Listen up, folks. Love him or hate him, Ali Abdaal is one of the inspiring YouTubers who has managed to build one of the biggest online fan bases in the world. With over 3 Million subscribers and a substantial net worth, this Cambridge grad started his journey in the medical field, and soon realized he has an entrepreneur mindset with the ability to craft anything and everything.
We’ve been watching his videos for a while and trust us! His videos are as entertaining as the top leagues. Equally impressive is its Ali Abdaal desk setup.
Speaking of the desk setup, it’s always interesting to see what famous YouTubers rock in their productivity setup. We did a little digging and found out that his setup alone is worth $8000 - With his PC build responsible for $5000 of the total price.
That’s an impressive number, but to be expected if you’re an international star with positive HQ videos.
In this post, we will explore the Ali Abdaal productivity setup in total so that you can gain an insight into what goes under his desk to make him a productivity monkey quiz.
Table of Contents
Ali Abdaal Setup Videos
Note: Abi Abdaal has 2 working setups. One that entirely comprised the iMac and the other(the older one) was a big boy with an iMac mini maxed out, a large curved display, and plenty of other productivity tools. We’ll cover both of his setups below.
Ali Abdaal Productivity Desk Setup Breakdown
Ali Abdaal has a perfect desk setup that can inspire a lot of us out there, because it’s very minimalistic, appealing, and can surely improve your productivity for the long hours of work.
He recently changed his entire setup and made it even more minimalistic by getting rid of the large curved display, all the extra keyboards, books, and everything that distracted him.
As he says, bigger isn’t necessarily better.
Origin PC - iMac 2021
Ali Abdaal is always a fan of Apple devices, and most of his hardware equipment includes Macbook, iPhone, and iPad. With no exception, he got the latest iMac mini 24-inch as soon as it was launched by Apple.
Because why not, the new iMac models are surely a treat for the eyes. The ultra-thin display is surely a treat to work on… And the best above all, you get everything in a single, beautifully crafted box.
Ali owns the full maxed out version of the iMac and the specs are as follows:
- Apple M1 Chip (base model)
- 16GB Unified Memory
- 2 TB SSD storage
- Two Thunderbolt ports, two USB 3 ports
- Gigabit Ethernet
- And the standard Magic mouse + Trackpad
All of this is connected with the Caldigit TS3+ Thunderbolt dock via a single USB-C cable. The dock is pretty amazing and offers plenty of connectivity options.
While researching, we found the updated version of the dock, which is the TS4 model. It offers a staggering 18 ports of connectivity options including Thunderbolt 4 ports, USB-C, USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet, DisplayPort, Audio Jack, and Card slots.
Peripherals - Mouse and Keyboard
As again, Ali wants his desk setup to be very minimalistic so he often uses the standard magic mouse and keyword that came out of the box. He also owns the magic trackpad, when the mouse is charging or when he’s just feeling the need.
If you don’t like the Apple keyboard and mouse, you can always opt for his previous recommendation, the Logitech MX Master 3.
The keyboard that was previously powering the unit is the IQUNIX F96 mechanical keyboard with cherry blue switches.
Speakers - Kanto YU2 Speakers
Ali still uses the Kanto YU2 speakers. He got that for his previous setup, and he still uses them for his new one. Because why not, the speakers look amazing. They have a pure white color that goes well with the whole blue and white desk setup.
The speakers are connected via a USB-A port to the CalDigit dock which is then connected to the iMac.
Audio Interface - Focusrite 2i4
Although you might don’t need this one, if you want to know the secret to his aesthetic voice, then you should definitely get this one.
One of the best performing mic preamps the Scarlett range has ever produced, the 2i4 is a beast in terms of connectivity and audio mixing features.
In terms of features, it enables you to record a mix of 24-bit /192kHz audio with 2 preamps, 4 line inputs, and 4 analog outputs. It’s a bus-powered audio interface that goes well with your dream setup.
Microphone - Shure SM7B
As for the Microphone, Ali normally uses the Shure SM7B microphone plugged into the audio interface. This is the audio setup Ali uses when he’s recording a voiceover, podcast, or teaching live sessions of his course.
PS: Ali also recommends the built-in camera and audio of the new iMac. It’s pretty decent how these products have improved over the year.
Desk Setup Book Recommendation
Right next to his dock, Ali has a series of books that he often reads and recommends. As these books are always changing, we want you to follow him on his Instagram account to see what he currently recommends.
As for this setup, he is the trilogy from Austin Kleon. And the names of the books are:
- Show your work
- Steam like an artist
- Keep Going
PS: Ali also uses these books to hide the cables behind this desk. That’s a nice way to handle cable management.
Ali Abdaal Desk Setup Accessories
On the left side of the desk, Ali has a series of productivity tools. Starting from the basics, he has a wooden analog to-do list paper. That’s a nice thing to add alongside your desk setup.
It helps you keep track of all the things you need to do in a day.
On top of this to-do list system, Ali has a Tomons Lamp, which has a nice Pixar-like look with a Philips Hue light bulb inside it.
Speaking of the light bulb, Ali uses the Philips Hue light bulb all over his room so he can quickly change the light from his smartphone.
Ali Abdaal Desk - Chair and the desk itself
Ali uses a pretty amazing desk, it’s the Fully Jarvis Bamboo - A 60” x 27” natural bamboo top with electric adjustable height and memory preset controller.
The desk is available in a variety of different options and comes in 4 colors for the base mounting. And that’s not all, the desk is fully programmable and has a very fast, quiet, and electric lift that can uplift your mood.
It’s a bit on the expensive side but offers both sitting and standing posture - So it’s worth the investment.
Speaking of the posture, Ali has a Herman Miller Sayl, a nice ergonomic chair with lumbar support, posture support, flexing back, mesh upholstery, pneumatic seat, and adjustable arms rest.
All in all, it’s a great chair to have in your setup.
Ali Abdaal does have a Windows gaming PC, but he hasn’t shared the specs of it, so we’ll just limit the productivity setup to the iMac.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Ali Abdaal Setup Cost?
Ali Abdaal’s productivity setup costs a cool $5,000. It’s a very minimalistic setup and can be bought in series. You can always buy the expensive items first, like the iMac and table, and then work all your way to the other items.
How much is Ali Abdaal’s net worth?
According to networthspot, Ali Abdaal’s net worth is estimated at $1Million. He earns from multiple sources like teaching, podcast, live sessions, consultation, and investments.
The Bottom Line
Well, that’s all about Ali Abdaal’s desk setup for gaming, streaming, podcast, and recording. We have mentioned all the newest gear that requires him to be productive all day.
A priority of concise is his simple interface and minimalistic desk setups. Plus he’s also fond of cable management so keep that in mind as well.