Using Your MacBook as a Desktop Mac Is Easier Than You Think

The idea of using a MacBook as a desktop Mac sounds great, but there are some problems. Nobody wants to mess with a rat’s nest of cables when changing scenery, and what about performance? Thankfully, with modern equipment, it’s not that difficult anymore.

With the right gear, you can walk up to your desk, plug a single cable into your MacBook, and watch it transform into a full-fledged desktop workstation. You’ve got a big, beautiful monitor, keyboard, mouse, and all your peripherals connected in one go. When it’s time to go, you unplug that single cable, and you’re off. It’s a game-changer.

Apple Chips Can Handle the Job

For a long time, performance was a hindrance when it came to using a laptop–MacBook or otherwise–as a full-fledged desktop computer. People generally do more resource-intensive work and multitasking on desktops, not to mention the extra peripherals. Laptops haven’t always been great at scaling up to the task.

However, with the introduction of M chips, Apple made a pretty sizable upgrade in this department. The unified memory architecture–the CPU and GPU share the same pool of high-bandwidth memory–eliminates bottlenecks and speeds up everything from video editing to 3D rendering. MacBooks with M chips can outperform some Windows desktops now.

I use a MacBook with an M2 chip and 16GB of RAM as my primary “desktop” computer. My daily tasks include photo editing in Inkscape and GIMP, as well as 3D modeling in Fusion 360. The M2 chip is able to handle these applications with ease. It’s a breath of fresh air.

MacBook Air (M2) 13-inch

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Docks Are Your Friend

But what about that rat’s nest of cables? This is where the key ingredient comes into play: docks. A laptop docking station is the central command for your entire setup. Most modern docks offer a variety of ports: HDMI or DisplayPort for your monitor, USB-A and USB-C for your peripherals, Ethernet for a stable internet connection, and even SD card readers.

Thanks to modern standards, such as Thunderbolt 4 in my M2 MacBook Air, all of these connection points can be consolidated into one cable that connects to your MacBook. That’s your 4K monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, ethernet, external storage, and charging, all going through a single cable. You don’t even need a separate cable to charge the MacBook.

This type of setup isn’t only simplifying your cable management; you’re also expanding your MacBook’s capabilities. Apple’s laptops, while sleek, often skimp on ports. A dock fills in the gaps, giving you the connectivity you need without resorting to a bunch of dongles (which Apple will happily sell to you).

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The real beauty of using a docking station with your MacBook is the freedom it gives you. You’re no longer tethered to your desk for resource-intensive tasks. When I want to work from a coffee shop, I simply unplug and toss my MacBook in a bag. I can leave my heavy-duty tools at home and take the essentials with me. I always have everything I need–there’s never a moment of “dangit, that document I need is on my other computer.”

Setting Up Your Workspace

Bless this mess.

Getting your MacBook set up as a desktop replacement is surprisingly straightforward. First, you’ll need to choose the right dock or hub for your needs. Consider the ports you need, the power delivery requirements, and your budget. The Plugable Thunderbolt 4 dock is the heart of my setup, but there are plenty of other solid options.

Once you’ve got your dock, it’s just a matter of plugging everything in. Connect your monitor, keyboard, mouse, and any other peripherals to the dock. Then, connect the dock to your MacBook via Thunderbolt or USB-C. That’s it. You’re ready to go.

You’ll find that macOS handles external displays and peripherals very well. For example, I use a widescreen monitor in “desktop mode,” and I always have multiple apps arranged on the screen with Rectangle. When I’m in “laptop mode,” I tend to use apps in full-screen mode since I’m on a smaller screen. macOS does a good job of remembering the different layouts when switching between modes.

Everything connects super quickly when I plug into desktop mode, too. My wired keyboard and Bluetooth mouse jump into action, and the audio is instantly switched over to my USB speakers. It may sound simple if you’re familiar with this type of setup already, but for a new user, it’s amazing.

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