I’ve always enjoyed reading end-of-year blog posts about the toolchains (hardware or software) of people I follow, and I very often use it as an excuse to change this or that component or, let’s face it, blow some money on some gadget I don’t need.

Having (re-)started this blog, it’s a good opportunity to start publishing my toolchain from this year on. It will be a series of posts: this one covers hardware, but there will also be one on software and one on self-hosted applications.

Since this is the first year, I’ll have to be very verbose and detailed, so that 2026 can serve as a baseline for the years ahead.

Obviously I won’t talk about all the hardware I use – I’ll just add a one-line note if it’s worth mentioning and include considerations in each section about what I want to change (=buy) in 2026.

Let’s start!

  • My Macs:
    • MacBook Pro 16 M1 2021 – 32GB – 512GB: it’s my work Mac, used mainly 9-6.
    • Macbook Air M1 – 16GB – 256G: it’s my personal machine, used 18-9 and, given its compact size and weight, on weekends and trips.
    • 2026 improvements: I like the experiment I’m doing with the Air M1 of using a 5-year-old machine. And I have to say it’s going particularly well. But there are occasional slowdowns and I might consider upgrading to M4/M5. It’s definitely not a priority though, we’ll see.
  • Home desk setup
    • CalDigit TS3 Thundebolt dock: It’s the docking station at the heart of my home office setup that I alternately connect my two Macs to, and to which the monitor and accessories below are connected. It’s not the latest model, it’s certainly not the fastest, but it does everything I need it to do.
    • Logitech MX Vertical Mouse: It’s my main mouse, perfect for comfort.
    • Samsung S34J550 Monitor: It’s been my main monitor for 7 years, even though it’s now outdated in terms of quality, with dull colors and unsatisfactory brightness. I plan to replace it in 2026.
    • Blue (now Lotigech) Yeti Microphone: I’m very happy with it, mounted on an arm from an unknown brand, I use it for podcasts and conference calls.
    • Logitech C920 HD Pro Webcam: I don’t use it much, I tend to use the Mac’s built-in one.
    • Logitech MX Keys Mini: This one isn’t used much either since I usually use the internal one on the Mac, which is normally open underneath the Samsung monitor.
    • Logitech Zone Vibe 125: The best headphones for “office” use. Lightweight, immersive, excellent audio quality, they have integrated mute via microphone boom movement that allows me to mute myself regardless of the tool I’m using.
    • Benq ScreenBar Plus: I made it smart using a Sonoff plug. I’d like an RGB light strip that integrates with Alexa and works together with my Hue Play lights.
    • Creative T100: simple speakers that do what they’re supposed to do, I hardly ever listen to music from my Mac.
    • Hue Play: Excellent for changing the “color” of the desk, especially the red which really relaxes me when I work late in the evening or early in the morning.
    • Ulanzi TC001 Smart Clock: For now just used as a watch and that’s it.
    • 2026 improvements: I definitely want to change my monitor. I’m not sure yet about what size or format I’ll go with (probably 32 inches), but I definitely want at least 120Hz. I’d also like to try a more compact microphone I can carry in my backpack for recording the podcast when I’m on the go, maybe some lavalier mics. And finally, I’d like to change the screenbar too so I can have an RGB bar that changes color along with the Hue Play lights, so I can say “Alexa, desk color X” and have all the lights match that color.
  • Mobile setup
    • Logitech MX Anywhere 3: I have version 2 with MicroUSB, but I’ve been promising myself for years that I’ll buy version 3 with USB-C, yet since it works well, I keep putting off the purchase.
    • Arzopa Portable Monitor 16.1″: It’s my portable external monitor. Sooner or later I’ll make a post about how I integrated it with my MagSafe selfie stick so I can have it raised up when I’m on the go.
    • Peak Design Everyday Backpack: Excellent backpack that I use every day, although I would have preferred the shoulder straps to be a bit more padded.
    • Navigator-T67 38l: Excellent backpack that I use for short trips or when I have to go to the gym and then to the office.
    • 2026 improvements: This is definitely the year to change my mouse: it remains one of the two gadgets that still aren’t USB-C (the other being the AirPods), but I’m still not sure whether to go with the MX Anywhere 3 or something completely different.
  • Mobile devices
    • Iphone Pro 15 256 Matte Black: It’s been my iPhone for 2 years, I could replace it with a hypothetical iPhone fold that would substitute both phone and iPad.
      • [Peak Design Everyday case for iPhone 15 Pro](# Everyday Case for iPhone): Excellent cover and accessory ecosystem, I need to buy the motorcycle stand with charging.
      • Anker Nano Power Bank MagGo: The battery I use the most, compact, gives me 90% actual charging capacity.
      • Anker 633 Magnetic Battery: My old battery, more powerful but also bulky, now I use it much less.
      • Pelican Protector OD Green MagSafe Wallet: I don’t use it much but it’s very convenient since it’s waterproof and MagSafe compatible, also for cash or coins.
    • iPad Pro 11 seconda generazione 256GB: I’ve had it for 6 years, and for 6 years I’ve been hoping Apple would give me a good reason to replace it, but nothing.
    • 2026 improvements: I think I’ll have to change my iPad this year. Rumors say that Apple will present a foldable iPhone, so theoretically a device capable of replacing both iPhone and iPad together. We’ll see what they present, for now I don’t have any specific plans.
  • Audio
    • Bose QuietComfort 45: the best headphones I’ve ever had for comfort, lightness and noise reduction.
    • [AirPods Pro 2 ](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/111851: Love and hate – they give me charging problems and inevitably when I need them they’re dead.
    • ESR USB-C PD headphone jack to USB-C adapter: it allows me to use any pair of headphones with a jack with my iPhone while charging it, essential for emergencies.
    • Giradischi Sony PS-LX310BT: This year I got into the world of turntables, which is great for listening to concept albums.
    • Edifier R1700BT: recovery speakers for my turntable but they work well.
    • 2026 improvements: I want to buy some good quality wired earphones for myself, I’m also considering IEMs, the in-ear earphones. Then I definitely want to get a pair of Bluetooth earphones as an alternative to AirPods, since I only use them for music, podcasts and calls anyway, and the new AirPods features don’t interest me.
  • Power adapters and cables
  • Watch
    • Apple Watch Series 5 44mm with third party bands: they’re old now, the battery lasts 5 hours, I need to decide whether to replace it or not.
    • Xiaomi Smart Band 10: it costs very little and is very convenient.
    • 2026 improvements: The watch sector is where I’ll invest the most in 2026. I don’t think I’ll go back to Apple Watch – the design no longer appeals to me and the battery life is really poor. Plus, I don’t need all those features. I’m still weighing alternatives, but for now I think I’ll buy one or more traditional watches and then maybe a smart band or smart ring for when I work out.
  • Homelab
    • AskHand Mini PC AMD Ryzenn 5 5500U 16GB DDR4: I use it for ProxMox even though I actually use it very little. I need to promise myself to do more with it.
    • QNAP TS264 16GB with 2x4TB WD Red Pro: one of this year’s best buys, I also use it for hosting containers in my Homelab and I’ll be publishing an article about it soon.
    • GL-iNet Comet GL-RM1 KVM: bought a few months ago, I’m not using the Raspberry Pi much and therefore not using this one either.
    • 2026 improvements: My plans for 2026 regarding my Homelab are definitely to use it more and better, while from a hardware perspective I’d say I’m satisfied and don’t have any particular modifications planned.
  • Others worth mentioning
    • Miyoo Mini Plus: bought and barely used. I need to use it more.
    • Bambulab A1: Another best buy of 2025. It’s incredible how many useful things it has printed for us and how it has evolved from a simple toy into a true productivity and optimization tool.
    • DEEBOT T20 OMNI: It’s my floor cleaning robot.
    • FlexiSpot Tapis Roulant: Bought and used quite a bit, being foldable it fits under the sofa, excellent.
    • ClockWork Picocalc: Recently purchased device, I want to play around with it a bit and I already have some nice projects in mind.
    • M5STACK Cardputer: Recently purchased device, I want to play around with it a bit and I already have some nice projects in mind.
    • 2026 improvements: This device also arrived recently and I want to use it for a couple of projects I already have in mind.

In conclusion, rereading this endless list, I now definitely have a clearer picture of how my tech stack will evolve: I’m taking for granted that I’ll change my home monitor, perhaps for a 32-inch 4K or 5K one. The purchase of a new watch is also a given, almost certainly not an Apple Watch. Finally, I see switching the MacBook Air as likely – when and with what, I don’t know, but most probably within the year. Regarding iPhone and iPad, however, let’s see what Apple presents – this is the most uncertain part where I do think there will be changes though, especially considering how much I use my iPad and how obsolete my Pro is.

So all that’s left for me is to schedule our next appointment for next year for a comprehensive overview of my toolchain’s evolution, though I’ll definitely publish specific posts whenever some components change during the year.

Stay tuned!

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