Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

macintoshmac

Suspended
May 13, 2010
6,089
6,994
On my Late 2011 MBP 15 inch, with 16GB RAM and 256GB SATA 6Gbps SSD, this is my normal workload:

1. Safari with about 40-50 tabs (I use tabs as a reading list) ALL THE TIME
2. Microsoft Word 2016 (for about 6 hours of the day)
3. VLC (for about 6 hours, maybe more)
4. iMessage
5. uTorrent

Right now, this is what my computer use is limited to, on a normal day. It goes like this:

1. In the morning from about 9AM till about 3PM, I need my computer constantly with Safari and Word.
2. In the evenings from about 5-6PM to 11PM+ in the night, Safari will be in the background, ready for any browsing I do, uTorrent will be downloading movies, and I will be using VLC to watch them for about 5-6 hours, till I sleep. At which point, all apps will be closed, but uTorrent will still be on, every alternate day.


So my Question is:

Can the MacBook m5 handle this workload? Can it run all day with this workload safely, without overheating, in 35-40-45 degrees Celsius? I am looking for a MacBook 12 since mine is a 2011 MBP 15 with discrete graphics, which is a ticking time bomb, plus the battery is dead, and if I travel, I don't want to carry this heavy notebook along since I will also be carrying my DSLR that I just purchased.
 

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,312
8,326
On my Late 2011 MBP 15 inch, with 16GB RAM and 256GB SATA 6Gbps SSD, this is my normal workload:

1. Safari with about 40-50 tabs (I use tabs as a reading list) ALL THE TIME
2. Microsoft Word 2016 (for about 6 hours of the day)
3. VLC (for about 6 hours, maybe more)
4. iMessage
5. uTorrent

So my Question is:

Can the MacBook m5 handle this workload? Can it run all day with this workload safely, without overheating, in 35-40-45 degrees Celsius? I am looking for a MacBook 12 since mine is a 2011 MBP 15 with discrete graphics, which is a ticking time bomb, plus the battery is dead, and if I travel, I don't want to carry this heavy notebook along since I will also be carrying my DSLR that I just purchased.

1, 2, 4 I wouldn't worry about. Same with 5 in a vacuum. 3 combined with 5 with 1 or 2 and you might notice some throttling every once in a while. It certainly won't be 35-45 degrees Celsius (it tends to jump around a lot but hovers around 50-60 degrees).
 

macintoshmac

Suspended
May 13, 2010
6,089
6,994
1, 2, 4 I wouldn't worry about. Same with 5 in a vacuum. 3 combined with 5 with 1 or 2 and you might notice some throttling every once in a while. It certainly won't be 35-45 degrees Celsius (it tends to jump around a lot but hovers around 50-60 degrees).

My mistake, 35-45 degrees ambient room temperature..
 

macintoshmac

Suspended
May 13, 2010
6,089
6,994

Told I use the active tabs as a reading list.. go through them, keep closing them..

And your signature states you have a 2015 rMB, it would be good if you were able to comment productively.. or is that rMB incapable of allowing even this little? :p
 

ApolloBoy

macrumors 6502a
Apr 16, 2015
778
305
San Jose, CA
Told I use the active tabs as a reading list.. go through them, keep closing them..

And your signature states you have a 2015 rMB, it would be good if you were able to comment productively.. or is that rMB incapable of allowing even this little? :p
If you have to question my comment, then I'd have to say the rMB isn't the one for you if your browsing methods are that horribly inefficient. I'd probably start using bookmarks before your 2011 MBP goes nuclear or something.
 

macintoshmac

Suspended
May 13, 2010
6,089
6,994
If you have to question my comment, then I'd have to say the rMB isn't the one for you if your browsing methods are that horribly inefficient. I'd probably start using bookmarks before your 2011 MBP goes nuclear or something.

My style of using Safari was not open to comment. The question was simple: can the MacBook handle my style. Whether the style is efficient or inefficient is not for you to decide or comment upon. I had made it known in my post my reasons for having active tabs. Bookmarks just get "hidden from sight" as the new day brings new things to deal with. So, having active tabs, I can always keep in mind that I have to go back to reading this and I find time to do it.

Also, say I am searching for product reviews in Google. I will take the first few search pages, keep opening the pages of my interest in background tabs, then start reading one by one. If I am on any forum, I will visit first few pages and open the threads I am interested in once, and then stop and read through them, and then go back and open more and read again. On any website, it is possible that some other link is there for something, and I open it in background for checking up later. I'm looking for a DSLR and while reading I come up with a link to some interesting read about a new lens, I will not start reading it right away, I will open in a new tab and read it after I am done with the current page. So while I am in process of researching, I can have lots of tabs open because I am not done reading yet. Bookmarking and/ or using a reading list and therefore adding another layer is horribly inefficient to me in this use case scenario. To me. For me. Doesn't have to work with you, and thus, isn't your place to comment on how I use my computer.

It would have been much more efficient and productive had you just commented on if the MacBook can handle my use case. Simple.
 

funtoosh

macrumors newbie
Dec 25, 2010
28
5
When i first bough my 2016 MB i was using it as my primary system, I'm into server management so i just use Mail, few SSH session, and few Safari Tabs along with OneNote for taking notes and storing information that i can access on my iPhone as well as my secondary android mobile. I even use OneDrive on it and my MB works perfectly, but last month i even bought 27" iMac, now my iMAC is my primary system and i use my MB mostly while travelling or if i'm working late hours from my bedroom but i still don't find MB to be less productive. But still i usually use it atleast once a day when not working from my office.

It mostly depends upon what you want to do on it
 
  • Like
Reactions: macintoshmac

Robejazz

macrumors member
Jun 14, 2013
80
27
PA
While I can't give you any comparison with the MBA, I have a 15 inch non-retina MBP and have previously worked on both 12 inch and 14 inch Lenovo Thinkpads (old work).

This is by far the most pleasing machine I've worked on - also compared to my big 15 inch. I would much rather use this.

My home setup is with a 22 inch screen and an Apple bluetooth keyboard and mouse (awesome that i just plug in the USB-C when I get home and everything including printer, power etc. is on) but at the office I have no external mouse, keyboard or screen. I often sit here 6-8 hours depending on what meetings I have during the day and no time during the day do I feel that it's too small..

Can I ask what monitor you have? Sounds like something I'd like to look at.
[doublepost=1470575856][/doublepost]Can I ask what monitor you have? Sounds like something I'd like to look at.
 

mtneer

macrumors 68040
Sep 15, 2012
3,183
2,715
"How productive is a MacBook" --> the answer depends now what you are "producing". If you are a novelist sitting in a cafe writing away for hours on end, the MacBook works perfectly fine. If you are an animation artist trying to render CGI for the next 4K Disney movie - you will be fired.
 

xDKP

macrumors 68020
Feb 27, 2011
2,488
2,634
Denmark
[doublepost=1470575856][/doublepost]Can I ask what monitor you have? Sounds like something I'd like to look at.

A not very new LG, so didn't mean the monitor had USB Type C it self, but bought an adapter and plugged it in.

Just worked perfect and is a joy
 

FilmIndustryGuy

macrumors 6502a
May 12, 2015
612
393
Manhattan Beach, CA
How productive are you on the Macbook in general?

Forget about specs. How much work do you get done on the Macbook without thinking to yourself "I should be doing this on something else".

Also, over a prolonged amount of time, do you cramp up from hunching or have any neck ache at all from craning over the screen?

And finally, do you suffer from eye strain or headaches from the smaller screen?

Well its a real laptop and Ive had several of the macbook pros. I run around with it and its easy to use on lap in bed also. I do feel kinda cramped when working on this because I usually have several excel files and windows open for work. Its hard to have multiple windows open in one view. 20% of the time I had this plugged into an ultra wide monitor which was way more productive. I have a lot of balconies and office space in my house so this thing comes with me all over the place. Gave away my retina 15 inch although the 15 inch was snappier but humungous in comparison. The weight of the 15 now feels like a stone. I also work in the field part of the week so just grab this with 1 hand and run with it. it fits between car seat and center console for hiding when i run out of the car. I have iPads but stopped using those too since this is just as easy to carry and better to use.

The new issue i have is I originally liked the keys but now kinda dislike them. A few of them got sticky and don't press down but I don't have time to go to apple and get this fixed since i work on this thing 7 days a week. Started using the original bluetooth apple keyboard and now prefer that one over this annoying keyboard on the 12 inch. If this ran as snappy as a 15 inch and if the keys didn't suck, Id say no other laptop would beat this thing. The speakers are just as loud as the 15 inch and no need for charge cable. just grab and forget
 
  • Like
Reactions: Coco Nuts

RossMak

macrumors 6502
Jun 14, 2012
381
308
Does anyone have a good dock for the MacBook? One that can power 2 monitors (Not 4k)

I am travelling a lot for work and the 15inch Macbook is a bit of a pain when I am on trains as I prefer to sit on the 2 seaters instead of a table. However currently in work I have a dock for a Toshiba laptop that powers 2 monitors.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Louwen

dranakin

macrumors 6502
Mar 6, 2005
457
55
How about statistical software (e.g., R or Stata)? Or mapping software (ArcGIS via Boot Camp)?
 

Leo90

macrumors 6502a
Sep 15, 2014
510
461
Switzerland
I have a MacBook m5 2016 and now it is main machine. I work on my PhD in sciences just fine with it, and never felt any slowdown. It is amazing that this computer was able to replace my MBP and iPad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: macintoshmac
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.