How I'm using Claude/ChatGPT + voice to replace my entire multi-monitor setup

Posted by Smooth-Loquat-4954@reddit | LocalLLaMA | View on Reddit | 9 comments

Finally found the killer use case for LLMs that nobody talks about: they make multiple monitors obsolete.

I've been deep in the AI tool ecosystem for the past year, and something clicked recently. I realized I was using my dual monitor setup completely wrong. All those terminal panes, documentation tabs, and IDE windows? They were just poor substitutes for what AI assistants do better.

Current setup:

Single 14" MacBook Pro (36GB RAM for running local models when needed)
Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones
Voice input via Wispr Flow (hitting 175 WPM)
AI tools: Claude Desktop, ChatGPT, Cursor IDE

The revelation: When you can voice-chat with an AI that knows your entire codebase (Cursor), has context on your problem (Claude), and can research anything instantly (ChatGPT), you don't need 27 browser tabs open anymore.

Wild productivity gains from voice + LLMs:

Debug while walking - explain the bug out loud, get solutions back
Architecture planning during commute/exercise
Code reviews while doing chores
Documentation writing at 175 WPM while pacing

The unexpected benefit: Physical movement + verbal reasoning with AI creates a completely different problem-solving mode. Bugs that stumped me for hours at my desk get solved in 10 minutes of walking and talking it through with Claude.

Technical setup for those interested:

Claude Desktop with MCP (connected to my Oura Ring for stress-aware assistance)
ChatGPT Advanced Voice for rubber duck debugging
Cursor as primary IDE (sorry vim, you served well)
Wispr Flow for system-wide voice input
Rectangle for the occasional window management

I'm not saying abandon your local models or stop self-hosting - I still run Ollama for sensitive stuff. But for 90% of daily dev work, this cloud AI + voice setup absolutely destroys the traditional multi-monitor approach.

Anyone else discovering that LLMs are changing not just HOW we code but WHERE and WHEN we can code effectively?

[-]

Alarmed_Till7091@reddit

How? Absolutely. I do a lot more work on my macbook now as well. Even with local models, I have a lot less need for extra monitor space.

Where/When? No. Work happens during work hours. Separating life and work is very important for your mental health. Especially since these tools can possible save you time, those time savings should be used to prevent you from filling your life up with more work.

[-]

-dysangel-@reddit

you only code for work?

[-]

Alarmed_Till7091@reddit

Maybe a small project here or there, sure, but I prefer to be well rounded in many things than completely consume my life in things directly related to my work. There is more to life than code.

[-]

-dysangel-@reddit

Sure, I agree! Which is why I love just being able to leave an agent building stuff while I do all the things I would have been doing anyway

[-]

Alarmed_Till7091@reddit

100% I totally agree

I specifically don't like OPs idea of using ai to turn time that should be spent resting your mind into more coding time (the programming while hiking idea seems super dystopian to me)

[-]

-dysangel-@reddit

I get where you're coming from, but consider the opposing viewpoint - currently all office workers are just stuck on our asses (or standing desks) at our computer all day. But it's starting to become more feasible to get the same work done while being outdoors in nature and getting some exercise. I think that's actually less dystopian than being stuck in a cubicle!

[-]

Alarmed_Till7091@reddit

True, but SWE isn't done in cubicles at most tech offices. The goal of tech companies is to keep you working well past your 8 hr end time (especially Californian companies, where Overtime pay is not a thing for SWE) so they would likely use it to just increase your expected work output, not to make your life actually better.

For secretarial life stuff, like Emails, Todo lists and Calender management, I do think this sort of AI on the go use case is super helpful. I have one setup to my discord DMs, so I can just DM a bot to note down a future event or thing I want to do and it can DM me content from my emails or offer to unsubscribe from newsletters. Outside of for producers and managers, that sort of thing is just a positive change as it only removes work from your table rather than adds more.