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My m1 MacBook Pro (14”) is also 3 years old and spends most of that plugged in. Battery health 88% - it’s enough to still just about manage a full day of work out and about without needing to plug it in.
At home I leave the lid shut and have 2x 27” 4k monitors, an apple bluetooth keyboard and a Logitech mx master mouse. The only thing I don’t like is the speakers sound weird with the lid shut. So I generally wear headphones.
Using a M1 air here. For certain task really need 2 proper screens so use the workaround with display adaptor and a hub. Hooked upto a 32 and 24 inch screens. For a while I used the laptop keyboard and trackpad but now have Logitech mouse and keyboard which are amazing.
I have a lot of data analysis software and patient data which has to be run on the hospital network so I can either use the issued device which is really flaky offsite or I can remote into a VDI and then use this or just take over my desktop onsite. I travel a reasonable amount so having the battery and small size of the MacBook is ideal and also the speed of booting up helps.
dont mind the pink curtains. Used to be my daughters bedroom!
M1 Macbook Pro here. Used Macbooks best part of a decade now, dual monitors, plugged into charger 24/7, MX Master mouse, and clicky keyboard for maximum fun.
The only thing I don’t like is the speakers sound weird with the lid shut. So I generally wear headphones.
The microphone doesn't work well either. Lid open for zoom calls, or external mic required.
If the resolution looks a bit funky Better Display should sort it. On my original monitor I had to use it to enable HiDPI or something similar to get it looking right.
I changed the monitor soon after for a 4K one, cheap off eBay, and the picture is much better.
OP: hope you don’t mind me jumping in this but I have a not dissimilar query…
For some reason the Display Monitor has taken my fancy (but not the cost, £1.5k!) so some little internet digging and the BenQ monitors seem to have a decent rep/rec on various places.
Looking at 27” only. The 32” have better features (but cost more £400!) and I guess I’m just looking at personal/casual use for MacBook but potential for hooking up work (ThinkPad P53) when I get back into Revit/etc… Plus, you know the whole size thing dominating a space…
There are 2 likely options (allegedly designed/aimed at MacBook users?) the PD27225U (@£699) or the (new) MA270U (@£450). They seem to have a minihub capability (and charging via monitor?) which would be useful. Not fussed about multiple screens (I use my laptop screen as 2nd monitor at work for outlook, etc.). Looks like they might allow hook up of my ipad (for Netflix perhaps?).
That they have windows compatibility, adjustability (and a non-fixed cable) as well as significantly cheaper it would make better sense than the Apple Display monitor….
Anyone experience of the BenQ’s? I’m only really planning to do this once so rather get it right than buyers regret 🙂
Any thoughts?
Go for it @metalheart. My Dell screen and Logitech MX mouse and keyboard arrive Monday, so I am hopefully sorted 🙂
I have a BenQ monitor in my setup, its a pain in the arse. There is some quirk surrounding Apple silicone and BenQ monitors although it might have been fixed with the newer chips. Mine has a problem with flickering when the dekstop is run in "dark mode" and on some websites with dark backgrounds and video overlays. It's taken a lot of messing around with settings to get the flickering to a minimum but it does still appear from time to time.
The other Mac Mini in the house has a Philips 32" 4K monitor attached to it, no problems at all.
@metalheart I recently bought myself a new Dell screen that would probably fit your requirements. 27”/ 4k (the sweet spot I think). Has 90W power delivery over usb-c (enough to actually charge the MacBook Pro up rather than just keep it charged). Various usb (a and c) ports so peripherals can be attached to the screen. Plus an Ethernet port (though I don’t think you’ll get gigabit Ethernet if using the usb c link for video).
@metalheart The Dell U2723QE that I link to at the top of this page, and @bassmandan recommends above would be my pick over anything from BenQ. Very much recommended.
I really would like a bigger keyboard than the iMac one, but I use the touch key all the time for passwords, etc. I don't think any of the non apple ones support that? Happy to be told differently!
M2 Macbook Pro + 2 x 27" Monitors (1 into HDMI, one through a USB c to HDMI adapter)
Logitech Wireless Keyboard & Mouse.
I'd love a single 49" wide screen USB C monitor though - I think that would be the optimum.
I really would like a bigger keyboard than the iMac one, but I use the touch key all the time for passwords, etc. I don’t think any of the non apple ones support that? Happy to be told differently!
there's always the Magic Keyboard with TouchID - I have it & really like it, it is £££ tho!
@metalheart - and to confirm, as it somewhat surprised me when I first used the USB-C to charge my iPad, the Dell U2723QE will mirror the iPad display.
Twin Studio Displays which work with Dell work laptop and my own MBP.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54098261439_7fac1cff20_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54098261439_7fac1cff20_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2qqtJnv ]Home Office[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
I use this 32" Lenovo IPS USB-C 4k monitor. £400 atm but it comes down to £299 occasionally so would keep an eye out around black Friday. It's not as good a spec as the Dell (lower contrast, fewer ports and no USB-C ones), but it is bigger and cheaper, and for office use, for the money, it's great.
M2 Mac mini with a huge ultra wide monitor in my home office and a MacBook Air for the actual office. Corporate laptop gets booted up every few months to get its updates and that’s about it.
hoping I don’t end up working for anyone who insists I use a corporate device again anytime soon
Thanks for all your responses.
I have a bit of negativity re. Dell (I bought a laptop that had a great spec but a shit screen… that i ended up getting a MacBook to replace it…) but it does feature in most the monitor for macs reviews I’ve been reading. The reviews do flag brighter around screen edge issues, is that just reviewers being ultra fussy or an actual ‘thing’? Not overly keen on the silver finish but not a dealbreaker.
I was looking at inbuilt speakers (as per the Studio Display) as not sure how MacBook would sound in clamshell mode…
I was going to wait to see if any Black Friday deals show up anything…
God, this is annoying!
The reviews do flag brighter around screen edge issues, is that just reviewers being ultra fussy or an actual ‘thing’?
I've not noticed any issues, and think the Dell looks pretty good, but I take the view that all sub £1000 displays are going to be poor compared to Apple built-in displays so don't expect the earth.
I was looking at inbuilt speakers (as per the Studio Display) as not sure how MacBook would sound in clamshell mode…
I solve that with a pair of HomePods on the desk 🙂
I was looking at inbuilt speakers (as per the Studio Display) as not sure how MacBook would sound in clamshell mode…
Studio Display speakers are very impressive, as you'd expect from Apple.
Yeah, I get that any (cheaper!) non apple display is going to be ‘inferior’ sound wise but in truth it just needs to be as good as (but preferably better than) an iPad/MacBook Pro but that’s the ‘cost’ of not Paying the Apple tax 🙂
But the adding the likes of the Studio all in one job is what took my fancy. The cost, lack of adjustability (and would it work with my work laptop) is what has stopped me… this is what drew me to the BenQ… (but the reviews say the speakers are a bit shit…). I don’t want more shit taking up space so don’t want to also add speakers to the mix (Plus aren’t they bluetooth, my existing (Anker) bluetooths have horrendous drag if watching Netflix or YT).
Footflaps, does the Studios work with your windows work machine easy enough?
Just to cause your skin to crawl, here’s the space display likely its to be Put… the box reps the space And as you can see, there’s shit aplenty here already 🙂
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sofaboytt/54113507436/
I feel very stressed at that. Haha
The studio screen looks great but I could buy about 4 Bose speakers with the difference! (And was one of the reasons I did originally order a iMac compared to the cost of a studio screen).
My Samsung ultra wide has decent built in speakers. Until you play the Radio 3 through the Rogers hifi monitors. Perfectly acceptable for teams/zoom, and background music, but a nice hifi is a class above, and no it’s not played loud. That’s not the point of infidelity. One day I’ll go full LA3/5a but not just yet.
Do Samsung still make the Apple screens? I would not go back to a docking station and power pack again. That one USB-C cable to charge and take video and sound has been a revelation. My old MBP still has three cables (MagSafe, hdmi and optical 3.5 jack), but I don’t carry it anywhere.
So, the quest for a Studio Display alternative has come up short as there doesn’t seem to be a realistic direct ‘one to rule the all’ option. The Apple Studio Display I’d actually want to go for is £2,149, so, err, nope!
The BenQ stuff gets a bit if a slating for sound quality so decided not to Pursue that option… which kind puts the Dell into the running but requires some form of speaker Provision.
I’ve found bluetooth too laggy so what is the recommendations for a wired solution (as Previous, just has to be ‘as good as’ the MacBook) for sensible money?
And is it connected vis the 3.5mm jack?
As I mentioned previously - I use a pair of OG Homepods for my audio, but given "as good as the Macbook" is your benchmark, then a single Homepod Mini should do the trick. Airplay not Bluetooth, and I have no lag issues.
Audio Interface and then active speakers of choice.
So having come to a similar decision (screen has arrived this morning!) and deciding I really didn’t want two bookshelf speakers cluttering up my relatively small desk, I have ordered a B&O Beosound A1, which gets great reviews on sound quality for a small speaker, and in the depth of the instructions says can be used as a conference call speaker (also has a mic) connected by USB-C. It should arrive later this week so I can let you know.
@timmys: couple of issues with HomePods; 1 arent they Siri voice activated? I’d rather not have that (can it be disabled?) 2. How would that work with my work (non apple) set up? Bluetooth (or would it even connect?). And when you say OG, are the latest ones any different? Are they ‘always on’? I would prefer a wired solution though…
@oldtennisshoes: that sounds complicated (and I know absolutely nothing about active speakers so have no ‘choice’). I’m after simple, decent enough quality and not very expensive. In my head that’s a set of ‘Plug-ins’ when needed probably used for occasional Netflix or watching films. Rest of the time I’m assuming onboard MacBook will suffice (i.e. no need to clamshell it).
@ahsat: let me know how it goes and if lag is an issue connected via bluetooth (and whether Alexa enabled is likely to be a pain 🙂 ).
As per the CD player thread I don’t want to get into voice activated as I don’t find these things Play nice with my (assumed) Nd wired brain and so liable to get hurled across the kitchen in a fit pique…
couple of issues with HomePods; 1 arent they Siri voice activated? I’d rather not have that (can it be disabled?) 2. How would that work with my work (non apple) set up? Bluetooth (or would it even connect?). And when you say OG, are the latest ones any different? Are they ‘always on’? I would prefer a wired solution though…
Sounds like a Homepod probably isn't the best solution. Yes, you can set them to stop listening for "Siri...", but no they are not going to work for anything non-Apple. Off topic, but it looks as though your computer is in your kitchen, the thing I Siri for most often is to add things to the shopping list while I'm cooking..."Siri add X to the shopping list" and X appears on everyone's phones via the family sync'ed shopping list in Notes.
Wired will probably be best for you. The Dell monitor has an audio out jack so you can wire the speakers to the monitor and have the audio carried via the USB-C cable from whatever is connected. Even without speakers attached the monitor shows up as an audio-out device on my computers.
I managed to wait till the end of the day, so haven't used in significant anger yet, but that was super easy to set up! The Dell and Logitech units suggested above. Much, much better screen quality than my 2020 purchased unit and the USB-C hub plays very nicely with the MacBook so I don't have to faff with changing settings and is super sharp. Really like the MX keys - really nice feel and much smaller desk estate than our old keyboard. Mouse also seems very slick and quiet, but I haven't tried to play with any of the settings yet - literally plug and play. MacBook has also picked up my existing Logitech webcam in Teams with no issues, again plugged into the screen hub. I know I am saying a lot of things a lot of you know, and very kindly explained to me - just thought worth writing out my immediate experience for likes of MetalHeart or others in similar position who might find this down the line. Really liking the lack of cables for my slightly OCD/nerodiverse brain 🙂
Nice and clean! I like that…
Glad it all ‘just works’ gives me hope (but need a black bag to get that pristine 😀 )
@ahsat Glad you like it. Looks a lot like like my setup, even down to the AirPods case sitting on the monitor foot!
One tip of the keyboard/mouse. They both have buttons with 1/2/3 on them to allow store settings for different computers (easy-switch buttons). When switching between MacOS and Windows it's worth using those so you can have different settings for both as otherwise the key mapping is slightly off. There is a key combo to tell it whether you are connecting to Mac/Windows;
fn+P: Mac layout
fn+U: Win layout.
Hold down 3sec until the led on easy-switch buttons light up.
Looks great. I added a wireless charging pad stuck on the monitor stand and powered by the monitor usb hub. It would be nice to have one built in. All our work desks now have built in wireless charging pads. They’re fabulous. Phone is always charged now! Still use wired for EarPods as I’ve found the AirPods lose battery and sometimes don’t play nice.
One tip of the keyboard/mouse.
My Logitech mouse came with a tiny USB wireless dongle. Plug that into the monitor USB slots and it’ll work with whatever laptop you connect, no need to flick the fiddly switch under the mouse.
Thanks. Had a play with the Logitech interface this evening. Very smart! I am amused by my shock that tech has come on so much since we last purchased any notable peripherals! Haha! I do slightly begrudge spending money on work but I like working from home and might as well make it a nice set up I like. On that, new house plant ordered for that corner I’ve freed up 🙂
This is my setup. Apologies for the dodgy editing, the displays had work stuff on.
Matched pair of LG 27in 4k displays.
My M2 Mac Mini connected by HDMI and Display Port to both.
Work M2 MacBook Pro connected by USB C to both. Always run in clamshell and powered by the USB C from the monitors. Battery still perfect.
Pair of Magic Keyboard and Trackpads, one for each computer.
Jabra speaker phone connected to work laptop.
Lego McLaren F1 car in progress.
99.9% of my personal compute is done on an iPad though. The Mini is for doing the odd thing like big spreadsheets. Sounds provided by an Amazon Echo.
johndohFree Member
Maybe some shiny speakers
I have one of these sat behind the monitor (you can just about see it on my picture on the previous page)
hey please tell me about that Logitech UE air speaker. I tried to find out from reviews and saw mention that an “app” is now discontinued meaning tone can’t be adjusted. Does it matter? That’s a great price from Cex just works like a Bluetooth speaker, right
edit: I see the Logitech UE air app seems to have gone from the AppStore is that needed to make it airplay enabled rather than just a multipin dock for older phones and iPods?
https://www.cnet.com/reviews/logitech-ue-air-speaker-review/
thx
This dicussion/thread is giving me plenty of thought for future.
My WFH setup is 2 x 23" basic 1920x1080 HP monitors with Windows laptop via USB-C hub. CEX-aquired Bose Companion 5 for audio and music.
Personal laptop is a mid-2014 MacBook Pro but lack of USB-C port (it's got 2 x Thunderport 2s only) means connecting it to external monitor is via HDMI, with keyboard and mouse both needing swapped from being connected to my 'work' USB-C hub to direct to MacBook - monitor doesn't function as a hub otherwise I'd connect keyboard/mouse directly.
Unsure if I'm missing any obvious/easier solution for using one monitor for my MacBook display?
Ideally I'll change to a new MacBook Air in the near future and Ia nicer monitor - such as the 27" 4K Dell mentioned earlier - would be great. I'm guessing those would solve the restrictions I currently have, but with my current MacBook still working well I'm less keen to splurge out on a replacement yet.
The B&O A1 speaker turned up. Playing it plugged into the USB-C on the screen didn’t seem as seamless as I’d hoped so in the interests of not getting distracted I just used it on Bluetooth. Sound quality is really excellent for a small single unit (obviously you don’t get the full stereo affect), which makes me happy to keep my desk uncluttered. There was a tiny tiny bit of audio lag whilst watching an iPlayer programme but you really had to go looking for it. To be honest I don’t really watch tv/films on at my desk so this didn’t bother me - I tend to just listen to music/radio. Not had any meetings today so don’t know how much of an issue it is on teams etc. Will have another play re the wired connection later.
@metalheart, you can just leave the Alexa setting off - I’ve not even bothered setting it up
The new set up is so productive I have actually spent the day doing some science and working on a paper for myself that I haven’t managed to do for months - trust me, though it seems bizarre, as a Prof this is a rare treat! (Ok, I did also set an out of office and hide from my emails for the day!).
Thanks for the update @ahsat. Interested to hear if hard wires okay. My intended use is (mainly) personal (hence the lag being an issue) as I’ll want to plug in an external dvd now and again…
Thinking about things I don’t really need a sound sync for work…
Ill need to get my thoughts properly in order (and get ordering…) soon!
My desk is big but not big enough to have the laptop open as well as the 4k monitor, so I close my laptop and put it in a stand vertically. Something along these lines, but not this actual device:
hey please tell me about that Logitech UE air speaker. I tried to find out from reviews and saw mention that an “app” is now discontinued meaning tone can’t be adjusted. Does it matter? That’s a great price from Cex just works like a Bluetooth speaker, right
edit: I see the Logitech UE air app seems to have gone from the AppStore is that needed to make it airplay enabled rather than just a multipin dock for older phones and iPods?
I don't use the app – I just connected it to my wifi network (https://www.logitech.com/assets/45485/airspeaker-quickstart-guide.ENG.pd f">instructions here) and it appears as an audio output device on other devices on the same network. I usually stream music from my Macbook but I just checked and I can select it as an Airplay device from my phone too. I never use the pull out tray as, as you say, that's just a multipin dock for older devices. For a while I did use an adapter (multipin to lightening) so I could drop my iPhone in the pull-out tray but I haven't done that in years. Sound-wise, I don't miss not being able to select bass/treble etc but TBF, it is very good quality as it is (it has a nice bass tone which I prefer) and I don't feel the need to fiddle with settings.
Sorry for the speaker update delay @metalheart, I had some issues - which after a lot of testing it turns it doesn’t work very well if you have it simultaneously wired in and set up as a Bluetooth speaker on the laptop. Poor @p20 was pretty ill with a kidney infection and forced into teams calls from the sofa as I worked this out 😉 Anyway, now it’s sorted (wired connection only on laptop; Bluetooth connection on phone) all good and very happy with the final set up. Have had a very productive work week, during reading week at work.
Thank you everyone for the excellent advice; @p20 is very happy to see me back working at a proper desk set up again and my shoulder has been better this week.
Thanks for the update @ahsat.
I’ve put monitor plans on hold at present as finding it difficult to get price, delivery and ‘ethics’ to align and it being so close to Black Friday… doesn’t make sense to rush things 🙂
Pretty much decided on the Dell, the rest I can decide at leisure really, so I’d like to echo ahsat and thank all for their input/advice.
And ahsat for real world feedback (and letting me piggy back on her thread).