M1 issues: post them all here!

[goodmarriage]

My issues so far have largely been with regard to the M1 laptop's perplexing restriction when it comes to external displays. You can only run 1 external display natively. I didn't realize this, somehow missed it in my research, but then again, who would ever think a modern day laptop would carry such a restriction? I running a MacBook Pro, btw.

I've been digging for the past several days for solutions and work arounds and they do exist. I know, for example, that this isn't a universal restriction, since Mac Mini's are able to connect to two displays. When I first encountered this, I had been using a 3rd party docking station provided by my employer. The two displays I had connected to the dock would only mirror each other and could not be set to extend the desktop like a normal two-monitor setup.

So then I thought I'd be smart and connect one of the displays to the other Thunderbolt 3 port, having one display on the dock and one display directly connected to the computer. When I did this, the laptop only recognized one display at a time, ignoring completely the other, not even mirroring. That's when I finally read up on this baffling restriction. I don't know if this is something Apple may correct in a future patch, I think they definitely should since the M1 is capable of running multiple displays. I say this because there have already been tests run by other users who have gotten around the restriction. There's a YouTube video by Ruslan Tulupov where he demonstrates connecting 3 displays using a DisplayLink docking station. As of this moment, DisplayLink seems to have cornered the market on bypassing this restriction and I am currently talking with my employer to see if they'll foot the bill on a DisplayLink docking station so I can try it out.

Still though, my god, shipping a pro laptop that can't natively see more than one external display, that is peak Apple nonsense. Right now I have the most bonkers workaround going where I have my external display going through the docking station and my personal iPad running Sidecar ?. It doesn't provide much but I throw my team chat or email on the sidecar and it gives me a little extra working space.

 

[jdb8167]

My issues so far have largely been with regard to the M1 laptop's perplexing restriction when it comes to external displays. You can only run 1 external display natively. I didn't realize this, somehow missed it in my research, but then again, who would ever think a modern day laptop would carry such a restriction? I running a MacBook Pro, btw.

I've been digging for the past several days for solutions and work arounds and they do exist. I know, for example, that this isn't a universal restriction, since Mac Mini's are able to connect to two displays. When I first encountered this, I had been using a 3rd party docking station provided by my employer. The two displays I had connected to the dock would only mirror each other and could not be set to extend the desktop like a normal two-monitor setup.

So then I thought I'd be smart and connect one of the displays to the other Thunderbolt 3 port, having one display on the dock and one display directly connected to the computer. When I did this, the laptop only recognized one display at a time, ignoring completely the other, not even mirroring. That's when I finally read up on this baffling restriction. I don't know if this is something Apple may correct in a future patch, I think they definitely should since the M1 is capable of running multiple displays. I say this because there have already been tests run by other users who have gotten around the restriction. There's a YouTube video by Ruslan Tulupov where he demonstrates connecting 3 displays using a DisplayLink docking station. As of this moment, DisplayLink seems to have cornered the market on bypassing this restriction and I am currently talking with my employer to see if they'll foot the bill on a DisplayLink docking station so I can try it out.

Still though, my god, shipping a pro laptop that can't natively see more than one external display, that is peak Apple nonsense. Right now I have the most bonkers workaround going where I have my external display going through the docking station and my personal iPad running Sidecar ?. It doesn't provide much but I throw my team chat or email on the sidecar and it gives me a little extra working space.

This is a hardware limitation of the M1. It isn't going to be patched or worked around, sorry. The mini has two displays just like the M1 MacBook Air and Pro can have two displays, one internal and one external. The work arounds like using DisplayLink are USB monitors and have some limitations since they aren't directly connected to a GPU. You can't show HDCP video and in general they are much slower than directly connected displays.

The M1 in the current round of Macs is a low-end device. It replaces the two port MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air. Future Apple Silicon Macs are likely to solve these issues.

 

[Apple_Robert]

This is a hardware limitation of the M1. It isn't going to be patched or worked around, sorry. The mini has two displays just like the M1 MacBook Air and Pro can have two displays, one internal and one external. The work arounds like using DisplayLink are USB monitors and have some limitations since they aren't directly connected to a GPU. You can't show HDCP video and in general they are much slower than directly connected displays.

The M1 in the current round of Macs is a low-end device. It replaces the two port MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air. Future Apple Silicon Macs are likely to solve these issues.

You are telling me Apple sold me a low-end device? I am not a low-end kind of person. It makes me sound like I am Mac trash.

 

[jdb8167]

You are telling me Apple sold me a low-end device? I am not a low-end kind of person. It makes me sound like I am Mac trash.

Don't worry. In the very near future you can give Apple more of your money and that will make you at least a medium-end kind of person. Middle class or something.

 

[Jack Neill]

Got a M1/8/512 Air. Biggest gripes over the Intel Air is my Dell WD19 won’t work and iTunes 12.9.5 won’t run. Otherwise it’s exactly what I wanted when I bought the Early 2020 Air back in May.

 

[alien3dx]

You are telling me Apple sold me a low-end device? I am not a low-end kind of person. It makes me sound like I am Mac trash.

i don't mind call as "trash" as least it not like " trash can" . I just want RGB logo trash sir

 

[OETorrez]

Got a M1/8/512 Air. Biggest gripes over the Intel Air is my Dell WD19 won’t work and iTunes 12.9.5 won’t run. Otherwise it’s exactly what I wanted when I bought the Early 2020 Air back in May.

Try updating the firmware on that WD19. I got my wife's WD19 working with my M1 MBP by installing the latest firmware. You're going to need a Windows machine to run the firmware updater.

 

[Jack Neill]

Try updating the firmware on that WD19. I got my wife's WD19 working with my M1 MBP by installing the latest firmware. You're going to need a Windows machine to run the firmware updater.

I thought of that and ran Dell Command but there were no updates available.

 

[OETorrez]

I thought of that and ran Dell Command but there were no updates available.

I went here and grabbed the firmware update utility (will also help you check the installed firmware version): https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/dell-wd19-130w-dock/drivers

 

[Yuck9]

I'm now having a sound problem on my M1 MacMini. Watching a movie the sound will start to go down in volume to a point where I can no longer hear the movie. I was watching one the other night when a friend came over. I paused the movie and the mini went to sleep. After a hour friend left and I resumed the movie. No sound at all on wakeup. I've found that turning off and back on the power switch on my Bose speakers brings it back to full volume again.

When this happens the only way to get the sound back is to reboot or power cycle the speakers.

 

[Fred Zed]

perhaps not much of an issue but the right edge of my glass panel looks somewhat distorted and jagged. MBP M1. Was like this out of the box 2 days old device.

 

[FenC]

I'm now having a sound problem on my M1 MacMini. Watching a movie the sound will start to go down in volume to a point where I can no longer hear the movie. I was watching one the other night when a friend came over. I paused the movie and the mini went to sleep. After a hour friend left and I resumed the movie. No sound at all on wakeup. I've found that turning off and back on the power switch on my Bose speakers brings it back to full volume again.

When this happens the only way to get the sound back is to reboot or power cycle the speakers.

Sounds like an issue with the speakers rather than the Mac if rebooting them fixes it. All the Mac does is provide the signal; rebooting the speakers isn't even something the Mac can “see” so it can’t be the Mac’s fault.

 

[quarq]

I have had a few issues with my M1 MBP. The first is when I first started it and logged into iCloud and my apps started to install, I began to play music on Spotify. The internal speakers popped and crackled to the point where I had to turn off the music. The popping and crackling has improved greatly since then but ever so often it will do it and either a reboot or sometimes shutting down the iOS simulator I use for work will fix it.

Podcasts and Safari have crashed on me a few times.

Yesterday I got my first kernel panic which caused the machine to reboot.

I have called Apple and requested a new machine be sent to me. In my experience with Apple, if you aren't totally satisfied with the machine, return it before the 14 days.. Otherwise, it can get very tricky with proving that there is an issue that Apple needs to fix. Example, the pop and crackle isn't something I can reproduce at will and same goes for the kernel panics..

 

[bolandross]

Anyone noticed the trackpad on the Pro is not as smooth compared to the Air or even previous Intel based models? Owned a M1 Air for a week then exchanged for a Pro immediately noticed the problem. It feels like lacking a layer of coating or missing proper surface treatment. Also if knock it by my nails it makes a very hollow clunky noise. Got a lemon perhaps? Feels like taking a trip to Genius Bar but damn the appointments are booked beyond weeks here in Vancouver Canada. Posting video below to demonstrating the friction (glide noise) and the hollow sound when knocking lightly.

View attachment 1710193

Hey and thanks for posting!

I got my M1 MacBook Pro yesterday and noticed the hollow sound of the Trackpad, too. The surface friction of mine is ok though. Any news from yours?

 

[bolandross]

(I am not actually activating the Taptic Engine here, it's set to tap to touch and my finger nail is lightly touching the surface)

I tried the same on an older 2015 MBP, where the Trackpad doesn't sound hollow at all, it makes the same sound like the case.

 

[j.stouder]

I bought the MacBook Air (base M1) as a replacement for my wife's iPad Pro that broke and I am disappointed with my purchase. I watched the ads and it suggested that I would be able to use apps made for the iPad on the device, but sadly none of the applications are available for the Mac. I did not realize that it was up to the publisher to promote the app to be used for MacOS. Specific examples are: Hulu, Netflix, Angry Birds, A&E, YouTube, etc. I know that some of these are available on the web browser, but it is not a good experience. Last night, my wife wanted to watch a TV show on A&E. She opened Safari and tried to start the video. It would not play despite closing all apps, restarting the machine, and clearing the cache. I found a Beta version of Microsoft Edge and it was able to play the video, but I don't understand why I need to have multiple web browsers with different bookmarks so that we can watch a TV show. On the iPad, it is seamless. I just click on the app. I have these apps for my Windows machine, so this is a reasonable expectation for Mac to have the same experience. The MacBook Air has become essentially a very expensive Chromebook as I have found that I need to open a web browser to access the content that I want vice using apps.

 

[Euroamerican]

^----That is, indeed, very disappointing. You're being told that their Apple chips are the better choice and everything is seamless across the Apple spectrum, but it really isn't. You pay extra money and get extra lockdown... App Store is wonderful, or is it like a slightly happier version of the old Microsoft Windows store?

So it sounds like the M1 Air is off the table for my upcoming potential purchase to replace my wife's Sony i5 laptop. She will expect multiple external monitors, because that is what she can do now!

 

[jdb8167]

I bought the MacBook Air (base M1) as a replacement for my wife's iPad Pro that broke and I am disappointed with my purchase. I watched the ads and it suggested that I would be able to use apps made for the iPad on the device, but sadly none of the applications are available for the Mac. I did not realize that it was up to the publisher to promote the app to be used for MacOS. Specific examples are: Hulu, Netflix, Angry Birds, A&E, YouTube, etc. I know that some of these are available on the web browser, but it is not a good experience. Last night, my wife wanted to watch a TV show on A&E. She opened Safari and tried to start the video. It would not play despite closing all apps, restarting the machine, and clearing the cache. I found a Beta version of Microsoft Edge and it was able to play the video, but I don't understand why I need to have multiple web browsers with different bookmarks so that we can watch a TV show. On the iPad, it is seamless. I just click on the app. I have these apps for my Windows machine, so this is a reasonable expectation for Mac to have the same experience. The MacBook Air has become essentially a very expensive Chromebook as I have found that I need to open a web browser to access the content that I want vice using apps.

This is an unfortunate consequence of Apple over-hyping the iOS and iPadOS compatibility feature. Even video apps that do allow download on the M1 Macs are pretty terrible and in general are worse than just using Safari. App developers have no interest in allowing their apps on a Mac when it performs badly. They will get downvoted and be swamped with support issues. It isn’t surprising that most turn off iOS compatibility as soon as they test their app.

The good news is that developers can probably have a fairly decent version running on a Mac in short order if they want. I’m expecting a bunch of updates over the next few months that will turn MacOS compatibility back on as developers fix their worst UI problems. I have at least one example of an iPadOS app that runs well on MacOS—podcast app, Overcast. It shows what is possible.

 

[Apple Crusader]

Wait time to get a 16GB Mac Mini, no 16GB RAM Mac Minis in stock @ Apples Stores near me with 1TB of storage.

Major issue there!

 

[quarq]

In addition to the internal speakers crackling issue I posted earlier, there have been a few times where when the MBP boots and after logging in, the mouse is unresponsive. I can usually get the mouse to the menu to reboot without force shutting it down.This has happened three times in a week now.

I have also had one kernel failure resulting in a reboot. As well, Safari News and Podcasts has all crashed on me.

A new unit has been shipped from China. We'll see if this fixes it. These issues are fairly sporadic, but so far, far from a perfect experience.

 

[gank41]

Although I haven't had any kernel panics when rebooting since 11.2 RC2, I'm still having some issues (just now prompting me to add here) with Bluetooth and my  Magic Trackpad & Magic Keyboard connecting after a reboot. Repeatedly tapping the caps lock, the keyboard eventually connected along with the trackpad.

I've also started having issues with my iPhone 12 Pro & iPad Pro showing up in Finder, either plugged in or wirelessly. I'm still seeing a lot of beachballs, not just with Finder, but with opening most apps initially. I'm used to Rosetta 2 initially taking a moment to get some of the apps translated initially. But this seems different. Some apps (App Store apps) open immediately but then get the beachball.

 

[Fred Zed]

Got a M1/8/512 Air. Biggest gripes over the Intel Air is my Dell WD19 won’t work and iTunes 12.9.5 won’t run. Otherwise it’s exactly what I wanted when I bought the Early 2020 Air back in May.

Oh, is that the reason why I cannot connect it to my PC with iTunes to sync my photos and music?

 

[Fred Zed]

(I am not actually activating the Taptic Engine here, it's set to tap to touch and my finger nail is lightly touching the surface)

I tried the same on an older 2015 MBP, where the Trackpad doesn't sound hollow at all, it makes the same sound like the case.

Yeah its definitely defective send it back - comical.

 

[darngooddesign]

You are telling me Apple sold me a low-end device? I am not a low-end kind of person. It makes me sound like I am Mac trash.

If you are not a low-end person, why did you buy a low-end Mac?

 

[Apple_Robert]

If you are not a low-end person, why did you buy a low-end Mac?

The only logical explanation is I was led astray by people here on MacRumors. They led my down the dark, lonely path of "low end products." I feel so alone.