| Cult of Mac

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.

Sometimes it pays to sweat the details [Setups]

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The monitors are 1080p rather than 4K or above, but it's quite a good-looking Mac mini setup.
The monitors are 1080p rather than 4K or above, but it's quite a good-looking Mac mini setup.
Photo: Hot-Jellyfish-2934@Reddit.com

We know from social media that folks love checking out others’ computer setups. But is it really the headlining hardware they’re after, like the flashiest MacBook Pro or brilliant display? Not always. Sometimes it’s the small stuff they want.

With today’s Mac mini setup with a pair of 1080p displays, people were most curious about a standing desk, a cable-management raceway and a desk organizer. You can find everything in the gear list below.

This is how you make your computer setup a thing of beauty [Setups]

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It took months to put together this well-put-together setup.
It took months to put together this well-put-together setup.
Photo: Sygnul@Reddit.com

There’s nothing like stained wood to make a computer setup look like a class act. Today’s featured M1 Max MacBook Pro and custom PC workstation places those powerful machines on shelves off to the side that more-or-less match the desk.

Relocating the computers makes more room on the beautiful wooden desktop, which ups the quality even further with a handsome wooden desk shelf for the external display and other items.

Could this be the perfect pair of displays? [Setups]

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The user, a developer, finds a Studio Display paired with an LG DualUp monitor ideal for his work.
The user, a developer, finds a Studio Display paired with an LG DualUp monitor (left) ideal for his work.
Photo: ElSigi999@Reddit.com

Any conversation about “perfect” displays might just start and end with Apple’s Pro Display XDR. But not everyone is rich enough to buy one of those 6K monitors, which cost $5,000 or more. So the popular 5K Studio Display might have to do, along with something complementary.

One option graces today’s featured MacBook Pro setup. It recently swapped out ultra-wide and 4K monitors for a Studio Display and and the eccentric LG DualUp. They seem especially well-suited to certain types of workers.

Triple-display MacBook Pro rig perches in attic ‘closet’ [Setups]

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A wall mount lets the huge display sit up and behind the others.
A wall mount lets the huge display sit up and behind the others.
Photo: nx10293901@Reddit.com

A room is what you make of it, and today’s featured computer setup finds a home in a room only a computer science student could make. He may have to live in a windowless attic, but he brings a lot of computing power and light to it, making it look and feel larger than it is.

Check out all the gear in the M1 Max MacBook, custom PC and triple-display outfit below.

New year brings ‘great display for a Mac’ to M2 MacBook Pro rig [Setups]

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Under-desk lighting helps make it a pleasant workspace even with no windows.
Under-desk lighting helps make it a pleasant workspace even with no windows.
Photo: DeerisLeGris@Reddit.com

There’s nothing like starting over in a brand new year. One of the best ways to do it is to freshen things up in the place where you spend so much of your waking life — your workspace. But rather than just rewarding yourself with a thrilling new mouse pad, why not roll out a whole new computer setup?

That’s the case with today’s featured M2 MacBook Pro setup. The brawny laptop drives a spacious “4K+” display with the help of some choice input devices. And it all basks in the glow of simple but highly effective lighting.

Killer Mac Studio station sees (and hears) major AV upgrades [Setups]

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This setup has been massively upgraded for better video calls and overall sound quality.
This setup has been massively upgraded for better video calls and overall sound quality.
Photo: Santego

Cybersecurity expert Santego shared his computer setup with Cult of Mac recently, unveiling major audio-visual upgrades in the Mac Studio and ultra-wide display rig. He wanted to improve the quality of his overall sound and his video calls.

And those additions came on top of a beautifully put together setup with great connectivity, power management and backup, as well as specialized lighting and terrific input devices.

A follower of our Setups coverage, he said “You encouraged me to upgrade the space I spend 10 hours a day in working from home.”

Tiny apartment benefits from beautifully backlit Studio Display [Setups]

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This cozy corner benefits from Philips Hue Play light bars behind the Studio Display.
This cozy corner benefits from Philips Hue Play light bars behind the Studio Display.
Photo: cambookpro@Reddit.com

Today’s featured M1 Pro MacBook workstation has a new Studio Display with bias lighting, illuminating the wall behind the display. It comes from three strategically placed Philips Hue Play bars that really make that corner of the small apartment “pop.”