Since joining the 9to5 team back in August of 2017, my setup has gone through many iterations. Some have come out of boredom with the setup and others have come from replacing gear entirely, but today, we’ll be taking a look at how my setup has been for the better part of the past year. In fact, I think it’s been this way almost longer than any other iteration I’ve had. So, without further ado, welcome to my Mac and PC productivity and gaming setup.
We have recently relaunched our Behind the Screens feature, offering readers a chance to see where we work everyday and the gear we use to do it. Rikka gave us an in-depth look at a colorful and inspiring MacBook setup last week, and now it’s my turn. Centered around a Mac mini and a more than modest display, my setup focuses on high-quality audio, saving money wherever possible elsewhere, and a generally natural, minimalist, and organic design approach.
Over the years, we’ve shared the workstations of where past and current writers spend our time during the day, and now we’re relaunching that Behind the Screens series. To kick things off, welcome to my recently-renovated workstation. Centered around a 14-inch MacBook Pro, my setup only gets more unique from there with custom Pokémon keyboards, podcasting gear, and some other oddities that make this a uniquely Rikka workstation.
This year, I celebrated four years working at gadgetnewsonline. My setup has seen many iterations, including a custom-built Windows desktop with two traditional 27-inch 16:9 monitors, a MacBook Pro-powered UltraWide, Hackintosh, Mac mini, and then this year with the introduction of a 16-inch MacBook Pro paired with a gaming desktop. Well, several months later, I think I’ve finally settled on my final setup. I know, I know, that’s never a real thing. But, since I built my first desktop, I’ve wanted a setup exactly like this, and now that I have it…I’m honestly satisfied. So, what does my setup look like that I use every day? It’s pretty robust, having three monitors, two computers, and even multiple cameras. Sound intriguing? Head below for a detailed list of all the items I use on a daily basis, including my whacky split keyboard in this Behind the Screens of my surround UltraWide setup.
Since joining 9to5 in 2017, my setup has undergone several evolutions. I originally started out working from a Windows PC, then moved to a MacBook Pro, to a Hackintosh, and eventually a Mac mini. Visually, my office hasn’t changed much over the years; however, as once I moved to the MacBook Pro setup, I picked up an UltraWide monitor and have been using that since early 2018.
Well, I recently completely overhauled my office, from the desk up. I now have a new desk, new monitors, new computers, and peripherals, oh my! Going back to my “roots” of running my setup off of a MacBook Pro, this time I’ve gone all out in other areas, making my office into a “battle station” for both productivity and gaming. So, without further ado, here’s my gaming desktop and MacBook Pro work setup.
Most of what you see is shot here in my studio where I don’t need to carry anything around. But I do a fair bit of other freelance shooting and travel with equipment for events, so I wanted to take you through what’s in my camera backpack on some of these trips. Head below and check out the video for even more details.
The last time I did a Behind the Screens, I was using a 2016 MacBook Pro to power everything. Since then, I built a custom Hackintosh (and then sold it), and now have everything being powered by a 2018 Mac mini. My setup has grown in more ways than just the computer, from speakers to monitors and more, keep reading to find out where I write your favorite PC gaming deals and more every day.
The new year is here, and that means we’re kicking things off yet again with CES. This is my fourth year attending the show, and I’ve had the pleasure of testing out some great new gear on my trip. Here’s how the Peak Design 45L Travel Backpack helped me manage the insanity of the show floor.
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Ben Lovejoy, EU editor at 9to5Mac, with his mobile gear.
I wrote a previous Behind the Screens piece on my home office setup, so this time I’m sharing my mobile gear.
Some sites call this ‘What’s in my bag?’ – but in my case it would be bags plural. I’m a self-confessed bagaholic, and what I carry in them tends to break down into three categories …
Let’s start with travel, which covers all the tech I ever carry, and then briefly list the subsets of gear I carry in the latter cases …
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Damien Wilde, Videographer at 9to5Google.
I’ve been lucky enough to always have my own dedicated workspace. But last year I finally moved out of an apartment into a proper house, which means I’ve gained a much larger office space to really work with. Honestly, I’d have to say that it’s still a major work in progress, but it’s getting there slowly but surely. Unlike vast portions of the US, space is at a real premium over here in Leeds, UK — where I’m based. This means I’ve really got to work with what I have available. Access to IKEA is definitely not a problem though! So almost all of my office furniture has come from the Scandinavian brand — I really adore the simple aesthetics and basic colors.
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Zac Hall, Lead Editor at 9to5Mac, and his HomeKit-equipped mini office gym.
I went behind the scenes of my home office at the start of the year — dual display iMac, HomeKit lighting, and Sonos audio — and a few things have changed in the six months since my first edition.
Fueled by the urge to upgrade a sedentary workday into a more active routine, I’ve made room for a treadmill and turned it into a makeshift walking desk. Naturally, the Apple Watch and HomeKit are a part of my mini home gym.
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Chance Miller, Editor at 9to5Mac.
Earlier this month, I ditched my roommate and moved into my first solo apartment. Like any tech fanatic would do, I used this as an opportunity to completely overhaul my desk setup. As a full-time student as well as an editor at 9to5Mac, having a desk that I enjoy being at for hours on end is a necessity – and for the first time, I feel like I’ve accomplished that.
Read on for a full walk through of the desk I like to call home…
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Returning this week is Greg Barbosa, Product Manager across the 9to5 network.
For the past five years, my iPhone has been my favorite camera. It takes excellent pictures, shoots clear video, and becomes a multifaceted editing suite when need be. This portable all-in-one system has become my creative outlet more than anything else in my life. As such, I’ve been learning how to get more out of it, by adding more to it.
The iPhone’s camera does come with some limitations, be it either the hardware or the software, but that doesn’t mean I can’t attempt to push past it. After much trial and error, I’ve found my perfect suite of mobile camera accessories for me. From lenses to apps, there’s surely something on the list here that’ll help you on your mobile photography journey.
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Patrick Campanale, Writer gadgetnewsonline.
For me, a desk setup is never “final.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve re-done my entire desk setup, whether I changed the I was using (more on that later), the components on top, or even the computer I used, it’s an ever-evolving thing for me.
I consider my current setup “close to completion,” though there’s still quite a bit I want to change before I finally consider it finished. At any rate, my current computing workflow is more than enough for the average bear, and gets the job done for me with no trouble (most of the time), and that’s what really counts in the end.
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Seth Weintraub, Publisher of the 9to5 Network.
Running the vast 9to5 media empire from home certainly can have its advantages but if I spend my whole day in my office, I go a little insane. That’s why I break up my day with some time at the local coffee shop. I usually drop in after driving my kid to school or a little electric bike ride and spend about 2 hours (usually 7:30-9:30am-ish) knocking out emails, Slack, Twitter, light image and video editing and starting some writing. Head below for a look at my mobile setup…
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Michael Potuck, Editor 9to5Mac.
We’ve been showcasing the various setups of our team, and mostly focusing on desktop workstations. However, Trevor first spiced things up when he showed off his slick coffee bar. Today I’m taking you on a tour of my garage and how I’ve turned it into a clean, organized, and useful space.
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Stephen Hall, 9to5Google’s Managing Editor.
For my first few years working at home, I spent countless hours sitting at a cheap desk hunched over in front of a laptop. As many who have been in those shoes can probably attest, this isn’t exactly the most friendly to your health — mentally nor physically. So with my new home office I decided to spruce things up a bit and build my entire setup around the idea that it’s possible to work in front a computer all day and not feel terrible at 5 o’clock — and hopefully, stay healthier in the long-term as well.
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Jordan Kahn, 9to5Mac.
My desk setup is pretty simple and not the exactly the neatest, most cable-free one you’ll find (I won’t try to compete with the YouTubers on cable management), but what I lack there I tried to make up for with an insane and borderline ridiculous amount of screen real estate. Allow me to introduce my dual 38-inch widescreen monitor setup…
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Trevor Daugherty, Senior Editor gadgetnewsonline.
Over the past few months we’ve been showcasing the various setups of our writers, primarily focusing on desktop workstations. Today, we’re switching things up a bit. I’m here to show off my coffee bar. I’ve become pretty passionate about various forms of coffee in recent years and my arsenal of brewers has increased accordingly. Head below for a quick look.
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Bradley Chambers, he writes a weekly column called Making the Grade for 9to5Mac.
Welcome to my office! My name is Bradley Chambers, and I write over at 9to5Mac with a weekly article on Apple in K-12 education. In addition to writing for 9to5Mac, I also write for The Sweet Setup and Tools and Toys. Over at The Sweet Setup, we cover the best apps and workflows for the Apple ecosystem. Because of that, a lot of my apps are usually “in transition”. While I usually settle on a set of core apps, I tend to bounce around a lot. I also find switching up apps to be a healthy way to make sure your devices/services are still meeting the majority of your needs.
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Peter Cao, an editor at 9to5Mac.
Where do I start? I’ve gone through multiple moves in the past, each time completely remaking my desk setup. In January 2018, that started over again.
While my setup is very much a work in progress, it’s functional enough for my day to day responsibilities at 9to5, which is all that matters.
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Greg Barbosa, Product Manager across the entire 9to5 network.
Over the last year, I have grown to obsess over a minimal, mobile, MacBook Pro workstation. My love for travel and working outside the home has pushed me to make sure I have whatever I need to keep going throughout the day.
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Haye Kesteloo, the senior editor for DroneDJ.
Welcome to my office! My setup has been tweaked and changed over the years in an effort to create the ‘perfect’ workspace. As a writer and content creator for DroneDJ, my office needs accommodate different needs at different times. This varies from just a regular office desk where I write my articles to a photo/video studio and a place to edit the videos and record voice-overs. Of course, a fair amount of work takes place outside my office and I will talk about that as well.
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Justin Duino, a 9to5Google writer.
Until recently, despite having a desk and full-sized PC, most of my work was done on my MacBook primarily because it is portable and I could work from anywhere. It wasn’t until I moved my desk away from my TV and purchased a new UltraWide monitor that I actually found this set up to be beneficial.
Despite primarily using my Windows 10 PC while sitting at my desk, I still keep my MacBook and Google Pixelbook nearby if I feel the need to get up and move. All of this together makes for a great at-home workplace that I can use for work as well as play.
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Ben Lovejoy, EU editor at 9to5Mac.
As someone whose tastes run to minimalism, I wanted the neatest, least-cluttered desk I could achieve – consistent with the tech needed for my work.
If you love technology but hate clutter, wires are your constant foe! I tried various cable-management approaches before finally deciding the only way to do it properly was with a bespoke desk.
My key aim was to have visible wires be as few and as short as possible. The idea was to have wires disappear immediately out of sight beneath the desk …
Behind the Screens is a weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Ben Schoon, a 9to5Google writer.
My workspace has evolved a lot over the years, but now that I’ve recently moved to a larger home, I finally have the flexibility I’ve always wanted for producing content on 9to5Google.
Unlike many of my colleagues here at the 9to5 network, my setup is based around a desktop computer powered by *gasp* Windows 10. While none of them agree with me on OS preference, it has long been the core of my daily work, and has ended up inspiring a lot of my setup as a result.
Behind the Screens is a new weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Blair Altland, a gadgetnewsonline editor.
As a pretty much full-time student, I don’t have the luxury of a dedicated office or workplace that I’d ideally love to come home to. This makes my setup a bit unorthodox compared to most, and while it’s a bit cramped, the space that I do have is put to great use.
Like many other on-the-go-oriented folks, my workstation is centered around my trusty space gray 13-inch MacBook Pro. As someone who previously upgraded from a MacBook Air, I absolutely adore the slim form-factor and still can’t believe a pro-grade machine can fit in such a lightweight design with little compromise.
Behind the Screens is a new weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Michael Potuck, writer and copy editor across the 9to5 network.
My workspace is inspired and based around my space gray 15-inch MacBook Pro. I really dig the sleek, dark aesthetic and have been swapping out different white accessories and other items to go with the space gray theme over the last six months or so.
I also really appreciate a clean and minimal setup not only because of how it looks, but also because it helps me stay focused on my work. I’m always tweaking and toying with my setup, but I’m quite happy with where I’ve landed. Let’s jump in!
Behind the Screens is a new weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Zac Hall, 9to5Mac editor and 9to5Mac Daily & Happy Hour podcast host.
My workstation has dramatically evolved since I joined 9to5Mac in 2013. I started with a 2012 Mac mini and a 1080p Dell display on a narrow computer desk in the corner of my bedroom.
This was fine for a while, but a comfortable workstation that fits your needs and personality is essential to making working from home work for you. I’ve since been fortunate enough to graduate from a makeshift workstation in my bedroom to a dedicated home office that starts with two 27-inch 5K displays…
Behind the Screens is a new weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. Next up is Jeff Benjamin, producer of video content at 9to5.
In my first Behind the Screens post, I take a look at some of my favorite items that are a regular part of my desktop editing workspace. Software like Final Cut Pro X and ScreenFlow are two essential tools that I use every day for video editing, and obviously the cameras play a big role as well. But my desktop editing workspace is essential to providing a comfortable and productive area to get stuff done. Have a look at some of my favorite items in this latest Behind the Screens.
Behind the Screens is a new weekly gadgetnewsonline series that takes you through our writers’ setups, be it mobile, desktop, gaming or home theater. First up is Trevor Daugherty, Senior Editor at gadgetnewsonline.
CES 2018 is about to kick off in Las Vegas this weekend, and I thought it would be a good time to give you glimpse into my mobile setup. Going on the road requires the essentials like my 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro, external display and batteries. But there’s also room for a Nintendo Switch, too. Head below to see what’s in my CES 2018 backpack.
