When the MacBook Air M3 launched last month, I did a good old double facepalm that would make Captain Picard proud. The wedge shape was no longer there (sort of). My MacBook Air 15 M2 was a bit too big, too heavy, and regardless of what some people say, 8GB of RAM didn’t cut it. Analyzing the different configurations and prices of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro was giving me a headache. The thought of carrying a heavier laptop made my back hurt.
So I said, “Fuck it. I’m going back to life on a desktop computer.” I traded in my M2 Air and got a Mac Mini.
It made sense. I have a work MacBook Air M1 – a delightfully lightweight wedge that’s perfect for occasional trips to the office. At home, I use my phone for everything except writing and tasks better suited to large screens (e.g. spreadsheets, research, etc.). I already had an external keyboard, mouse and monitor. I actually used my laptop as a desktop computer anyway.
But the last time I had a desktop computer was in 2001. Twenty-three years is a long time, and in that time I’ve forgotten a lot about desktop life – like how peripherals aren’t the way to go; are a must. For Mac computers, setup can be difficult if you’re not using Apple Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse.
I missed the trackpad as soon as I realized that my Keychron K2 wireless keyboard and Logitech MX Vertical mouse needed to be connected to get started. After that initial hump, Keychron wasn’t difficult to pair. The mouse is a different story. Bluetooth pairing did not work when the mouse was connected. However, I couldn’t click to pair the mouse in the Bluetooth menu unless it was connected. I sat there looking like a surprised Pikachu for a solid three minutes as I considered every possible route that didn’t involve kicking out the second mouse. I then spent three hours looking for my spouse’s dead Magic Mouse. It took another hour to fully charge. This is a well-known problem and yet, like me, many people get caught off guard, so if you’re considering making the switch, make sure you have a wired mouse and keyboard on hand.
I ended up purchasing a Satechi Mac Mini hub and stand. At least this way I now have ports on the front. Photo: Victoria Song / The Verge
In my 23 years of working without desktop computers, I also forgot that desktop computers don’t have great built-in speakers. My M2 Air had great speakers. The Mac Mini speaker is a dime a dozen. I tried wearing the headphones all day, but it was too uncomfortable. After a week of rejection, I bought small desktop speakers for $19. Even though I already had a webcam, I wasn’t prepared for how often I would have to unplug and then reconnect it to get it working. And then I had to transfer the photos from the SD card. Mac Mini doesn’t have an SD card slot. I looked out the window, sighed, and bought the Satechi Mac Mini 2-in-1 hub and stand.
But once the ports and peripherals puzzle was mostly solved, I came to appreciate the purposefulness of a desktop computer’s life. Laptops are great, but their portability made it difficult for me to separate work from home. It’s easier for me to get started in the morning if I know I can’t turn over, grab my laptop and start working from bed. (Turns out, getting out of bed does wonders to improve my mood.) I have to get dressed, brush my teeth, and head to the office. And because I only sit at my desk to journal or work, it’s like turning on a switch in my brain that says, “It’s time to write.” Everywhere else in my house is now a place where I can just… live.
It’s a bit different than when I was a child. In those days, the desktop computer was the family computer. There was no real privacy. My parents had priority – which meant I had to hide all my very important middle school AIM conversations and illegal LimeWire downloads whenever they needed to send an email. This is what made laptops so attractive back then. I could mind my business elsewhere, away from their prying eyes. But now that I don’t have to share, life on the computer helps create a daily structure that gives me more – not less – freedom.
Mac Mini is square. Cats like to sit on squares. This is the problem. Nice, but still a problem. Photo: Victoria Song / The Verge
At least most of the time. I still have one issue with my Mac Mini that I haven’t fully resolved. Unfortunately, the Mac Mini is square in shape. Cats notoriously like to sit on squares. Over the past month, one cat in particular has started sitting on it, imperiously staring down at me – blocking my view, stealing my lunch, and aggressively demanding pets. This is very cute, but unsustainable because I would like to keep my job. It’s unclear whether purchasing a second external monitor will help or drag me into another port conundrum. I will accept any suggestion.
Credit : www.theverge.com