“Conversion” stories are fairly common in computing, with people deciding to switch from one “ecosystem” or another. Given Apple’s recent rash of hugely popular products, a fair number of folks are switching from PC-and-Windows-based setups to Apple-centric ones.
An avid PC gamer — strike that, a former avid PC gamer — owns today’s featured setup. In it, a new M1 Pro MacBook drives a couple of big displays. And an Elgato Stream Deck and killer audio components also enter the mix.
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Former PC gamer converts to an M1 Pro MacBook-based setup
Redditor 5ubie used to play a lot of games on a PC — like, a real lot — but decided to give it up for his own good. He displayed and wrote about the resulting setup in a post entitled, “Selling my PC and went all in with Apple. Upgraded my Macbook to a new 16″ M1 Pro and I’m absolutely loving it.”
An admiring commenter asked a probing question.
“Just out of curiosity, were you gaming on the PC and decided to switch and cut out gaming or were you just using Windows in general?” they asked.
“I was gaming and working from my PC. I decided to make a lifestyle change and one part was cutting out PC gaming (I played waaay too much),” 5ubie said. “I have terrible self control so I knew the PC had to get out of the house. It was definitely the right decision. I couldn’t be happier with my switch to exclusively Apple.”
So, in this case, the gamer switched to Mac as a way of avoiding gaming. We’ll just say here that the M1 family of chips is improving Apple’s reputation for gaming-friendliness, but it has a long way to go.
Big screens
In his new life abstaining from gaming, 5ubie uses a 16-inch M1 Pro MacBook with 16GB of integrated memory and a 512GB SSD. It still drives a gaming monitor, though — a 34-inch Asus ROG Swift curved HDR gaming monitor with 3440 x 1440 pixel resolution and a 200Hz refresh rate.
Above that, 5ubie mounts on the wall an imposing, 50-inch Nano 75-series 4K TV.
“I can connect it via HDMI, or Airplay. I usually just do Airplay if I want the additional real estate, but I normally just use it to throw on a show/movie,” he said of the TV in a response to a question about how it’s connected.
Killer audio
On either side of the big TV are two mounted Edifier 1280T powered bookshelf speakers. They’re part of 5ubie’s impressive audio rig, which includes a well-regarded Schiit Modi digital-to-audio converter.
And that’s not the only Schiit he has. He also uses a Schiit Magni headphone amp/preamp to power high-grade Sennheiser HD600 open-back headphones.
And, after all that, why not throw some AirPods Pro into the mix, too.
Stream deck
Another Redditor expressed curiosity about the Elgato Stream Deck sitting in front of 5ubie’s keyboard. They’re often used to automate tasks, particularly those related to streaming content.
“What do you use the steam deck for? Looking into seeing if it’s worth getting one as a non-gamer,” they asked.
“I use it for opening some websites and apps, like Reddit, FaceTime, Podcasts, Apple TV, Lightroom (which is whatever really),” 5ubie replied. “The part I like is I use it for the Mic Mute toggle [works for all apps], quick swap for audio sources like switching between my speakers and my headphones. Turn off and on and change the colors of my Hue lights.”
Shop these items now:
Computers:
Displays:
- 35-inch Asus PG series ultra-wide gaming monitor
- 50-inch LG 50NANO75 TV
- BenQ Screenbar Monitor Light
Input devices:
Other peripherals:
Audio:
- Schiit Magni headphone amp and preamp
- Schiit Modi 3E D/A converter
- Sennheiser HD600 headphones
- Air Pods Pro
- Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers
Furniture and lighting:
If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to info+setups@cultofmac.com. Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches or challenges.
