u/Valarhem

Hey everyone,

I’m considering getting an M5 MacBook Pro with 32GB RAM and using it as both my portable machine and primary desktop workstation.

My workflow is fairly heavy:

• DaVinci Resolve
• commercial film editing
• color grading
• some Fusion work
• external SSD workflow
• long editing sessions
• occasional AI/image generation tools
• multiple browser tabs/apps open constantly

At home, I’d mostly run it closed in clamshell mode connected to an external monitor, SSDs, keyboard, etc. Then unplug and travel/work remotely when needed.

I’m curious about real-world experience from people actually using it this way.

Questions:

• Does it genuinely replace a desktop comfortably?
• Any thermal throttling during long Resolve sessions?
• How’s sustained performance over hours?
• Any regret not going 64GB?
• Fan noise under heavy load?
• Does clamshell mode affect thermals significantly?
• How does it feel compared to a Mac Studio setup in actual day-to-day use?

I love the idea of having one powerful machine instead of maintaining both a desktop and laptop, but I’m trying to understand where the compromises really begin.

Would especially love feedback from editors/colorists/3D/AI people running serious workloads.

Thanks.

Time to leave Adobe.

What are the best real alternatives to InDesign and Illustrator?

I’m done with the subscription trap, the bloated apps, the constant updates, and the feeling that everything is getting worse while costing more.

I’m looking for serious alternatives, not toys.

For InDesign, what is the best option for professional layouts, pitch decks, print documents, proposals, and brand presentations?

For Illustrator, what is the best option for vector work, logos, simple graphics, icons, and brand assets?

I’ve heard people mention Affinity Publisher and Affinity Designer, but I’d like to know from people who actually left Adobe and use these tools daily.

What works?
What breaks?
What do you miss?
What would you recommend to someone trying to fully cut the cord?

Thanks in advance

I cannot believe how incredibly difficult it is to change the poster or thumbnail for a project in DaVinci Resolve. This feels like madness.

I’ve tried every method I could find on YouTube and Google, and nothing seems to work consistently. Some people say to open the project, park the playhead on the frame you want, save, close the project, restart Resolve, and the thumbnail should update. Others suggest duplicating the project, changing the timeline frame, clearing cache, switching databases, exporting/importing the project, etc.

Still, the project poster either stays the same or updates randomly with no clear logic.

Maybe I’m missing something obvious, but for such a basic visual organization feature, this should not be this obscure.

Does anybody here know the actual reliable way to change the project poster / thumbnail in DaVinci Resolve?