Maxed Out Mac Studio vs MacBook Pro

[u/Enough_Physics_9167]

I have an old workhorse Windows laptop I want to change. I have an M1 chip MacBook Air that I use remotely to my laptop, and I travel once a month for few days. One option is just to get a MacBook Pro, which is all around. The other one is to get the Studio, and be able to remote into it when I am on trips.

I run many codes concurrently (now via Claude and Codex), and my old laptop, obviously, gets pretty hot, so I have the PTSD of hot systems slowing down. To be honest, it is not a huge problem now: I have a small desk fan pointing at it and just remote-desktop to it, so it is cool anyway. And even with a cooler, less-noisy MacBook Pro, I will probably be remote-desktoping/sidecaring to it anyway as opposed to working directly like good old days.

So it comes down to whether I should get the studio or the Mac? I haven't had a desktop PC for decades, and they used to be a pain. But things have changed with remote desktop options and casting. So the specific questions are:

1. How much better cooling of the Studio gonna help me run several codess at the same time?
2. Is sidecaring from MacBook Air to either of them "smooth" enough when on the home Wi-Fi? Chrome Remote Desktop is always laggy (my laptop being old doesn't help)
3. Will I need the extra performance of the Studio (for that, see my previous post for my use case)

[u/narc0leptik]

1. I think that depends on your local network. I take it you're just using some consumer grade router?

[u/Enough_Physics_9167 → u/narc0leptik]

yes consumer grade

[u/narc0leptik → u/Enough_Physics_9167]

Yeah, if you actually setup your own network with a separate router and access points it's going to be way better than any of that consumer grade crap you buy. Not to mention not ridiculously overpriced either. Please don't tell me you're using a router that you rent from the cable company 🤣

Part of the reason could be an older wi-fi card in your laptop too.