Since I’ve overhauled my setup in conjunction with the new Mac Studio over the past few weeks, I’ve used this as an opportunity to add some new accessories. This includes the new OWC Thunderbolt Dock, the sleek Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad accessory from Twelve South, and more. See below for details.
OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock
One of the most essential additions to my setup is the OWC Thunderbolt Dock, a version of which my colleague Jeff Benjamin used earlier this year.
The OWC Thunderbolt Dock I use in my setup offers four Thunderbolt 4 ports with support for transfer rates up to 40Gbps, four USB-A ports, an SD card slot, a 3.5mm audio jack, and gigabit Ethernet. I have the dock mounted on the underside of my desk so it’s hidden and out of the way, but its ports are still accessible.
The OWC Thunderbolt 4 dock is admittedly not as useful with the new Mac Studio as it was when I used my 14-inch MacBook Pro in clamshell mode. This is because Mac Studio offers its own universal set of ports.
However, if you’re looking for a way to free up ports on Mac Studio itself, this OWC dock is a great option. It’s also handy for clearing your desk and reducing the amount of cables trailing from the back of your Mac Studio. If you’re ordering from OWC, I also highly recommend the company’s Thunderbolt 4 cable, which is significantly cheaper than Apple’s.
Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
If you’re using an Apple Silicon-based Mac and haven’t added the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID to your setup, you’re seriously missing out. Finally being able to use Touch ID with a desktop Mac is a game changer. This includes Apple Pay authentication, access to password managers, and making purchases from the App Store.
Of course, that means you have to be happy with the form factor and design of Apple’s Magic Keyboard, which isn’t for everyone. I still hope that Apple will release a separate “Magic Button” with Touch ID at some point, but that will have to be done for now.
magic bridge
Speaking of the Magic Keyboard, if you use the Magic Keyboard along with the Magic Trackpad, the popular accessory manufacturer Twelve South has a really great MagicBridge accessory. MagicBridge turns the standalone Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad into “a single control panel that tidies up your workspace.”
You lose some flexibility when you’re about to move the trackpad around the table, but in my setup, I prefer the one-piece design. I use the Logitech MX Master along with the Magic Trackpad so I can move the MX Master around as needed and have a clean setup that combines my Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad thanks to Magic Bridge.
flow deck
see also
I’ll cover this in more detail later, but recently I also added Stream Deck to my Mac’s settings. I’m still exploring the world of Stream Deck, but for now I’m using it for Mac automation and smart home control.
Here are some of the guides I followed while learning more about Stream Deck:
Satechi leather table mat
Last but not least, and perhaps the accessory I get asked about the most when I show it in product images is the Satechi Eco-Leather Deskmate. This is purely a visual addition to my setup: a leather table mat that houses the keyboard and trackpad. It is made of high quality eco-leather and is designed to protect your desk while also serving as a soft resting place for your wrists and hands.
What are your favorite Mac accessories right now? Let us know in the comments!
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