Who is Renz Sadiwa?
Renz Sadiwa creates YouTube videos about Mac productivity apps and workflow optimization. The channel isn't about flashy setups or expensive gear, more about finding utilities that remove daily friction from using macOS.
Content focuses on hidden Mac gems and lesser-known utilities. Not the obvious stuff like Notion or Slack, but the menu bar apps and system enhancers that most Mac users don't know exist. That niche attracts viewers who already know the basics and want deeper optimization.
Renz has tested probably hundreds of Mac apps over the years. The 8-app stack below represents what stuck after all that testing. Everything else got deleted because it didn't solve real problems or added complexity without value.
Videos show actual use cases, not just app tours. How Raycast speeds up video editing workflows, why Setapp saves money long-term, what problems ICE solves for content creators. Practical demonstrations beat feature lists.
Raycast as Mac Command Center
Raycast replaced both Spotlight and Alfred in Renz's workflow. App launching, clipboard history, window management, text snippets, file search. Everything keyboard-driven, no mouse needed for most Mac operations.
Extensions connect to Notion, Google Calendar, timers, unit conversions. The ecosystem makes Raycast expandable without bloat. Install only what you need, ignore the rest.
Clipboard history alone justifies the app. Access last 100 clipboard items with a shortcut. Searching clipboard history for that link you copied 20 minutes ago saves endless frustration.
Window management with keyboard shortcuts beats dragging windows manually. Tile left, tile right, maximize, center. Rearranging apps during screen recordings becomes instant instead of fumbling with the mouse on camera.
Small Utilities, Big Impact
ICE organizes the menu bar chaos. Too many apps means too many menu bar icons. ICE collapses the unused ones until needed. Clean menu bar looks better and improves focus. Free alternative to Bartender, works great.
Notchnook makes the MacBook notch useful instead of just annoying. Drop files into the notch for quick access. Clipboard history in the notch area. Turns a design compromise into an actual feature.
Rocket adds emoji picker with typing colon, like Slack. Way faster than opening system emoji panel. Works in every app consistently. Small improvement that adds up over hundreds of daily uses.
Amphetamine keeps Mac awake during long exports or uploads. More control than system settings. Screen on, hard drive awake, network active. Prevents interruptions during critical operations. Free and rock solid.
Setapp for App Discovery
Setapp gives access to 240+ Mac apps for one monthly subscription. CleanMyMac, PDF Expert, Bartender, iStat Menus, and dozens more. Saves hundreds compared to buying individual licenses.
App discovery is the real value. Try utilities without committing to purchases. Found tools Renz never would have bought separately. The collection constantly expands with new additions.
For a Mac productivity YouTuber, Setapp is essential. Can review apps, test workflows, create content without buying everything individually. The subscription pays for itself with content opportunities.
Focus with Session Timer
Session handles Pomodoro timing and focus sessions. 25-minute work blocks with 5-minute breaks. Menu bar integration makes starting sessions one click. No opening apps or setting timers manually.
Stats show actual productive time versus just feeling busy. Seeing '4 hours of focused work today' is more accurate than guessing. The data motivates consistency.
Blocking distractions during focus mode prevents tab-switching to Twitter mid-session. The timer creates commitment. Starting a 25-minute block feels doable, easier than committing to 'work until done.'
Frequently Asked Questions About Renz Sadiwa's Stack
What Mac productivity apps does Renz Sadiwa use?
Raycast for app launching and clipboard, Session for Pomodoro timers, Setapp for accessing 240+ apps, ICE for menu bar management, Notchnook for utilizing the MacBook notch, Rocket for quick emoji input, Amphetamine for preventing sleep during renders. All Mac-specific utilities focused on removing daily friction.
Is Setapp worth it for Mac users?
If you use 3-4 of the included apps, it pays for itself. Access to CleanMyMac, PDF Expert, Bartender, and 240+ others for one monthly fee. The real value is trying apps without buying them individually. For content creators and power users, absolutely worth it. Casual users might not need it.
Why does Renz use Raycast instead of Spotlight?
Raycast does way more than Spotlight. Clipboard history, window management, snippets, extensions for Notion and calendars. Fully keyboard-driven workflow prevents touching the mouse. Spotlight just launches apps and searches files. Raycast replaced both Spotlight and Alfred in Renz's setup.
What's the point of ICE when Bartender exists?
ICE is free and does menu bar management well enough. Bartender has more features, but ICE handles the main use case: hiding unused menu bar icons to reduce clutter. For someone on a budget or who doesn't need advanced controls, ICE works great. Renz probably has access to Bartender via Setapp but chose the simpler free option.
How does Renz prevent Mac from sleeping during exports?
Amphetamine gives granular control over sleep settings. Can keep screen on, hard drive awake, network active, or any combination. Better than system settings which are more limited. Also uses DocFix for similar purpose. Both prevent interruptions during long renders, uploads, or when using Mac as a secondary display.
Are these Mac-only tools?
Yeah, everything in Renz's stack is Mac-specific. Raycast, Setapp, ICE, Notchnook, Amphetamine all macOS only. The channel focuses on Mac productivity, so Windows or Linux equivalents aren't relevant. Windows users would need completely different utilities to accomplish similar workflows.