I'd like a laptop that doesn't run so hot (I have a late 2008 Macbook Pro). I have an iPad but honestly, it's just much more convenient for me to use a laptop. I figure that since the Air has slower CPU, it may run cooler. Is this accurate? What are your experiences with this notebook?
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Is the Macbook Air a cooler running laptop?
- Thread starter eifer
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Very, very cool. Coolest running laptop I've ever had, as a matter of fact. Not that it doesn't get warm - it does, during heavy loads. By and large, it's ice cold, especially around the palm rest and trackpad area. I've had this computer for nearly two weeks and still haven't felt it warm in that area.
Total TDP for a 2008 MBP (CPU+discrete graphics) is ~63W.
Contrast that with the analogous TDP for a 2013 MBA, which is 15W.
Running cooler is a function of clock speed, yes, but perhaps more important is how efficiently the "wires" in the chipset conduct electricity. The smaller they are, the less energy is required to send a signal reliably, resulting in lower power requirements and reduced heat dissipation. To that point, 2008 Penryn CPUs used a 45nm etching process, while the current MBA's is 22nm.
Contrast that with the analogous TDP for a 2013 MBA, which is 15W.
Running cooler is a function of clock speed, yes, but perhaps more important is how efficiently the "wires" in the chipset conduct electricity. The smaller they are, the less energy is required to send a signal reliably, resulting in lower power requirements and reduced heat dissipation. To that point, 2008 Penryn CPUs used a 45nm etching process, while the current MBA's is 22nm.
I'll confirm that - my 11" (i5/8/256) is cool as a cucumber under light use (Word, Powerpoint, web browsing) so much so its like its not turned on at all.
However, launch a bunch of apps and a Parallels session at the same time, it will warm up just a bit. Takes quite a bit to make the fans kick in (you have to be trying). This is one cool machine!
It's cool under normal use but when you game the top left hinge gets SUPER hot at times, to the point where you can't even touch it.
Even though it is a ULV processor, you still get the full kick to 2.6GHz when using heavy stuff, so it is not a slow processor; the base clock has only been set low for even greater power savings.
My MBA has been always cool to the touch, since the day I got it on July 13th.
I have run iTunes movies and Amazon movies on 1080p. Have transfered around 1TB of personal stuff from a USB 2.0 to USB 3.0 drive and slightly got warmed. I also use Adobe flash. I also use Time Machine.
I wonder if my MBA has any fans at all, I've not ever heard them. Perhaps Apple went fanless this time! (jk). But yea, it is a very low temperature laptop.
Buy with confidence, this is a great laptop with great battery capacity life thanks to the goods guys at intel.
I am only a light user as far as programs go, no games or CAD etc, but as I am retired it is on from 0700 to 2300 connected to the internet, on my lap, and in use most of the time.
I have just replaced my basic 2010 11" with a new i5, 4/128 11" model that also runs Parallels, and although I thought my old one was quick, this one is way faster and more responsive. The fans used to come on at times on the 2010 and the base could get warmish, but now they have never come on at all and the base is as cool as the lid.
However I am certainly not getting 9 hours battery with continuous use, more like 6-7, although that was only around 4 hours on the old model.
The backlighting has made a great difference for me as I use it in bed a lot with lights off for my wife, and before I had to angle the screen down for light when using the keyboard.
tut
I have just replaced my basic 2010 11" with a new i5, 4/128 11" model that also runs Parallels, and although I thought my old one was quick, this one is way faster and more responsive. The fans used to come on at times on the 2010 and the base could get warmish, but now they have never come on at all and the base is as cool as the lid.
However I am certainly not getting 9 hours battery with continuous use, more like 6-7, although that was only around 4 hours on the old model.
The backlighting has made a great difference for me as I use it in bed a lot with lights off for my wife, and before I had to angle the screen down for light when using the keyboard.
tut
I went from 2011 13" to 2013 13", the new one has 8GB/i7/512GB SSD, and have heard the fans kick on once or twice and that was while editing 1080p video. The i7 is a bit warmer than the i5 (Neighbour has one), but overall it's cold as.
I have managed to get 12hrs from the battery in OSX with light use, but about 7hrs max running windows and Family Tree Maker.
Almost two weeks so far with my 11"/i5/8/256 and I have yet to hear the fans. And no heat, either.
Completely Agree
Coolest running laptop I've ever used for normal use, but when gaming immediately gets pretty hot. I was testing it against 13" retina mbp tonight, here's my finding -
Heat on Air
It was surprisingly hot playing COD for 4 mins.
A little follow up. In iStat menus, highest temp CPU proximity on the retina reached was 126f on the Air it was 172f. Quite a bit hotter!
Coolest running laptop I've ever used for normal use, but when gaming immediately gets pretty hot. I was testing it against 13" retina mbp tonight, here's my finding -
Heat on Air
It was surprisingly hot playing COD for 4 mins.
A little follow up. In iStat menus, highest temp CPU proximity on the retina reached was 126f on the Air it was 172f. Quite a bit hotter!
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