Arms-on: 5 need to-have Mac components to streamline your setup

As I have overhauled my set up in the last few weeks in conjunction with the new Mac Studio, I’ve employed this as an chance to add some new equipment as well. This involves a new OWC Thunderbolt Dock, a nifty Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad accessory from Twelve South, and much more. Head underneath for the information.

OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock

One of the a lot more integral additions to my setup is the OWC Thunderbolt Dock, a model of which my colleague Jeff Benjamin went hands-on with previously this yr.

The OWC Thunderbolt Dock I’m utilizing in my setup offers four Thunderbolt 4 ports with help for up to 40Gb/s transfer speeds, four USB-A ports, an SD card slot, a 3.5mm audio jack, and gigabit ethernet. I have the dock mounted on the underside of my desk so it is hidden and out of the way, but its ports are still obtainable.

The OWC Thunderbolt 4 dock is admittedly not rather as valuable with the new Mac Studio as it was when I was employing my 14-inch MacBook Professional in clamshell mode. This is simply because the Mac Studio provides its possess versatile choice of ports.

If you are wanting for a way to totally free up the ports on the Mac Studio alone, nevertheless, this OWC dock is a excellent selection. It’s also good for cleaning up your desk and possessing as number of cables as feasible snaking from the back of the Mac Studio. If you are placing an purchase from OWC, I can also very advise the company’s Thunderbolt 4 cable, which is considerably less expensive than Apple’s.

Magic Keyboard with Contact ID

If you’re applying an Apple Silicon-driven Mac and you have not additional a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID to your setup, you’re very seriously lacking out. Finally staying able to use Contact ID with a desktop Mac is a video game changer. This consists of Apple Pay back authentication, accessing password administrators, and generating Application Keep buys.

Of training course, this implies that you have to be glad with the sort component and layout of Apple’s Magic Keyboard, which isn’t the situation for all people. I’m however holding out hope that Apple releases a standalone “Magic Button” with Contact ID at some level, but for now, this will have to do.

MagicBridge

Speaking of the Magic Keyboard, if you use the Magic Keyboard along with a Magic Trackpad, the well known accent maker Twelve South features a genuinely nifty MagicBridge accessory. The MagicBridge turns the standalone Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad into a “one piece command area, tidying up your workspace.”

You do eliminate some of the versatility of being about to shift your trackpad close to on your desk, but in my setup, I much prefer the one piece structure. I use a Logitech MX Grasp together with my Magic Trackpad, so I can shift the MX Master all-around as necessary, and have a thoroughly clean setup that combines my Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad thanks to the Magic Bridge.

Stream Deck

I’ll have a different tale heading much more in-depth on this later on, but I have also not too long ago added a Stream Deck to my Mac’s setup. I’m nevertheless learning my way all-around the earth of the Stream Deck, but correct now I’m working with it for Mac automation and intelligent dwelling regulate purposes.

In this article are some of the guides I have been next as I find out more about Stream Deck:

Satechi Leather-based Desk Mat

Final but not least, and it’s possible the accessory I get asked about most usually when I characteristic it in item imagery, is the Satechi Eco-Leather-based Deskmate. This is a purely visible addition to my set up, bringing a leather-based desk mat to home my keyboard and trackpad. It is designed out of substantial-top quality eco-leather-based and is built to safeguard your desk while also serving as a gentle resting place for your wrists and fingers.

What are some of your preferred Mac extras appropriate now? Enable us know down in the reviews!

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