Reviewing Everything on my Desk! (2026)
Marques Brownlee reviews the long-term tools and equipment on his desk that he's used for years or even decades, providing insights into which products have proven their worth through extended real-world use. Rather than reviewing new products, Brownlee focuses on the gear he knows intimately from daily creative work, offering perspective on durability, functionality, and whether premium pricing delivers lasting value. The episode reveals which expensive investments like Pro Display XDR monitors and Herman Miller Embody chairs justify their cost, and which items are due for replacement.
Key takeaways
- • A sit-stand desk with a massive aluminum surface that doesn't flex is worth the investment if it will be your primary work surface for a decade or more.
- • An ergonomic office chair is one of the best long-term investments for anyone spending 8+ hours daily at a desk, as comfort compounds over years.
- • Reference monitors like the Pro Display XDR are niche products designed specifically for color-critical work; general users can build an equivalent setup for far less.
- • Studio monitor speakers can serve multiple purposes—from professional audio editing to casual music listening—if you choose a versatile model you'll use long-term.
- • Open-back headphones are preferable in collaborative studio environments because they allow ambient awareness without removing them constantly.
- • Mechanical keyboards and mice are personal preference items where minor ergonomics and tactile feedback matter more than raw specs, and durability of finish is worth considering.
Recommendations (14)
"So, this is a pair of Yamaha HS8s. I've had these forever. I love these things. They're good for just general reference listening, video editing, audio editing, but also just for music listening."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 7:35
"These are my Sennheiser HD 650s, and I wear them a lot during the day. I like these a lot because I wear them a lot and they are very light and comfortable and they're open back and they sound real..."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 8:53
"It's called the Rainy 75 keyboard. This is actually the newest edition. It's a rock solid super heavy keyboard. This is the Rainy 75 Light. It's one of the better priced items of this entire setup."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 11:46
"This is the MX Master 4. This is their newest. Turns out they're great. They're silent. They have really good software. It's gotten the job done, and it's definitely going to age a lot better than ..."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 13:04
"This is the Artisan Ninja FX mouse pad. I like the color, the shape, the texture, the firmness of it. I have a mouse pad over here on the right for my mouse. And I have a second one over here that ..."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 13:49
"It's because of the way I've edited in Final Cut Pro for like the last decade. So you can blame Final Cut Pro for this, but I have a mouse and a magic trackpad."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 11:14
"This thing here, it's called the Next Desk Air Pro. I got nearly a decade ago, happens to work perfectly. This is like my forever desk. This thing is like a rock."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 0:44
"It's the Herman Miller Embody, and it's one of the best investments I've ever made. Super comfortable. I had one back in college. I'll probably have one for the foreseeable future."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 2:11
"This brings us next to the displays that I work with every single day, which is the Pro Display XDR. There's two of them. I've had a dual monitor set up forever."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 4:15
"So, this is made by Grovemade. I mainly keep like smaller items in here, cables, SIM card removal tools, pens, flash drives, a Sharpie, stuff like that. It does exactly what it's supposed to, and I..."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 6:04
"This is a Belkin 3-in-1 charger. It can charge a phone here with a magnet. It can charge another phone here without a magnet. Two Chi wireless chargers and one Apple Watch charger."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 10:06
"I have a mouse and a magic trackpad. This is the USB-C one. I use the wireless trackpad and the mouse at the same time for sides scrolling on the timeline usually."
Marques Brownlee · ▶ 11:24
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