The M1 MacBooks are an exceptional package

[dtmunir]

The MBA/M1 is a fantastic machine. But I’m surprised none of the reviews mention how much the memory thrashes on the 8Gb model and how the laptop freezes every time that happens for a few seconds and becomes very unusable. Have tested it thoroughly for a month almost. If you manage how much memory you’re using proactively by killing chrome tabs, and shutting down applications it’s great. But when waking up from sleep or with a lot of tabs, apps open memory is definitely a bottleneck. CPU / heat are never a bottleneck. Even with tons of things running, including MacOS daemons doing calendar, photo and contact sync for hours, alongside everything else, never gets heated.

I also just got the MBP/M1 with 16GB ram. Will report how that goes, but I can already feel it’s faster when lots of things open.

don’t get me wrong. Absolutely in love with both these laptops and the MBA is LEAPS ahead of my late 2016 MBP. But 8Gb is definitely not the way to go even if you multitask just a little bit, and have apps that rely on Rosetta

 

[Zazoh]

The MBA/M1 is a fantastic machine. But I’m surprised none of the reviews mention how much the memory thrashes on the 8Gb model and how the laptop freezes every time that happens for a few seconds and becomes very unusable. Have tested it thoroughly for a month almost. If you manage how much memory you’re using proactively by killing chrome tabs, and shutting down applications it’s great. But when waking up from sleep or with a lot of tabs, apps open memory is definitely a bottleneck. CPU / heat are never a bottleneck. Even with tons of things running, including MacOS daemons doing calendar, photo and contact sync for hours, alongside everything else, never gets heated.

I also just got the MBP/M1 with 16GB ram. Will report how that goes, but I can already feel it’s faster when lots of things open.

don’t get me wrong. Absolutely in love with both these laptops and the MBA is LEAPS ahead of my late 2016 MBP. But 8Gb is definitely not the way to go even if you multitask just a little bit, and have apps that rely on Rosetta

More likely Chrome and its KeyStone helper app we’ve been hearing about lately.

 

[ssampath]

Can M1 Air owners comment on heat? Does it get too warm to use on your lap for productivity tasks? (MS Office, zoom, a few browser tabs)

I did a 3 hour zoom party last night - the m1 air gets just a touch warm - nothing like my early 2020 core i5 air where the fan would go off like an leaf blower!

 

[Apple_Robert]

I got my M1 MBA yesterday and this morning I tried to watch 4K video on YouTube via Safari and the highest resolution I am offered is 1440 60K. Is there no native support for this with Safari?

 

[k1im]

I keep hearing people pushing the MBA but I still wonder how it would take 2-3h Davinci Resolve 4K video color grading or some Fusion? Has anyone tried working on it for some time (not just rendering as most of us would still leave the laptop alone) and 10-20% more render time due throttling seems ok, still pretty fast!

Ordered new M1 16Gb MBP 1Tb to replace my 2015 MBP 13. However, I still consider MBA as it seems a better value machine. Just wonder how hot it would get and how it would affect the performance and the video editing experience itself.

 

[jdb8167]

I got my M1 MBA yesterday and this morning I tried to watch 4K video on YouTube via Safari and the highest resolution I am offered is 1440 60K. Is there no native support for this with Safari?

I watch 4K YouTube in Safari all the time. Not sure what is up with the one you you looked at.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I watch 4K YouTube in Safari all the time. Not sure what is up with the one you you looked at.

I have tried several YT videos and I haven't been given an option higher than 1440 HD. If I use FF, I can get 4k.

Is there a setting with Safari with the M1 I need to change? This is very frustrating.

Thanks for the reply.

Example video that doesn't list 4k to me in Safari

 

[matrix07]

I have tried several YT videos and I haven't been given an option higher than 1440 HD. If I use FF, I can get 4k.

Is there a setting with Safari with the M1 I need to change? This is very frustrating.

Thanks for the reply.

Example video that doesn't list 4k to me in Safari

Base MBA here. I got 4K in Safari.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Base MBA here. I got it in 4K.
View attachment 1701143

I wonder why it isn't showing for me. I don't have a YT account. I use it anonymously. FireFox will display in 4k.

I am on Wifi but, my speed is well over 400Mbps. I also connected the M1 to ethernet earlier and that didn't make the option show.

 

[jdb8167]

I have tried several YT videos and I haven't been given an option higher than 1440 HD. If I use FF, I can get 4k.

Is there a setting with Safari with the M1 I need to change? This is very frustrating.

Thanks for the reply.

Example video that doesn't list 4k to me in Safari

Working in 4K but no 60 fps on that one. Weird that you aren't getting 4K. Are you on a mobile network instead of land line. I can't think of any other reason other than you are bandwidth limited.

 

[jdb8167]

This video is 4kx60fps HDR on my M1 MacBook Air.

Real 4K HDR 60fps: LG Jazz HDR UHD

 

[Apple_Robert]

Working in 4K but no 60 fps on that one. Weird that you aren't getting 4K. Are you on a mobile network instead of land line. I can't think of any other reason other than you are bandwidth limited.

I am using the home wifi AirPort Extreme 5Ghz band that is also bridged to AT&T Uverse router. Ethernet didn't help and I just tried using my 5G mini as a hotspot to test and that didn't work.

I wish I had something else to try. When I got my M1 yesterday, I set it up, installed 2 apps and then updated to 11.1.

 

[Apple_Robert]

This video is 4kx60fps HDR on my M1 MacBook Air.

Real 4K HDR 60fps: LG Jazz HDR UHD

Still 1440 HD for me.

I hate the thought of trying to fresh install with this M1. I fear I would get errors like other people have. grr.

 

[jdb8167]

Still 1440 HD for me.

I hate the thought of trying to fresh install with this M1. I fear I would get errors like other people have. grr.

Weird. I'm out of ideas.

 

[Quackers]

I have tried several YT videos and I haven't been given an option higher than 1440 HD. If I use FF, I can get 4k.

Is there a setting with Safari with the M1 I need to change? This is very frustrating.

Thanks for the reply.

Example video that doesn't list 4k to me in Safari

I've just tried your video and a couple of other 4K videos through Safari and they're all at or close to
2560x1350 @ 30Hz which reduces to 1920x1012 @ 30Hz in the small screen.

 

[matrix07]

I wonder why it isn't showing for me. I don't have a YT account. I use it anonymously. FireFox will display in 4k.

I am on Wifi but, my speed is well over 400Mbps. I also connected the M1 to ethernet earlier and that didn't make the option show.

You are just like me. Doesn't sign in. Wi-Fi 5Ghz. My download speed is around 400 Mbps as well.

Edit: I checked. Turns out I have signed in.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I've just tried your video and a couple of other 4K videos through Safari and they're all at or close to
2560x1350 @ 30Hz

I tried some videos on Vimeo (searched for 4k) and if the video didn't automatically default to 2160, I was able to manually select the 4k option.

Thanks for checking, Quackers. If anyone has any ideas, I am listening and willing to try.

 

[Quackers]

Still 1440 HD for me.

I hate the thought of trying to fresh install with this M1. I fear I would get errors like other people have. grr.

Did yours come with 11.0 or 11.0.1?

 

[jdb8167]

You are just like me. Doesn't sign in. Wi-Fi 5Ghz.

I don't sign in to any Google properties. I'd maybe check the URL to see if there is anything tacked on the end? I've noticed sometimes when a YouTube video is embedded in another site, sometimes it doesn't get full options. On the actual YouTube site recently (since Big Sur?) I've been able to click on the gear icon and choose up to the full size of the video.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Did yours come with 11.0 or 11.0.1?

That is a good question. I believe it came with 11.01 and I updated to 11.1. I could be mistaken.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I don't sign in to any Google properties. I'd maybe check the URL to see if there is anything tacked on the end? I've noticed sometimes when a YouTube video is embedded in another site, sometimes it doesn't get full options. On the actual YouTube site recently (since Big Sur?) I've been able to click on the gear icon and choose up to the full size of the video.

I have been trying to use the gear to get the higher video as well on YT.

 

[Quackers]

That is a good question. I believe it came with 11.01 and I updated to 11.1. I could be mistaken.

If you've had 11.0.1 at some time (mine hadn't) and are now on 11.1 then a re-install shouldn't be a problem.
But having said that I've re-installed and I'm getting the numbers above anyway.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I've just tried your video and a couple of other 4K videos through Safari and they're all at or close to
2560x1350 @ 30Hz which reduces to 1920x1012 @ 30Hz in the small screen.

What are you using to get the actual resolution and rate? I right click on the video and then stats for nerds option. I tried looking in Developer option in Safari but, couldn't pick out the actual numbers.

If you gents don't think a reinstall will help on my M1, I will leave it be.

According to Coconut Battery, my M1 was built on 12.2

 

[Quackers]

What are you using to get the actual resolution and rate? I right click on the video and then stats for nerds option. I tried looking in Developer option in Safari but, couldn't pick out the actual numbers.

If you gents don't think a reinstall will help on my M1, I will leave it be.

According to Coconut Battery, my M1 was built on 12.2

Yep, same way but on this one I clicked on the HD bit in red and chose 2160 4K and got it

Better view

 

[Apple_Robert]

Yep, same way but on this one I clicked on the HD bit in red and chose 2160 4K and got it
View attachment 1701157

Better view
View attachment 1701161

I just tried that video and still only get 1440 HD option.

It is showing @30 for me with 2560 x 1440