Software I use, gadgets I love, and other things I recommend.

I get asked a lot about the things I use to build software, stay productive, or buy to fool myself into thinking I’m being productive when I’m really just procrastinating. Here’s a big list of all of my favorite stuff.

Workstation

  • 16” MacBook Pro, 16GB RAM (2021)

    I was using an Intel-based 16” MacBook Pro prior to this and the difference is night and day. I’ve never heard the fans turn on a single time, even under the incredibly heavy loads I put it through with our various launch simulations.

  • Dell-u2721de-27-inch-ultrasharp-quad-hd

    Dell's new Ultrasharp U2722DE 27 inch 1440p QHD monitor is almost a perfect monitor for my use, with: 90W USB-C charging Good colour, resolution, and size Very thin bezel USB hub Daisy chain capability Ethernet port

  • Hyperx-alloy-origins-core

    I’ve been using HyperX keyboards for years and they’re still the best value for the money. I love the clicky switches and the backlighting is a nice bonus.

  • Urban-wave-texas-computer-gaming

    If I’m going to slouch in the worst ergonomic position imaginable all day, I might as well do it in an ergonomic chair.

  • Mx Master 3

    Everything about the mouse and keyboard screams high quality. I love the materials, the key quality, and how comfortable the mouse is to use for an 8 hour workday. Everything that went into these items was designed around efficiency and quality, no corners cut.

  • Banner glasses

    The Banner glasses are the best glasses I’ve ever owned. They’re super comfortable and the lenses are great for working on the computer all day.

  • Razer-firefly-v2

    I’ve been using the Razer Firefly V2 for years and it’s still the best mousepad I’ve ever used. The cloth surface is great for tracking and the RGB lighting is a nice bonus.

Development tools

  • Visual code studio

    I love the fact that I can use the same editor for everything from writing code to editing Markdown files to writing blog posts. It’s also super fast and has a great plugin ecosystem.

  • iTerm2

    I’m honestly not even sure what features I get with this that aren’t just part of the macOS Terminal but it’s what I use.

  • Homebrew

    Homebrew is the best package manager for macOS. It’s super easy to install and use and it makes it easy to install and update everything from the command line.

  • Zsh

    I’ve been using Zsh for years and it’s still my favorite shell. It’s super customizable and has a ton of great plugins.

Design

  • Figma

    We started using Figma as just a design tool but now it’s become our virtual whiteboard for the entire company. Never would have expected the collaboration features to be the real hook.

  • Adobe Xd

    I love the simplicity of Adobe XD. It’s a great tool for quickly mocking up designs and prototypes.

Productivity

  • Notion

    I’ve tried a lot of different note-taking and task management tools over the years and Notion is the only one that has stuck. It’s a bit of a Swiss Army knife but it’s the best tool I’ve found for keeping track of everything I need to do.

  • Bear

    I’ve been using Bear for years and it’s still my favorite note taking app. I love the simplicity and the fact that it’s just a text editor with a few extra features.

  • Focus

    Simple tool for blocking distracting websites when I need to just do the work and get some momentum going.