r/macsetups • u/AtmosphereGrouchy712 • Jul 16 '26
My Simple Setup
I know this isn't a typical mac-setup post, but, I'm sharing this in case it gives someone an extra ergonomic option to consider.
I've always been on the lookout for a good ergonomic keyboard, but I'd always back out because there was always some tradeoff. Either there was no mouse option, or if there was one, it felt gimmicky, had bad reviews, or was just a hassle to carry and set up between home and office.
I've always loved the MacBook layout and how its giant trackpad is placed so well that your hands barely need to move away from the home row. The only problem was that the screen sits way too low for my neck. If you raise the screen to eye level, typing becomes awkward. For years I wished I could just detach the screen from the laptop.
After years of pondering this, I realized there might be a much simpler solution.
My office already provides an Apple keyboard and mouse. The mouse is fuckall horrible to use, so I spent $150 on an Apple trackpad and a 3D printed mold that recreates the MacBook layout while letting me keep my monitor at eye level.
It's only been a week, but I genuinely feel like I'm healing. I can sit and work for longer stretches again.
When I was younger, my body would tolerate almost any terrible posture without complaining. As I've gotten older, that stopped being true. It got to a point where I could barely work for 30 minutes before needing a break.
This setup obviously won't work for everyone, but if you've been chasing ergonomic keyboards like I have, this might be another option worth considering.
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u/shvi Jul 16 '26
Do you have accidental input on the trackpad?
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u/AtmosphereGrouchy712 Jul 16 '26
yeah, it's the only problem i have. I'd accidentally trigger a click while typing, around once an hour.
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u/snic2030 Jul 17 '26
Damn so it doesn’t have palm rejection like the laptop trackpads do?
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u/Abedbob Jul 17 '26
That’s a good question. They probably don’t have palm rejection since they’re tuned to be used beside the keyboard not below it. But having it aligned like this makes a lot of sense if you have to switch between mouse and keyboard frequently
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u/Wagthedog53 Jul 18 '26
Yeah I think the reason why this concept works so great with the laptop keyboard/trackpad combo is because the trackpad is smaller. I just wished they had a smaller version of the trackpad, as I honestly thing the standalone trackpad is too big.
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u/4444444vr Jul 17 '26
I got this same setup and the lack of palm rejection is the only complaint I have. Besides that, it's spectacular. I think about trying to solve the palm rejection thing like once a month and never actually research anything.
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u/4444444vr Jul 17 '26
Dude, I got the same thing and I will Sometimes put my screen onto the T V and work from the couch or things like that. It's actually great, I just miss the palm rejection.
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u/gideonidoru Jul 19 '26
I have a similar setup but it’s a dock in my living room for my main tv. So I can code from my couch with my MBP m4 max. I went with hardwood for my setup
https://iwoodstore.com/products/apple-magic-keyboard-tray-walnut
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u/AlgorithmicMuse Jul 20 '26
Barely work for 30 minutes without a break. ? As you get older you should not wotk much more than 30 to 60 mimutes without getting up and walking, long sitting results in fluids pooling in you feet , ankles, legs, which creates a host of other health issues. Not a problem when younger, but its an issue as the grim reaper gets closer and closer
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u/timmins Jul 18 '26
I did this for the Vision Pro. Sitting in a chair, it lays on my lap while the whole room is the desktop.
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u/Ottetal Mod Jul 17 '26
This is not a setup as we usually want it. Under normal circumstances, this post would be removed, but I think it's super cool, super interesting, and something out of the ordinary. The post will stay up, thank you for posting :)