Our editors’ desk setups, part 3: David keeps it simple

I’m on a constant rollercoaster ride of order and chaos. When I sit on the sofa after work and look over to my desk, I want it to look clean and tidy. That’s why I often tidy up after work, leaving my desk looking something like this.

But while I work, order has to give way to chaos – of the creative kind, I hope. I like having everything I need at hand. In other words, if I need many things, my desk’s covered in many things. This might not look nice, but I don’t mind while I’m working.

I don’t believe in keeping perfect right angles. The items on my desk are arranged in a semicircle, with everything facing towards me. It’s a bit like Homer Simpson’s nuclear power plant cockpit – only without the nuclear power plant and without Homer Simpson.

My computer: small, silent and with both systems

I use a Mac Mini that’s quiet as a church mouse. Nothing’s more annoying than fan noises. My Mac’s equipped with the Parallels platform and Windows 11, all in an inconspicuous tiny box under the screen.

The docking station’s the perfect partner for my Mac Mini. It offers all the front connections I need and boasts 1 TB SSD.

If I only worked at home, the Mac Mini would be perfect. On the go, however, I currently use an HP notebook my employer provided. I’m currently testing if replacing both computers with a MacBook would be a good idea – from a practical and an economical point of view.

The keyboard: mechanical, of course

I enjoy typing on the mechanical keyboard Logitech G915. All in all, I’m happy with it, although it’s not perfect. The keycaps are proprietary and Logitech doesn’t offer replacement caps. And the G-Hub software it comes with could be easier to use. But neither bother me too much and I’ve been using the keyboard for four years now. I even found a replacement for a broken keycap – thanks to a completely overpriced offer on eBay.

The mouse: super comfortable

I use the Logitech Lift vertical mouse. There’s an MX Master 3 collecting dust in my drawer, but the Lift’s a much more ergonomic fit for my rather short fingers. And as an extra, it comes with a replaceable battery that lasts ages. Unfortunately, this doesn’t apply to the rubber surface, which is already very worn after just over a year.

A good screen

The Philips 278E’s a monitor. That’s a good start. It displays things, which is great. It supports colours and even 4K. Impressive, right? It’s not curved and not so huge that it covers my entire window, but it’s a good device. Even better than the Asus monitor I had before, which was already very good.

See, you just have to lower your expectations and you’ll always be happy.

Desk and chair: simple and timeless

I bought my desk for 200 francs at Ikea when I moved out of my parents’ house. That was back in the last millennium. It’s not a beauty and I’ve often considered replacing it. But it’s solid and practical. And it’s moved homes with me seven times, making it feel like it belongs to me as much as my social security number.

My chair’s probably even older. I don’t know where it came from. My ex left it behind when she moved out a long time ago. It’s a simple wooden chair. Not height-adjustable, no springs, no armrests. It fits me – better than any office chair I’ve ever sat on.

Oh, and if you’ve been wondering what that strange wooden thing with the huge mouth is, this family heirloom swallows paper clips or, in my case, SD memory cards.

If you’ve missed an episode of our desk setups, here’s the full list:

Samuel:

David:

Flo:

Jan:

Kevin:

Domi:

Tinu: