Home office gear is one of the great categories of small talk in remote work, after perhaps only the weather and the government. I’m finally satisfied with my setup, so I figured I’d write it down to share. I recommend everything.
First, I give you an HTML <map>:
… probably the first and last time I’ve ever used that.
And here is a list of everything with a rough price estimate:
| Item | Notes | MSRP ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Acoustic Panels | Art3d Teak | 500 |
| Camera | Logitech Brio (use LogiTune to adjust color/framing) | 170 |
| Desk | Jarvis 60” x 27” power lift | 1200 |
| Dock | CalDigit TS4 | 450 |
| Green Screen | Elgato Green Screen | 160 |
| Keyboard | Keychron K4 | 80 |
| Laptop Stand | Nulaxy C1 | 37 |
| Monitor | LG 34” Ultrawide CURVED display | 280 |
| Monitor Arm | Ergotron LX | 220 |
| Mic | Rode PodMic | 99 |
| Mic Arm | Elgato Wave Mic Arm Pro | 180 |
| Mouse | Apple Magic Trackpad | 130 |
| Power Strip | 24-outlets mounted under desk | 30 |
| Shelves | Bush Home natural cherry | 200 |
| Speakers | Bose Companion 20 | 260 |
| Treadmill | To keep me awake | 200 |
| Key light | UBeesize 10” | 35 |
| Whiteboard | XBoard 72” x 48” Foldable Magnetic | 140 |
| Total | My employers paid for most of it :) | ~4,500 |
One time my upstairs neighbor overflowed his bathtub and it started to rain in this room. I should probably get renters’ insurance.
Also I should mention I use a MacBook Pro with mid-tier specs. The Apple Silicon chips are so good. I’m not apple-or-bust, but if you’re new to programming or something, starting on mac is a no-brainer.
It took me a while (years) to find a dock that could handle all of the inputs and outputs I need via a single USB-C cable. This is important for me because I frequently switch between my laptop and desktop (often coding on my lap and having meetings at my desk). So for that I am very grateful for the TS4. The Rode Microphone connects via an XLR/USB-C adapter cable which has a cheap interface built into it. The audio probably isn’t optimal, but I still get compliments on my audio quality so it’s apparently good enough. The monitor is connected via DisplayPort. Everything else is unsurprising and “just works”, even automatically switching between Wifi and Ethernet.
The acoustic panels are maybe 30% practical and 70% aesthetic. I mainly got them to give my background a more professional vibe, and it’s nicer/warmer than the blank white walls behind them. They make a bigger difference when I’m practicing guitar than when I’m working.
The whiteboard folds in half which is neat because it let me mount just the right side to the wall. This way, the left hand side can swing out behind me if I want to diagram something and show it to the camera.
It’s not cheap, but I tend to shop with a “buy it for life” mentality. The one thing I might replace is the key light because it has an always-on blue light near the controls for no reason which annoys me. Maybe I can crack it open and just disable it.
Anyway, this is the life I’m living! Thanks for reading.