Why do so many people buy MacBooks, only to run them in clamshell mode all of the time?

[Jutah]

Yeah, even when I'm doing WoW Classic I don't hear the CPU fan. The M1 Max - I don't hear ANY cpu fan when doing W11 on Parallels whereas with the i7 MBP it was jet takeoff time every time I booted up W10.

That and, AlDente allows us to keep our batteries at a lower state of charge allowing them to last very long. A year and a few months later my 16' MBP is still 100% capacity.

View attachment 2219823

hi! glad to see you on this thread also
I upgraded my old macbook pro to a m2 pro and i just stumbled upon AlDente.
I've never heard about this app before.

Inwrite you a private message to have some tips about this app
🙏
I use it almost with the lid closed, connected to a docking station that charge the laptop with a tb3 cable,.
The battery is obviously always at 100%.

 

[bollman]

I have 2 work laptops: one at work and one at home. Both spend 99% of their time in clamshell mode connected to a 32" 4K, one at work and one at home.
I still like the fact that I can disconnect the computer and enjoy time in the sofa at home, or go to meetings at work.

 

[NewUsername]

In the Intel days, I preferred to have a really fast iMac I use 90% of the time and an older model MacBook Air which I only used a few weeks a year or for light usage.

With Apple Silicon, the performance difference between desktops and laptops have become very small. I bought an M1 MacBook Air on launch day and used it with an external display. No more trouble bothering with syncing files or having a slow laptop.

However, at that time, the price difference between the M1 Mac Mini ($699) and M1 MacBook Air ($999) was quite small. Nowadays, the M2 Mac mini goes for $599 and the M2 MacBook Air goes for $1099. Still, my next Mac will most likely be another MacBook Air (probably M3 or M4).

 

[trusso]

I wonder why it bothers some how other spend their money and use the equipment purchased with it.

This.

So much this.

And this isn't the first thread I've noticed over the years where this same question is asked. It's never with a genuine curiosity. The subtext is always "what's wrong with you people?" - as if you know better than I do what works for my own life.

 

[kevinh456]

Work gave me a laptop. I’d love a Mac Studio.

 

[paulvee]

This.

So much this.

And this isn't the first thread I've noticed over the years where this same question is asked. It's never with a genuine curiosity. The subtext is always "what's wrong with you people?" - as if you know better than I do what works for my own life.

Amen. This is one of the lamer hypothetical questions. I have had big hog desktops and minis and laptops. My current usage involves a lot of clamshell mode, and I don’t want to be wedded to having to bring a monitor when I travel, which is often. If everybody minded their own business and just talked Tech, this would be a better place. PS: the battery life is just fine. That’s another myth.

 

[Frazzles]

Surely you’d get better value buying a Mini or a Studio?

Because a laptop can do both. Both be a portable laptop and a desktop. Why waste the money on an iMac or mini when it takes just a few seconds to plug into monitor and usb hub(s) or dock?

 

[ilikewhey]

Surely you’d get better value buying a Mini or a Studio?

its versatility i reckon, ppl can invent all the extraordinary future circumstances but its really down to the ability of able to use your mac in whatever situation you want.

 

[James3000]

This.

So much this.

And this isn't the first thread I've noticed over the years where this same question is asked. It's never with a genuine curiosity. The subtext is always "what's wrong with you people?" - as if you know better than I do what works for my own life.

I agree. There’s a genuinely interesting conversation to be had about people’s use cases but you can’t help but get the feeling the original post is meant to ignorantly mock people for their purchases.

 

[Longplays]

I agree. There’s a genuinely interesting conversation to be had about people’s use cases but you can’t help but get the feeling the original post is meant to ignorantly mock people for their purchases.

When I saw this topic title it did not come across that way to me.

Many only see their personal use case as their income is solely used for buying desktops, laptops, and other devices.

When you talk to other people with different circumstances you start realizing that having a litany of devices is not financially doable for others or their sphere of interest.

If I was the guitarist of Metallica it is understood that I'd multiple guitars as it is part of my tools for business. Same goes with software devs who may have more than one computer or other devices as they're used for work.

 

[James3000]

When I saw this topic title it did not come across that way to me.

Many only see their personal use case as their income is solely used for buying desktops, laptops, and other devices.

When you talk to other people with different circumstances you start realizing that having a litany of devices is not financially doable for others or their sphere of interest.

If I was the guitarist of Metallica it is understood that I'd multiple guitars as it is part of my tools for business. Same goes with software devs who may have more than one computer or other devices as they're used for work.

I’m not sure if there’s a misunderstanding here but this is also my view, which is why I said there’s a genuinely interesting conversation to be had.

The point of my post and the point, I think, of the post I replied to is that these threads never feel like they’re made with genuine curiosity, more just to take a dig at people for their choices.

For me when I read the first post it just doesn’t read as though the poster wants to understand how people use their machines or make their choices.

But that’s just my opinion.

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

Surely you’d get better value buying a Mini or a Studio?

Honestly, I used to think the same as you. For years, I've had a powerful desktop computer. I had a first gen Mac Pro, then a hackintosh in my old Mac Pro's case, then a Nehalem Mac Pro that I upgraded to 12 cores with a boatload of RAM. Then I sat and waited until the Mac Studio was finally released and upgraded to one with an M1 Ultra. In the meantime, I've always had MacBook Pros as my 'mobile' machines but as I hardly ever got any use out of them, I've usually bought second hand models.

That all being said, I'm now having some serious buyers remorse and in fact plan to replace my Mac Studio with a 16" MacBook Pro, probably when the M3 Max version comes out and I'll run it 99% of the time in clamshell mode. Since getting my new Mac, it's been a marvel seeing how much faster the new chips are. I no longer *need* all of this power and I'd really like to be able to take my desktop with me that 1% of the time. Be it if I need to go to the head office to do some technical maintenance or to go on holiday and be sure I can do all my time sensitive work jobs while away (e.g. payroll which I run through a Parallels virtual machine). As it is, I'm going to have to buy a portable monitor and take my Mac Studio with me when we next go on holiday, which just seems dumb. So I think for next summer, I'd like to have a more portable setup.

For what it's worth, in the last year or so of running my Mac Pro, I got a NAS setup at home and moved a lot of my long term storage to there and ahead of getting my Studio, I migrated things like my home Plex server to the NAS so I no longer need my computer to be on 24x7 either. My needs have just changed and while I will still spend almost all of my working life sat at my desk, I no longer want to be *tethered* to it.

 

[Gezellig]

It’s gonna sound stupid af…but that’s my case rn.
It’s not entirely my fault, tho.
I purchased it so I could keep editing and mixing audio tracks at work - I was an audio engineer and a music teacher with 3hrs commute per day and at least 1hr of wasted time at my school.
Since I didn’t know when and if they would get some pro desktop machines out (mac mini lacked the accessories, M1 iMac was nowhere near to be pro), I purchased a M1 Pro/32Go RAM/2To SSD thinking and knowing I could use it in the studio as my main machine and still take it with me to the school where I was working (so I could heavily edit, batch process and even start working on pre-master duties such as metadata encoding and automations).
Little did I know that this was gonna be a bad purchase.
I had to stop teaching at my school (commute was not worth it anymore due to many prices rising all of a sudden) and had to stop my freelance audio activities due to relocating after buying a house.
I could resell. But it’s a given fact that custom pro machines lose basically half their value the day you open the box. What was a 3900ish € purchase (I live in France) would yield me about 2000ish € in resale value.
So I made the choice to keep it for as long as I could, since I’m moving to the DJ side of things (weddings and parties) and starting my own music school.
It kills me - and the battery - to keep it on a desktop for 80% of the time. It still makes me a bit weary to bring it outside (after all, that’s a lot of money to bring to events and such).
But I just can’t shell out more money towards a new machine - even tho I would freaking love to do so. Been eyeing a Mac Studio ever since they got out.
I guess I’ll be waiting to see if they ever launch back some kind of iMac Pro.
Oh. And the irony? My lovely wife offered me a M1 MBAir one month after I ordered the MBPro (in her defense, I never explicitly told her I bought the MBP for my business and had considered specing one out for various duties before deciding on the Pro).
So yeah.
Running a laptop as a desktop machine and using it for outside duties about 5% of the time is borderline stupid.
But I guess sometimes, bad choices and bad timing do the trick. As for those who just does this knowingly…there must be a special place in hell for them 😅

Sorry for the long post.
But my ego and bank account had to set the record straight on this one 😂

 

[chanchowancho]

I'm guilty of doing this!

Reasons:

1. My desktop (sit/stand desk, good chair, nice speakers and headphones, 4k USB-C Monitor on a swing arm) are very comfortable to use for long periods of time.
2. Clamshell mode specifically because I prefer "unitasking" on a single monitor, if I need reference materials I just use spaces on the desktop and swap between them with the side buttons on a mouse. (or use that great app 'Magnet' to arrange windows side by side.
3. Clamshell mode because having the computer open, while providing more ventilation, also gets quite dusty on the key deck over time.
4. I value having a portable computer for fun programming on the couch after dinner. Also the occasional movie in bed/travel etc.

I've previously had a Mac mini and supplemented it with an iPad, and then another MacBook, but it just felt a little wasteful for my usage because one device was always unused.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Surely you’d get better value buying a Mini or a Studio?

One buys a laptop, any laptop, for portability. Even if desktop usage is primary, the ability to sometimes easily move the computer to a new venue is the reason for buying a laptop over a Mini or a Studio. In my case I might fly out of state, or simply decide I want to work sitting on the couch instead of at the stand up desk workstation 10 feet away.

Personally using clamshell mode never made sense to me, because I find adding screen estate improves productivity. Even with three external displays I find value add also using the MBP's display.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

However, what I understand even less is why what anyone chooses to do with their computer is anyone else's business.

Because when we hear how others are using their tools, sometimes we learn new things. Learning is a good thing.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Your money, your choices. I have a Windows laptop which I run in clamshell mode with two large monitors. I actually found the laptop screen useless and less resourceful than working on two big screens.

We disagree. Extra screen real estate is useful for pallets, code snippets, libraries, etc. even if it is on a smaller laptop display. I have three 4k external displays but still find the MBP display useful.

I can see how someone with small workspace might not have adequate space, but I just position the laptop under the middle display and it works fine.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

For actual work, I prefer one big screen over an external screen + the laptop screen since I hate that the displays aren't the same size or resolution.

For personal machines, I gave up on laptops and have settled on a Mac mini at the desk, and my iPad Pro for portable use.

Hint: resolution is adjustable.

 

[LeafsFanNL]

I teach in two different schools. I use my MBA in both. When I come home in goes into clamshell mode. Best of both worlds. Also, I like a 24 inch monitor as I’m getting up there a little bit and it’s easier on my eyes.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

It’s gonna sound stupid af…but that’s my case rn.
It’s not entirely my fault, tho.
I purchased it so I could keep editing and mixing audio tracks at work - I was an audio engineer and a music teacher with 3hrs commute per day and at least 1hr of wasted time at my school.
Since I didn’t know when and if they would get some pro desktop machines out (mac mini lacked the accessories, M1 iMac was nowhere near to be pro), I purchased a M1 Pro/32Go RAM/2To SSD thinking and knowing I could use it in the studio as my main machine and still take it with me to the school where I was working (so I could heavily edit, batch process and even start working on pre-master duties such as metadata encoding and automations).
Little did I know that this was gonna be a bad purchase.
I had to stop teaching at my school (commute was not worth it anymore due to many prices rising all of a sudden) and had to stop my freelance audio activities due to relocating after buying a house.
I could resell. But it’s a given fact that custom pro machines lose basically half their value the day you open the box. What was a 3900ish € purchase (I live in France) would yield me about 2000ish € in resale value.
So I made the choice to keep it for as long as I could, since I’m moving to the DJ side of things (weddings and parties) and starting my own music school.
It kills me - and the battery - to keep it on a desktop for 80% of the time. It still makes me a bit weary to bring it outside (after all, that’s a lot of money to bring to events and such).
But I just can’t shell out more money towards a new machine - even tho I would freaking love to do so. Been eyeing a Mac Studio ever since they got out.
I guess I’ll be waiting to see if they ever launch back some kind of iMac Pro.
Oh. And the irony? My lovely wife offered me a M1 MBAir one month after I ordered the MBPro (in her defense, I never explicitly told her I bought the MBP for my business and had considered specing one out for various duties before deciding on the Pro).
So yeah.
Running a laptop as a desktop machine and using it for outside duties about 5% of the time is borderline stupid.
But I guess sometimes, bad choices and bad timing do the trick. As for those who just does this knowingly…there must be a special place in hell for them 😅

Sorry for the long post.
But my ego and bank account had to set the record straight on this one 😂 a bad cchoice

Why do you consider your M1 MBP a bad choice (other than maybe your choice of only 32 GB RAM)? That box should do all the things you might want it to do, especially when life is busy throwing curveballs at you.

For the record, I 100% disagree with your statement that "Running a laptop as a desktop machine and using it for outside duties about 5% of the time is borderline stupid." That is exactly why many of us buy laptops. To have desktop capability plus outside duties, whether 5% or 55%.

And BTW it should not "kill the battery" to keep it on the desktop 80% of the time. Today the OS manages battery well.

 

[wrcousert]

I'm buying an M2 MacBook Air specifically for use with a Vision Pro. If Apple sold a Mac Mini with a battery, I probably would have bought one, considering that they are significantly less expensive than a MacBook Air. When I'm at home, I would have the option of using it with my 27" 4K monitor.

 

[alanvitek]

It’s me, hi.

 

[russell_314]

This.

So much this.

And this isn't the first thread I've noticed over the years where this same question is asked. It's never with a genuine curiosity. The subtext is always "what's wrong with you people?" - as if you know better than I do what works for my own life.

I think you're reading into peoples reasoning for asking this question way too much. If I see someone buying a brand new Ferrari only to drive it into a swimming pool 15 minutes later, I'm going to be really curious as to why they did it. Maybe it's a TikTok challenge or there's another reason like maybe it's just fun to drive a Ferrari into a swimming pool.

I realize this is an unusual example, but human nature is if you see something that doesn't make sense, you want to ask why. Sometimes it doesn't make sense because the person observing is not understanding the reasoning and sometimes there is no reasoning. I don't think most people wondering are being judgmental, thinking well that guy is just not smart because he bought a MacBook to sit it on the desk.

I don't have the same exact scenario but I use a MacBook Air that sits on my desk 99.9% of the time. To the casual observer that doesn't make sense because why would I buy the lightest weight Mac just to leave it on a desk. It's because of that .1% of the time I carry it with me

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Because when we hear how others are using their tools, sometimes we learn new things. Learning is a good thing.

Learning is a very good thing, I agree (I used to work as an academic).

My issue is with the judging - mostly negative - that tends to accompany a desire to know the business of others.

@James3000 - quoted below - expresses my thoughts on this beautifully.

I’m not sure if there’s a misunderstanding here but this is also my view, which is why I said there’s a genuinely interesting conversation to be had.

The point of my post and the point, I think, of the post I replied to is that these threads never feel like they’re made with genuine curiosity, more just to take a dig at people for their choices.

For me when I read the first post it just doesn’t read as though the poster wants to understand how people use their machines or make their choices.

But that’s just my opinion.

 

[tcatsninfan]

This.

So much this.

And this isn't the first thread I've noticed over the years where this same question is asked. It's never with a genuine curiosity. The subtext is always "what's wrong with you people?" - as if you know better than I do what works for my own life.

This is a lot of the internet now, sadly. Pointing out other people's totally fine behavior that just happens to be different then our own, then calling it out as if it's something terrible.

People are way too concerned with how others spend their time, money, etc.