Two computers: M4 Mac mini/Studio for home and M4 MBA/MBP for school

[Mity]

I'm not sure if anyone actually does this but here we go: Is it practical to do primary work on a desktop at home but take a Macbook Air or Macbook Pro to school? How do you manage version control of files? Do you manually copy things over?

During COVID, all classes moved online and this worked really well for me. I may have to attend classes in person and this obviously necessitates a laptop but I don't want to spend too much money on one machine like an M4 Max MBP as I may damage it or it may get stolen. I prefer to run 3-4 4K monitors at home so I would either have to buy an M4 Max machine or an M3 Pro mini (the latter can support 3 monitors).

I'm thinking of getting an M4 Pro MBP or M4 MBA for the classes and then a Mac mini or Studio for use when I get home. Is this setup feasible or does it present unnecessary complexity? Anyone actually do this and do you recommend it?

 

[Weaselboy]

Just turn on iCloud Drive on all your devices and store all your data files in the default Documents folder and it will sync everything up for you.

Set up iCloud Drive on all your devices

Learn how to set up and access your iCloud Drive files and folders on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows device, and on iCloud.com.

support.apple.com

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Just turn on iCloud Drive on all your devices and store all your data files in the default Documents folder and it will sync everything up for you.

Set up iCloud Drive on all your devices

Learn how to set up and access your iCloud Drive files and folders on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows device, and on iCloud.com.

support.apple.com

But beware that it is not all apps that will let you edit files that are open on both machines at the same time. But otherwise iCloud Drive is really good for this.

 

[MacRazySwe]

I did this back in the day with a MacBook Air for Uni and an iMac 27" at home. Used a DropBox folder on the desktop to sync all files. Worked great back then!

Today I'd probably just get a MBA M4 + External display. USB-C makes it so easy to connect to a setup at home, plus your laptop is always charged and ready to go.

 

[Mity]

Do you guys know how this would work for coding projects? I guess, I should be saving things to Github but there are always some files I prefer not to commit like .env, etc.

 

[ChrisA]

I'm not sure if anyone actually does this but here we go: Is it practical to do primary work on a desktop at home but take a Macbook Air or Macbook Pro to school? How do you manage version control of files? Do you manually copy things over?

During COVID, all classes moved online and this worked really well for me. I may have to attend classes in person and this obviously necessitates a laptop but I don't want to spend too much money on one machine like an M4 Max MBP as I may damage it or it may get stolen. I prefer to run 3-4 4K monitors at home so I would either have to buy an M4 Max machine or an M3 Pro mini (the latter can support 3 monitors).

I'm thinking of getting an M4 Pro MBP or M4 MBA for the classes and then a Mac mini or Studio for use when I get home. Is this setup feasible or does it present unnecessary complexity? Anyone actually do this and do you recommend it?

A few ideas:

1) Why not use the laptop at home, but with the screen closed and connected to a monitor?

2) Your data will live not on the computer (s) but in iCloud, or some other server. Never copy data between computers.

3) Why do you need a notebook computer at school? Is there software you use at school that only runs on the Mac? For notes and such an iPad might be better.

4) There is something you are not telling us, what are you doing with a Mac Studio? Clearly not just normal "student stuff". It sounds like you might have some very specialized uses

 

[Mity]

A few ideas:

1) Why not use the laptop at home, but with the screen closed and connected to a monitor?

I have 4 4-K monitors at home (currently using only 3). If I buy a Macbook with a Max chip that can handle 4 monitors, then it will cost over $4.5K. I don't want to travel around with such an expensive laptop because it may get damaged or stolen.

2) Your data will live not on the computer (s) but in iCloud, or some other server. Never copy data between computers.

3) Why do you need a notebook computer at school? Is there software you use at school that only runs on the Mac? For notes and such an iPad might be better.

I need it for coding in Python, SQL, AirFlow and eventually Kafka. An iPad will not suffice.

4) There is something you are not telling us, what are you doing with a Mac Studio? Clearly not just normal "student stuff". It sounds like you might have some very specialized uses

I mean, it depends on what you study but I probably should have mentioned the coding stuff at the start.

 

[lixuelai]

I have a similar set up but with a MBP16 and MBA13. MBP is a desktop replacement and mostly sit at home hooked up to two monitors via a dock. The MBA also has a dock and is hooked up to another monitor. iCloud does the file sync. I use Sharemouse so I effectively have 3 monitors to work with at home (4 actually as I have a Windows workstation as well). Since I am using both Macbooks together it is harder to miss anything out of sync.

If you are on a budget a M4 MacBook Air + a dock + some DisplayLink adapters should also work. If I were in college I'd probably go down that route and have a windows/linux desktop on the side.

 

[cupcakes2000]

I mean, it depends on what you study but I probably should have mentioned the coding stuff at the start.

I was going to suggest an iPad with jump desktop to remote in, and iCloud for all your files. But since you mention now it’s for programming that’s not going to work. I suggest what others have, use iCloud. Share the desktop, docs and download folders and recreate any local folders on either machine on iCloud Drive instead. Then you will have no problems flitting between the two. Whatever the bottom end laptop that can cope with what you need will do, and a nice studio at home.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I use iCloud Drive myself, works fine other than as other said many apps can only be opened on one computer at a time so you need to take care to close the apps when you step away, if there's ANY chance that you'll be on the other computer before you come back to it. Or, if needed, remote-desktop into the opposite computer to shut down apps when you forget to do that (BTDT 😬)

Basically iCloud Drive syncs the entire ~/Documents and ~/Desktop folders and that's where I store my stuff, so no issues.

The one thing I have done, is created a few symbolic links for settings files to keep those in sync. There's no "Generic" advice for doing this; it takes a combination of an app that DOESN'T natively support iCloud but DOES keep its settings in some discrete files that will accommodate being synced. But where it works, it works well.

 

[dasjati]

I'm doing something like that: I have a Mac Studio on the desk and use a MBP for everywhere else. I've made an Automator app that closes all running apps on my MBP. Keeps it neat and avoids the problems others have mentioned. iCloud Drive to keep everything in sync has been working well for me.

 

[narc1981]

Your considerations are totally out of this world.

3 external monitors are not used neither by a Wall Street trader, please stop taking this as a reason for your doubts, simply admit your are a victim of Apple commercials and consider a better way to spend your money.

 

[Bungaree.Chubbins]

Your considerations are totally out of this world.

3 external monitors are not used neither by a Wall Street trader, please stop taking this as a reason for your doubts, simply admit your are a victim of Apple commercials and consider a better way to spend your money.

What’s wrong with 3 external monitors? I know someone who works on 6 screens!

I have 2 4K monitors, and certainly wouldn’t be upset if I had a third! Some jobs require a LOT of screen realestate.

 

[Mity]

Your considerations are totally out of this world.

3 external monitors are not used neither by a Wall Street trader, please stop taking this as a reason for your doubts, simply admit your are a victim of Apple commercials and consider a better way to spend your money.

That's an incredibly funny statement as I began my career on Wall Street as an analyst and I assure you that everyone there uses at least 2 monitors, and I quite literally sat next to a trading "floor". I now work in energy and take coding classes for fun.

I still work from home 2 days per week and I love my setup of 2 vertical LG 32" 4K in vertical/portrait mode off to the left and one LG 43" off to the right. This setup is almost necessary.

For work, I MUST have Teams, Outlook e-mail, and Outlook calendar open at all times. I work with numerous offices and I am pinged constantly! I am not unique in this way; most corporate jobs are the same. Chat apps and e-mail are double edged swords in that they are very efficient but they also get in the way of "real work." Same with the numerous Teams meetings EVERY SINGLE day! These three apps stay open and occupy one monitor.

Rather than go through my entire workflow with you, I think it's pretty easy for you to imagine that working in Word, Excel, and looking up reference material can easily take up one or two more monitors.

 

[lixuelai]

Traders use between 3 and 6 at every firm I’ve been in. 3 only became an option recently and you get a huge main monitor. Most people still prefer 4-6. My current set up at work at a BB is 4x27.

 

[theorist9]

Your considerations are totally out of this world.

3 external monitors are not used neither by a Wall Street trader, please stop taking this as a reason for your doubts, simply admit your are a victim of Apple commercials....

Three full-sized (≈27") displays are very helpful for anyone looking at large amounts of data, particularly if you are comparing numbers on large spreadsheets, where you need a full-sized montior to display each one. I use three, and I'm considering adding a fourth.

They're also helpful if you're working on anything with multiple pieces of information, and need to see all the info. at once.

....and consider a better way to spend your money.

And consider a better way to spend your time than ridiculously telling someone, whom you don't know, that you understand their work needs better than they do.

 

[Bungaree.Chubbins]

I'm a draftsman, and am going for accreditation for energy efficiency assessing. I currently have 2x28" monitors, one either side of my MacBook Pro. If I could go 3x28”, I'd be overjoyed. You need to keep a lot of information at hand, across numerous programs when doing an assessment. I could easily use 3x27”, and still use my MacBook's screen, and a 13" iPad as well. 6 monitors would be a dream!

 

[Chancha]

I was going to suggest an iPad with jump desktop to remote in, and iCloud for all your files. But since you mention now it’s for programming that’s not going to work. I suggest what others have, use iCloud. Share the desktop, docs and download folders and recreate any local folders on either machine on iCloud Drive instead. Then you will have no problems flitting between the two. Whatever the bottom end laptop that can cope with what you need will do, and a nice studio at home.

I was already thinking about Jump Desktop while clicking in this thread. I don't know how much "coding" OP needs to do while on the go, with direct access to data. If the answer is none, remote desktop is the way to go:

1) spec a M4 Max Studio as good as you can
2) find the absolute lowest price for like a base 8GB M2 MBA, probably 13", 15" if you really want more real estate
3) run literally everything on the Studio. The MBA is only meant as a remote desktop client terminal, and in the event you absolutely must compute on it, it can at least do something (as opposed to an iPad Air for instance)

Jump Desktop is ridiculously good at doing the above, their Fluid 2.0 protocol is among the smoothest way to remote desktop even with absolutely crappy latency.

 

[theorist9]

I'm a draftsman, and am going for accreditation for energy efficiency assessing. I currently have 2x28" monitors, one either side of my MacBook Pro. If I could go 3x28”, I'd be overjoyed. You need to keep a lot of information at hand, across numerous programs when doing an assessment. I could easily use 3x27”, and still use my MacBook's screen, and a 13" iPad as well. 6 monitors would be a dream!

You need a battlestation!

 

[Mity]

I was already thinking about Jump Desktop while clicking in this thread. I don't know how much "coding" OP needs to do while on the go, with direct access to data. If the answer is none, remote desktop is the way to go:

1) spec a M4 Max Studio as good as you can
2) find the absolute lowest price for like a base 8GB M2 MBA, probably 13", 15" if you really want more real estate
3) run literally everything on the Studio. The MBA is only meant as a remote desktop client terminal, and in the event you absolutely must compute on it, it can at least do something (as opposed to an iPad Air for instance)

Jump Desktop is ridiculously good at doing the above, their Fluid 2.0 protocol is among the smoothest way to remote desktop even with absolutely crappy latency.

I think this could work as I'm hesitant to keep certain things in the cloud, especially files with API keys.

Have you (or others here) tried Google remote desktop? Do you still recommend Jump Desktop over it?

 

[Chancha]

If you meant the one accessible through Chrome, Jump is above it in terms of bad latency tolerance, features, cross-platform native clients, and again the network protocol it is on. Jump also has a browser client version if you incline to use that as well. Chrome is free but then Jump is quite cheap as well, you only need to pay the client app once.

 

[dmccloud]

Your considerations are totally out of this world.

3 external monitors are not used neither by a Wall Street trader, please stop taking this as a reason for your doubts, simply admit your are a victim of Apple commercials and consider a better way to spend your money.

A LOT of both Wall Street and day traders working from home use 4-6 monitor setups and have done so for years, REGARDLESS of whether they are running Mac OS or Windows. This has been the case for years, so I have no clue where you got your misconceptions from. Even my setup at home runs a combination of one 32" 4K display and 2 27" 1440p displays, and I don't do any trading, just occasional gaming and coding/web development, photo/video editing, and AI/ML related tasks.

Here's a source for the monitor claims:

The best computer setup for day trading needs to be able to support more than one or two monitors. The average trader who supports himself by trading will use between six and eight monitors. Some use as few as four monitors. New traders may find this a bit overwhelming, but once experience is gained it will make perfect sense.

 

[narc1981]

A LOT of both Wall Street and day traders working from home use 4-6 monitor setups and have done so for years, REGARDLESS of whether they are running Mac OS or Windows. This has been the case for years, so I have no clue where you got your misconceptions from. Even my setup at home runs a combination of one 32" 4K display and 2 27" 1440p displays, and I don't do any trading, just occasional gaming and coding/web development, photo/video editing, and AI/ML related tasks.

Here's a source for the monitor claims:

So you are a wall Street trader? Or only someone who wants three external display just because it’s cool?

 

[dmccloud]

So you are a wall Street trader? Or only someone who wants three external display just because it’s cool?

I'm not sure why you think those are the only two reasons to have multiple monitors. The 4K monitor is primarily used with my Macs and the dual 1440p monitors are primarily used with my gaming PC - one monitor for the game being played, one monitor for OBS/stream monitoring. I also often use both screens when doing some work on that machine, as having the extended desktop space means I can have multiple application windows open without having to alt-tab between everything.

 

[narc1981]

I'm not sure why you think those are the only two reasons to have multiple monitors. The 4K monitor is primarily used with my Macs and the dual 1440p monitors are primarily used with my gaming PC - one monitor for the game being played, one monitor for OBS/stream monitoring. I also often use both screens when doing some work on that machine, as having the extended desktop space means I can have multiple application windows open without having to alt-tab between everything.

That’s it, you said! Everything could have been done with only one external display with multiple windows, you do this only because it’s cool. Finally we got it, I’m glad to hear that.