivity options.

Super-cool vertical Mac mini stand does it all [Setups]

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M1 Mac mini setup features vertical stand with SSD enclosure and 5-in-1 USB-C hub.
The unobtrusive vertical stand holding up the Mac mini at right does a lot.
Photo: eljelipe@Reddit.com

Mac mini, Apple’s small-but-mighty desktop machine, does a lot of things well — especially the M1 and newer models. They make bigger desktop computers unnecessary for people who don’t need truly massive computing power.

And today’s featured M2 Mac mini user found a way to greatly expand his computer’s capabilities with a vertical stand that also saves space on the desk.

Old and new MacBook Pros work in harmony [Setups]

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This setup features an M2 MacBook Pro, but it still uses a 2015 Retina model, too.
This setup features an M2 MacBook Pro, but it still uses a 2015 Retina model, too.
Photo: izzyontheweb@Reddit.com

Who says an 8-year-old MacBook Pro is too old? Today’s featured setup relies on a new M2 MacBook Pro for most of the real work, but a 2015 Retina model still contributes regularly.

“Used it for school but recently graduated in May, only use for it now is YouTube/visuals until it dies,” graphic designer and Redditor izzyontheweb said. “Could you believe it’s a 2015 model and still works amazing?”

Separating work and personal life with 2 MacBooks and 3 displays [Setups]

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That desktop wallpaper is distracting, to say the least.
That desktop wallpaper is distracting, to say the least.
Photo: ImCoolInMyHead@Reddit.com

A problem users face with home computer setups is how to separate work from personal use. Today’s setup brings work and personal laptops to the mix — both M1 Max MacBook Pros, coincidentally — along with three displays, including a massive OLED smart TV.

And as is often the case on social media, solid advice sounded loud and clear above the noise.

MacBook Pro drives massive 5K2K display plus mini monitor [Setups]

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This setup lost one of the three display in a recent move.
This setup lost one of the three display in a recent move.
Photo: designforthepeople@Redit.com

Today’s featured computer setup isn’t turning heads for its Apple gear — just a 2019 MacBook Pro — but its displays deserve a good look. The Mac goes through a Razer Thunderbolt 3 dock as it drives an “odd couple” of displays — a huge, curved LG 5K2K monitor and a tiny LG portable display.

And don’t miss the audio gear in the gear list below, either. It’s good stuff.

All you need to turn a MacBook into a workstation [Setups]

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Not only does it tell time, this setup and its short list of peripherals and accessories turn a laptop into much more.
Not only does it tell time, this setup and its short list of peripherals and accessories turn a laptop into much more.
Photo: esmdg@Reddit.com

These days, MacBook laptops are more than powerful enough to handle most users’ computing needs. So if you don’t need an even brawnier desktop Mac, why not build your laptop into a full workstation with a few peripherals and accessories?

Today’s setup gets by with a 3-year-old MacBook Pro hooked up to a CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 dock and a nice LG 4K display, plus Logitech input devices and a few other items. It’s a complete workstation whether or not the user ever takes the MacBook Pro to go.

For health’s sake, get a standing desk [Setups]

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Even if you have a lot more gear than this, a standing desk can make a world of difference.
Even if you have a lot more gear than this, a standing desk can make a world of difference.
Photo: NiMa@Reddit.com

Maybe you’ve got back pain, or maybe your rear end falls asleep too much when you sit for long periods. Whatever the case, you, like many Apple fans, can benefit from a standing desk in your computer setup.

Today’s featured MacBook Pro setup features an affordable sit-stand desk, but there are many options. We’ll go over some of them below.

iPad mini takes center stage in MacBook Air rig [Setups]

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That's a Hexgears mechanical keyboard in tfront of the iPad mini.
That's a Hexgears mechanical keyboard in tfront of the iPad mini.
Photo: Prestigious_Fox_5531@Reddit.com

It’s not every day you see a teeny, tiny little display under an ultra-wide one. But today’s M2 MacBook Air setup sports its dual screens that way by putting an iPad mini at the center under the big external monitor, flanked by paired HomePod minis.

The setup’s interesting highlights include a gaming handheld and a full-sized mechanical keyboard we rarely see.

Try this cool way to mount iPad for use with Sidecar [Setups]

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The little iPad holder makes using Sidecar or Universal Control a cinch.
The little iPad holder makes using Sidecar or Universal Control a cinch.
Photo: casualhostile320@Reddit.com

While many folks like to have miles of screen real estate with multiple external monitors, some enjoy simply having their iPad’s screen in tandem with their main screen, especially for use with Sidecar or Universal Control.

Today’s clean and well-lighted MacBook Pro setup mounts an iPad with the main monitor in a neat way while hiding away the laptop. 

Versatile Mac mini powers DIY workstation [Setups]

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An M1 Mac mini drives a n LG display in this Chicago-area setup.
An M1 Mac mini drives a n LG display in this Chicago-area setup.
Photo: Bill Penhale

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.

Mounts make the most of this MacBook Pro workstation [Setups]

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A dual monitor mount is used for the external display and the MacBook Pro.
A dual monitor mount is used for the external display and the MacBook Pro.
Photo: MDevonL@Reddit.com

Monitor mounts and the like may not be terribly glamorous or exciting, but they can do an awful lot for a computer setup.

Today’s featured MacBook Pro workstation uses them to make the laptop and two other crucial pieces of hardware easy to move around. And they keep the hardware off the desk, creating space for other items.