It’s no secret that, here at MacStories, we like to experiment with different hardware and apps in the constant pursuit of more portable setups, more customizable apps, or more powerful workflows. And we recognize that, for readers, it can sometimes be…tricky to keep up with the “latest” state of our setups.
With this Setups page, our goal is to provide readers with a summary of our hardware and software setups. The list will be updated on a regular basis over time.
For more questions, feel free to reach out on Mastodon @viticci or @johnvoorhees, or ping us on Discord.
Changelog
Update: January 19, 2024
Federico’s Setup
- Added Z13 Acronym to Videogames section (Unwind episode)
- Removed Raikiri Pro game controller and replaced with FlyDiGi Vader 3 Pro and GuliKit KingKong 2 Pro
- Added Hall effect joysticks to ROG Ally section
- Added Edge Pro MagSafe holder and BoomCan MS from How I Modded My iPad Pro with a Screen Protector, iPhone Holder, and Magnetic Stereo Speakers
- Removed mentions of velcro and replaced with AllyMate and DeckMate in ROG Ally and Steam Deck sections
- Apps section: updated entries for media tracker, read later, podcast, weather, and team communication apps
- Added new Belkin charger
Table of Contents
- Changelog
- Federico’s Setup
- John’s Setup
Federico’s Setup
Daily Drivers
- iPad Pro (M2, 12.9”, WiFi + Cellular, 1 TB)
- iPhone 15 Pro Max (Natural Titanium, 512 GB)
- AirPods Pro (2nd gen with USB-C)
- Apple Watch Ultra
- XREAL Air
Videogames
My customized Steam Deck and ROG Ally with rear-mounted Thunderbolt hubs for XREAL Air output and charging.
- ASUS Z13 (ACRNM edition) gaming tablet
- FlyDiGi Vader 3 Pro and GuliKit KingKong 2 Pro controllers
- ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) with XG Mobile 4090 eGPU
- Rear-mounted (with AllyMate) Plugable Thunderbolt hub for XREAL Air output and charging
- Console modded with heatsink, thermal pad, 2 TB SSD expansion (WD PC SN740 M.2 2230 SSD), and Hall effect joysticks
- PlayStation 5
- Nintendo Switch OLED
- Mini dock
- Custom Pro controller by ColorWare
- Lemorele HDMI to USB-C adapter for XREAL Air output
- Steam Deck
- Rear-mounted (with DeckMate) Plugable Thunderbolt hub for XREAL Air output and charging
- USB-C to DC cable (5.5x2.5mm 20V) for Plugable Thunderbolt hub
- Anker Soundcore VR earbuds
- RLSOCO carrying case for XREAL Air
Audio
- Podcasting
- Audio interface: Audient EVO 4
- Microphone: Neumann KMS 105
- In-ear monitors: Moondrop Aria Snow Edition
- Music
- DAC: Matrix Audio X-Sabre 3
- Amp: Wells Audio Milo
- Wireless headphones:
- Wired headphones:
Mac Server Setup
- M1 Mac mini home server for Home Assistant, Time Machine backups, Roon music streaming, and more
- Corsair K83 keyboard
- ZYXEL GS1100-16 network switch
Batteries and Chargers
- Batteries:
- Anker Prime 27,650mAh battery with charging base
- Belkin 10K power bank for iPhone and Apple Watch
- Chargers
- Multiple USB-4 cables by CABLEDECONN
- A variety of Anker MagSafe charging cubes scattered around the house
TV Setup
- TV: LG C2 65” OLED
- Apple TV 4K Wi‑Fi + Ethernet with 128GB storage (2022)
- Philips Hue Sync Box for Play Gradient 65-Inch LED Light Strip
Other Gear
- Internet: Eero Pro 6 (1 central unit + 2 satellites)
- Desk
- MacBook Air M2 (M2, 24 GB of RAM)
- HomePod mini with PlusAcc portable charging base
- Modded MagicBridge by Twelve South containing Apple’s Magic Trackpad and Satechi’s Slim X1 keyboard
- Tom Bihn Daylight Briefcase
Apps
- Browser: Safari
- Delivery tracker: Parcel
- Git client: Working Copy
- Mail service and client: Gmail, Spark
- Mastodon client: Ivory
- Media tracker: TV Forecast and Backloggd
- Music service and players: Apple Music; Music, Marvis Pro, Widgetsmith, Longplay
- Note-taking: Obsidian
- Password manager: 1Password
- Podcasts: Apple’s Podcasts app
- RSS service and reader: Feedbin, Lire
- Read later: Omnivore
- Scrobbling: What else?
- Task manager: Things
- Team communication: iMessage and Discord
- Text editor: Obsidian
- Time tracking service and client: Toggl Track, Timery
- UVC app for iPad: Orion
- VNC client: Screens
- Weather: Apple’s Weather app
John’s Setup
Core Desktop Production Setup
- Mac Studio (M1 Max, 64GB of memory and 4TB of storage)
- Studio Display
- Magic Keyboard
- Magic Trackpad
- Logitech MX Master 3S for Mac
- Loupedeck Live S
- Twelve South HoverBar Duo for iPad
- Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 iPhone/AirPods Pro charger
Portable Setup
- MacBook Air (M1, 16GB of memory)
- iPad Pro (M1 12.9”, WiFi + Cellular, 1TB)
- XREAL Air
- GL.iNet GL-MT1300 Wi-Fi router
- Tom Bihn Synapse 25 backpack
Reading, Writing, and Research
iPhone
- iPhone 15 Pro Max in Titanium
- Apple Leather MagSafe Wallet in black
Mac Server Setup
- 2018 Mac mini server for Channels, Plex, and Time Machine and Carbon Copy Cloner backups
Podcasting
At Home Podcasting
- Earthworks Ethos microphone
- Elgato Wave Mic Arm
- Audient EVO 4 audio interface
- beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro headphones
On-the-Go Podcasting
Videogames
Consoles for Modern Games
Retro Gaming
TV Setup
- 55-inch LG C2 TV
- Apple TV 4K Wi-Fi + Ethernet with 128GB storage (2022)
- Stereo pair of original HomePods
Controllers and More
Other Headphones and Speakers
- Headphones
- Everyday: AirPods Pro
- Gaming and on-the-go podcast editing: Audio Technica ATH-M70X wired headphones
- Speakers
Office, Lighting, and Office Automation
- Desk: HermanMiller Jarvis Standing Desk in bamboo finish (formerly sold by Fully).
- Chair: Steelcase Gesture
- Lighting
- Aqara FP2 Presence Sensor
Batteries and Chargers
- Batteries:
- Charger:
Apps
- Backups: Time Machine, Backblaze and Carbon Copy Cloner
- Bookmarking: Raindrop.io
- Browser: Safari
- Delivery tracker: Parcel
- Fitness Tracking: Gentler Streak
- Mail: Mimestream, Spark, Clean Email, Mail
- Mastodon client: Ivory
- Music service and player: Apple Music, Music, Marvis Pro, Albums: Music Shortcuts, and Longplay
- Note-Taking: Obsidian
- Password manager: Safari and 1Password
- Personal Finance and Budgeting: Copilot (Use code
9R36BEfor two months free) - Podcast Listening: Apple Podcasts
- Podcast Production:
- Read Later: Matter
- Reminders: Due
- RSS service and reader: Feedbin, Reeder
- Task Manager: Things
- Text Editor: Obsidian
- Time tracking service and client: Toggl Track, Timery
- Weather: Mercury Weather
- Weight Tracking: Happy Scale
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