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is it not harmful to connect and endlessly use Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse with a Mac Mini ?

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marcusalwayswins

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Original poster
May 23, 2021
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I have a basic question ? is it safe for the health for the condition of the Mac Mini to constantly have Bluetooth on and be connected with a Bluetooth Keyboard and a Bluetooth Mouse ? Does it not harm/alter the life of Mac Mini ? From a Hardware Standpoint ?

How does Apple Magic Keyboard and Trackpad connect to a Mac Mini ? is it also via Bluetooth or can you connect them using a Cable aswell?
 
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skottichan

skottichan

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Oct 23, 2007
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Not sure what you are asking, but no, constant on Bluetooth doesn't really effect the hardware (plus, at least with the M2 Pro, Bluetooth and WiFi share the same chipset). The amount of info being transferred is minuscule, compared to something like WiFi.

As to the keyboard and trackpad, yeah, you can connect them via included lightning cable and use them wired. Tho, then you have issues with potential battery overcharge, leading to reduced battery life.
 
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Slix

Slix

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Mar 24, 2010
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As others have said, there's no reason to keep your bluetooth turned off when not in use, especially on a desktop Mac, because bluetooth is so efficient (especially for a keyboard and mouse).

If you turned off bluetooth, how would you use your bluetooth mouse to turn it back on? 🤔
 
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marcusalwayswins

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May 23, 2021
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skottichan said:
Not sure what you are asking, but no, constant on Bluetooth doesn't really effect the hardware (plus, at least with the M2 Pro, Bluetooth and WiFi share the same chipset). The amount of info being transferred is minuscule, compared to something like WiFi.

As to the keyboard and trackpad, yeah, you can connect them via included lightning cable and use them wired. Tho, then you have issues with potential battery overcharge, leading to reduced battery life.
Click to expand...

You are saying if someone were to use the Apple Magic Keyboard and Trackpad even with a cable for an extended period of time even that can harm and damage the battery in long run ? Because of constantly getting connected and charged ? is that what you are saying ?
 
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stiligFox

stiligFox

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Apr 24, 2009
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skottichan said:
Not sure what you are asking, but no, constant on Bluetooth doesn't really effect the hardware (plus, at least with the M2 Pro, Bluetooth and WiFi share the same chipset). The amount of info being transferred is minuscule, compared to something like WiFi.

As to the keyboard and trackpad, yeah, you can connect them via included lightning cable and use them wired. Tho, then you have issues with potential battery overcharge, leading to reduced battery life.
Click to expand...
Just as a testament to this - my mom used a Magic Trackpad 2 wired all of the time, so it was plugged in always, and sure enough after about two years, the battery began to swell up enough to push the glass out of the frame. Was spooky to see! It can happen to any device but the batteries aren’t happy to be overcharged for sure.

That said I was able to remove the battery cell itself (keeping the battery charging circuit connected to the trackpad) and now it works just fine wired with no battery installed!
 
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MacProFCP

MacProFCP

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Jun 14, 2007
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marcusalwayswins said:
I have a basic question ? is it safe for the health for the condition of the Mac Mini to constantly have Bluetooth on and be connected with a Bluetooth Keyboard and a Bluetooth Mouse ? Does it not harm/alter the life of Mac Mini ? From a Hardware Standpoint ?

How does Apple Magic Keyboard and Trackpad connect to a Mac Mini ? is it also via Bluetooth or can you connect them using a Cable aswell?
Click to expand...

Bluetooth uses battery on iPhone and even so, I use a bluetooth headset daily for business, and have been since before the iPhone.

For desktops, there is nothing wrong and no noticeable downside. I’ve used bluetooth keyboard and mouse for years and never had it cause problems.
 
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M

marcusalwayswins

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 23, 2021
391
81
skottichan said:
Not sure what you are asking, but no, constant on Bluetooth doesn't really effect the hardware (plus, at least with the M2 Pro, Bluetooth and WiFi share the same chipset). The amount of info being transferred is minuscule, compared to something like WiFi.

As to the keyboard and trackpad, yeah, you can connect them via included lightning cable and use them wired. Tho, then you have issues with potential battery overcharge, leading to reduced battery life.
Click to expand...

I am on a M2 Mac Mini don't have the Pro.
 
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PsykX

PsykX

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Sep 16, 2006
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Harmful for humans, I don't know.
Harmful for the computer itself, I've never seen that.

I've been using a bluetooth kb, mouse and headset for the last 10 months on my Mac Mini M2 Pro and I haven't seen any problem.
 
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profcutter

profcutter

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Mar 28, 2019
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If you’re really worried, you could get a wired mechanical keyboard. But no, the worst part about the Bluetooth accessories is the ridiculous way the mouse charges. I’ve never had any issues outside of problems connecting due to interference with Bluetooth devices. My mouse is an MX Master 3, and folks said there were initially problems connecting but I haven’t experienced any.
 
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antiprotest

antiprotest

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Apr 19, 2010
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Other components will break or wear down way before any effect using bluetooth can have. If you use bluetooth for, maybe, 150 to 300 years, it might have some wear and tear. Even then, maybe not.
 
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cateye

cateye

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Oct 18, 2011
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What... like, how? Where does this kind of thinking even arise from?

Your device is meant to be used. All parts of it. Whether Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch... anything. All of it. Every feature, every function. Turn it all on, use all of it. That's what it was designed and engineered for. Including the battery, for devices that have batteries. There is just such a river of terrible information and people with ridiculous levels of anxiety (especially on MacRumors) about battery health. The device will manage its battery use better than you every could.

Enjoy your device, whatever it is, and use it in the manner that is most convenient for you, peripherals and all.
 
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TechnoMonk

macrumors 68000
Oct 15, 2022
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You picked the wrong module to freak out. I would be more worried about cellular/data modem and WiFi module than Bluetooth In Phones/Tablets/computers. Just use your devices, no need for anxiety and creating doom and gloom for every little part. I have not used a connected keyboard or mouse in over 15 years.
 
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klasma

klasma

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Jun 8, 2017
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Yes, the radiation damage from all the Bluetooth will half its lifetime (at best). You’ll also get a lot more random bit flips in RAM (Bluetooth was named after bluescreen by Microsoft). Due to interference with wifi, they compound each other exponentially as well.
 
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leman

macrumors Core
Oct 14, 2008
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marcusalwayswins said:
Bluetooth on an wireless device like an iPhone and iPad is so taxing on the Hardware resources on those devices, applying the same logic here.
Click to expand...

No it isn’t? Where did you get that idea from? Are you talking about battery? Even if using Bluetooth would cause the battery to deteriorate faster (it doesn’t), the Mini is a stationary computer that takes power from the grid.
 
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