Ergonomics with a Laptop Centered Office

Requirements: I am away from my home office enough that I needed a laptop as my primary computer, but I don’t jet around enough to require me to compromise on a smaller model.  With the center of my office set, I then need to get everything else set up. There are lots of things to consider when you spend large chunks of time in front of a computer. Screen size, viewing angle, keyboards, mice, chairs, desks etc…

Here is what I settled on and why.

• Chair:  It is likely that this chair will outlive everything else that I recently purchased. It is also a critical part of your office ergonomics. I settled on a Herman Miller Mirra in its fully featured version. It is incredibly comfortable and adjusts in about anyway you can think of and a few you probably didn’t. The best way to describe this chair is that you completely forget about it once you get past the initial wow phase. 
• Keyboard: Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 this an absolutely love it or hate it keyboard. Either you like split keyboards or you don’t.
• Mice: This is also a very personal matter. I use two mice. The Microsoft Comfort Optical 3000 is a traditional mouse and stays in my computer carry bag for use when I am using my laptop’s keyboard. My other mouse, an Evoluent VM3R2-RSB Vertical Mouse 3, is very different. It is tall and your hand just rests on it vertically. This compliments the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard which I like with the front riser piece in place. I prefer not to use cordless mice or keyboards. I don’t like having to replace batteries in anything and I don’t like additional points of failure. I’ve tried trackballs and Microsoft’s Natural mouse and they just didn’t work for me.
• Monitors:
  • My big monitor is a 1920×1200 24″ DELL 2408WFP.  In my opinion this is one of the best monitors on the market. For starter’s at 24″ it still rotates, which I actually use once in a while. I’m also into photography and it has one of the largest color spaces available on any monitor, and it also has built in CF and xD/SD/MS/MMC card readers. I’m also into video and it can double as an HD monitor as well as being a USB 2.0 hub.
  • My second monitor is the 17″ monitor on my laptop and with 1920×1200 resolution it has screen real estate. However I had to go for the standard WUXGA screen with less color space than the TrueLife because the TrueLife LCD panel is like a mirror and if you ever have to give a presentation in a board room or work in any area with glare it is nearly unusable.
• Docking Station: Dell D/View Notebook Stand & D/Port Advanced Port Replicator. This allows me to keep my laptop monitor at the same level as my 24″ monitor, and allow me to get my keyboard in closer. Obviously these accessories will vary by laptop brand.
• Foot Rest: This works especially well if you have your chair set to a high position. I have something “like” this but mine rocks helping to stretch my calf muscles while I am seated.
• Table: Just has to have enough horizontal space and be within the realm of adjustment for the chair
• Music: Total BitHead USB DAC/AMP and AKG 701 reference headphones. The combination is just breath taking. It would take many thousands of dollars in high end stereo equipment to come close to the performance of this pair.

How it all fits together.

My notebook stand is jacked up about as high as it will go, as is my 24″ monitor which end up with screen tops nearly even. The 24″ display is tilted backwards a bit and my laptop screen is vertical. This has to do with viewing angles and keeping the screen surfaces as equidistant from a central position. My keyboard is arranged between the monitors with the mouse right off the end of the keyboard. My chair is adjusted with the arm rests up high enough to support my elbows and rest the heals of my palms on the keyboard without bending my wrists. My foot rest is adjusted to allow me to rock back to stretch my calves.