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Brianstorm91

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 30, 2007
1,365
0
Cambridge, UK
It's likely that I'm going to be buying a new baseline MBP in January (hopefully updated) and my immediate plans will be to buy some extra RAM from Crucial, but after that, what hardware/accessories would you recommend?
I'll be looking to purchase a monitor in the future but that will require further saving.
Name your favourite piece of equipment or what you'd really like, I'd rather get the most important pieces first!
 
Ok, i would go ahead and buy this:

1. RAM (Crucial/Kingston/Transcend)
2. Case/carrying bag (i love INCASE neoprene cases and Targus carrying bags)
2. External HD for music/storage/videos (many to choose from, there are even USB powered drives)
3. Bluetooth mouse (this way you dont have to use up one of your USB ports)

This is just my opinion, it all depends on what exactly you will be doing with your new baby, and yeah, wait up for Jan...
 
First on my list when I bought mine were:
2.5" external HD (for backup purposes)
Wireless mighty mouse
Wireless keyboard

I already had a case, but that would have been on the list otherwise. The two other essentials for me are a decent laptop stand (I'm using an old iCurve) and an external screen, as my MBP is very much a desktop replacement and is used that way daily.
 
What i use at home:
External:
monitor (and mini dvi cable)
mouse
keyboard
Hard drive
speakers

On the go:
case ( I will be getting)
 
I second the Speck See-through case, along with the wireless mouse and keyboard. Also, get a usb splitter (one usb port goes to a small "station" which you can plug in up to 6 different usb devices) and some nice speakers if you listen to music.
 
My essentials:

iGriffin stand
iMic going to Z4 2.1 speakers
various external hd's (portable FW and eSATAII Raid)
Apple's newest bt keyboard (slim enough to go into a laptop case)
Speck case
Logitech V470 bt laser mouse (MUCH better than MM, which fails on me constantly even after cleaning)
iKlear and cloth
 
Thanks everyone, what's the advantages of using a keyboard & mouse with the MBP on a Griffin Elevator over the built-in keyboard and trackpad?
 
Essentials for my MBP 2.2ghz:
- Logitech V270 bt mouse
- 2 x WD Passport 160 gb external drives
- Griffin Elevator
- Apple bt keyboard
- STM medium Evolution backpack (fits all of the above and much more)

The advantage of the stand and external keyboard & mouse is ergonomic comfort and safety when working for long periods. The stand puts the screen right in front of your eyes so you are not looking down and the external keyboard and mouse are much more comfortable to work with.
 
Thanks everyone, what's the advantages of using a keyboard & mouse with the MBP on a Griffin Elevator over the built-in keyboard and trackpad?

The advantage of a stand is increased cooling (better for long life), in addition to a higher level of vision if you're using an external monitor. Next to a Dell 2407 it's a great combo.

With the external mouse and keyboard, you're getting the advantage of the 'headless Mac'. It performs more like a desktop rather than a laptop, far more convenient for long hours of using Pro apps.
 
The advantage of the stand and external keyboard & mouse is ergonomic comfort and safety when working for long periods. The stand puts the screen right in front of your eyes so you are not looking down and the external keyboard and mouse are much more comfortable to work with.

Actually, the optimal screen height for a monitor is *below* eye level, as this significantly reduces eye strain, opening, and movement over extended periods of time. A level screen is better than a screen you have to look up at, but a screen below eye level is the best position of the three.
 
My essentials:

1. 4 GB of RAM
2. Airport Express, to stream music to stereo
3. Nice stereo, to listen to said streamed music (listening to The New Pornographers - Challengers right now)
4. 160 GB External HD
5. inCase carrying bag

Next on the purchase list:
1. Bluetooth wireless mouse
2. Robot butler to bring me drinks
 
Actually, the optimal screen height for a monitor is *below* eye level, as this significantly reduces eye strain, opening, and movement over extended periods of time. A level screen is better than a screen you have to look up at, but a screen below eye level is the best position of the three.
Slightly below eye level, not so far low that you have to bend your neck down to look at the screen.

My must-have accessories I use:
Griffin iCurve
Mighty Mouse
Apple Bluetooth keyboard
Apple Cinema Display
Western Digital 320gb MyBook external hd
Neoprene sleeve
Crumpler backpack
Laser Printer
Soundstick speakers
Marware protection pack/screen cleaner
 
Actually, the optimal screen height for a monitor is *below* eye level, as this significantly reduces eye strain, opening, and movement over extended periods of time. A level screen is better than a screen you have to look up at, but a screen below eye level is the best position of the three.

Yeah, I should have said the stand puts the screen closer to eye level, so you don't have to look so far down. And the stand certainly helps with cooling - I have never had heating issues.
 
Thanks people, howcome the Griffin Powermate is so popular, yet nobody has mentioned it!
I've seen it in a lot of setups in the Post Your Own thread.
 
1. Laptop Sleeve
2. 4GB of Ram
3. WD Passport 160GB External
4. Seagate FreeAgent 500GB External
5. Logitech MX Revolution mouse
6. Dell 2007FPW 20" Wide LCD (owned it before the mac)

Can anyone recommend a good small USB hub? Do all usb hubs need to be powered? I'm always wanting the new wireless apple keyboard :).
 
Canon 40D :)

Seriously, My MBP has everything I need built in, so apart from the power brick most of the time there's not much need to connect anything.
 
my logitech V450
Logitech_V450_Wireless_Laser_Mouse_Silver.jpeg

its tiny, but very comfortble to use
the usb receiver also tucks away neatly in the mouse when not in use
and batteries last up to a year!!!!

i use it all the time for CAD and design work, and for powerpoint/keynote presentations
if it werent for them, the laptop has everything built in!
 
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