Indicator light on Mac Studio larger than expected?

[darinzook]

I was at the mall with my family this weekend and saw the Mac Studio in person for the first time (as well as the new MBA midnight color). The size was what I had expected, and I love all the connectivity on the chassis. One thing that stood out though was how big the indicator light on the front of the chassis was - and how different that feels from normal Apple design?

When I compared it with the Mac mini next to it, its easily 8-10x the size of the light on the mini. As I walked away, I couldn't help but try to rationalize this difference. Being that it serves no purpose other than indicating power and sleep status, I wonder why they made it so much larger than on the Mac mini? The status indicator is there because of the fact that it has no direct attached display, and there are often headless use-cases. But it just stood out to me as an odd design decision.

Owners, question - Are there 3rd party tools to adjust the indicator status (on/off/brightness)? I fully realize this is a minimal issue for the horsepower you're getting. It just seemed like an interesting consistency difference.

 

[XavierScott]

Not sure the problem here. It's a non-event for me, it's just a light and it doesn't hinder any of my productivity. Unless I'm missing something? I guess pairing the two together may look a little different but my studio is behind my workspace so I don't see something.

 

[wdhpgx]

Yep. Noticeably bigger than the one on my m1 mini. I was surprised by that and a little annoyed (I like smaller more subtle indicator lights).

But no, it doesn't indicate sleep status anymore (that I'm aware of); as far as I know, on both the m1 mini and mac studio, the led no longer blinks when they're in sleep mode.

Dunno the rationale. Half the design decisions Apple makes in their OS and physicals these days don't make sense to me, so I don't have any insight into their whys.

I haven't been made aware of any utilities to adjust it; I would tend to doubt any will come about.

 

[niteflyr]

Owners, question - Are there 3rd party tools to adjust the indicator status (on/off/brightness)? I fully realize this is a minimal issue for the horsepower you're getting. It just seemed like an interesting consistency difference.

I found a 3rd party tool that works quite well. A small piece of duct tape dims it dramatically. I don't even notice it anymore.

 

[chabig]

I found a 3rd party tool that works quite well.

But according to Mark Gurman, that tool will be deprecated in macOS Ventura.

 

[theluggage]

But according to Mark Gurman, that tool will be deprecated in macOS Ventura.

Nonsense - Apple would never do that after all that duct tape product placement on For All Mankind...

Anyway, at least it isn't one of those horrible dazzling blue LED power lights that casts visible shadows.

 

[3Rock]

No biggie for me. Don't know why people even comment on this.

 

[darngooddesign]

I was at the mall with my family this weekend and saw the Mac Studio in person for the first time (as well as the new MBA midnight color). The size was what I had expected, and I love all the connectivity on the chassis. One thing that stood out though was how big the indicator light on the front of the chassis was - and how different that feels from normal Apple design?

When I compared it with the Mac mini next to it, its easily 8-10x the size of the light on the mini. As I walked away, I couldn't help but try to rationalize this difference. Being that it serves no purpose other than indicating power and sleep status, I wonder why they made it so much larger than on the Mac mini? The status indicator is there because of the fact that it has no direct attached display, and there are often headless use-cases. But it just stood out to me as an odd design decision.

Owners, question - Are there 3rd party tools to adjust the indicator status (on/off/brightness)? I fully realize this is a minimal issue for the horsepower you're getting. It just seemed like an interesting consistency difference.

That's because the Studio comes with either the Indicator-Max or Indicator-Ultra.

 

[retlif]

Bigger, Longer & Uncut. This is what happens when a company stops knowing what it was doing right

 

[darngooddesign]

Bigger, Longer & Uncut. This is what happens when a company stops knowing what it was doing right

Apple moved three frequently used things to the front instead of keeping everything on the back. Sounds like they just remembered what they know is right.

I have no problem with the light size, it looks like it has a bit softer of a glow compared to the Mini's light, but I wish it breathed while sleeping like their older computers did.

 

[retlif]

Is this bundled deal? Strange! Can't you just have ports on the front and the old, small and good breathing light?

 

[darngooddesign]

Is this bundled deal? Strange! Can't you just have ports on the front and the old, small and good breathing light?

Light size looks fine to me but it would be nice if it breathed while sleeping like older Macs did.

 

[darngooddesign]

I was at the mall with my family this weekend and saw the Mac Studio in person for the first time (as well as the new MBA midnight color). The size was what I had expected, and I love all the connectivity on the chassis. One thing that stood out though was how big the indicator light on the front of the chassis was - and how different that feels from normal Apple design?

When I compared it with the Mac mini next to it, its easily 8-10x the size of the light on the mini. As I walked away, I couldn't help but try to rationalize this difference. Being that it serves no purpose other than indicating power and sleep status, I wonder why they made it so much larger than on the Mac mini? The status indicator is there because of the fact that it has no direct attached display, and there are often headless use-cases. But it just stood out to me as an odd design decision.

Owners, question - Are there 3rd party tools to adjust the indicator status (on/off/brightness)? I fully realize this is a minimal issue for the horsepower you're getting. It just seemed like an interesting consistency difference.

Have you considered putting small google eyes on the front and covering the light with one of them>

 

[theluggage]

Apple moved three frequently used things to the front instead of keeping everything on the back.

...apart from the power button, unfortunately, but progress is progress...

 

[Uncle Pinny]

I have one. It is A little on the large side agreed. Lack of throbbing sleep pulse is awful. Used to love that feature. Could immediately see when asleep or awake. Why there’s an oversized bright LED on when the machine is asleep is beyond me.

 

[darinzook]

No biggie for me. Don't know why people even comment on this.

I’m not making a big deal of it - just noting that this was the first I’d seen it, and thought it was a curious design decision considering that it also breaks from the consistency of the Mac mini. Certainly not something thats a buying decision.

Apple moved three frequently used things to the front instead of keeping everything on the back. Sounds like they just remembered what they know is right.

I have no problem with the light size, it looks like it has a bit softer of a glow compared to the Mini's light, but I wish it breathed while sleeping like their older computers did.

Is this bundled deal? Strange! Can't you just have ports on the front and the old, small and good breathing light?

Light size looks fine to me but it would be nice if it breathed while sleeping like older Macs did.

Love all the comments on the sleeping/breathing light. I remember my OG Bondi Blue clamshell iBook having that feature and thinking it was the coolest thing. It followed me all the way through the Macs I’d owned through the years… iBook, PowerBook G4, MacBook Pro C2D, (White) iMac C2Q, PowerMac G5. Mid 2011 iMac i5 was my first that didn’t have it. Designs come and go - but nostalgically that was one that was just a nice touch of things only Apple thought of.