A Designers Desk

For me, having a setup that both looks and functions well is paramount to doing any design jobs. Well actually it helps with anything I’m doing You work better if your desk is tidy (no distractions), its just common sense.

Above is the workspace I use currently. 1 Windows PC, 1 Macbook, 1 Monitor, 2 Mice (Mighty Mouse not pictured), an iPod, an Xbox, and a External Harddrive

Windows PC

A Dell XPS m1530 is what got me through 1st year. Its powerful , and its pretty portable. Also, its honestly one of the nicest looking laptops that Dell make. Dell clearly gave thought when designing this machine. It has HDMI output (which I can use to connect to my TV), slot loading drive, touch sensitive controls, 4GB RAM, a 8600M GT, and a 320GB HD. This PC is not without problems though. It overheats (often burning my lap), the processor is pretty weak, and for a small machine its actually quite heavy.

Monitor

My monitor is a 22″ Acer HD-Ready 1080p LCD TV. Its also wall-mounted which gives me extra deskspace. I use a 1680×1050 resolution when using my PC which gives me a huge workspace for Photoshop , Dreamweaver or any other applications I have running. Currently I only have my Xbox and my PC connected to it, but I plan on buying a adapter to allow me to connect my Macbook.

iPod and External HD

They may be hidden away on the corner of my desk, but these babies are the backbone of my workspace. With the iPod Touch, not only do I get a dedicated music player, but also a seperate place to read mail, this really helps to make sure I dont get distracted from my work

The Hard Drive sadly is dying. I got it 2 years ago, and its only 750GB. When I got it the UK plug was broken so I had to use the European one. But the weight of the adapter is putting too much pressure on the small piece of plastic, so whenever I plug it in I see sparks everywhere. Not very nice when theres several other electrical pieces plugged in. This is one item I hope to replace soon.

XBOX 360

Sometimes you just need to relax and think about something else entirely different. The  Xbox 360 fits that purpose. Right now, I cant stop playing Fifa 09, but I also love L4d, COD4, and Halo 3. I also have a Wii, but who plays their Wii anymore?

Macbook Pro

Ahh, the “pièce de résistance” of my desk, my Macbook. Bought in mid-June, I struggled at first, but now I cant see myself going back to Windows, ever. I honestly can’t see myself working effeciently without things everyday Mac users take for granted, like spotlight or expose. These little things is what makes OS X great. I dont like their file structure or the way they make users rely on the mouse, but I’m starting to really enjoy this.

Overall, I’m pretty happy with the setup I have.Sure, I dont have any amaizng gaming rig, or a Wacom tablet, but there’s always time