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Stuff I use

Stuff I use

I have always been fascinated by the section on people's personal websites that list out what hardware and software they use. The most beautifully designed and detailed personal website has to belong to Paul Stamatiou, and I have spent more time than I can care to admit on UseThis, or on websites like The Sweet Setup.

Computing Hardware

  • Monitor: Alienware AW3225QF 32" 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor. After years with the Dell Ultrasharp, I upgraded to this curved QD-OLED beast and it's been transformative. The 240Hz refresh rate makes gaming buttery smooth, while the OLED blacks was a genuinely surprising upgrade. At 32 inches, it provides plenty of real estate for productivity work. The multiple HDMI and DisplayPort inputs make it easy to switch between my three computers, and the built-in USB hub is surprisingly useful for peripheral management.
  • Monitor Arm: Humanscale M 8.1. I've never liked the default stands that monitors come with, so a few years ago, I splurged a bit on a nice monitor arm - and it's been great. It allows a huge amount of mobility, both vertical and horizontal.
  • KVM Solution: UGREEN 2-in-1 USB 3.0 KVM Switch with HDMI. Managing three computers with one set of peripherals was getting messy until I discovered KVM switches. This UGREEN unit lets me share my keyboard, mouse, webcam, and audio interface between my MacBooks and Windows desktop seamlessly. The 5-second switching delay is a small price to pay for the convenience of one button switching between computers.
  • USB-C Dock: UGREEN 5-in-1 USB-C Multiport Dock. This dock is the perfect companion to the KVM switch. It charges my MacBooks at 100W while providing HDMI output and USB-A ports that connect to the KVM. Being able to connect a MacBook with a single USB-C cable that provides power, video, and peripheral access feels like magic.
  • Mouse: Logitech MX Master 3. I switched from using this via Bluetooth to the USB receiver since the KVM setup means it switches instantly between computers without any re-pairing nonsense. The MX Master continues to be a revelation - it's chunky but incredibly comfortable, and the programmable buttons are more useful than I initially thought they'd be.
  • Keyboard: Filco Ninja Tenkeyless. I came back to the Filco after a few years with the Keychron. Sometimes you realize what you had was perfect all along. The build quality is incredible - it feels like it could survive a nuclear apocalypse. The tenkeyless form factor saves desk space, and the tactile feel of the switches never gets old. Being wired works perfectly with the KVM setup since wireless can be finicky when switching between computers.
  • Webcam: Opal C1. This tiny camera punches way above its weight. The image quality is dramatically better than any built-in laptop camera, and the software features like background blur and lighting adjustment actually work well. It's become essential for video calls, especially when working from home.
  • Audio Interface: MOTU M2. For audio work and calls, this little interface is fantastic. The preamps are clean, the monitoring is zero-latency, and it's built like a tank. Having dedicated hardware controls for input gain and monitoring volume beats software controls every time. It plays nice with all three of my computers through the KVM switch.
  • Work Computer: 2024 M4 MacBook Pro 14". This is my work-issued machine. Having both MacBooks share the same dock via the KVM setup means switching between work and personal computing is just a matter of swapping one USB-C cable.
  • Personal Computer: 2021 M1 Pro MacBook Pro 14". This was originally my work machine but has now become my personal computer. The M1 Pro still feels incredibly fast even a few years later, and the 32GB of RAM means I never run into memory constraints. The 14" form factor hits the sweet spot between portability and screen real estate.
  • Audio: AirPods Pro for mobile use, and the MOTU M2 drives a pair of studio monitors for desk work. The combination gives me flexibility between focused work and casual listening.

Desk and Chair

  • Desk: Haworth HAT Elements. With standing desks I've found that cheaper brands end up having a lot of "wobble" when desks are in their standing position. I've bought a number of them over the years, and so far, Haworth offers the best price/performance ratio.
  • Chair: Haworth Aloha Easy. Is it great? Not really. Do I have complaints? No. Do I want to get a Steelcase Leap or Gesture? Yes.

Gaming Computer

  • Case: Cooler Master NR200. The NR200 is a brilliant piece of engineering - it packs all the features of a full ATX chassis into an 18-liter space that's less than half the volume. The case sits beautifully below my desk and the completely ventilated panels provide excellent airflow for the components inside. What I love about it is how it makes no compromises despite its compact size. It supports triple-slot GPUs, which means the massive RTX 3080 fits perfectly. The tool-free panel removal makes maintenance incredibly easy.
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X. A 6-core powerhouse that I picked up during the shortage of 2021. Still handles everything I throw at it without breaking a sweat, and the efficiency means it stays cool even in the compact NR200 case.
  • GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3080 Founders Edition. This card was incredibly hard to get during the shortage, but it's been worth the wait. Handles 4K gaming beautifully, and having it connected directly to the monitor via DisplayPort means I get the full 240Hz refresh rate when gaming.
  • Memory: 32GB DDR4. More than enough for gaming and general computing tasks. Since this machine is purely for gaming and entertainment, the extra headroom means smooth performance even with multiple applications running in the background.
  • Storage: 256GB NVMe M.2 SSD for the OS and essential applications, plus a 1TB SSD for games and larger files.
  • Cooling: Noctua air cooling setup. Noctua's legendary build quality keeps everything whisper quiet even under full load. The NR200's excellent ventilation means even air cooling performs exceptionally well in this compact space.

Networking Setup

#todo