Beating a dead horse (notch)

[bassjunky]

This is an old debate, and I have been indifferent until it affected me. Recently got a M4 Pro Max MBP for work, coming from an i9 Intel. Awesome kit, but the notch is ***** dumb. Why not increase the bezel slightly above the screen to fit the camera? All screen, then a camera and whatever else in a small bezel you typically will not see.

On our phones, the notch is not as noticeable (at least to me). On my new Mac, it's just wasted space and the eye of Sauron always looking at me.

I do not understand this design logic, despite loving this MBP.

 

[kitKAC]

This is an old debate

So much so, and yet, here we are.

it's just wasted space

It's not, the notch gives you more screen space. Just like the iPhone, the screen has extended up around the camera, not the camera down into the screen. The menubar now sits higher on the screen as a result.

If it bothers you that much, there are plenty of apps that'll hide it for you. Have a look.

 

[MacPeasant123]

With the notch on the Mac, you get some extra vertical space but give up seeing all your menu bar items (if you have quite a few).

If like me you prioritize seeing the menu bar items over that little vertical space, you can change this easily in your Mac. Go to System Settings => Display, and then turn on "Show all resolutions."

Then you'll see that with all those resolutions, each one has a slightly smaller vertical resolution below it, and those are what will fix the issue. For example on my 15 inch M3 MacBook Air, the default resolution is 1710 x 1107 (which has the notch). Just below that is 1710 x 1068, and that option will get rid of the notch - you'll lose those extra vertical pixels, but then you won't have menu bar items being hidden behind the notch. That is my preference.

This is an old debate, and I have been indifferent until it affected me. Recently got a M4 Pro Max MBP for work, coming from an i9 Intel. Awesome kit, but the notch is ***** dumb. Why not increase the bezel slightly above the screen to fit the camera? All screen, then a camera and whatever else in a small bezel you typically will not see.

On our phones, the notch is not as noticeable (at least to me). On my new Mac, it's just wasted space and the eye of Sauron always looking at me.

I do not understand this design logic, despite loving this MBP.

 

[TechRunner]

The easiest solution is to attach the MBP to an external monitor. Done. No more notch.

 

[curnalpanic]

Why do you want less dispaly area?

 

[PotentPeas]

I'm fine with it. More screen space and less bezel is preferable. The notch stays in the menu bar area, it doesn't actually take up "desktop" real estate. And, it is easy enough to fully hide by setting the screen to a 16:10 resolution, if it really bugs you.

I will say that the notch is too wide, and there is no good reason for it to be as wide as it is, other than that maybe they were thinking about including Face ID hardware *in the future* and they didn't want to make the notch wider when they added that. But now it looks like Face ID is not going to happen. The rumor mill says that they're switching to a circular hole-punch camera for the OLED models (launching late 2026). That would be a step up.

 

[AssassuN]

Yeah I don't think Apple communicated that as clearly as they could, since people are confused all these years later.

The notch doesn't take up any of your screen real estate, you actually gain some by moving the menu bar up from it. Apple just extended the display up (where the menu bar and notch now reside).
You actually get 16:10 usable space, as opposed to before where the menu bar occupied part of that.

 

[IJustWannaTalk]

Sigh. I'm very happy to just have accepted the notch and moved on.
I wish everyone could do so.

 

[Euroamerican]

I totally don't even notice the notch is even there on my new iPhone 16e. Like: Ask me if it is there..... I don't even notice.

 

[dmccloud]

The usable space of the display (i.e., everything below the menubar) is 16:10. The menubar/notch take up space above that space. On non-notched displays, the menubar would be part of that 16:10 aspect ratio, meaning you actually have less usable space without the notch.

 

[curnalpanic]

I use my 16" as my main display all day, and for me the notch is not an issue at all. The only problem is if an app has so many menu items that it reaches the notch, but that almost never happens. Maybe it's a bigger problem on the 14".

 

[dmccloud]

I use my 16" as my main display all day, and for me the notch is not an issue at all. The only problem is if an app has so many menu items that it reaches the notch, but that almost never happens. Maybe it's a bigger problem on the 14".

I use Bartender to keep the menubar as uncluttered as possible anyways, so I don't even worry about the notch in day to day use.

 

[usagora]

Yeah I don't think Apple communicated that as clearly as they could, since people are confused all these years later.

That's possible, however, one thing I've learned in life is that no matter how clearly you explain something, there will still be a sizable population of people who will still misunderstand it (or just not listen).

 

[HoreaG]

If like me you prioritize seeing the menu bar items over that little vertical space, you can change this easily in your Mac. Go to System Settings => Display, and then turn on "Show all resolutions."

Then you'll see that with all those resolutions, each one has a slightly smaller vertical resolution below it, and those are what will fix the issue. For example on my 15 inch M3 MacBook Air, the default resolution is 1710 x 1107 (which has the notch). Just below that is 1710 x 1068, and that option will get rid of the notch - you'll lose those extra vertical pixel

When giving instructions first step would be to mention the environmnent they will work. Such as the version of the OS.

 

[Basic75]

Configure menu bar as black and always visible, create a wallpaper that is black under the menu bar, and hey presto, the notch is gone!

 

[Big_D]

The easiest solution is to attach the MBP to an external monitor. Done. No more notch.

Yep, not seeing any notch on my 44" monitor...

Seriously though, to the OP, I don't really notice the notch, even when working on the internal display. I appreciate the extra couple of lines on the screen that it brings with it. As @Basic75 says, using a black menu bar solves the problem, on my MBA, I can't even see the notch, I can just about make out the camera lens.