Home Programmer: How to Make My Setup More Minimal?

[nazedayo]

Hey there, here's a pic of my setup (EXCEPT the monitor, I've changed to a 22" ASUS monitor), because attention span etc. etc.

I'm a recently oft-travelling consultant turned home web developer. I currently have an early-2011 Macbook Pro 15" (i7, 500GB HD) perched on a mStand laptop stand. They are connected to the following:
-Apple wired full keyboard
-ASUS 21.5" monitor (not the tiny one in the picture)
-1TB Neil Poulton 7200rpm hard drive
-500GB WD Drive (for Time Machine)
-256GB WD MyPassport (recently bought on sale because not enough space)
-Logitech Z-2300 Speakers w/ Subwoofer

Needless to say this requires a lot of spaces and creates a lot of clutter. I'm thinking about changing to a Mac mini or an iMac to save desk space. As the photo implies, I used to edit photos on lightroom but now I've given that up and instead use it mostly for coding (HTML/CSS, jQuery).

Thoughts? iMac worth it for saving desk space, or not worth in value over Mac Mini? Any other ways to reduce clutter?

Thanks!

 

[Fynd]

If you're willing to switch to a mac mini then it's probably safe to assume you don't care for using your macbook's display... in that case why not try something like the Book Arc instead of the mStand?

Potentially free up alot of space and it's a fairly clean way to dock and leave.

 

[COrocket]

iMac would be the most elegant solution but probably not the most cost effective compared to the mini while utilizing your existing display. The iMac has speakers built in but doesnt really compare to the Z2300 so there are perepherals like speakers and external drives still present with the imac setup. You could buy a 3-4TB hard drive to replace all your small ones. A wireless keyboard eliminates a cord if you can live without the number pad. Overall I think just stowing or removing the laptop+stand would open up a lot of space. I put my Mac mini and my external drive on a shelf below my desk so the only things on my desk are a monitor, speakers, and wireless keyboard+trackpad. I can post pics if you like or check out the thread https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1496069/ on Mac setups for inspiration - some people have some sweet minimalist setups

 

[960design]

iMac 27"
Wacom Tablet

Done!

Keep the mac pro and pick up an iPad for presentations.

 

[nazedayo]

If you're willing to switch to a mac mini then it's probably safe to assume you don't care for using your macbook's display... in that case why not try something like the Book Arc instead of the mStand?

Image

Potentially free up alot of space and it's a fairly clean way to dock and leave.

Then I feel like I'm wasting the LED potential =( I feel bad for the Macbook! Might as well sell it and get the mini?

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iMac would be the most elegant solution but probably not the most cost effective compared to the mini while utilizing your existing display. The iMac has speakers built in but doesnt really compare to the Z2300 so there are perepherals like speakers and external drives still present with the imac setup. You could buy a 3-4TB hard drive to replace all your small ones. A wireless keyboard eliminates a cord if you can live without the number pad. Overall I think just stowing or removing the laptop+stand would open up a lot of space. I put my Mac mini and my external drive on a shelf below my desk so the only things on my desk are a monitor, speakers, and wireless keyboard+trackpad. I can post pics if you like or check out the thread https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1496069/ on Mac setups for inspiration - some people have some sweet minimalist setups

Thanks for the link! There's some sweet stuff there. The only reason I have multiple drives is because I use time machine– I know that Time Machine eats up all the space it can find until it's full, then deletes older backups when it runs out of space. That means every time I add content, I'll have to delete backups– which is tedious. Wish it didn't do that, then I could just run one drive =(

 

[eloplayspolo]

http://www.hengedocks.com/

 

[glenthompson]

Then I feel like I'm wasting the LED potential =( I feel bad for the Macbook! Might as well sell it and get the iMac (

I use my MBP in clamshell when at home as I like the 23" display I have. I work on a small built-in desk. I'm on the road a lot so having a portable is important. I don't feel like I'm wasting the laptop display when at home.