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rhyzome

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 2, 2012
394
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It used to be that you were warned to never put laptops or other electronic media near magnets, for the potential consequences of data loss or damage. But macs have changed a lot in recent years, with SSDs, less moving parts, new types of memory and screens and other technologies.

So, does the old warning still apply? Do magnets pose risks to today's rMBPs?
 
Not nearly as much as before, but a magnet is used to hold the laptop closed, and also activates a switch to put the laptop to sleep. So a magnet in the wrong place can still put your MacBook Pro to sleep, possibly when it's not very convenient.
 
Not entirely. Magnetized screwdrivers are often used on Macs, if apple even uses screws anymore. Someone over there has been going on a soldering rampage.
 
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Not nearly as much as before, but a magnet is used to hold the laptop closed, and also activates a switch to put the laptop to sleep. So a magnet in the wrong place can still put your MacBook Pro to sleep, possibly when it's not very convenient.

Like, the one in my Apple Watch band. The one that puts my Macbook Pro to sleep every time rest my hnad along the left side...
 
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Back when storage units were mechanical hard drives that used magnets to write data, any stray magnetic field posed a risk.

While magnetic fields still can cause problems I think the risk is much lower now.
 
Not entirely. Magnetized screwdrivers are often used on Macs, if apple even uses screws anymore. Someone over there has been going on a soldering rampage.
And glue, don't forget glue!
It's not magnetic though...but still, glue.
 
Like, the one in my Apple Watch band. The one that puts my Macbook Pro to sleep every time rest my hnad along the left side...
I was wondering why my iPhone is able to put my MacBook to sleep when I place it on the bottom left corner of the keyboard... Glad I now know I don't have a freak laptop.
 
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It used to be that you were warned to never put laptops or other electronic media near magnets, for the potential consequences of data loss or damage. But macs have changed a lot in recent years, with SSDs, less moving parts, new types of memory and screens and other technologies.

So, does the old warning still apply? Do magnets pose risks to today's rMBPs?
No. A MBP's been riddled with magnets in the chassis since they first came out back in '06. There are magnets in a few places on them.

Place a pair of headphone(or anyting with a magnet) along the bottom of the computer, in the palm rest area. It'll go to sleep if you find the right spot. Fun to do to freak people out.
 
No. A MBP's been riddled with magnets in the chassis since they first came out back in '06. There are magnets in a few places on them.

Place a pair of headphone(or anyting with a magnet) along the bottom of the computer, in the palm rest area. It'll go to sleep if you find the right spot. Fun to do to freak people out.
But not good to do if you are in the middle of processing a video or some other task. It's been several years since I've owned a MBP so I forgot about this "problem" until I set my iPhone on my MBP and it shut off in the middle of encoding a video.
 
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