maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
Yep, and the point was that intel was running hot processors back then and apple's use of the G3 (and G4), not so much
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I love that the Neo is fanless
- Thread starter alongdingdong
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jchap
macrumors 6502a
That's a familiar story. My sister owned a Dell desktop tower back in the day, and complained to me some time ago about how sluggish the machine was getting. Turned out that the cat/dog fur that had accumulated inside the chassis over the years was clogging up the fan. One good vacuuming later, and the machine was back to running up to specs again.
As I said, the actual performance matters more than throttling, and nothing you said disputes that.
If the M5 Air is maximally throttled and it's outperforming the actively cooled pro MacBook Pro from late 2021, it's still outperforming it regardless of throttling. People often only see the throttling and not the actual performance.
ElPaso
macrumors 6502
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
Feeling warm does not equate to throttling. There is a clear lack of thermal padding that would help move the heat from the cpu to the case
In any event here’s but one of many links
Apple MacBook Neo review: Can a Mac get by with an iPhone’s processor inside?
8GB of RAM is a bummer, but this $599 laptop cuts most of the right corners.
arstechnica.com
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boppin
macrumors 65816
I think the Neo is more than sufficient for the vast majority of people. Besides, you don't actually need that much power. We’ll probably see the MacBook Neo being used as an office computer more often in the future—much like how some shops in Münster used to do back in the day.
The flexibility of having no fan and having such efficient chips is amazing.
I just wish Apple would actually take advantage of it with the MacBook Air because currently the entire Air line feels A bit abandoned.
Still the same almost 3 pounds it’s been since 2010, still about the same thickness, just in a different design, same LCD Display, almost nothing inside.
With the chips they are using now, and the fact that they can literally fit in a 5 mm thin iPad Pro, you would think that Apple would do more with the MacBook Air, especially now the fact that it’s got the higher price points and the fact that it is no longer the “basic” model.
Make that thing 20% lighter (2.1 LB instead of 2.7), 10% thinner, 50% brighter and a thinner bezel to shrink the volume of the entire thing across all dimensions, and you’ve got yourself an excellent modern 12 inch MacBook.
Do the same thing with the 15 inch, make it under 3 LB and it automatically becomes the best mobile workstation for 90% of people.
Like genuinely, imagine a less than 3 LB MacBook Air with a 15 inch 120 Hz display, M6 chip and 18 hour battery all covered with a shockingly thin design.
I just wish Apple would actually take advantage of it with the MacBook Air because currently the entire Air line feels A bit abandoned.
Still the same almost 3 pounds it’s been since 2010, still about the same thickness, just in a different design, same LCD Display, almost nothing inside.
With the chips they are using now, and the fact that they can literally fit in a 5 mm thin iPad Pro, you would think that Apple would do more with the MacBook Air, especially now the fact that it’s got the higher price points and the fact that it is no longer the “basic” model.
Make that thing 20% lighter (2.1 LB instead of 2.7), 10% thinner, 50% brighter and a thinner bezel to shrink the volume of the entire thing across all dimensions, and you’ve got yourself an excellent modern 12 inch MacBook.
Do the same thing with the 15 inch, make it under 3 LB and it automatically becomes the best mobile workstation for 90% of people.
Like genuinely, imagine a less than 3 LB MacBook Air with a 15 inch 120 Hz display, M6 chip and 18 hour battery all covered with a shockingly thin design.
ElPaso
macrumors 6502
I think I misunderstood the use of the term "throttle" - thanks for your responseFeeling warm does not equate to throttling. There is a clear lack of thermal padding acidic would help move the heat from the cpu to the case
In any event here’s but one of many links
Apple MacBook Neo review: Can a Mac get by with an iPhone’s processor inside?
8GB of RAM is a bummer, but this $599 laptop cuts most of the right corners.
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
Indeed, Mac fans are a funny bunch. My M1 MBP is silent as a whisper even though it doesn't have a fan.
Here's my observation regarding MBN fans:
For years, crowing at how fast apple silicon is, how much better the M1, M2, etc is then intel/amd. How each improvement puts to shame everyone else. Now with apple putting a phone cpu in a laptop, so many folks are proclaiming that the majority of people don't even need that sort of processing power.
For years, people have been recommending 16, 32, and 64GB of memory, now we have threads/posts exclaiming how 8GB is more then enough for nearly everyone.
Now we have a thread dedicated to a fanless design, and how it elevates the usage, and utility of the laptop, while for years past people have been crowing about how silent Apple's MBP's (that use fans) are and how the NEO revolutionary fanless design is amazing. Yet Apple released the MacBook Air 18 years ago and that doesn't use a fan.
Food for thought, I have a M4 Studio, the thing is awesome, it has a fan (or fans), I've yet to hear them, regardless of what I do. I have a M1 MBP, I can push it very hard, and even now in 2026, I don't hear the fans.
Is the Neo a good laptop? Yes, absolutely but so much of what's been said in this thread can and does work on Apple's MBP and other computers that use a fan - more so better if I may say.
boppin
macrumors 65816
I find that strange. I got by just fine for years with "only" 8 GB of RAM. My colleague's first M1-based iMac also has only 8 GB and works absolutely flawlessly.
Someone prove to me 8gb ram on the NEO actually slows down the machine
Memory pressure from my MacBook white Mid 2010 back then in 2016. That was incredibly slow!
forums.macrumors.com
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
I'm just reporting what MR members have been proclaiming and recommending for years and now so many of the members are now saying that 8gb is more then enough.
It's good to get an engineer to tune up your computer every so often. The likes of the Geek Squad or the local mom/pop computer exchange will be able to do it. I wouldn't recommend people to open up their computer and run the household vacuum over it.
Actually, the Neo does have fans - they are buying them 🙂
Cool story bro, and now? you want a price? closed off profile, i know enough about your intentions here.
ElPaso
macrumors 6502
Agreed . . . however for a few hundred dollars more . . . 🙂 == which is the point. Or, rather my point.
Dex762
macrumors 6502
Yes I'm surprise it doesn't heat at all, and not much noise at all unlike other laptop that heats and noisey
snipr125
macrumors 68030
Yes but it doesn't really matter if people think 8GB is enough, Apple themselves have deemed it not enough as Mac OS 27 needs 12 GB ram to run fully.
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
That's the bottom line, isn't it. If a person bought the neo and they're happy with it, then that's all that matters.
ElPaso
macrumors 6502
Completely untrue. Apple's newest MacBook is 8GB, and both 26 and 27 run on it smoothly. Do you have documentation supporting your statement? A press release, or a quote, anything? When did Apple "deem" that 8GB is not enough? On the contrary, they have made a substantial investment in introducing an 8GB device.
snipr125
macrumors 68030
Its well documented that iOS/iPad OS/ Mac OS 27 needs at least 12 GB ram to have access to all the AI features. All 8GB devices miss out on Siri AI features including my iPad Pro M4 which has 8 GB ram.
ElPaso
macrumors 6502
I completely agree. 🙂 However, this is not what you said in your post that I responded to. Apple never "deemed" that the MBN would not be able to perform to its fullest capabilities on 27.
snipr125
macrumors 68030
El Paso, Apple have categorically stated that you need at least 12 GB ram to run Mac OS 27 to its fullest AI capabilities, so by extension Apple are saying 8 GB devices cannot run OS 27 to its fullest. It doesn't end there as some older pre M3 devices with 16 GB ram cant fully run it either.