Gear I Use
Table of Contents
I often get asked about the gear I use or what’s on my desk. This page lists the gear I use both personally and professionally along with some thoughts about the gear to provide context. I’ve built up this collection over time and I’ll do my best to keep this page up to date as things change. Generally, I have the following principles when buying gear.
- Understand compatibility with existing gear.
- Prefer wired gear over wireless gear.
- Favor gear that is repairable and extensible.
- Extend the budget if the value is there.
Desk & Chair #
DeskHaus Vertex Pro Diamond 4-Leg Frame #
I’ve only ever used IKEA table tops and legs before buying a serious desk. I extensively researched DeskHaus and ultimately decided to go with their standing desk frame based on Reddit reviews and the DeskHaus YouTube channel. This is the best desk I’ve ever used in my life, period. UPLIFT, Fully, and Autonomous desks aren’t even in the same league as DeskHaus. It’s quite heavy and extremely stable even when raised to its maximum height. I have the 30" legs, extended range height, and programmable switch.
DeskHaus Solid Wood 1.75" Work Surface #
I needed a top for my standing desk frame and I wanted real, solid wood. DeskHaus stocked solid wood tops so I bought one with my desk. Much like the frame, it’s also quite heavy and the finish is great. I have a 30"x72" Walnut top and I love it. If I could do it again I probably would have just bought a top from a local woodworker to save on cost and have more control over style and finish.
Herman Miller Embody #
I’ve only ever used IKEA chairs and I figured it was time to get a real chair since I spend a good deal of time sitting for work. I went with this chair since the company I worked for at the time had a company discount. It’s been a great chair and the warranty is fantastic. I’ve used the warranty to replace the bottom fabric after it lifted in a few areas. I have the Canyon fabric since I like red and orange colors.
Grovemade Matte Desk Pad #
I had a SteelSeries desk pad previously but its rubber bottom didn’t let my wooden desk breathe and would dull the finish after extended use. I figured the cork bottom on this Grovemade desk pad would let my wooden desk breathe much better and I always wanted to try a Grovemade product. I purchased the Dark Green color in the Medium Plus size and am really enjoying it so far. I’ll see how it wears over time.
Computer #
Custom Workstation #
I built this workstation back in 2025. You can find the complete parts list in the above link but it’s an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, 256 GiB of memory, an AMD 9070 XT, and a 4 TiB NVMe. I use this workstation for everything- programming, gaming, rendering, AI workloads, streaming, recording, and anything else that comes up. It runs Windows for compatibility with peripherals and software but most of the programming work happens either in WSL2, by SSHing somewhere else, or via some computer that’s connected to a capture card for recording and streaming.
Framework Laptop 16 #
I have two of these laptops, one for personal use and one for work. Both run Fedora and are maxed out with the exception that the work model has 96 GiB of memory and the GPU module while the personal model has 64 GiB of memory and no GPU module. This laptop feels very much like a v1 product in both a good and bad way which I described in this post on X. Even so, I’m happy with my purchase and enjoy supporting a company that’s focused on repairable, sustainable computers.
Computer Peripherals #
ZSA Moonlander #
My keyboard journey has been long to say the least. Here’s the journey in a nutshell.
- Das Keyboard 4 Professional
- Drop CTRL
- Drop Preonic
- ZSA Moonlander
I loved my Preonic but typing on it kept my shoulders and chest closed which wasn’t great for posture and health. Ultimately I decided to bite the bullet and try a split keyboard. At the time the Moonlander just released so it was a good time to give it a go. I also really liked ZSA’s stance on sustainability which they discussed more on Changelog Interviews #608. If I had to buy a split keyboard again today it would be a tough decision between the ZSA Moonlander and the Kinesis Advantage360 Pro. I have the Dark Matter color with blank keycaps and lubed TTC Silent Bluish White V2 switches.
Logitech G502 X #
Pour one out for the legendary Logitech G9x. The Logitech G502 X mouse is the closest I’ve come to my beloved Logitech G9x. People say to use the Logitech MX Master but I tried that and it wasn’t great for me. I have the wired version of this mouse and it works for my needs.
Anker 778 Thunderbolt Docking Station (A83A9) #
I used to have the Dell WD19TB dock but it was Thunderbolt 3 and causing my peripherals to rapidly disconnect and reconnect so I swapped it out for the Anker 778 since it’s Thunderbolt 4. My Framework 16 has USB4 ports which is fully supported by Thunderbolt 4. As an added bonus this dock also supports Multi-Stream Transport (MST) so I can connect multiple displays to the dock and use it as an MST hub.
Anker USB 3.0 Switch (A83K3) #
I needed a way to switch between my primary and secondary computers without swapping a bunch of cables. I have a keyboard and mouse plugged into this switch and then the switch is connected to both my primary and secondary computers. Switching computers is just a press of this button and an input switch on my monitor. Not bad.
Roost V3 Laptop Stand #
This laptop stand is cool because it collapses nicely for travel but it’s way too expensive for what it is. It also doesn’t adjust to a low enough height for for my liking. I wouldn’t buy this again unless the price dropped by 50%.
Writing #
LAMY safari Fountain Pen #
Even though I work with computers I prefer physical writing to digital writing. Fountain pens are fun to write with and helped reignite my joy for writing. These LAMY safari pens are inexpensive and a popular choice for fountain pens users. I have a Yellow pen with a Fine nib that I use for most of my writing and an Umbra pen with an Extra Fine nib that I use for drawing detailed diagrams.
LEUCHTTURM1917 Notebook #
Notebooks are ultimately a preference. My co-hosts on Fallthrough convinced me to try a LEUCHTTURM1917 notebook and I love it. My friend at Skriptble Press convinced me to try the B5 paper size and it’s much better than the smaller A5 size I was used to. Paired with a fountain pen, a LEUCHTTURM1917 notebook is a great way to take notes and plan. I have a Classic Notebook and a Weekly Planner and Notebook, both in B5 size and hardcover.
Audio #
Shure SM7B #
I had a Blue Yeti previously and I didn’t care for its mini USB connection and audio quality so I upgraded to the Shure SM7B. Honestly I didn’t do much research here I just went with the microphone that was most popular with content creators on Twitch and YouTube. Perhaps I should have done more research since I had to buy a preamp to really get the most out of this microphone with my audio interface.
Rode Rodecaster Duo #
I replaced the Cloudlifter CL-1, the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen), and the Schiit Vali 2 with this Rodecaster Duo and I should have just bit the bullet up front and got this device way sooner. I have USB 1 plugged into my Windows workstation so that it gets access to 2 inputs and 2 outputs for separating general audio from background audio like Discord chat or music. Then I have USB 2 plugged into my secondary Linux computer to get 1 input and 1 output. This allows me to share my microphone and headphones with both computers without ever having to switch cables or connections. Love this thing!
Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro #
I bought two pairs of these headphones because I loved the first pair so much and didn’t want to be without them when I sent them off for repair. These are great for everyday use in meetings, watching content, and listening to podcasts. I love that they are open-back so my ears breathe and I can hear my dogs fussing around in the room when I’m working. There’s good third-party support for repairing them and getting new parts which I’ve done a few times in the many years I’ve had them. I have the 250 Ohms model.
Micca PB42X Powered Bookshelf Speakers #
When I’m not using my headphones I’m using these speakers. The audio is clear and they are powered so I don’t need an amp to drive them. My only issue with these speakers is their size. If I were to do it again I’d buy smaller speakers that didn’t take up so much room on my desk. I guess I could buy desk mounts to raise the speaker off my desk but… eh.
Video #
Panasonic Lumix S5IIX #
This is the first professional camera I’ve ever purchased. I use it as a webcam for meetings, streaming, creating videos, and as a camera to take product pictures for my wife’s chocolate business, Lily & Sparrow. I like this camera because it has a fan to keep it cool when recording for a long time and the Panasonic family of lenses are pretty great. I use the S Series 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 L-Mount Lens. I was also pretty frustrated with the color on USB webcams and wanted to fix that. I’m not a photographer by any means but I’m quite happy with this purchase.
OREI 4K HDMI Splitter 1-In-2-Out #
My secondary computer is connected to this HDMI splitter to send the video signal to both my monitor and my workstation for capture.
Blackmagic Design DeckLink Mini Recorder 4K #
I bought this capture card to connect my secondary computer to my workstation. I had an Elgato card before this but Elgato doesn’t support Linux so I gave that card away for free. This card supports Linux at a lower price point than Magewell cards and I’ve used Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve video editor before so I was familiar with the brand. Even though I use this card in Windows I like having the ability to change OS and have hardware remain compatible.
Blackmagic Design UltraStudio Recorder 3G #
I bought this capture card to connect my camera to whatever machine needs it, even when traveling. It connects using Thunderbolt 3 to provide data and power. This card supports Linux at a lower price point than Magewell cards and I’ve used Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve video editor before so I was familiar with the brand.
Lighting #
Amaran P60x LED Panel #
I have two of these lights to help balance lighting in my office. I have four windows in my office and I noticed that there are shadows on my face at certain times of the day. These lights remove those shadows and keep me looking great regardless what time it is.
Rigging #
Smallrig Encore DT-30 Desk Mount #
I have three of these that hold up my camera and two lights. They are strong, adjustable, and from a popular, reputable rigging brand.
Smallrig Aluminum Panoramic Ball Head #
I have three of these to mount my camera and two lights to rigging. The quick disconnect feature is great when I want to take my camera with me without ruining its placement at my desk.