Working with the 15" 2017 MBP on the bed...

[mvtm]

Hi guys,

Please pardon this silly random question, but i have a little soft spot to do most of my work on my bed. I can use a desk of course but most of the time i will find myself using my computer on my bed. I only resort to desktop for very serious work or when i need more computing power than what a laptop can offer.

I'm about to buy a 15" 2017 MBP so i wanted to know if there is any difference/annoyance about placing the 15" MBP on a bed and working this way all day. I come from a 11" MBA which i have worked with it with no problem on my bed. Would the 15" become a bit unstable if placed on a bed? I never thought i would have to contemplate or think about this but i read some macrumors comments that it doesn't behave well? I'm not much concerned about fans and coolings, but main gripe is wherever i'll type and as the mass is so big, would it move sideways, or behave different than my 11". I never experienced any problems or concerns with my MBA. Never had a piece of aluminum chunk so big. Not sure if i have to expect to act differently on a bed?

Hehehe, please excuse this silly question.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Hi guys,

Please pardon this silly random question, but i have a little soft spot to do most of my work on my bed. I can use a desk of course but most of the time i will find myself using my computer on my bed. I only resort to desktop for very serious work or when i need more computing power than what a laptop can offer.

I'm about to buy a 15" 2017 MBP so i wanted to know if there is any difference/annoyance about placing the 15" MBP on a bed and working this way all day. I come from a 11" MBA which i have worked with it with no problem on my bed. Would the 15" become a bit unstable if placed on a bed? I never thought i would have to contemplate or think about this but i read some macrumors comments that it doesn't behave well? I'm not much concerned about fans and coolings, but main gripe is wherever i'll type and as the mass is so big, would it move sideways, or behave different than my 11". I never experienced any problems or concerns with my MBA. Never had a piece of aluminum chunk so big. Not sure if i have to expect to act differently on a bed?

Hehehe, please excuse this silly question.

Literally no way to know, its a portable device and its laptop shaped and its about as small and light as a 15 inch laptop gets. You can only get one and try it out I'm afraid. I use my 2013 13 inch rMBP on the bed all the time no issues if that helps.

 

[adamh10]

Hi guys,

Please pardon this silly random question, but i have a little soft spot to do most of my work on my bed. I can use a desk of course but most of the time i will find myself using my computer on my bed. I only resort to desktop for very serious work or when i need more computing power than what a laptop can offer.

I'm about to buy a 15" 2017 MBP so i wanted to know if there is any difference/annoyance about placing the 15" MBP on a bed and working this way all day. I come from a 11" MBA which i have worked with it with no problem on my bed. Would the 15" become a bit unstable if placed on a bed? I never thought i would have to contemplate or think about this but i read some macrumors comments that it doesn't behave well? I'm not much concerned about fans and coolings, but main gripe is wherever i'll type and as the mass is so big, would it move sideways, or behave different than my 11". I never experienced any problems or concerns with my MBA. Never had a piece of aluminum chunk so big. Not sure if i have to expect to act differently on a bed?

Hehehe, please excuse this silly question.

I have this exact computer - MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017) - and I use it on my bed and lap/stomach in bed both all the time. I have absolutely no issue with it, it's so razor thin and incredibly light that it is no nuisance at all.

If this is your buying hesitation, remove it. There is nothing to worry about.

Cheers!

 

[mvtm]

Literally no way to know, its a portable device and its laptop shaped and its about as small and light as a 15 inch laptop gets. You can only get one and try it out I'm afraid. I use my 2013 13 inch rMBP on the bed all the time no issues if that helps.

Sadly i can't try one as i live in a third world country and there's no Apple Store or third party sellers having it on display for me to try it on. So given my circumstances i have to make the right choice at first try.

I have this exact computer - MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017) - and I use it on my bed and lap/stomach in bed both all the time. I have absolutely no issue with it, it's so razor thin and incredibly light that it is no nuisance at all.

If this is your buying hesitation, remove it. There is nothing to worry about.

Cheers!

Oh! Thank you so much, this post cleared any of my doubts regarding the bed/15" Mac affair
Will surely now make my purchase without any worries on this. Thanks so much, i always like to work on my bed ever since elementary school. Homework, college, work. Maybe an exception to this have been my 2 thesis, 115 pages each that i changed to a desktop environment to keep concentration on point. For almost every else pretty much, i love a good mattress, lol. Reason why i never use an iMac i have, and even opt for the laptop instead.

 

[maflynn]

My kids use my MBP in the bed, the only thing I tell them is to be sure the vents are not covered by blankets and don't leave it running on the bed, given the potential for overheating there.

 

[Weelious225]

I've always had 15" MacBook Pros (including the 2017 I'm trying this comment on) and I have no issues using them in bed. However, something like a 12" MacBook will definitely be a little lighter on your knees.

 

[Sterkenburg]

With the extremely slim form factor of the current MBPs, even the 15" is extremely portable. I can hardly feel the weight when I surf the net or watch a movie with the machine resting on my lap or stomach. No problem at all.

I used to do the same with a non-retina 17" (now, that was a big chunk of aluminium), and in comparison the current model feels as light as a feather.

 

[Helen Oster]

Sadly i can't try one as i live in a third world country and there's no Apple Store or third party sellers having it on display for me to try it on. So given my circumstances i have to make the right choice at first try.

Where is it that you live?

 

[acorntoy]

My kids use my MBP in the bed, the only thing I tell them is to be sure the vents are not covered by blankets and don't leave it running on the bed, given the potential for overheating there.

It'll throttle itself before anything happens.

During encodes I find that using the MBP on the bed instead of a flat surface such as a table or such degrades performance by about .1-.3 Ghz. (Computer runs at a constant 2.8-9 instead of 3.0-3.2) using intel power gadget to monitor.

 

[mvtm]

Where is it that you live?

In Venezuela and the US. I spend most of my time in Venezuela and other months i go visit my family in the US.

It'll throttle itself before anything happens.

During encodes I find that using the MBP on the bed instead of a flat surface such as a table or such degrades performance by about .1-.3 Ghz. (Computer runs at a constant 2.8-9 instead of 3.0-3.2) using intel power gadget to monitor.

Well that is very interesting to hear. I should get then a nice desk to climb those Ghz.

 

[maflynn]

It'll throttle itself before anything happens.

Yes, to protect the CPU, but I'd rather not see the other components get overly hot. I think we focus on the CPU and it throttles itself at 100c, but by that time, the other components are nice and toasty. I've seen (and heard) the fans going full blast and the bottom of the MBP getting too hot - its something I'd like to avoid altogether.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

It still blows my mind that these chips regularly run at temperatures that boil water but not melt the logic board. Add a GPU hitting around 70°C and it becomes harder to believe still.

 

[leman]

I'm using mine in bed regularly without any problems whatsoever. Just make sure that it gets airflow and that you don't block the vents. Having a laptop tray helps a lot!

 

[PBG4 Dude]

I'm using mine in bed regularly without any problems whatsoever. Just make sure that it gets airflow and that you don't block the vents. Having a laptop tray helps a lot!

Remember, those slots on the bottom of the MBP are the air intake vents. The outflow vent is hidden in the hinge.

 

[elf69]

Macs seem cleaver compared to windows laptop.

windows laptops take air in the base and out rear or side.
Using on a bed will kill it! I seen Many killed that way.

Macs do not do this in general I found.

Still if use my MacBook Air on bed I have a breakfast table I put over my lap.
never hear fan running but if on bed cloths sometimes fan kicks in

 

[maflynn]

windows laptops take air in the base and out rear or side.
Using on a bed will kill it! I seen Many killed that way.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202179

• MacBook Pro has vents along the side and on the back. MacBook Air computers have vents along the back near the clutch.

Macs have vents at the rear as well.

 

[mvtm]

Well if it takes:

I used for 6 & half years my 11” MBA over the bedding. I put on it more than 2100 cycles most of them on the bed. The fans would kick in at 30 minutes after opening the lid but it was not something very noticeable.

I’ve been thinking of setting up something like a breakfast tray for the bed, is there something like a tray for a laptop? Just to elevate it a bit.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

You mean a tray? There are tons of laptop desk/bed trays. Some have cup holders too, which to me is only inviting trouble LOL.

The MBA’s vents are all in the hinge vs. the MBP which has vents on the bottom. That’s the main difference in vent setups.

 

[mvtm]

You mean a tray? There are tons of laptop desk/bed trays. Some have cup holders too, which to me is only inviting trouble LOL.

The MBA’s vents are all in the hinge vs. the MBP which has vents on the bottom. That’s the main difference in vent setups.

No no no cup holder. I don’t even bring food outside the kitchen. So what you recommend me to do? I don’t want to stress tax it if it’s starting a new life. I still want to use it in the bed so, maybe i put a board of anything under it.

Are we being too paranoic?

 

[PBG4 Dude]

No no no cup holder. I don’t even bring food outside the kitchen. So what you recommend me to do? I don’t want to stress tax it if it’s starting a new life. I still want to use it in the bed so, maybe i put a board of anything under it.

Are we being too paranoic?

Ever since electronic devices came wrapped in “simulated walnut grain”, their instructions have always said, “place on a hard flat surface”. I try to follow this rule as I don’t want to shorten the lifespan of my pricy electronics.

 

[elf69]

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202179


Macs have vents at the rear as well.

Mac tend take in sides or along hinge NOT up thru base like a windows laptop.
windows laptops tend put fan intake to left or rear on base right where ones knee is when using on lap!

Mac do not do this.

2007 15.4 macbook pro
2007 17 macbook pro
2x 2008 macbook
2009 macbook
2010 macbook
2008 macbook air
2012 macbook air

none these have vents directly in base to take in air.
smart thinking by apple there, this is why apples generally last longer than a windows laptop.

 

[leman]

I’ve been thinking of setting up something like a breakfast tray for the bed, is there something like a tray for a laptop? Just to elevate it a bit.

Tons of them! I have one from Logitec (https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Comfort-Lapdesk-N500-white/dp/B0038KR9EY) — comfy but bulky and one from IKEA (http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/...tand-fixed-height-bamboo-veneer-art-20362929/) — not really a laptop tray but can easily be used as such, and it looks great.