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

MacBook Air M1 as Primary Computer

F

flapflapflap

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 13, 2013
768
439
Hi All, I currently have a mac mini M1 as my primary computer. Contemplating a swap with the MacBook Air M1 for portability. Does anyone use their MacBook Air M1 as their primary? Any issues connecting it to an external display for extended hours?

thank you
 
bsamcash said:
My M1 MBA is my primary and I always have it connected to my LG Ultrafine via USB C while at home. No issues.
Click to expand...
Same here 23.7" Ultrafine. The MBA and monitor behave as if the combination was a desktop Mac, all controls in macOS and connects immediately, with no hiccups.
 
Last edited:
I'm using my MBA for 7-12 hours/day as main computer, mostly with external 4K monitor and everything is great!
Typical home office and private usage(MS Office, browser, video calls, email, messengers, streaming videos and music, light photo editing)
Bildschirmfoto 2021-07-13 um 10.32.15.png
 
flapflapflap said:
Does anyone use their MacBook Air M1 as their primary? Any issues connecting it to an external display for extended hours?
Click to expand...
Yes, I use it 8+ hours a day as my main work (dev) machine, connected to a 4K display, in clamshell mode. No issues at all, except the slightly annoying bug that prevents it from waking up without opening the laptop itself (that's maybe once per 50 wakeups). Otherwise it's smooth sailing (picture quality, thermals, UI fluidity).
 
  • Like
Reactions: eltoslightfoot
flapflapflap said:
Hi All, I currently have a mac mini M1 as my primary computer. Contemplating a swap with the MacBook Air M1 for portability. Does anyone use their MacBook Air M1 as their primary? Any issues connecting it to an external display for extended hours?
thank you
Click to expand...
I am using an MacBook Air 2019 now as an primary computer.
It's really light by the way
I have an iPad Pro for a second display.
 
Last edited:
Mike Boreham said:
Same here 23.7" Ultrafine. The MBA and monitor behave as if the combination was a desktop Mac, all controls in macOS and connects immediately, with no hiccups.
Click to expand...
When connected to an external display, does the MBA run hot? Any concerns with battery or other component degradation? I had a 2013 MBP die on me and I lost a lot of data (I am to blame for not backing it up) but I am confident that my Mac mini would not suddenly die on me after a few years of use.
 
Alex Cai said:
I am using an MacBook Air 2019 now as an primary computer.
It's really light by the way
I have an iPad Pro for a second display.
Click to expand...
Toutou said:
Yes, I use it 8+ hours a day as my main work (dev) machine, connected to a 4K display, in clamshell mode. No issues at all, except the slightly annoying bug that prevents it from waking up without opening the laptop itself (that's maybe once per 50 wakeups). Otherwise it's smooth sailing (picture quality, thermals, UI fluidity).
Click to expand...
Can I ask if the MBA runs hot when connected to your 4K display for extended hours? And do you have any concerns with battery/component degradation? How long do you expect the MBA to last in your current setup?
 
jav6454 said:
Although not an MBA, I use an M1 MBP as main work computer. Mind you there isn't much difference between both models. M1 is holding quite well.
Click to expand...
Can I ask why you opted for the MBP? If connected to a external display for extended time, does the MBP run hot and trigger the fans? I expect to have it connected to an external display for 6-8 hours per day.
 
Fuzzy text, flickering images and color issues on external 4K monitor which is a common issue. Test it out fully before return period.
 
flapflapflap said:
Can I ask if the MBA runs hot when connected to your 4K display for extended hours? And do you have any concerns with battery/component degradation? How long do you expect the MBA to last in your current setup?
Click to expand...

No it does not run hot. I actually have a second M1 MBA and the one with the display runs perhaps 3 degC less cool than the one without. No concerns with battery degradation. Because of course the machine is plugged in to the charger from the display 24/7, and because Apple Battery optimisation doesn't work for me, I use AlDente to control the max charge level to 60%.

Apple Battery Optimisation didn't work for me before I got the LG display, so the display is not the cause.
 
I use my M1 Air as a laptop sometimes and sometimes I plug it in to a ViewSonic 4K monitor in clamshell mode. No issues other than lack of ports. One port for power and the other for the monitor and... there are no other ports left. Get ready for the dongle life.
 
mi7chy said:
flickering images and color issues on external 4K monitor which is a common issue.
Click to expand...
This is something I have experienced while using Lightroom, but I’m pretty sure it’s an issue with the Ultrafine’s HDR setting.
 
11235813 said:
I use my M1 Air as a laptop sometimes and sometimes I plug it in to a ViewSonic 4K monitor in clamshell mode. No issues other than lack of ports. One port for power and the other for the monitor and... there are no other ports left. Get ready for the dongle life.
Click to expand...
Get a dock. If you are already using an external display you are desk bound anyway.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Apple_Robert
flapflapflap said:
Hi All, I currently have a mac mini M1 as my primary computer. Contemplating a swap with the MacBook Air M1 for portability. Does anyone use their MacBook Air M1 as their primary? Any issues connecting it to an external display for extended hours?

thank you
Click to expand...
Can't speak for using the M1 Air connected to a display for extended hours, but when I use mine for about 2-3 hours a day, it works just fine. No heat or anything like that. It just works as it should. Highly recommend.
 
A lot of people are connecting to a 4K monitor I see. Have a 4K Dell coming in the mail, but was contemplating 2.5K.

Any reason why most went for 4K over 2.5K?
 
flapflapflap said:
Hi All, I currently have a mac mini M1 as my primary computer. Contemplating a swap with the MacBook Air M1 for portability. Does anyone use their MacBook Air M1 as their primary? Any issues connecting it to an external display for extended hours?

thank you
Click to expand...

I made this switch in May. Traded my M1 Mini and got a shiny new MBA M1. Connected through a OWC TB3 Dock running a 32” Dell 1440p monitor via display port.

The advanced battery health automatically charges the battery to 80% only since I run the MBA mainly docked. If I go out for extended trip I just tell to charge it fully. Works well
 
Yup! My M1 MacBook Air has been my primary computer since I got it over three months ago. Definitely my fastest and most powerful Mac currently on hand. But I still do sometimes use my 2012 quad-core i7 Mac Mini and my 2012 13" unibody MacBook Pro (in fact, I took the latter to work with me today instead of the Air), as sometimes I may still do certain tasks requiring an Intel Mac of some kind; I even have a Windows 10 boot camp partition on said MacBook Pro!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back