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Why do people use clamshell mode?
- Thread starter LiE_
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I recently found the benefits of clamshell mode and love it. I don't need a desktop computer AND a laptop anymore, I just have a laptop that works as a desktop (clamshell) with external display (on my desk I want a larger screen than laptop size), or as a laptop (when travelling, in the kitchen, or wherever). When I need more screen space I use my external display and the MacBook display together. Best of both worlds and only need to buy one computer.
If you're using your laptop in clamshell mode 95% of the time (aka as a desktop), why not just use the Mac Studio? More powerful for the same or lesser price. (I see your signature says you also have a Mac Studio, but I'm personally just curious as to why you would use both if you're essentially saying you use the laptop as a second desktop.)
Clamshell mode is useful if you want to switch to a desktop without the laptop taking up a chunk of space.
Some want a hybrid setup where they use clamshell mode at home to connect it to their fancy monitor, and using the laptop itself when outside.
Some want a hybrid setup where they use clamshell mode at home to connect it to their fancy monitor, and using the laptop itself when outside.
Because my 14" MBP is my work laptop, and I have to take it places (like 5% of the time, ha).
Ha. I have the same preference. My fingers are used to the built-in keyboard and trackpad and I like to use that for everything in the office or on the go. I just hate bouncing between keyboards and I very much prefer the touchpad under the keyboard, this arrangement doesn't work well with external ones.
In office / docked mode, the laptop is right in front of me with the built-in LCD as secondary for mail / Spotify or something accessory. The external 27" monitor is the main one for work.
Plus, my main monitor has to vertically clear the built-in display and I am forced to position it higher, I find this arrangement more ergonomic with less neck and eye strain.
I assume you mean 'restart'? Sometimes when I when reconnect my laptop the Studio Display won't come on but a restart fixes that. Other than that I never restart/reboot unless an update requires it.
I like Clamshell mode, but I don't have a touch ID keyboard so I started leaving it open so I could easy access the button on the M1.
I turn the brightness all the way off so it goes dark but I don't know if that makes the display off or not.
Before COVID I needed a laptop when away from home, there was a valid use for the laptop as it was all I had and there was no external screen available, but when at home I just preferred to use a larger screen with an external keyboard/mouse. Having the laptop screen as 'extra real estate' when I have more than enough space on my desk monitor wasn't needed.
It’ll certainly save the backlight but the pixels are still being driven? Obviously no big deal and hardly likely to destroy it but nothing lasts forever and if I’m not using it I’d rather have it switched off in clamshell mode 👍
Once I finished college and before I purchased a 2017 iMac I used my MacBook Pro in clamshell full-time because I had an iPad when I needed a portable computer and it was a more elegant solution than a dual screen setup when I don't have a need for it.
Really, I don't currently need a desktop, but the Mac Studio was a bit of a disappointment so I ended up with a 14" MacBook Pro and it's in clamshell mode to a Studio Display nearly exclusively. I do get mild battery anxiety, but the optimized charging helps with that. I will need a laptop at some point in the future, but the answer is that I really just need a desktop 99% of the time and clamshell mode + nice display makes a pretty good desktop setup that has a bonus of being able to grab and go if needed.
Side Note: Apple Silicon really fixed most of the shortcomings of the desktop-laptop lifestyle. My intel MacBook ran hot, and noisy, was flaky when connecting and disconnecting displays, and was just kind of meh. However, my M1 Max system runs relatively cool (fans are off for minimal tasks, but do come on often if I push the machine but are not audible to me), system is always responsive, and the few times I've disconnected it works instantly.
Really, I don't currently need a desktop, but the Mac Studio was a bit of a disappointment so I ended up with a 14" MacBook Pro and it's in clamshell mode to a Studio Display nearly exclusively. I do get mild battery anxiety, but the optimized charging helps with that. I will need a laptop at some point in the future, but the answer is that I really just need a desktop 99% of the time and clamshell mode + nice display makes a pretty good desktop setup that has a bonus of being able to grab and go if needed.
Side Note: Apple Silicon really fixed most of the shortcomings of the desktop-laptop lifestyle. My intel MacBook ran hot, and noisy, was flaky when connecting and disconnecting displays, and was just kind of meh. However, my M1 Max system runs relatively cool (fans are off for minimal tasks, but do come on often if I push the machine but are not audible to me), system is always responsive, and the few times I've disconnected it works instantly.
Eh, I just don't really need it. I find all laptop screens to bee too small for extended use unless you have no other option. I have all my windows sized and arranged using Moom with presets for the MacBook Pro and Studio Display. I very rarely have an instance where I'd want to toss a window to a small secondary misaligned screen rather than just resize or split view on my main display. For those very few times I've busted use Sidecare with my iPad.
To use the MacBook Pro as a second screen I'd need a stand to move it to the medium high of the Studio Display and that adds clutter for something with very little utility (to me) so I'd rather have it discretely away using clamshell.
If I regularly needed two displays I'd vastly prefer that they be the same model side-by-side like two Studio Displays.
So my situation was that presently and personally I do not need a portal Mac, but within the next two years I will. My ideal setup was a Mac Studio + Studio display and then a baseline MacBook whenever that other need arose. However, the Mac Studio had the whistling issue, the only other desktop was an M1 Mac mini which wasn't sufficient, and I needed a Mac now - so I ended up with a hilariously ovespecced MacBook Pro because that's what they had in stock (it's higher-end than my returned Studio).
I am bothered a bit by the battery (it hasn't been undocked in a month) but optimized battery charging has kicked in. I'd like to use it as a laptop more, but I just don't really have a need to with my iPad and plus my MacBook Pro runs my Plex server (which is why I wanted an always on desktop - but Apple didn't offer one that worked for me).
I will say, this MacBook Pro has been a delightful desktop so far.
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I meant does the clamshell option time out after a certain amount of time. Excuse my ignorance I’ve never used clamshell mode before but curious how it works.
So long as your computer detects peripherals attached, either wired or bluetooth bound, it will display an image.
From then on, the sleep function works in the same way as it would be it a desktop mac, although the external display will use it's own sleep function to shut itself down once the laptop goes to sleep.
By default the notebook needs to be connected to a charger too. You can turn that requirement off with pmset though.
It doesn't. A lot of times it feels like I'm still using my iMac.
I have used my 14” daily for months, haven’t opened it once. Since it is also out of sight it is practically indistinguishable from the iMac 5K it replaced, with the exceptions that it is so much faster, the bezels are smaller and it now has Touch ID on the keyboard. (Oh, and the webcam sucks even more.)
The one meaningful difference is that it does not have a power button, so as far as I can tell I cannot turn it on without opening it. I really wish the Touch ID button worked like the power button on decades old Mac keyboards did.