REVIEW LAB · DESK REVIEW · 5 KITS · 45 PARTS

The
machine
room.

Full desk configurations for 2026, and what to wait for in 2027. Computers from a browser desk to an AI video studio, the drives and docks around them, and the pads, pedals and lights an agent can learn to press.

See the kits ↓
PRICES
CHECKED
SEPT 29 ↘
Pixel-dithered specimen sheet of desk hardware: a small desktop box, a tower, a drive, a macro pad, a foot pedal, a key light and a microphone
Illustration: Astra for PointCast

This started as a disk cleanup. The iMac was full, swapping hard, and the agents were winning.

So we asked the obvious question: what is the next machine, and what goes around it? The answer in 2026 is less about the chip and more about memory, drives, and the small tools on the desk. Prices moved a lot this year. Memory shortages pushed nearly everything up, from SSDs to GPUs to the Mac mini.

Below: five complete desks with totals, then every part on its own card with a dated price, a direct link, and, where it exists, an “agent handle”: how an AI agent can see or press it. Then the fun part. How the desk becomes modular, what we would ask hardware makers for, and what PointCast might build.

Desk review. Prices and specs were checked on makers’ own pages on September 29, 2026, US dollars before tax. Where a maker hid the price we used a major retailer and said so; estimates are labeled. Nobody here has handled most of these products.

WHERE WE STARTED · THE DESK THIS WAS WRITTEN ON

A 2024 iMac, out of room.

Machine
iMac (Mac16,3), Apple M4
CPU / GPU
10-core (4 performance + 6 efficiency) / 10-core
Memory
24GB, with 12GB of 13GB swap in use
Storage
512GB; 1.3GB free the morning we started
Load
6–7 on a normal afternoon
Runs
Chrome, Claude, Codex, ChatGPT, agents building sites

The disk refills about 25GB a day: every agent task makes a fresh copy of a website and its build folders. A daily 3:30 AM sweep now clears what can be rebuilt, and we moved Unity and a game launcher out (28GB).

Memory is the real ceiling. With three AI apps, a browser and a couple of builds, 24GB spends its day swapping to disk, which is also why that disk wears out faster.

Fine for the browser and cloud AI. Out of memory and drive space for local video.

FULL CONFIGURATIONS

Pick a desk,
not a box.

KIT 01

The cheap fix, this week

The iMac stays. The media archive moves out, and an offsite backup goes on.

About$553

Frees the internal drive for the agents. Do this first no matter what else you buy.

KIT 03 · THE DESK’S PICK

The AI video studio

A level above an iMac: edit and upscale AI video locally, generate in the cloud, and let the agents press buttons.

About$7,762

The desk’s pick. Memory where it matters, fast drives on a real dock, and buttons an agent can see.

KIT 04

The studio, a level up

The same desk with room to run open video models locally and a network archive for the household.

About$11,174

Where the modular desk starts to feel like one instrument.

Kit totals add the list prices on this page, before tax. Backblaze counts one year; items shown as “see maker” or estimates are not added.

THE COMPUTERS

Buy memory,
not megahertz.

For AI work the spec that decides what you can run is memory, and how fast the chip can read it. Every card lists both.

Five computers on a shelf from a thin laptop to a tall tower, with a small cloud above

Laptops · Apple

MacBook Air 15", M5, 24GB

$1,999In stock

M5 · 10-core GPU · 24GB · 1TB

The browser-and-AI-apps machine. Cloud models do the heavy lifting, so what you need locally is enough memory for thirty tabs, three agent apps and a dev server. 24GB is the floor we would buy.

For
Browser, ChatGPT, Claude, Codex, light builds.

The honest answer for most people.

See it at Apple →

Direct link · no commission · Apple Store ↗

Laptops · Apple

MacBook Pro 16", M5 Max, 128GB

$6,999In stock

M5 Max · 18-core CPU · 40-core GPU · 128GB · 2TB

A Mac Studio’s brain in a laptop: 40-core GPU, 128GB and 614GB/s of memory bandwidth. Runs large local models and cuts AI video anywhere.

For
A studio that has to travel.

The catch. OLED models are rumored for late 2026 to early 2027. If you can wait, a laptop is where waiting pays off.

Only if the studio moves.

See it at Apple →

Direct link · no commission · Apple Store ↗

Small desktops · Apple

Mac mini, M6, 32GB

$1,799*In stock

M6 · 12-core CPU · 12-core GPU · 32GB · 1TB

Apple’s first 2nm chip, in the cheapest desktop. With 32GB it is a quiet always-on box for agents, builds and small local models.

For
An always-on agent box under a monitor.

Best value Mac on the page.

See it at Apple →

Direct link · no commission · * The M6 tops out at 32GB. Base model is $899 with 16GB. · Mac mini specs ↗

Small desktops · Apple

Mac mini, M5 Pro, 64GB

$3,199In stock

M5 Pro · 18-core CPU · 20-core GPU · 64GB · 1TB

Twice the memory and bandwidth of the M6 mini. 64GB runs mid-size local models comfortably next to everything else.

For
Local models on a budget, plus agent work.

The local-model sweet spot under $3,500.

See it at Apple →

Direct link · no commission · Apple Store ↗

Small desktops · Apple

iMac, M4, 24GB

$2,099In stock (a generation behind)

M4 · 10-core CPU · 10-core GPU · 24GB · 512GB

The machine this guide was written on. A lovely screen and a fine browser computer, but still on M4, and memory tops out low for AI work.

For
Families and browser work.

Not an AI pick in 2026.

See it at Apple →

Direct link · no commission · Apple Store ↗

Studios · Apple

Mac Studio, M5 Max, 64GB

$3,799Shipping since Sept 22

M5 Max · 18-core CPU · 40-core GPU · 64GB · 1TB · 614GB/s

The full M5 Max, 40 GPU cores each with a Neural Accelerator and 614GB/s of bandwidth, with 64GB. This is the level above an iMac for AI video editing, upscaling and mid-size local models.

For
An AI video desk that edits locally and generates in the cloud.

The desk’s pick.

See it at Apple →

Direct link · no commission · Mac Studio specs ↗

Studios · Apple

Mac Studio, M5 Max, 128GB

$5,899*Shipping since Sept 22

M5 Max · 40-core GPU · 128GB · 2TB

Same chip, double the memory and storage. 128GB is where large open video and language models start to fit on a Mac.

For
Running open video models locally, not just editing.

A level above the pick.

See it at Apple →

Direct link · no commission · * $3,799 preset plus $1,600 memory and $500 storage, from Apple’s configurator. · Apple Store configurator ↗

Studios · Apple

Mac Studio, M5 Ultra, 256GB

$10,999*Shipping; 512GB in late October

M5 Ultra · 30-core CPU · 64-core GPU · 256GB · 4TB · 1.2TB/s

Two M5 Max dies: 64 GPU cores and 1.2TB/s of bandwidth. 256GB holds very large local models and 8K multi-stream timelines.

For
A local model lab, or a studio with no cloud bill.

Only if the cloud is the problem.

See it at Apple →

Direct link · no commission · * $5,499 base plus $4,000 memory and $1,500 storage. The 80-core GPU version starts at $6,799. · Apple Store configurator ↗

CUDA boxes · Custom build

RTX 5090 workstation

~$5,500–7,000 est.*Card scarce; street ~2.5× MSRP

RTX 5090 · 32GB GDDR7 · 575W · 1000W PSU

NVIDIA is still where open-source video generation runs fastest: ComfyUI, Wan and Hunyuan-class models on CUDA with 32GB of VRAM.

For
Generating open-model video locally, every day.

Rent it before you build it.

See it at Custom build →

Direct link · no commission · * Estimate. The card’s MSRP is $1,999 but street price is about $4,200–5,100; we could not verify a builder page. · GPU price tracker, Sept 2026 ↗

CUDA boxes · NVIDIA

NVIDIA DGX Spark

$4,699*In stock

GB10 · 128GB LPDDR5x · 273GB/s · 1 PFLOP FP4 · 4TB

A small CUDA box with 128GB of unified memory and a 4TB drive. Its bandwidth (273GB/s) is well under an M5 Max, so it is for developing and fine-tuning on CUDA, not raw speed.

For
CUDA development and fine-tuning at the desk.

Niche, and it knows it.

See it at NVIDIA →

Direct link · no commission · * Rose from $3,999 in February 2026 because of memory supply. · NVIDIA price-change notice ↗

CUDA boxes · Framework

Framework Desktop, 128GB

$3,449Out of stock

Ryzen AI Max+ 395 · 16 cores · 40 graphics cores · 128GB

AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ with 128GB of shared memory in a small, repairable box. A cheap way to hold big local models on Linux.

For
Linux tinkerers running large local models.

The catch. Launched at $1,999; memory prices pushed it to $3,449, and it is sold out. Weak for CUDA-only video tools.

Great idea, bad month to buy it.

See it at Framework →

Direct link · no commission · Framework store ↗

Rent it · RunPod

Rent an RTX 5090

$0.99/hr*On demand

A 32GB RTX 5090 by the hour. At about a dollar an hour you would need four to five thousand hours before buying one pays off.

For
Anyone curious about local video generation before spending $6,000.

Start here.

See it at RunPod →

Direct link · no commission · * Secure Cloud on-demand. An H100 is $3.49/hr; a B200 is $6.79/hr. · RunPod pricing (updated Sept 27) ↗

THE SUPPLEMENTS

Drives, docks
and a battery.

The parts around the computer decide whether it still feels fast in a year. Start with where the files live.

Specimen sheet of desk supplements: stacked drives, a dock, a network drive, a battery backup, a monitor and a router

Drives · Crucial

Crucial X10, 4TB

$454In stock

4TB · USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 · ~1,000 MB/s on a Mac

The cheap fix for a full internal drive. Move the media archive (Downloads, Midjourney sessions, Sora exports) here and the agents get the internal drive back. It is rated 2,100 MB/s on USB 20Gbps, but Macs do not speak that mode, so plan on about 1,000 MB/s. That is plenty for an archive you browse, not edit from.

For
The archive: finished generations, exports, zips you keep “just in case”.

The catch. SSD prices roughly doubled in the last year. This is still the best dollars-per-terabyte we could verify.

The one to buy this week.

See it at Crucial →

Direct link · no commission · Crucial product page ↗

Drives · OWC

OWC Envoy Ultra, 4TB

$1,380In stock

4TB · Thunderbolt 5 · 6,000+ MB/s · IP67

The only Thunderbolt 5 portable we could verify, and the fastest: past 6,000 MB/s on a Thunderbolt 5 Mac. That speed matters for a working drive you cut video from, not for an archive.

For
Editing 4K and AI video straight off the drive.

The catch. Launched at $599.99; OWC lists it at $1,379.99 today. Sustained writes drop to about 1,700 MB/s once the cache fills.

A hot drive for a studio, not a closet.

See it at OWC →

Direct link · no commission · OWC store ↗

Backup · UGREEN

UGREEN NASync DXP4800 Plus

$657*In stock (sale from $729.99)

4 bays · Pentium Gold 8505 · 8GB DDR5 · 10GbE + 2.5GbE · 2× M.2

A four-bay network drive with a 10-gigabit port, which pairs with the CalDigit dock’s 10GbE. Built-in photo recognition. This is where a household’s media lives once one SSD is not enough.

For
Everything you never want to lose, shared across machines.

Best value network storage for a media house.

See it at UGREEN →

Direct link · no commission · * Hard drives are not included; budget for them separately. · UGREEN store ↗

Backup · Backblaze

Backblaze Personal Backup

$99/yr*Subscription

Unlimited offsite backup for one computer, including drives plugged into it. The cheapest insurance on this page.

For
The copy that survives a fire, a theft, or a bad rm.

Turn it on before you buy anything else.

See it at Backblaze →

Direct link · no commission · * Also $9 a month. It does not back up a NAS, only drives attached to the Mac. · Backblaze pricing ↗

Docks · CalDigit

CalDigit TS5 Plus

$500In stock

TB5 host (up to 120Gb/s) · 2× TB5 · 10GbE · DP 2.1 · SD + microSD · 140W

One cable to the Mac, then 10-gigabit Ethernet, two Thunderbolt 5 ports, ten USB ports, card readers and 140W charging. The 10GbE port is the reason: it makes the NAS feel local.

For
A desk with a NAS, a display and too many cables.

The pick, because of the 10GbE.

See it at CalDigit →

Direct link · no commission · CalDigit store ↗

Docks · OWC

OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock

$320In stock

3× TB5 · 2.5GbE · SD UHS-II · 140W

Three Thunderbolt 5 ports, 2.5GbE, card readers and 140W for $180 less than the CalDigit.

For
A desk without a NAS.

Good value if 2.5GbE is enough.

See it at OWC →

Direct link · no commission · OWC store ↗

Displays · ASUS

ASUS ProArt PA27JCV

$706*In stock (retailer)

27" 5K (5120×2880) · 99% DCI-P3 · USB-C

A 27-inch 5K panel with 99% DCI-P3 and USB-C, for less than half the Studio Display.

For
Anyone buying a Mac mini or Mac Studio who wants 5K text without the Apple tax.

Best value 5K.

See it at ASUS →

Direct link · no commission · * Newegg price; launched at $799 and ASUS’s own store page errored. · Newegg listing ↗

Displays · LG

LG UltraFine evo 32U990A

$1,310*In stock (retailer)

32" 6K (6144×3456) · Thunderbolt 5 · DisplayHDR 600

A 32-inch 6K Nano IPS Black panel with Thunderbolt 5. More room for a timeline and a terminal side by side.

For
Video editors who want a bigger canvas than 27 inches.

The 6K to buy.

See it at LG →

Direct link · no commission · * Newegg price; launched at $1,999.99. · Newegg listing ↗

Displays · Apple

Apple Studio Display (2026)

$1,599*In stock

27" 5K · 60Hz · TB5 · 12MP camera

Same 27-inch 5K panel as 2022, now with Thunderbolt 5 and a 12MP Center Stage camera. The easy answer with a Mac.

For
People who want one cable and a camera built in.

Easy, not a bargain.

See it at Apple →

Direct link · no commission · * $1,999 with the height-adjustable stand; nano-texture is $300 more. · Apple Store ↗

Displays · Apple

Apple Studio Display XDR

$3,299*In stock

27" 5K mini-LED · 120Hz · 2,000 nits peak

A 27-inch 5K mini-LED at 120Hz and 2,000 nits for HDR. It replaced the Pro Display XDR in March.

For
Grading HDR video for a living.

Only if you grade HDR.

See it at Apple →

Direct link · no commission · * With the height-adjustable stand; $2,899 with a VESA mount. · Apple Store ↗

Power + network · CyberPower

CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD

$275In stock

1500VA / 1000W · line-interactive · sine wave

A 1500VA pure sine wave battery backup. A power blip mid-render or mid-migration costs more than this box.

For
Any desk running long jobs overnight.

The pick: more watts for less money.

See it at CyberPower →

Direct link · no commission · CyberPower product page ↗

Power + network · eero

eero Pro 7, two-pack

$400In stock (sale from $549.99)

Wi-Fi 7 tri-band · 2× 5GbE per unit

Wi-Fi 7 mesh with two 5GbE ports per unit. Worth it with multi-gig internet; otherwise a cable from the dock does more for moving files.

For
Houses with multi-gig internet and 6GHz devices.

Skip unless your internet is faster than your Wi-Fi.

See it at eero →

Direct link · no commission · eero store ↗

Asset software · Eagle

Eagle

One-time · see site*One-time license

Indexes folders in place and finds images by similarity or meaning without tags, with AI actions for tagging and renaming. It is built for design references, which is what a folder of Midjourney and Sora output really is.

For
Folders of AI generations and design references.

The pick for AI output.

See it at Eagle →

Direct link · no commission · * Eagle did not show a base price on the pages we could load; 30-day free trial. · eagle.cool ↗

Asset software · Excire

Excire Foto 2027

$249One-time license

Private, on-device search across a large photo archive: objects, faces, text in images, aesthetic ratings and duplicate detection. Nothing uploads.

For
A big photo archive you want to search without a cloud.

The private search pick.

See it at Excire →

Direct link · no commission · Skylum marketplace ↗

THE CONTROLS

Pads, pedals,
lights, mics.

The new desk category: things an agent can press, light up or listen through. Each card says how an agent gets in.

A macro pad, knobs, a foot pedal, a light, an e-ink screen and a circuit board wired to one glowing square

Agent pads · OpenAI × Work Louder

Codex Micro

$230*Sold out (limited run)

13 switches · Agent Keys · joystick · reasoning dial · BT + USB-C

OpenAI’s first branded hardware: a macro pad whose Agent Keys light up with each Codex thread’s state (thinking, running, waiting, done) and turn red on an error. Command keys accept, reject and push to talk; a joystick fires saved workflows; a dial sets reasoning effort.

For
Codex users who want agent status in their peripheral vision.
Agent handle
Codex only, configured inside Codex

The right idea, locked to one agent.

See it at OpenAI × Work Louder →

Direct link · no commission · * Price from launch press (July 15, 2026); OpenAI’s page blocked our check. · Tom’s Hardware launch report ↗

Agent pads · Work Louder

Creator Micro 2

See makerShips in 1–3 days

The unbranded sibling you can still buy: the same Agent Keys, push-to-talk and command keys, joystick and reasoning dial. The PRO model adds Bluetooth and a battery.

For
Anyone who wanted a Codex Micro and missed it.
Agent handle
Codex inside Codex; other apps via Work Louder’s Input app

The one to buy if you want an agent pad today.

See it at Work Louder →

Direct link · no commission · Work Louder product page ↗

Control surfaces · Elgato

Stream Deck +

$180In stock

8 LCD keys · 4 dials · touch strip

Eight LCD keys, four dials and a touch strip. Since Stream Deck 7.4 it ships an official MCP server: you place actions on a virtual “MCP Deck” and an AI assistant can press only those.

For
The desk where agents and hands share the same buttons.
Agent handle
Official MCP server (@elgato/mcp-server)

The best agent-controllable surface you can buy.

See it at Elgato →

Direct link · no commission · Elgato MCP setup guide ↗

Control surfaces · Elgato

Stream Deck MK.2

$150In stock

15 LCD keys

Fifteen LCD keys, the classic. Same software, same MCP server, no dials.

For
More buttons, fewer knobs.
Agent handle
Official MCP server

The classic, now agent-ready.

See it at Elgato →

Direct link · no commission · Elgato store ↗

Control surfaces · Elgato

Stream Deck Neo

$100In stock

8 LCD keys · 2 touch points

Eight keys and two touch points for under $100. Enough for accept, reject, talk and a few saved prompts.

For
A first control surface.
Agent handle
Official MCP server

The cheap way in.

See it at Elgato →

Direct link · no commission · Elgato store ↗

Control surfaces · Logitech

MX Creative Console

$200In stock

A keypad with LCD keys plus a wireless dialpad, tuned for creative apps through Logi Options+.

For
Photo and video apps first, agents second.
Agent handle
Actions SDK; no MCP

Good for Premiere, weaker for agents.

See it at Logitech →

Direct link · no commission · Logitech store ↗

Control surfaces · Keychron

Keychron Q0 Max

$130In stock

A metal number pad with a knob that runs open QMK firmware. Any key can send anything, and code on your Mac can talk to it over raw HID.

For
Tinkerers who want an open pad to program.
Agent handle
Open QMK/VIA; raw HID from your own scripts

The open-firmware pick.

See it at Keychron →

Direct link · no commission · Keychron store ↗

Voice · Elgato

Stream Deck Pedal

$90In stock

Three foot pedals with adjustable tension, run by the Stream Deck app. Put push-to-talk under your foot and your hands stay on the keyboard while you talk to an agent.

For
Dictating to agents all day.
Agent handle
Official MCP server, via the Stream Deck app

The easiest hands-free push-to-talk.

See it at Elgato →

Direct link · no commission · Elgato store ↗

Voice · Wispr

Wispr Flow Pro

$15/mo*Subscription

Dictation that works in every app, on Mac, Windows and phones. Talking is faster than typing prompts.

For
Anyone who writes long prompts.

The default for talking to agents.

See it at Wispr →

Direct link · no commission · * $12 a month billed yearly; free tier available. · Wispr Flow pricing ↗

Voice · superwhisper

superwhisper Pro

$8/mo*Subscription

Hotkey dictation with offline local models, or your own API keys. Your voice can stay on the Mac.

For
Private, local dictation.

The local option.

See it at superwhisper →

Direct link · no commission · * Price from the site’s own code, not a visible page; free tier available. · superwhisper site ↗

Lights · Elgato

Elgato Key Light

$180In stock

The standard video-call light, controlled over Wi-Fi from the Elgato app or a Stream Deck.

For
Video calls and recording yourself.
Agent handle
Local HTTP API on port 9123 (community-documented)

The best call light, and scriptable.

See it at Elgato →

Direct link · no commission · Elgato store ↗

Lights · Elgato

Elgato Key Light Neo

$70In stock

A smaller, cheaper Key Light for a desk monitor.

For
A single desk and a webcam.
Agent handle
Elgato app + Stream Deck

Good enough for most calls.

See it at Elgato →

Direct link · no commission · Elgato store ↗

Lights · Philips Hue

Philips Hue + Bridge

Varies by kitIn stock

The most mature light system to script: a local REST API on the Bridge, Matter support, and several community MCP servers. Make the room turn amber when an agent is waiting on you.

For
Ambient status for agents across a room.
Agent handle
Local REST API · Matter · community MCP servers

The light to wire to your agents.

See it at Philips Hue →

Direct link · no commission · Community Hue MCP server ↗

Lights · Nanoleaf

Nanoleaf panels

Varies by kitIn stock

Wall panels with a documented local API. A good glanceable “board” for agent status.

For
A wall that shows what the agents are doing.
Agent handle
Local REST API (port 16021)

Fun and scriptable.

See it at Nanoleaf →

Direct link · no commission · Nanoleaf OpenAPI ↗

Audio + video · Shure

Shure MV7+

$299*In stock

USB-C and XLR, voice isolation, tap to mute. A dynamic mic rejects the room, which makes dictation and calls cleaner.

For
Dictation, calls, podcasts.

Top dictation mic.

See it at Shure →

Direct link · no commission · * Price from Shure’s page data, not a visible tag. · Shure product page ↗

Audio + video · RØDE

RØDE PodMic USB

$209*In stock

A dynamic broadcast mic with USB and XLR for $90 less than the Shure.

For
The same job on a smaller budget.

Best value mic.

See it at RØDE →

Direct link · no commission · * Price from RØDE’s page data. · RØDE product page ↗

Audio + video · Elgato

Elgato Facecam

$140In stock

1080p60 on a Sony STARVIS sensor with a privacy shutter, controlled from a Stream Deck.

For
A fixed desk camera.
Agent handle
Camera Hub + Stream Deck

Solid and simple.

See it at Elgato →

Direct link · no commission · Elgato store ↗

Open hardware · Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi 5, 16GB

$305*In stock

A tiny always-on computer for a house agent: run the status lights, the TRMNL feed, a local speech model, or an MCP bridge to everything else on this list.

For
The always-on node that ties the desk together.
Agent handle
Linux; run any MCP server on it

The cheapest agent node.

See it at Raspberry Pi →

Direct link · no commission · * Price listed on raspberrypi.com for the 16GB model; memory prices have pushed it up. The 40-TOPS AI HAT+ 2 is about $130 more. · Raspberry Pi product page ↗

Open hardware · TRMNL

TRMNL

See makerIn stock

An e-ink dashboard with open firmware, webhooks, private plugins and an API. It shows a daily brief or agent status without another glowing screen.

For
Passive, glanceable status.
Agent handle
Webhooks + API; bring-your-own-device firmware

The quiet screen for agents.

See it at TRMNL →

Direct link · no commission · TRMNL site ↗

HOW IT GETS INTERESTING

Every knob
is a tool.

The interesting part is not a faster box. It is the desk turning into small tools an agent can see and press: a key that lights up when a thread needs you, a pedal to talk, a lamp that goes amber when a render finishes, a drive that files itself. Most of the parts exist. They just do not talk to each other yet.

What we’d ask hardware to do

  1. Ship an MCP server in the box.

    Elgato did it for Stream Deck in version 7.4. Every light, pad, drive and camera should arrive with one, so any agent can use it on day one.

  2. Show agent state, for any agent.

    Codex Micro’s Agent Keys (thinking, running, waiting, done, red for error) are the right idea. Make that vocabulary open so Claude Code, Codex and the rest can all light the same key.

  3. Stay on the local network.

    Hue, Nanoleaf and Key Light all answer on the LAN. The desk should keep working when a company’s server goes dark.

  4. Let people set the permissions.

    Stream Deck’s MCP Deck is the model: an agent can press only the buttons you put on its deck. Every device should work that way.

  5. Print memory and bandwidth on the box.

    They decide what models a machine can run. Put them next to the price, not three clicks down.

  6. Open firmware, repairable parts.

    QMK pads, TRMNL’s open firmware, Framework’s swappable boards. Modular only works if you can open it.

What PointCast might build

  1. The Agent Light.

    A small open spec and script that maps agent hook events (thinking, waiting on you, done, error) to any light or key on this page. One status vocabulary for every agent.

  2. A PointCast deck.

    A Stream Deck MCP Deck with town actions: post to Shortwave, open today’s block, ring the bell, check the deploy.

  3. The desk bus.

    A Raspberry Pi 5 running Home Assistant and MCP bridges, so every part here shows up to an agent as one tool list.

  4. A TRMNL page.

    The Morning Edition on e-ink, plus the machine’s own vitals: disk free, swap, last night’s sweep.

  5. The sweep, shared.

    The daily disk-cleanup script that keeps this iMac alive, published as a recipe for anyone running agents on a small drive.

These are ideas, not products. Nothing in this section is for sale.

FORESIGHT · 2027

What to wait for,
and what not to.

  1. NowAnnouncedM6 is here, but only in the base Mac mini.

    Apple’s first 2nm chip shipped September 22 in the $899 Mac mini. M6 Pro, Max and Ultra are not announced. Mac mini specs ↗

  2. Late Oct 2026AnnouncedMac Studio M5 Ultra with 512GB.

    Apple lists the 512GB memory option as coming late October. Apple Store ↗

  3. Late 2026 – early 2027RumorOLED MacBook Pro with M6 Pro and M6 Max.

    Bloomberg reports a thinner, touch-capable OLED redesign, possibly sold above the M5 models rather than replacing them. MacRumors roundup ↗

  4. Q3–Q4 2026ReportedMemory keeps getting more expensive.

    TrendForce raised its Q3 PC DRAM forecast to +18–23% and sees Q4 at 0–5%, with server memory tight into 2027. It already shows: DGX Spark +$700, Framework +$1,450, SSDs roughly doubled. TweakTown on TrendForce ↗

  5. DelayedReportedNo RTX 50 Super cards yet.

    Reported postponed because of GDDR7 shortages. NVIDIA has not announced them. Igor’s Lab ↗

  6. 2H 2027RumorRTX 60 “Rubin” consumer GPUs.

    Leakers point to the second half of 2027, possibly Q4, while NVIDIA feeds data centers first. KitGuru ↗

If your work is waiting on the machine, buy now: memory went up all year and is forecast to stay tight. If you are buying a laptop and can wait, wait for the M6 Pro redesign. Desktops can go now; the next Mac Studio is probably a year or more away.

EVERY PART ON ONE SHEET

The parts list.

36 of 45 with a firm US price · checked September 29, 2026
PartKindPriceStatusAgent handle
MacBook Air 15", M5, 24GBAppleLaptops$1,999In stock—
MacBook Pro 16", M5 Max, 128GBAppleLaptops$6,999In stock—
Mac mini, M6, 32GBAppleSmall desktops$1,799*In stock—
Mac mini, M5 Pro, 64GBAppleSmall desktops$3,199In stock—
iMac, M4, 24GBAppleSmall desktops$2,099In stock (a generation behind)—
Mac Studio, M5 Max, 64GBAppleStudios$3,799Shipping since Sept 22—
Mac Studio, M5 Max, 128GBAppleStudios$5,899*Shipping since Sept 22—
Mac Studio, M5 Ultra, 256GBAppleStudios$10,999*Shipping; 512GB in late October—
RTX 5090 workstationCustom buildCUDA boxes~$5,500–7,000 est.*Card scarce; street ~2.5× MSRP—
NVIDIA DGX SparkNVIDIACUDA boxes$4,699*In stock—
Framework Desktop, 128GBFrameworkCUDA boxes$3,449Out of stock—
Rent an RTX 5090RunPodRent it$0.99/hr*On demand—
Crucial X10, 4TBCrucialDrives$454In stock—
OWC Envoy Ultra, 4TBOWCDrives$1,380In stock—
UGREEN NASync DXP4800 PlusUGREENBackup$657*In stock (sale from $729.99)—
Backblaze Personal BackupBackblazeBackup$99/yr*Subscription—
CalDigit TS5 PlusCalDigitDocks$500In stock—
OWC Thunderbolt 5 DockOWCDocks$320In stock—
ASUS ProArt PA27JCVASUSDisplays$706*In stock (retailer)—
LG UltraFine evo 32U990ALGDisplays$1,310*In stock (retailer)—
Apple Studio Display (2026)AppleDisplays$1,599*In stock—
Apple Studio Display XDRAppleDisplays$3,299*In stock—
CyberPower CP1500PFCLCDCyberPowerPower + network$275In stock—
eero Pro 7, two-packeeroPower + network$400In stock (sale from $549.99)—
EagleEagleAsset softwareOne-time · see site*One-time license—
Excire Foto 2027ExcireAsset software$249One-time license—
Codex MicroOpenAI × Work LouderAgent pads$230*Sold out (limited run)Codex only, configured inside Codex
Creator Micro 2Work LouderAgent padsSee makerShips in 1–3 daysCodex inside Codex; other apps via Work Louder’s Input app
Stream Deck +ElgatoControl surfaces$180In stockOfficial MCP server (@elgato/mcp-server)
Stream Deck MK.2ElgatoControl surfaces$150In stockOfficial MCP server
Stream Deck NeoElgatoControl surfaces$100In stockOfficial MCP server
MX Creative ConsoleLogitechControl surfaces$200In stockActions SDK; no MCP
Keychron Q0 MaxKeychronControl surfaces$130In stockOpen QMK/VIA; raw HID from your own scripts
Stream Deck PedalElgatoVoice$90In stockOfficial MCP server, via the Stream Deck app
Wispr Flow ProWisprVoice$15/mo*Subscription—
superwhisper ProsuperwhisperVoice$8/mo*Subscription—
Elgato Key LightElgatoLights$180In stockLocal HTTP API on port 9123 (community-documented)
Elgato Key Light NeoElgatoLights$70In stockElgato app + Stream Deck
Philips Hue + BridgePhilips HueLightsVaries by kitIn stockLocal REST API · Matter · community MCP servers
Nanoleaf panelsNanoleafLightsVaries by kitIn stockLocal REST API (port 16021)
Shure MV7+ShureAudio + video$299*In stock—
RØDE PodMic USBRØDEAudio + video$209*In stock—
Elgato FacecamElgatoAudio + video$140In stockCamera Hub + Stream Deck
Raspberry Pi 5, 16GBRaspberry PiOpen hardware$305*In stockLinux; run any MCP server on it
TRMNLTRMNLOpen hardwareSee makerIn stockWebhooks + API; bring-your-own-device firmware

* See the note on that card. Prices exclude tax and shipping and move often, memory prices most of all; the maker’s page is the truth.