Productivity Desk Setup 2024: Top Tips and Gear

Introduction

A lot of people are in search of the BEST, the ULTIMATE, the MOST PRODUCTIVE desk setup. I’m going to show you my productivity desk setup for 2024 to spark ideas that may inspire your own setup. But I don’t claim it to be the “best” anything. It’s a setup that just works for me, and it just might work for you.

Main Points

Most of the time, ultimate desk setups focus on the “what” (meaning what you should buy), but I’m also going to show you the “how” and the “why” so you can choose to implement what is most meaningful for you.

In fact, before we even get into the gear on my desk, let’s start with a few tips. For me, there are three elements to a great desk setup. It must be:

1. Comfortable
2. Flexibile
3. Plug-and-play

Comfortable: I spend a lot of time at my desk, often over 12 hours per day. So it’s super important that my setup is comfortable. I wouldn’t be able to get through the day or stay focused if my body was aching or in pain. But having a desk setup that allows you to go the distance takes a little bit of thought. I’m talking about ergonomics, and there are a few ingredients to how you create an ergonomic workstation.

• My feet are flat on the floor
• My knees are level with my hips
• My wrist is flat on the keyboard
• My back is supported
• My monitor is an arm’s length away
• My eyes meet the top of the screen

Before I had my current setup, I would get these terrible sensations in my hand, wrist, and forearm. It was literally unbearable to type, I dreaded being at my desk, and it was nearly impossible to get my work done. When I realized I had carpal tunnel syndrome, I thought it was a bit absurd. Typing away at a desk is such a sedentary activity, how could I be injured? Fortunately, I realized a few quick fixes — adjusting the height of my chair, arm rests, and monitor — would alleviate all of that discomfort, and allow me to keep cruising. That’s why ergonomics and a comfortable desk matter.

Flexible: A workstation may be used for a multitude of purposes: typing, writing, gaming, entertaining, eating — you name it. Having space and being able to re-arrange things quickly depending on the task is a huge benefit. Another element that makes a desk ultra flexible that I can’t recommend enough is the ability to switch behind sitting and standing. Yeah, everyone talks about this. But even an ergonomic workstation can lead to fatigue and aches from being in the same position for too long. This can be remedied by working while standing. However, it’s not enough to just have a standing desk — the setup must adapt to you and your posture whether you’re sitting or standing. When I stand at my desk, I can quickly adjust my monitor height so I remain in a comfortable, ergonomic setup. Monitor arms and proper cable management are great for this.

Plug-and-play: And finally, I like my desk to be plug-and-play. This means as soon as I get to my desk, it’s ready to fire up without needing to do more than plug in a single cable, or click a button. A USB-C cable is your greatest ally here. Sometimes the biggest barrier to productivity is just thinking about the incremental steps you must take to get started. By reducing the friction between the thought of working and the act of working, it’s faster, easier, and more enjoyable to get going.

So you’ve heard my three tips on how to think about your setup. Now, let’s take a look at my gear, and I’ll note the price I paid for each as we go.

Desk: Let’s start with the desk itself. This is the UPLIFT Standing Desk V2-Commercial with a 1” thick bamboo desktop. The surface of the desk is 48” wide by 30” deep. It sits atop white desk legs with a cross-bar between the left and right legs, which makes the whole thing super stable even at the highest height with all this gear on top of it. There is a matching white keypad that can accommodate four saved heights, and a white, dual power outlet in the back right corner. I love this thing, and may do a separate review just on the desk. I paid about $700 for the desk, advanced keypad, and cable management accessories, but the desk alone would have been $610.

Monitor and Laptop: Moving up, I have the LG 27” 4K computer monitor. I wanted a 4K display for ultra-sharp text, photos, and videos, and the 27” size fits my desk well, with adequate room on the left and right. I paid $480. The monitor connects via a single USB-C cable to this brand-new, 2023 14” MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro Chip. It has 18GB of memory, and a 1TB SSD. I purchased it on sale for $2,000, and it has been a leap-frog upgrade from my prior 2012 13” MacBook Pro. While I really like this monitor, it was originally purchased for use with a PC. I would buy something else today because I don’t believe it supports 4K when connected to my new MacBook Pro.

Monitor Arms: The monitor and laptop are held up by the AmazonBasics Premium Dual Monitor Stand with a Notebook Arm Mount Tray. The dual monitor arms allow me to position the monitor and laptop exactly where I need them for an ergonomic setup while sitting or standing, and they easily support the weight of the 27” monitor and 14” Macbook Pro. They also allow me to move the screens away if I just want more open desk space. The dual monitor arms were $190, and the tray another $25.

Keyboard and Mouse: To control the laptop while it’s up on the notebook tray, I use the Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Wireless Keyboard. I originally got this as a set with a matching wireless mouse for $97, but the mouse died on me. I actually had two of the Microsoft Sculpt mice die on me, so I would not recommend them. The keyboard, however, has been fantastic. It has an unusual layout that takes some getting used to, but that’s the whole point: It mimics the natural flared position of the hands and arms, which I find it to be a far more comfortable typing position. Despite the unique layout, I have no problem switching back and forth between this and a standard keyboard layout. After the included mouse stopped working, I picked up this Logitech MX Master 3 Advanced Wireless Mouse in Graphite for $100. It can connect to the computer wirelessly via a USB dongle or Bluetooth (which I use), and supports memory for up to three devices. I really value that since I routinely use it on both my personal and work machines. This mouse offers super precise movements, horizontal scrolling, and built-in page forward and back buttons. Most of all, it is unbelievably comfortable. I love this keyboard and mouse combination.

Lighting: For lighting, I have the BenQ ScreenBar Plus sitting atop the monitor. I got this to reduce eye fatigue caused by glare and reflection on the screen. It includes this wired controller that allows me to adjust the brightness and color temperature, and it even has an auto-lighting mode thanks to a built-in ambient light sensor. I got this on sale for $85. Actually, I first bought the more premium BenQ ScreenBar Halo that has both a front and back light, and a wireless controller. However, the wireless controller was so unreliable rendering the light useless. I missed its back light though, so I’ve got this UPLIFT E3 LED desk lamp in white that was included for free with my desk purchase. It also allows you to control the brightness and color temperature, but it’s a finicky light that I would not recommend. I do recommend having some type of bias lighting though to reduce the environmental contrast from only a single light if you’re working at night in a dark room.

Webcam: On top of the light, I have this Logitech C920S HD Webcam that I got for $60. It offers far superior video quality than my work PC’s built-in option, and allows for a subtle, background blur that gives my video calls a nice bokeh effect.

Docking Station: The monitor, laptop, and webcam all connect to a Plugable 4K USB-C Docking Station. It supports up to three monitors with 100W charging, and includes four HDMI, two Display Link, four USB 3.0, two USB-C, ethernet, and one SD card slot. I wanted a docking station with ethernet since neither my work nor personal machines have a built-in ethernet port. In addition to faster internet speeds, the docking station allows me to have that plug-and-play setup: I just connect my laptop to a single USB-C cable for a dual-screen setup and charging all-in-one. I paid $280 for this docking station, but I would look elsewhere if I was upgrading for a more reliable connection between the laptop, monitor, and ethernet.

Charging Stand: Near the docking station, I have this Peak Design Mobile Wireless Charging Stand. It’s one of numerous accessories for my Peak Design Everyday Case for iPhone 15 Pro Max. I love how quickly my phone magnetically connects to this charger in either portrait or landscape, which also gives me Standby Mode on my iPhone. Like all Peak Design products, this charger is probably over-engineered with super high quality materials and a durable hinge that should last forever. I got this on sale for $64.

Printer: To the left of my desk, I have the HP OfficeJet Pro 9015 all-in-one wireless printer, so it can print and scan, which I got for $230. I got to say it’s a real luxury having a printer. While I may not print that often, when you need it, well, you need it.

Filing Cabinet: The printer is sitting atop the Bonnlo white rolling office file cabinet, which as three drawers for organizing my files and desk supplies. I wanted a white cabinet to match the look of the white legs on my standing desk. UPLIFT sold one, but it was double the cost of this thing here, which I got for $140.

Noise Machine: On top of the printer is a Dohm Classic Noise Machine, also in white. My office is a multi-purpose room that also functions as a guest bedroom and a weekend nap room for our child. While this is primarily here for a peaceful nap time, it also helps to drown out ambient noise when our kids are watching TV in the adjacent room, or otherwise wreaking havoc as kids tend to do. It was $38.

Cable Management: I’ve tried to keep the desk clutter-free from cables for a clean look and easy usability. Moving underneath the desk, you begin to see the rat’s nest of cables going on. All things considered, I think it’s reasonably clean, and the cables are only visible when you poke your head down here. The cable management supplies were included in the cost of my standing desk.

Chair: Saving perhaps the best for last. This is the Steelcase Gesture Office Chair with the Cogent Connect upholstery in the Nickel colorway. It has a shell back, additional lumbar support, and wheels designed for hardwood floors. I paid almost $1,000 for this chair 3.5 years ago, which I thought was a bit insane at the time. However, this has been one of the greatest purchases I’ve ever made. Like a bed mattress, I log a lot of hours each day in my desk chair, which I used to justify the investment. It is far and away the most comfortable chair I have ever used, and allows for endless adjustments so you can dial in the perfect fit. If your budget allows, I highly recommend this chair.

Anti-Fatigue Mat: When standing, I pull out this Topo Mini by Ergodriven anti-fatigue mat in gray, which matches the color of my UPLIFT desk mat, which came free with the desk. It not only helps me stand more comfortably, but the unique contours allow me to stretch my feet so I can stand comfortably longer. You can purchase it for $70.

Odds and Ends: A few random things to round out the desk tour. I bought this fake plant for $5 to add a touch of greenery, and here I have a “stress relief” scented candle, with notes of eucalyptus and tea. It was a gift, and I never light it can only smell it if I stick my face right into it, but I like the thought of having stress relief aromatherapy nearby.

Final Thoughts

Alright, so the grand total for all that gear is $5,564. I was a bit shocked when I totaled that up, but a couple things to keep in mind: These items were purchased over the course of several years and not all at once, and the MacBook Pro contributed $2,000 to that total. Chances are you already have a computer, so that brings it to $3,564 for the rest of the setup. By no means is that cheap, and I don’t necessarily have the “best” in any of the items I showed you. A good productivity desk setup is clearly an investment, and often cobbled together over time.

I hope you found my top three tips for a great desk setup helpful, and got some ideas for your setup after seeing mine.

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Featured Tech

Desk - UPLIFT Standing Desk V2-Commercial: https://amzn.to/41OPn7A
Monitor - LG 27UK850-W 27" 4K UHD IPS Monitor: https://amzn.to/47nfXGl
Laptop - 2023 14" MacBook Pro, M3 Pro, 18GB Memory, 1TB SSD: https://amzn.to/48sKBzi
Monitor Arms - AmazonBasics Premium Dual Monitor Stand: https://amzn.to/41ThnHa
Notebook Tray: https://amzn.to/3zPIkC0
Keyboard - Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Wireless Keyboard: https://amzn.to/3ROIGy4
Mouse - Logitech MX Master 3 Advanced Wireless Mouse: https://amzn.to/3SbAlWA
Monitor Light - BenQ ScreenBar Plus: https://amzn.to/3RU1oUO
Webcam - Logitech C920S HD: https://amzn.to/48sKRhK
Docking Station - Plugable 4K USB-C Docking Station: https://amzn.to/48IQ8l5
Phone Charging Stand - Peak Design Mobile Wireless Charging Stand: https://amzn.to/48MUGqq
Printer - HP OfficeJet Pro 9015: https://amzn.to/3S9Mzid
File Cabinet - Bonnlo Rolling Office File Cabinet: https://amzn.to/4aPzgLd
White Noise Machine - Dohm Classic: https://amzn.to/3vq4Lvk
Chair - Steelcase Gesture Office Chair: https://amzn.to/3TO6S6f
Anti-Fatigue Mat - Topo Mini by Ergodriven: https://amzn.to/3H9ZISc
Headphone Hanger Mount - EURPMASK: https://amzn.to/3Swl4i4
Headphones - Sony WH-1000XM5: https://amzn.to/3I8Hm4z