LG

Some computer setups showed off on social media aren’t packed with the latest and greatest tech gear — they just look great. Today’s featured setup is a fine example. It packs two still-going-strong older Macs — a MacBook Pro from 2021 and a Mac mini from all the way back in 2012 — driving an LG ultra-wide display. But the subtle lighting and tasteful decor, including great use of plants, go a long way in this one.

More than ever these days, computer setups flaunted on social media tend to show off compact keyboards with as low as 60% layouts. So it’s almost a surprise to come across today’s featured MacBook Pro setup, which relies on a tenkeyless keyboard. It’s almost, but not quite, full sized. And the excellent Keychron mechanical keeb is customizable, too.

Today’s M2 Max MacBook Pro setup with dual 4K LG monitors is enviable and well-situated. I say that not just because the compact workstation is cool, but because it’s in Hawaii with a dramatic view.

And the cool dinosaur wallpaper on the two 32-inch LG UltraFine 4K displays got a plenty of love from commenters, as did the Michael Scott (The Office) poster of him quoting hockey great Wayne Gretzky (“You miss 100% of the shot you don’t take.”)

What’s almost as popular as a dual-display computer setup? A 3-display setup, of course. Today’s Mac Studio workstation has rocked the same external display configuration for more than a decade, but with newer monitors swapped in multiple times. Check it and its gear out below.

Love it or hate it, the LG DualUp and its odd 16:18 aspect ratio — nearly square — has found a lot of fans among Mac users, including the owner of today’s M4 Mac mini setup with dual Studio Displays.

It’s easy to get addicted to using Touch ID whenever you need to gain password-restricted access to anything. But not everyone is a big fan of Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (not the function, the keeb itself). Today’s MacBook Pro setup user found an odd but practical solution. They use a Keychron Q1 mechanical keyboard as a daily driver and Velcro a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID to the edge of the desk so they can reach the Touch ID button.

In a move that could interest Apple users looking to expand their audio options, LG Electronics unveiled its new “xboom by will.i.am” lineup of Bluetooth speakers and earbuds recently. When a big electronics maker puts out four new products at once — complete with celebrity sound engineer in the mix — it tends to grab out attention.

OK, today’s MacBook setup doesn’t actually live in a camera and Lego museum like the headline on this post suggests — but close enough. The user is clearly a collector. The sheer number of cameras on display is impressive, and the Lego Star Wars spaceships flying up high on a shelf in the photo inspire some awe, too. And it’s not every day we see a dual-MacBook setup with both mounted open on stands, either.

When does a computer setup have everything? Never, really. Each one is a perpetual work in progress. But today’s fine example claims to have everything and it actually comes pretty close in some ways. It features MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Beelink Mini PC with external touchscreen, gaming PC, big smart TV external display and an original iPad used as an HDMI display. And the other gaming-centric peripherals and knickknacks in the picture are pretty cool, too.

I’ve seen a few amazing man caves and she shacks while covering cool computer setups for Cult of Mac, but not many can compete with the home of today’s M4 Mac mini setup. The user converted a backyard shed nestled in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. So now the man shed M4 Mac mini setup doubles as a home theater sporting a gargantuan screen. You can find all the gear in the links list below for both the computer and home theater setups.

In a move that’s sure to catch the attention of Mac users — particularly those with the latest M4 Pro machines — LG just unveiled its new UltraFine 6K Display at CES 2025. It calls the monitor, model 32U990A (no firm release date yet), the world’s first 6K display to feature Thunderbolt 5 connectivity.

So not only does it share Pro Display XDR’s amazing resolution, it packs the bleeding-edge connectivity speeds of TB5. That makes it an ideal companion for the recently launched M4 Pro Mac mini and M4 Pro and Max MacBook Pro models.

Today’s dual-display MacBook Pro setup sits on a desk up against a mirrored wall. In the photograph above, that let’s us see the nifty ring of colorful monitor RGB lighting built into the back of the LG UltraGear display — a decorative and functional touch included in an aging but still formidable external display for serious gamers.

This holiday season, give yourself or someone else the timeless gift of better cable management. Today’s MacBook Pro and LG DualUp display user shows us one way to make a small but significant improvement in the look of a computer setup. You can use cables with 90-degree connectors rather than straight ones for a cleaner look (or get USB-C cable adapters with right-angle or vertical ends for your straight cables). Check out the “after” photo above and the “before” photo below.

And seriously, if you’re hard up for stocking-stuffer ideas, a USB-C adapter kit might be just the thing. See below.

Today’s featured M4 Pro Mac mini user drives a pair of 4K external displays with the tiny new powerhouse desktop. And they keep an array of budget peripherals, including data and power hubs and solid input devices. And in addition, for physical backup, they like portable storage solutions in addition to cloud backup — in this case, fairly affordable hard drives from Samsung and La Cie (and the Samsung is deeply discounted right now — see below).

Not everyone would consider a well-equipped M4 Pro Mac mini driving a pair of 4K external displays a “budget” computer setup, but today’s user does. After suffering a job loss, they replaced an M1 Mac mini with the tiny new powerhouse and a nice array of peripherals, including data and power hubs and solid input devices.

There are supposedly 12 days of Christmas and at least that many ways to fix a computer setup. If your workstation features a MacBook Pro and two big external LG UltraFine external displays sitting on a desk, plus a Magic Keyboard mini and a Magic Trackpad, it’s pretty much good to go, right? Well, maybe. But today’s user with that rig asked on social media how to improve it, and they got a ton of advice.

Most of the comments concerned the dual displays, but they ranged pretty far afield, and anyone can learn from it.

In the world of high-resolution external displays, the LG DualUp monitor holds a special place. It’s a bit weird. The square-ish 28-inch display has an 18:16 aspect ratio, similar to two stacked displays. A developer swears by it because he no longer has to turn his head constantly, like he did when he used four 24-inch displays. And the monitor isn’t the only odd bit in his computer setup. He also uses two Mac mini desktop computers. He explains why below.

Most users obsess about the main hardware they have in their computer setup, from computers to mechanical keyboards, but lighting plays a big role, too. After all, you have to be able to see what you’re doing without eye strain (and how better to snap pics and show off your rig on social media?). Today’s MacBook Pro user asked for lighting advice and got it, below.

What’s better than a HomePod? Well, two HomePods, obviously — especially if they’re paired for true stereo sound. Today’s MacBook Pro and Xbox setup, under-lit for a dark and moody vibe, includes AirPods Pro 2 but gets its robust in-room audio from a set of paired HomePod minis placed on HomePod mini stands near the back corners of the desk.

If you’re going to sound your best on podcasts, online videos or conference calls, it helps to invest in a USB microphone. Today’s MacBook Pro setup takes advantage of a USB mic from the excellent brand Shure. And the user throws in a nice pair of Audioengine speakers for loud-and-clear playback, too.

The main complaint about Apple’s 5K Studio Display is price — at about $1,600, it’s financially out of reach for many people. And 5K monitor competitors like LG only bring the cost down a few hundred bucks. So how about saving some dough by making your own DIY Studio Display? The owner of today’s M3 Pro MacBook Pro setup did just that, crafting dual 27-inch 5K monitors for several hundred dollars less than buying production models.

For anyone who thinks of the world’s most popular laptop — MacBook Air — as Apple’s lightweight laptop in more ways than one, like it’s strictly for students and amateurs, it’s probably time to update your view. Today’s attractive working setup from Germany finds its slim-but-powerful M3 MacBook Air provides plenty of computing power.

Monitor stands, aka monitor risers or desk shelves, are often unsung heroes of computer setups. Even just a single shelf can add so much in terms of organization and ergonomics. In today’s colorful and artistic Mac mini workstation, the Fenge monitor riser is crucial. Without it, the desktop would devolve into chaos. 

Sometimes what stands out in a computer setup isn’t a major piece, like a computer or display, but a cool accessory. Today’s colorful M1 Mac mini workstation with dual displays and loads of artwork features a cool accessory one could easily miss — a Lab22 Infinity Adjust iPad stand.

A Dell curved 4K monitor — especially a big 40-incher — can make an excellent external display, if today’s featured MacBook Air and MacBook Pro setup is any indication. The user put the dramatic display together with a 27-inch 4K monitor after trying two other configurations.