Bit curious for people who use a laptop stand.... do you type on the MacBook at all, or do you use it just as an extra monitor and use the separate keyboard? So is the stand just to raise up the monitor?
Am still playing around with best setup....
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Why do people use clamshell mode?
- Thread starter LiE_
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Am still playing around with best setup....
A laptop stand is to raise the monitor to avoid neck strain. You have to use a separate keyboard and mouse or tracker pad. Otherwise you are typing in mid air. Not good for you at all.
I love the portability but need big screen to work on some projects so clamshell is the way. I don't want to buy another computer and move from one to another. I would rather have it all on one and move freely whenever I want to without the need to transfer or download files from cloud.
As long as we're veering slightly off-topic... I used to use a 2018 Mac mini. My cat LOVED napping on top of it since it was so hot. Replaced it with this 14" MBP back in like February, and she no longer has a napping spot since A) I use it open at my desk, and B) it's nowhere near as hot as that Intel mini. 😂 I only feel a little bad about it.
I have two MacBooks for work so I have a 16” on a monitor arm to the left and the 13” plugged in to a 49” ultrawide monitor. It sits closed underneath the monitor.
I’ve found when you get to monitors of that size the head-turn required to use the extra screen isn’t worth it. Better to tuck it away neatly and save a little power and desk space.
I’ve found when you get to monitors of that size the head-turn required to use the extra screen isn’t worth it. Better to tuck it away neatly and save a little power and desk space.
I agree with Apple fanboy -- My 15" 2018 MBP is on a stand which elevates it so that when the lid is open and the monitor screen is on it is at the correct eye level alongside my 24" external monitor. I don't type on the MBP in this position, though. I use this setup as a replacement desktop, with external BT keyboard and mouse. Prior to purchasing the external monitor I used the laptop in this way with just its own screen, but needed and wanted the larger monitor for editing digital images.
IMHO the elevation on a stand provides extra cooling opportunity for the machine, both open and closed.
I use both displays. Sometimes I use primarily the MBA with an external display turned on, writing directly on the laptop. However, sometimes I prefer to use an external keyboard and mouse — in those cases I'm editing a document on the external monitor, and watching the content I need for that process on the laptop. A few times, I use the clamshell mode (when I'm just browsing or seeing my email, and I prefer the bigger display of the external monitor). It is wonderful to have so many solutions nowadays.
Now let me be provocative: I can't understand how people don't get tired of working on iPads. It fails all the ergonomic tests (at least for me), and having to touch the screen and type is horrible. Tablets are cool for media consumption, and to do some creative tasks. Ipad Pro's are great to accomplish that with even more detail and quality. But for desk work, it is a total ergonomic failure, in my view. I've tested cases, stands, pencils, and I can say one thing: working on a computer is way more relaxing. Tablet owners, Pilates yourself!
Now let me be provocative: I can't understand how people don't get tired of working on iPads. It fails all the ergonomic tests (at least for me), and having to touch the screen and type is horrible. Tablets are cool for media consumption, and to do some creative tasks. Ipad Pro's are great to accomplish that with even more detail and quality. But for desk work, it is a total ergonomic failure, in my view. I've tested cases, stands, pencils, and I can say one thing: working on a computer is way more relaxing. Tablet owners, Pilates yourself!
Couldn’t agree more. Watching a video or playing a game is about all I do on my iPad. But Mrs AFB spends hours on hers every day. Never touches the Mac.
I work on my Macs 8-10 hours a day anywhere from 5-6 days a week. I cannot hunch over a laptop for that long at a time every single day.
I have the 2021 16" from work and the 2021 14" for personal. The 16" is docked to my 4K UltraFine monitor 99.99% of the time. The 14" gets docked about 50% of the time but is usually the computer that goes with me too if I need to work on a project away from home. I have them both set up in Spaces basically the same way, so I just swap them in and out of my desktop setup when needed and they both more or less behave the same way.
That's not to say I don't value the nice screens on both machines though. In fact, sometimes I choose my MacBook Pro over my 4K TV, iPhone, or iPad simply because it's the nicest display I own. The tech that's packed into the newest MBP displays is astounding and really shouldn't be taken for granted. They'd be amazing displays even if not attached to a computer.
I have the 2021 16" from work and the 2021 14" for personal. The 16" is docked to my 4K UltraFine monitor 99.99% of the time. The 14" gets docked about 50% of the time but is usually the computer that goes with me too if I need to work on a project away from home. I have them both set up in Spaces basically the same way, so I just swap them in and out of my desktop setup when needed and they both more or less behave the same way.
That's not to say I don't value the nice screens on both machines though. In fact, sometimes I choose my MacBook Pro over my 4K TV, iPhone, or iPad simply because it's the nicest display I own. The tech that's packed into the newest MBP displays is astounding and really shouldn't be taken for granted. They'd be amazing displays even if not attached to a computer.
Do you use File Sharing between both Macs? Are you constantly accessing one desk in other Mac?
In my opinion iCloud Drive has become both fast enough and reliable enough for daily use, I keep pretty much everything there. The only exceptions are huge files, files that I want to keep more securely and stuff I know I’ll never want to access anywhere else.
Ok! I am kinda thinking what is the best option for me, because I've a 2013 MBA, which is running well (but is naturally aging) and I thought to bring a new M1 MAC to help the old laptop. It could a M1 desktop, but I want to assure that I can have both "DESKS" (all my files) in both Macs, or at least that I work in the same version of a file. iCloud could be an option!
Not really. Because one computer is company-supplied and one is my own personal computer, I try to keep things separate if I can. It's been years since I thought of file sharing as any kind of hindrance though if I do need to do it. iCloud and OneDrive make it pretty seamless.
All our work files are kept on the OneDrive. Makes things so simple.
I'm thinking about replacing my Mac Mini M1 and MBA M1 with a single Pro 14" M1. Currently Mini is obviously my desktop machine and MBA is mostly unused as I rarely really need a laptop but I still want to have one.
So I was thinking about selling both and get Pro 14 M1 and use it docked (clamshell) as desktop 99% of the time connected to my 32" 4K monitor by USB-C (monitor can charge from USB-C too).
I'm interested to hear if others have use their M1 Pro's like this so that machine is always docked and connected to charger and let MacOS manage battery. How is battery health doing after long time and is there any other signs of heat damage to any parts like display? I would not want to end up with swollen battery and deformed chassis or some spots on the display panel.
Also has clamshell use cause issue with keyboard leaving marks on the display?
So I was thinking about selling both and get Pro 14 M1 and use it docked (clamshell) as desktop 99% of the time connected to my 32" 4K monitor by USB-C (monitor can charge from USB-C too).
I'm interested to hear if others have use their M1 Pro's like this so that machine is always docked and connected to charger and let MacOS manage battery. How is battery health doing after long time and is there any other signs of heat damage to any parts like display? I would not want to end up with swollen battery and deformed chassis or some spots on the display panel.
Also has clamshell use cause issue with keyboard leaving marks on the display?
I do this with both of my machines. My personal 14" MacBook Pro and my 16" work MacBook Pro can be hot swapped in and out of my desktop setup and have full access to all connected peripherals. I even keep the Spaces desktops on each one generally the same so that my flow doesn't change from machine to machine. I have the Logitech MX keyboard and mouse and have a profile for each Mac and my iPad mini on those inputs. Everything else is connected through the Thunderbolt cable.
My charging habits however, are a tale of two laptops. My 14" M1 Pro (much like my M1 Air before it) goes out of the house with me sometimes and gets used a lot in other rooms of the house, so I almost never dock it. It sits on my desk when charging or not in use, but I only dock it when I want to play a game or work on a project that requires a bigger canvas. Obviously, on that Mac, my usage is so varied that the automatic battery management never kicks in. I have it turned on, but I doubt it will ever be needed. This is my daily workhorse computer for non-company projects and gets a lot of different situations thrown at it.
My 16" Pro is the machine issued to me from work a few months ago. It is almost always docked unless I want to work in the kitchen for a change of scenery or if I have to do a work trip and need my company machine. macOS keeps this notebook in the 80-90% range almost always.
The second scenario, with the larger work Mac, is the way I've been using my work MacBooks for years. My old 2012 Air, both the 15" MBPs I've had over the last few years, and now my 2021 16" M1 Pro. I've never had any screen damage, heat problems, or anything else with any of them. The top of the machine will get warm while closed, but I believe most of the heat gets shot out the back of the casing.
I do exactly this.
It is always connected to a charger, so I have no idea how the battery is doing.
No signs of heat damage. Besides, I hardly ever see any of the temperature sensors indicate above 40°C.
No.
Those marks are typically always from pressure applied to the laptop in a bag or such, you'll never see this from clamshelled operation unless you are also using your laptop as a bookshelf.
My M1 Pro MBP has been plugged into my Studio Display since the day in March that I purchased the Studio Display. The Battery system preference says "Battery Condition: Normal" and "Maximum Capacity: 100%," which I am assuming means the battery is just fine.I do exactly this.
It is always connected to a charger, so I have no idea how the battery is doing.
No signs of heat damage. Besides, I hardly ever see any of the temperature sensors indicate above 40°C.
No.
Those marks are typically always from pressure applied to the laptop in a bag or such, you'll never see this from clamshelled operation unless you are also using your laptop as a bookshelf.
Right now it appears the battery is fully charged (perhaps because I unplugged the MBP briefly a little while ago and the system decided that it needed to be topped off when I plugged it back in) and "On Hold". Ordinarily it sits at 80% and "On Hold." Since I'm aware that it isn't a good idea to leave a battery at 100% for a protracted period of time, if optimized battery charging doesn't drop this back to 80% soon, I will simply unplug the MBP, drain the battery down to 70%, and then plug it back in--at which point the charging should stop at 80% and hold there. With this caveat, I'm not worrying about premature battery aging.
As for the concern about keyboard marks on the screen, I have placed the little foam shipping sheet that came with the MBP in between the screen and the keyboard, just to be on the safe side. Not sure I needed to do this but I don't see a downside. There doesn't appear to be enough heat generated in clamshell mode to cause the foam to stick to the screen and the foam protects the screen.
I want laptop to use it on the go and I want to hook it up to the monitor when I come home and use it as a desktop, what is so hard to understand about this?
Until the Apple makes a desktop that totally blows the MacBook Pro out of the water (Studio does not really count, not even close), I don't see a need of having both desktop and laptop.
This was the point I was going to make, but failed to include.
Mine also sits at 80%. Sometimes it goes up to 100% but after a while it drops down again.
I'm a freelance designer and i've ben using a 27" iMac as my main and a 13" MBP for my travel setup for a few years now. I recently bought a 14" MBP to replace both. I do need portability, but it's pretty infrequent, which means before any trip, I would have to spend time to update the MBP and make sure my OS and all my programs were all up to date, which isn't hard, but just time consuming. I'll be using the new MBP with a monitor most of the time, but I do love the idea that I'll be able to just "pick up and go" from now on.
For file syncing, I actually just use a portable SSD (that I would keep all my files on) that I would plug into my iMac and when I'd travel, just unplug the drive and take it with me. Worked great! And the drive I have is pretty small (like half the size of my phone), so it was easy to just put it with the rest of my travel stuff (ie: travel phone/watch charger, USB cables, etc).
For file syncing, I actually just use a portable SSD (that I would keep all my files on) that I would plug into my iMac and when I'd travel, just unplug the drive and take it with me. Worked great! And the drive I have is pretty small (like half the size of my phone), so it was easy to just put it with the rest of my travel stuff (ie: travel phone/watch charger, USB cables, etc).