Updates from the previous edition are marked with 🆕 and include: the heart of the battlestation, keyboard abd a Loupedeck interface. If you’re interested in the previous setup, please take a look at [My workspace 2021][1].

Core setup#

Computer 🆕#

I use a 2023 Mac Studio.

M2 Max with 12-CORE CPU + 38-CORE GPU, 1TB SSD + 64GB RAM. More than enough for anything that I throw at it. Lightroom, DaVinci Resolve, Docker, VS Code, even browsing the web – everything is fast and smooth. I’m really happy with this machine.

I’m satisfied the most with the number of ports available. I can connect all my devices without any issues. Not a single dongle is required. I still have my Anker Hub connected to the computer, but it’s mostly because of the cable management.

2023 is the first year when I bought a stationary Mac, after almost 15 years of using laptops. I’m happy with the decision, but I have to admit that I miss the portability of the laptop. If I had to travel a lot, I would probably stick to the laptop.

Display#

In 2017 I bought LG 27UD88-W display. It’s 27";, 4K and it has a USB-C connection which works great as a laptop companion (one cable for power&display). Currently connected via HDMI.

The desktop is occupied by a beautiful GT3 Touring most of the time, or a different creation coming either from my own camera.

Keyboard and mouse 🆕#

I used trackpad for years, but when I switched to MX Master 3 for Mac – I never looked back. Great scrolling and customisation possibilities, I can have a different mouse-key bindings for each application.

Big change for me was switching to a mechanical keyboard. I started with Keychron K14 some time ago and after some time changed it to Kechron Q1 Pro. I struggled a lot after switching from the Apple flat keyboard, it hurt for quite some time. Didn’t give up, bought a funny things called arm rest from Fellowes and it helped a lot.

It has a blue esc key, has a knob, all the F-keys are available and it’s a pleasure to type on it!

Additional devices#

I have a couple of additional devices on my desk as well.

Speakers#

Long time ago, it was 2002 or 2003 — I dreamed of having a 5.1 speaker system. I bought Creative Inspire 6.1 6700 back then. They are with me for almost 20 years already, even though I use them as 2.1 system right now.

I use the sub and two satellites from the 6700 set. Why? Mostly because of the size (satellites are very small) and they have a wired remote which is glued to the bottom of my desk and I use it to control the volume of the speakers.

It’s not ideal but for work — this setup is pretty much OK.

Headphones#

I choose beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO. You can wear them all day long, they produce good reproduction of the voice and are aesthetically pleasing. I didn’t like the original black/gray combination and went for the all-black edition. Until they arrived, I didn’t notice that they come with a different impedance (250 vs 80 Ohm). Not sure how much I lost because of that, but I have to admit that the are great!

Additionally, I own a pair of Apple AirPods Pro 2nd gen. These are noise-cancelling headphones which help me to survive train/plane travels as well as help to cut off the environment when I need it.

Microphone#

My mic of choice is Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB. I spend quite a lot of time on calls and look like a serious podcaster

It’s a dynamic microphone and I think it much better suits my needs and it’s a good choice for people who deal with a lot of noise around.

The microphone is mounted on a Rode PSA1 arm and is one of the things that allows me to keep the desk tidy.

Microphone is capable of running via USB-C, but I picked up Audient EVO 4 interface. One of the reasons was that the provided USB-C cable was too short. XLR cable is much more robust (and longer) and works fine with the setup. I like the fact that I finally have a hardware mute button available for me and I like the visualisation provided by white LED on the device.

External camera#

As I mentioned, I do a lot of Meet/Zoom/Slack calls every day, so it’s important for me to have a decent Audio/Video setup. In addition to the Blue microphone described earlier, I use a Logitech C922 webcam which offers nice quality and allows me to get a better angle than using a camera available on my MacBook.

Clock#

I would like it to be a piece of art, but — this clock is some no-name LCD device bought for 50PLN on Allegro. It shows the temperature and the time obviously, but it also fits nicely to the black desk.

Loupedeck interface 🆕#

I’m not a professional photographer, but I like to spend some time in Lightroom and edit my photos. In order to improve my game and speed up the process, I’ve bought a Loupedeck Live device. It’s a customisable interface which can be used with a variety of applications. I use it with Lightroom mostly and it’s a pleasure to use it. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s worth it.

Apart from using it in Lightroom, I use it as a macro keyboard. I have a couple of shortcuts configured for it and it’s very handy – switching things on/off, opening applications, managing windows, etc.

The Desk#

The desk is a custom-built one. Two pieces of Swiss Krono Worktop — the front one 70x180cm and the side one (on the left) 60x110cm. It’s very deep and there’s plenty of space. The worktop sits on two IKEA Alex drawers which suit the black&white theme of the desk and offer additional storage for the commonly used items like cables, accessories, etc.

When I want to change my position from sitting to standing, I use a standing desk converter FlexiSpot EdgeRiser. Entire platform looks a bit ugly, like a transformer but it does a good job in delivering the ability of working in a siting or standing position. Everything is steady event in the top position. It’s not electric, but it turned out not to be that much of an issue. The only challenge I had with this setup was the cable organisation. It’s pretty clean now, after buying some cable organisers, double-sided tapes and other stuff.

Shelves#

Behind the computer, I have a few shelves. I use them to host some of my LEGO cars — currently it’s a Porsche 911 RSR, a Porsche 911 Turbo/Targa, and an Aston Martin DB5.

Unfortunately, the plants don’t survive in my office for too long, so after many casualties, I decided to go for a cactus 🌵. It’s a nice addition to the shelves and it’s easy to take care of.

Lightning#

I’ve added a few lighting sources around the room. The most important one is the Yongnuo YN-300 Air LED lamp. It allows my face to shine (lol) during the calls. There’s a variety of combinations of how can this lamp be used, starting from flexibility of movement and ending up with the light temperature. Additionaly, I have some Philips Hue lights around the room to add some colour to the background.

That’s it! If you have any questions — reach out to me on Mastodon @lubieniebieski@social.lol!