Magic Keyboard

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!

Classic Macintosh SE stands with new Studio Display [Setups]

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MacBook Pro and Studio display setup with classic Macintosh SE
A classic Macintosh SE sits off to the right of the M1 MacBook Pro and Studio Display setup, and it actually gets some use.
Photo: nickdmiller@reddit.com

Pimping out a computer setup with vintage gear is super-cool, even if the old stuff doesn’t get much use (or is solely for display purposes). Today’s M1 MacBook Pro setup recently added a new Studio Display, and both of those modern machines bask in the glory of a nearby classic Macintosh SE from the 1980s.

The ancient all-in-one computer still works and it even gets some use.

Slash $120 off Magic Keyboard case for 11-inch iPad Pro/iPad Air

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Magic Keyboard for 11-inch iPad Pro and iPad Air
Grab this steep discount on Magic Keyboard for 11-inch iPad Pro and 10.9-inch iPad Air.
Photo: Apple

Apple is famous for quality products as well as the high prices that go with them. That’s true of its input devices like keyboards — including the excellent, $299 Magic Keyboard for 11-inch iPad Pro and 10.9-inch iPad Air (4th and 5th generations). But what if you could get that Magic Keyboard for $120 off?

Right now Amazon is offering Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro/Air — which offers case-like protection for the tablets and much more — for just $179.99

No Apple March event for new iPad and MacBook [Update]

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Get ready for new MacBook and iPad models at Apple March 2024 event
No March Apple event in the pipeline for new iPads and Macs?
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple is preparing to launch new M3 iPads and MacBooks this month. But don’t expect an Apple March event for their unveiling. Instead, the company reportedly will announce the devices through a “series of online videos and marketing campaigns.”

Update: This is now confirmed, as Apple unveiled the M3-powered MacBook Air on Monday via a press release.

M3 MacBook Pro supercharges trader’s rig [Setups]

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M3 MacBook Pro setup
The 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro with 36GB of unified memory handles powerful software.
Photo: Diesel_Formula@Reddit.com

What kind of performance boost do you get when you go from an M1 MacBook Air to an M3 Pro MacBook Pro? A pretty big one, if today’s MacBook Pro setup from an investor is any indication. They made sure to purchase a model with plenty of unified memory — 36GB — to ensure no number of open tabs would slow them down too much.

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. 

Audio engineer touts Apple’s ‘most stylish computer’ ever [Setups]

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iMac Pro audio recording and mastering setup
An iMac Pro from 2017 is core to this audio recording and mastering setup.
Photo: Wanderedabit@Reddit.com

Before Apple’s powerful but sub-Mac Pro-level desktop Mac Studio even existed, there was iMac Pro. We don’t see the premium all-in-one desktop computer in the wild often compared to regular iMacs, but it clearly still has its fans.

Today’s featured user, who records and masters audio in a home studio, refuses to give up his 7-year-old iMac Pro until absolutely necessary. Because it’s still great. And for some people, it could be a great bargain on the used market (check out a few options in the gear list below).

Find the best affordable, feature-packed keyboard for Mac mini

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Photo of a hand holding a Mac mini with the words
You'll find plenty of options in our guide to the best keyboards for Apple's pint-size Mac.
Photo: Teddy GR/Unsplash License/Cult of Mac

Apple’s smallest desktop computer is a powerhouse in a small package, but it doesn’t come with peripheral devices — so what are the best keyboards for Mac mini?

Whether you use a Mac mini for work or gaming, adding the right keyboard is crucial for maximizing your productivity and comfort.

I’ve always been fascinated with keyboards and have several. I’ll show you 10 of my favorite choices for great keyboards to use with Mac mini below.

Another user pares back to one great external display [Setups]

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Mac Studio setup with 32-inch Dell Dell G3223Q Gaming Monitor
This user chose one 32-inch Dell G3223Q Gaming Monitor over two external displays.
Photo: Sony-boy@Reddit.com

Trend alert: We’re seeing more computer setups cutting down from dual displays — or sometimes a few — to one external display. This is no scientific survey, but today’s setup looks like another example of several we’ve seen popping up on social media lately where a user wants to simplify and focus in that way.

And commenters compared the choice of display that remained — a Dell 4K gaming monitor — favorably to Studio Display.

Day or night, you can’t go wrong with stereo HomePods [Setups]

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Dual HomePod MacBook Pro setup
The daytime photograph shows the treasured HomePods clearly.
Photo: aleksiralda@Reddit.com

Paired for stereo sound, two full-size HomePod smart speakers — the original or second generation — are a thing of auditory beauty. And they don’t just sound great, they look good, too. Yet we don’t see paired HomePods much in computer setups (HomePod minis yes, the big ones, no).

Today’s MacBook Pro setup takes full advantage of Apple audio, however, and the user couldn’t be happier. Well, except with Siri, that is. Check out their setup’s cheerful day version (above) and moody night version (below).

User trades 4K display for a second MacBook Pro [Setups]

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Dual MacBook setup
This setup traded a vertical 32-inch display for an M2 Max MacBook Pro, among other changes.
Photo: MagneticMotion@Reddit.com

For the second time in as many weeks we’ve come across someone ditching a nice external display and keeping just one — and this time it’s to add a second powerful MacBook Pro used as both a computer and a secondary display. In fact, now it’s triple-display setup, but two of them are laptops on stands.

‘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.

Cozy iMac nook makes picture-perfect workspace [Setups]

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24-inch iMac setup
The pink computer really works here.
Photo: OK-Mulberry6597@Reddit.com

Apple’s sleek and colorful all-in-one desktop computer, the iMac, appears in Cult of Mac‘s setups coverage less often than other Macs, but not for lack of trying. It seems people don’t flaunt iMac setups all over social media all that much. But judging by today’s warm and inviting pink-iMac setup, maybe they should.

The cozy little office space also benefits from smart lights we don’t see all that often, either.

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.

16-year-old Mac Pro drives even more-ancient Cinema Display [Setups]

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2008 Mac Pro and 2005 30-inch Cinema Display
Wait, what year is it again? 2024. Right.
Photo: 128Megabytes@Reddit.com

Say what you will about old Apple hardware, it’s cool and it’s got staying power — sometimes to an amazing degree. Today’s featured setup, for example, sports a 16-year-old Mac Pro with some modifications driving a 19-year old Cinema Display (the big one — 30 inches — first released in 2004, a mere 20 years ago).

The user’s just happy she’s getting the venerable desktop machine to run as fast as her spritely young MacBook Pro … from 2012.

Multiple Macs drive phalanx of Dell displays [Setups]

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Mac Studio setup with 3 external displays
Windows on water everywhere in this triple-screened Mac Studio and MacBook Pro setup.
Photo: kribyl@Reddit.com

After a recent debate over whether dual external displays should be lined up straight across or angled for better ergonomics, a Mac Studio and dual-MacBook setup addresses the question in a different way. It uses three identical displays in landscape mode, placing the center one one straight and one on either side of it at an angle.

And the setup also offers connecitivity tips, running the two MacBooks into two of the displays via a CalDigit dock while the Mac Studio drives one directly.

If you have dual displays, try this neat wallpaper trick [Setups]

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Dual-Studio Display MacBook Pro setup
This flat side-by-side look brought up debate, plus the question of getting wallpaper to work that way across two screens.
Photo: Z4YN389@Reddit.com

Few people would dispute that the extra screen real estate of a second display can be a huge help in a computer setup. But let’s say you have two Studio Displays in landcape (horizontal) mode. Do you place them side by side perfectly straight or do you angle them in some way?

Today’s MacBook Pro workstation brought up the debate and surfaced a cool tip for getting wallpaper to appear half on one display and half on the other.

Stunning view comes with top display and killer KEF sound [Setups]

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David David Heinemeier Hansson's Mac mini setup with Pro Display XDR and KEF speakers.
Hansson's setup in Malibu, CA, features a Mac mini mounted behind a Pro Display XDR and a phenomenal set of KEF speakers.
Photo: DHH@X.com

Developer David Heinemeier Hansson, known for creating the Ruby on Rails web development framework, showcased his rather stunning Mac mini computer setup this week on X (formerly Twitter).

The extraordinary 6K graphics of his Studio Display XDR and the articulate sound of his highly recommended KEF speakers complement the ocean views through the glass walls of his California office.

Get festive with holiday desktop wallpaper [Setups]

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Desktop wallpaper with holiday themes in iMac setup
You can almost hear Santa landing on the roof.
Photo: PartyPrice5927@Reddit.com

This time of year folks are getting in the holiday spirit and setting up Christmas trees, Hanukkah menorahs or Kwanzaa kinaras. But don’t forget to light up your Mac, iPad and iPhone screens with festive holiday wallpapers, too.

Today’s featured setup iMac and MacBook Air setup is so festive they could maybe skip all the other decorations!

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.

Find the perfect monitor riser for your desk [Setups]

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Mac mini setup Studio Display on monitor riser
Though most monitors come with adjustable stands, adding a monitor riser provides benefits to any computer setup.
Photo: zipzag@Reddit.com

Whether you call them monitor risers, desk shelves or display stands, finding the right one for your desk’s size can be a huge boon to your computer setup. Today’s featured Mac mini workstation benefits from a compact Balolo stand sitting toward the back of a small desk.

You can see that choice desk shelf and several other options below, along with all the setup’s gear, including a Studio Display and marvelous high-end headphones.

Star Wars fan converts old iMacs to Cinema Displays [Setups]

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There's a lot to look at in SE's setup, including 3D-printed
There's a lot to look at in SE's setup, including 3D-printed Star Wars figures like a BB-8 droid on the shelf next to the Xbox.
Photo: Straight_Estimate_76@Reddit.com

If you’ve got an old or damaged iMac lying around, why not make use of it? You can find plenty of guidance online to help you turn that dead weight into a version of Apple’s classic Cinema Display and use it with other Macs.

The owner of today’s setup talked about doing just that, plus using open-source software to make his old Macs run recent macOS versions.

Some workstations are literally a pain in the neck [Setups]

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Could you look from one display to the other like that?
Could you look from one display to the other like that?
Photo: DougDimmadOme@Reddit.com

With computer setups we often talk about placing gear properly for healthy, ergonomically correct usage to avoid problems like neck pain. But some folks viewing today’s featured MacBook Pro workstation said they suffered neck pain just looking at the photo.

That’s because the setup’s dual Studio Displays sit on a mount that spreads them out, leaving a big gap in the middle unless the displays are pulled far forward toward the user.