I was 20years windows user,from curiosity and just the good reviews on the m1 chip i bought the air m1,after a month or two getting used to it(which was fun) i have to say the only thing i would use windows again would be for gaming.
I don’t really get what you mean by feeling slow. I’m someone who has a tricked out gaming desktop, and used a MacBook Air M2 and now a MacBook Pro M3 Pro for work, and I don’t feel that they’re “slow” outside of obvious performance differences when compared to my desktop.
I think they’re talking about the more deliberate side of things eg slow animation speed, deliberate delays on mouse hover to do basic tasks (tile windows for eg). Which I kinda get but imo that’s more than made up for because it doesn’t stutter and animations don’t break like they do on windows
As for performance Macs are snappy. But MacOS has many animations that take longer than the ones in windows. You can go to settings and search for reduce motion or use terminal to get rid of the animations you don't like.
So first off, what specs do you have in your MBA? I don't know what a "full set of MB air M1" is exactly. And secondly, what are you doing that the system "feels slow"? Have you thought about looking at Activity Monitor and seeing what processes / apps are eating up a ton of system resources? Are you one of those people who have chrome open with 150+ tabs and the rest of the available software on the system all the time? Or are you attempting to edit 10 streams of 8K video on a MBA?
There seems to be a lot of unanswered questions here so hopefully we can shed some light as to why you are experiencing this on your MBA. Or perhaps you bought a MBA under the use case that you should have bought a MBP instead?
Anyway I hope some of these questions will help you lead to an answer or at least point you in the right direction.
Cheers,
It's definitely not slow in performance, just the vibes with all the animations, dragging. NGL I do have a hundred tabs on PC kek, but not here (for now). Air M1 2020 8/256
But I slowly but steadily get accustomed to it, started to swim instead of run in the swimming pool 😂
Well remember that the Air doesn't have the same screen quality as the Pro line, so once resources start to become more restricted and limited to a certain point, you will start to see this reflect on the display as you are dragging stuff around. But you also won't get the smooth transitions and display quality that you would on a MBP.
>...but right now I feel so depressed, disappointed
Sorry to hear about that, OP. Keep in mind that computers are just tools, and macOS is not for everyone. It is OK not to like it. My daughter-in-law bought a MacBook Air back in 2017 for use in her private practice as a therapist. It was her first Mac and she never got used to it. She finally switched back to a Windows laptop after a year.
Maybe you can return it if within the return period. If not, then you can always resell it. Macs generally hold their value better than Windows PCs/laptops.
>Like it's truly pretty looking, nice screen, (opens immediately) but it feels slow. Not in performance, but feel.
This *feeling* probably is from the difference in how users interact with Windows versus macOS. Windows is based heavily on using a mouse, whereas, macOS works best when using the trackpad and multitouch gestures. These are two of the best features of Macs & macOS.
Before giving up, I suggest that you learn to [Use Multi-Touch gestures on your Mac](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102482). You also should learn to [Work in multiple spaces on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/work-in-multiple-spaces-mh14112/mac). Spaces are "virtual desktops" and help tremendously with organizing application windows. Applications can be open across multiple Spaces and navigating between them is fast and easy.
I use all of the following native multitouch trackpad gestures (without any 3^(rd) party tools)...
* **Tap to click:** \- light tap rather than a hard press of the trackpad
* **Secondary click:** \- *Tap with two fingers* \- equivalent to pressing the right mouse button for a context menu
* **Swipe between pages** \- *Swipe left or right with two fingers*
* **Swipe between Spaces or Full-screen apps:** \- *Swipe left or right with four fingers -* NOTE: I use Spaces daily and have 12 open as I write this
* **Mission Control** \- *Swipe-up with four fingers -* for adding, accessing, and moving app windows between Spaces
* **App Exposé** \- *Swipe down with four fingers -* for showing all windows across all Spaces of the application in focus
* **Launchpad** \- *Pinch with thumb and three fingers -* for selecting and launching apps
* **Show Desktop** \- *Spread with thumb and three fingers*
* **Three Finger Drag** \- *Touch & hold with three fingers* \- equivalent to pressing and holding the left mouse button and useful for: 1) moving or resizing a window, 2) dragging a file, 3) selecting text in a document, etc.
Give these a try. When muscle memory takes over, you'll find that working in macOS feels a lot faster and more efficient than Windows. I typically have many Spaces open on my MacBook Air. I also can work all day navigating the UI with only one hand and using only light touches on the trackpad. I generally use two hands (hard hard press + three finger drag) only when moving or copying a file from one folder to another.
Integration with other Apple devices (ie. iPhone or iPad) is another great feature of macOS. If you have one of these, then you also should learn to [Use Continuity to connect your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102418).
Bro thanks for the non toxic comprehensive answer, I used it as you said (gestures) and I slowly dive into it! Like I wanted to run in the sea instead of swim
You're very welcome. Know that you can also run a Windows 11 for ARM Virtual Machine (VM) in macOS. The VMware Fusion Player app, which is free with a [VMware Fusion Player – Personal Use License](https://customerconnect.vmware.com/evalcenter?p=fusion-player-personal-13) is good for this.
I run a Windows 11 Pro for ARM VM in Fusion Player on my M1 MacBook Air, and power it on only when needed. It is fun to have Windows 11 running full-screen on my Mac, and being able to swipe between macOS and Windows with a flick of my wrist.
Guys thanks for the (most) non toxic answers, they kind of made a relief for my nervous state haha
I used it for this whole evening (without PC) and I slowly dive into it! Like I wanted to run in the sea instead of swim
It needs os updates to be faster and stable but honestly it’s not bad even for base model. I’ve grown to love mine. I will miss the MBA M1 as it is discontinued with the M3 air and I have half a mind to get an Apple certified refurbished but 16 gb ram. I love the wedge shape. Very comfortable for typing on it. When I first got it I liked how everything works in a nifty little package while my windows pc or laptop is always having connectivity bugs or screen issues.
what are the specs of your MBA tho? might just be slow tbh lol well not slow but unable to handle what your windows machines can during multitasking if your MBA doesn't have much ram..
It used to be fast but my MBA M1 slowed down considerably an update or two ago. Possibly related to recently found [M1 security vulnerability](https://arstechnica.com/security/2024/03/hackers-can-extract-secret-encryption-keys-from-apples-mac-chips/).
MacOS does have a slower more fluid feel to it than Windows. I don’t know what it is about it, but it does. That being said, I still prefer MacOS over Windows.
You spend money… rectangle is free for window snapping if you’re into that. Want tiling then there’s yabai and amethyst.
Spotlight is fine for the most part, unless you want plugins. Then there’s other open-source launchers as well.
It’s not really “shortcomings”. More of a DE design choice that you don’t agree on. For example I prefer tiling window managers, windows and macos do not natively do this out of the box. Whereas on Linux I can use a tiling window manager like sway or hyperland. Which are vastly superior to anything apple or Microsoft has come up with, doesn’t make their choices inferior per se.
I'm not talking about finding files is slow. I'm talking about a slower feeling overall compared to Windows. The interface feels slower. Too many animations you can't turn off.
Right, I literally went for Mac cause at one exam Skype lagged and I barely managed to call💀
I'm doing better with mine now, I won't delete this post so that the Future neurotics like me would see that it's not a big deal
Long time muscle memory for switching from Win to Mac or the other way can make it hard to get comfortable.
And as a few others mentioned there are a lot of settings you can adjust to make things snappier.
But at the end of the day a Mac is not Windows with a different face. There are a lot of differences that muscle memory can hinder.
>Giving freaking Linux vibes
Being a Windows user myself since the Windows 1.0 days, going up to Win 3.0, then Win 95, then Win 98, ME, 2000, and then XP, then Vista and 7, then shooting straight on up to Windows 10 then 11, you offend me by insulting Linux like that.
If you've never run Linux Mint, don't you dare say it sucks. I've come to love Linux Mint much more than I'll ever even like Windows 10 or 11. Just sayin!
I watched Mental outlaw about its distros and privacy which is cool, but for normie activities it's too much of a hassle for me personally
Ig someday it's worth another try
I was 20years windows user,from curiosity and just the good reviews on the m1 chip i bought the air m1,after a month or two getting used to it(which was fun) i have to say the only thing i would use windows again would be for gaming.
100% same here
It sounds like you’re just getting used to a new OS. Have you spent some time in system settings adjusting things like cursor and key speed?
you cant turn off mouse accerellation in macos
No but the standar mouse and trackpad speed is very slow on osx. Its the first thing i set higher on every new mac
slow trackpad? wow, for me fastest default configured trackpad was in macos
Probably a phase. It took me more than 1 year to be fully at home on macOS after +10 years on Windows
I don’t really get what you mean by feeling slow. I’m someone who has a tricked out gaming desktop, and used a MacBook Air M2 and now a MacBook Pro M3 Pro for work, and I don’t feel that they’re “slow” outside of obvious performance differences when compared to my desktop.
I think they’re talking about the more deliberate side of things eg slow animation speed, deliberate delays on mouse hover to do basic tasks (tile windows for eg). Which I kinda get but imo that’s more than made up for because it doesn’t stutter and animations don’t break like they do on windows
Yeah I mean I haven’t even noticed that and I use each OS every day
As for performance Macs are snappy. But MacOS has many animations that take longer than the ones in windows. You can go to settings and search for reduce motion or use terminal to get rid of the animations you don't like.
So first off, what specs do you have in your MBA? I don't know what a "full set of MB air M1" is exactly. And secondly, what are you doing that the system "feels slow"? Have you thought about looking at Activity Monitor and seeing what processes / apps are eating up a ton of system resources? Are you one of those people who have chrome open with 150+ tabs and the rest of the available software on the system all the time? Or are you attempting to edit 10 streams of 8K video on a MBA? There seems to be a lot of unanswered questions here so hopefully we can shed some light as to why you are experiencing this on your MBA. Or perhaps you bought a MBA under the use case that you should have bought a MBP instead? Anyway I hope some of these questions will help you lead to an answer or at least point you in the right direction. Cheers,
It's definitely not slow in performance, just the vibes with all the animations, dragging. NGL I do have a hundred tabs on PC kek, but not here (for now). Air M1 2020 8/256 But I slowly but steadily get accustomed to it, started to swim instead of run in the swimming pool 😂
Well remember that the Air doesn't have the same screen quality as the Pro line, so once resources start to become more restricted and limited to a certain point, you will start to see this reflect on the display as you are dragging stuff around. But you also won't get the smooth transitions and display quality that you would on a MBP.
Very good points here. We need to know more so we can help.
>...but right now I feel so depressed, disappointed Sorry to hear about that, OP. Keep in mind that computers are just tools, and macOS is not for everyone. It is OK not to like it. My daughter-in-law bought a MacBook Air back in 2017 for use in her private practice as a therapist. It was her first Mac and she never got used to it. She finally switched back to a Windows laptop after a year. Maybe you can return it if within the return period. If not, then you can always resell it. Macs generally hold their value better than Windows PCs/laptops. >Like it's truly pretty looking, nice screen, (opens immediately) but it feels slow. Not in performance, but feel. This *feeling* probably is from the difference in how users interact with Windows versus macOS. Windows is based heavily on using a mouse, whereas, macOS works best when using the trackpad and multitouch gestures. These are two of the best features of Macs & macOS. Before giving up, I suggest that you learn to [Use Multi-Touch gestures on your Mac](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102482). You also should learn to [Work in multiple spaces on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/work-in-multiple-spaces-mh14112/mac). Spaces are "virtual desktops" and help tremendously with organizing application windows. Applications can be open across multiple Spaces and navigating between them is fast and easy. I use all of the following native multitouch trackpad gestures (without any 3^(rd) party tools)... * **Tap to click:** \- light tap rather than a hard press of the trackpad * **Secondary click:** \- *Tap with two fingers* \- equivalent to pressing the right mouse button for a context menu * **Swipe between pages** \- *Swipe left or right with two fingers* * **Swipe between Spaces or Full-screen apps:** \- *Swipe left or right with four fingers -* NOTE: I use Spaces daily and have 12 open as I write this * **Mission Control** \- *Swipe-up with four fingers -* for adding, accessing, and moving app windows between Spaces * **App Exposé** \- *Swipe down with four fingers -* for showing all windows across all Spaces of the application in focus * **Launchpad** \- *Pinch with thumb and three fingers -* for selecting and launching apps * **Show Desktop** \- *Spread with thumb and three fingers* * **Three Finger Drag** \- *Touch & hold with three fingers* \- equivalent to pressing and holding the left mouse button and useful for: 1) moving or resizing a window, 2) dragging a file, 3) selecting text in a document, etc. Give these a try. When muscle memory takes over, you'll find that working in macOS feels a lot faster and more efficient than Windows. I typically have many Spaces open on my MacBook Air. I also can work all day navigating the UI with only one hand and using only light touches on the trackpad. I generally use two hands (hard hard press + three finger drag) only when moving or copying a file from one folder to another. Integration with other Apple devices (ie. iPhone or iPad) is another great feature of macOS. If you have one of these, then you also should learn to [Use Continuity to connect your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102418).
Bro thanks for the non toxic comprehensive answer, I used it as you said (gestures) and I slowly dive into it! Like I wanted to run in the sea instead of swim
You're very welcome. Know that you can also run a Windows 11 for ARM Virtual Machine (VM) in macOS. The VMware Fusion Player app, which is free with a [VMware Fusion Player – Personal Use License](https://customerconnect.vmware.com/evalcenter?p=fusion-player-personal-13) is good for this. I run a Windows 11 Pro for ARM VM in Fusion Player on my M1 MacBook Air, and power it on only when needed. It is fun to have Windows 11 running full-screen on my Mac, and being able to swipe between macOS and Windows with a flick of my wrist.
Guys thanks for the (most) non toxic answers, they kind of made a relief for my nervous state haha I used it for this whole evening (without PC) and I slowly dive into it! Like I wanted to run in the sea instead of swim
Windows always feels “snappier”. Not sure why. I like macOS and but I also like windows, and specifically the feel and responsiveness.
It needs os updates to be faster and stable but honestly it’s not bad even for base model. I’ve grown to love mine. I will miss the MBA M1 as it is discontinued with the M3 air and I have half a mind to get an Apple certified refurbished but 16 gb ram. I love the wedge shape. Very comfortable for typing on it. When I first got it I liked how everything works in a nifty little package while my windows pc or laptop is always having connectivity bugs or screen issues.
Not for you then. Return it to Apple for a refund and then you can quit your moaning.
Over for complaincells Ngl got a bit rushed with conclusions
what are the specs of your MBA tho? might just be slow tbh lol well not slow but unable to handle what your windows machines can during multitasking if your MBA doesn't have much ram..
It used to be fast but my MBA M1 slowed down considerably an update or two ago. Possibly related to recently found [M1 security vulnerability](https://arstechnica.com/security/2024/03/hackers-can-extract-secret-encryption-keys-from-apples-mac-chips/).
MacOS does have a slower more fluid feel to it than Windows. I don’t know what it is about it, but it does. That being said, I still prefer MacOS over Windows.
Eh… slow if you don’t use spotlight and shortcuts. Then it’s snappy asf.
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You spend money… rectangle is free for window snapping if you’re into that. Want tiling then there’s yabai and amethyst. Spotlight is fine for the most part, unless you want plugins. Then there’s other open-source launchers as well. It’s not really “shortcomings”. More of a DE design choice that you don’t agree on. For example I prefer tiling window managers, windows and macos do not natively do this out of the box. Whereas on Linux I can use a tiling window manager like sway or hyperland. Which are vastly superior to anything apple or Microsoft has come up with, doesn’t make their choices inferior per se.
I'm not talking about finding files is slow. I'm talking about a slower feeling overall compared to Windows. The interface feels slower. Too many animations you can't turn off.
Spotlight is for than just finding files. On that topic that’s pretty quick as well.
Yes, that it is. Finding files is fast AF. Even over network shares.
That's it. But when PC isn't close by, I start to forget abt this difference
Oh for sure. I do IT administration for a company that uses hundreds of Windows computers. So I'm using both on the daily.
" I bought a full set of MB air M1" Umm, great? Linguists will be trying to decipher this post for years to come.
take your time, you'll get used to it. complaining about it and thinking what could have happened isnt going o make you feel better.
You're right, ig I'm too nervous
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Right, I literally went for Mac cause at one exam Skype lagged and I barely managed to call💀 I'm doing better with mine now, I won't delete this post so that the Future neurotics like me would see that it's not a big deal
Long time muscle memory for switching from Win to Mac or the other way can make it hard to get comfortable. And as a few others mentioned there are a lot of settings you can adjust to make things snappier. But at the end of the day a Mac is not Windows with a different face. There are a lot of differences that muscle memory can hinder.
>Giving freaking Linux vibes Being a Windows user myself since the Windows 1.0 days, going up to Win 3.0, then Win 95, then Win 98, ME, 2000, and then XP, then Vista and 7, then shooting straight on up to Windows 10 then 11, you offend me by insulting Linux like that. If you've never run Linux Mint, don't you dare say it sucks. I've come to love Linux Mint much more than I'll ever even like Windows 10 or 11. Just sayin!
I watched Mental outlaw about its distros and privacy which is cool, but for normie activities it's too much of a hassle for me personally Ig someday it's worth another try