MacBook Air Rev B 1.6 Ghz

[sdm1985]

Hello,

I love my MacBook Air (Rev B), I am finding the laptop overheat and cause the Mac to slow down when watching a video/ movie quite significantly.

Is there anything I can do? There is normally nothing running in the background either.

Am I able to upgrade the processor?

Can I also ask if I purchase the new Snow Leopard software will this show a significant increase in operating speed and battery life?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Shawn

 

[GoCubsGo]

Upgrading a processor won't help with heat. Do you run iStat? If so, check your fan speeds. Also, since the vents are on the bottom basically, if you're blocking them at all that will cause the fans to rev. While watching streaming movies and shows via Hulu my fans will rev to 6000 rpm. It's not causing any issue with the Air itself, but it does get hot.

I'm not sure SL will increase battery life or processor speed but you'll regain some HDD space (or SSD space if that be the case) because SL drops the PPC support and frees up about 5-6gb of space.

 

[Thezine]

Hello,

I love my MacBook Air (Rev B), I am finding the laptop overheat and cause the Mac to slow down when watching a video/ movie quite significantly.

Is there anything I can do? There is normally nothing running in the background either.

Am I able to upgrade the processor?

Can I also ask if I purchase the new Snow Leopard software will this show a significant increase in operating speed and battery life?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Shawn

For the overheating, it is normal but if you find it's too much use coolbook.

You can't upgrade the processor of the macbook air, you might want consider to sell your model and buy the 1,86ghz with the SSD drive.

Snow leopard will definitely fasten the OS ... I definitely recommend it to you.

For watching the videos without stutering, you have to be sure that you have the right software (mplayer, plex ... )

Good luck

 

[sdm1985]

For the overheating, it is normal but if you find it's too much use coolbook.

You can't upgrade the processor of the macbook air, you might want consider to sell your model and buy the 1,86ghz with the SSD drive.

Snow leopard will definitely fasten the OS ... I definitely recommend it to you.

For watching the videos without stutering, you have to be sure that you have the right software (mplayer, plex ... )

Good luck

Thanks to both of you guys.

How can i access the fan speeds? Are they adjustable? Should/ can I delete programmes that will speed up my machine?

The things I watch are clips on YouTube or concerts via iTunes...so nothing major.

I will invest in the Snow Leopard upgrade. I am not in a position to sell my Mac as it will set me back another couple of hundred pounds in fees and whatnot.

Do those applications work such as Coolbook etc? I am slightly guilty of resting my Mac on the quilt

 

[sdm1985]

 

[alphaod]

Rest your computer on a book when you're using on your bed. That's the free solution. Should help with heat dissipation.

 

[tsubikiddo]

and if it still overheats,
maybe it's a good time to reapply some thermal paste
- I have a rev.B 1.6 HDD MBA too

 

[sdm1985]

and if it still overheats,
maybe it's a good time to reapply some thermal paste
- I have a rev.B 1.6 HDD MBA too

What can I do to improve my rev B 1.6 MBA? In terms of software, battery and the bottom of the machine overheating causing a lag when only one or two (at max) apps are running.

Thanks

 

[tsubikiddo]

What can I do to improve my rev B 1.6 MBA? In terms of software, battery and the bottom of the machine overheating causing a lag when only one or two (at max) apps are running.

Thanks

mate, there isn't really much that you can do since the thermal management system isn't effectively coping with the heat that you are capable generating during your workflow.

launch less apps at the same time?
use less processor intensive processes?
none of these would have made any sense if you are seriously doing your work

if you are plugging in your MBA, maybe if you can constantly max out the fan with smcFanCtrl?
CoolBook is another app that you may look into, you can look into under-volting your processor so it will run at a lower speed and hence lower heat, and it's a paid app

hope things work out for you