Macbook Air 13 vents and Gaming

[wodrom]

Hey there!
I've had my macbook air 13 inch for about 2 weeks now and recently got a Ibenzer case to protect my laptop (https://goo.gl/CJBlxB). The case came with a hard piece to cover both the bottom and top body of the laptop along with a silicone keyboard cover. I wanted to see how the macbook would handle while running Insurgency on steam. About 10 minutes into the gameplay, I noticed that the fans were super loud and that the top of the keyboard was heating up. I immediately turned off the macbook and began inspecting the body of it. Here are some questions that came to mind.

• Where are the air vents input and output?(Suck up air and releases it)
• Does the Ibenzer case+Silicone keyboard cover restrict air circulation?
• Would a laptop cooling pad such as a Havit HV-F2056 help cool down while gaming.
• Should I worry about playing games like Insurgency, CSGO, or Sims 4 on an early 2015 Macbook Air 13.

I heard from somewhere that air is released from the keyboard too? Wasn't too sure about it so I removed the silicone cover for the time being.

 

[entropi]

Heat radiation leaves the computer from all around it. Cases acts as an insulation and keeps the computer warmer. Never block any area where heat can leave the computer and let the fan and the aluminium body do what it is supposed to do.

 

[dnoph]

So the Macbook Air doesn't have vents like the Macbook Pro does? On the Pro, there are some vents along the sides and I believe some other vents in the hinge between the screen and keyboard.

 

[kiwipeso1]

I have an incipio transparent case for my 13" MBA 2013 i7, it gets a little hot on the bottom case's vent holes.
The fan rarely comes on unless on top of a mink blanket.

You may find that it will run hotter if on your bare stomach / t-shirt.
What I've found is that it runs fine on a cooler surface such as a cotton bed blanket, or dinner tray.

Basically, you've got to let enough air to circulate by the hinge and sides.
Not sure if your keyboard protector affects this.

 

[entropi]

So the Macbook Air doesn't have vents like the Macbook Pro does? On the Pro, there are some vents along the sides and I believe some other vents in the hinge between the screen and keyboard.

Oh, of course it has (but just at the hinge) - I just wanted to point out that the whole alu body also (and thru the keyboard) is important for getting rid of excess heat so my advice is to not pack it in a case or cover anything. Just take good care of it, the alu case is sturdy enough anyway and as long as you don't store with sharp objects or other scratchy stuffy it will keep looking good through the years...

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Hey there!
I've had my macbook air 13 inch for about 2 weeks now and recently got a Ibenzer case to protect my laptop (https://goo.gl/CJBlxB). The case came with a hard piece to cover both the bottom and top body of the laptop along with a silicone keyboard cover. I wanted to see how the macbook would handle while running Insurgency on steam. About 10 minutes into the gameplay, I noticed that the fans were super loud and that the top of the keyboard was heating up. I immediately turned off the macbook and began inspecting the body of it. Here are some questions that came to mind.

• Where are the air vents input and output?(Suck up air and releases it)
• Does the Ibenzer case+Silicone keyboard cover restrict air circulation?
• Would a laptop cooling pad such as a Havit HV-F2056 help cool down while gaming.
• Should I worry about playing games like Insurgency, CSGO, or Sims 4 on an early 2015 Macbook Air 13.

I heard from somewhere that air is released from the keyboard too? Wasn't too sure about it so I removed the silicone cover for the time being.

If you run grade a games on a mobile iGPU you will be pushing a thin light machine to its limits, turn down settings, resolution and cap frame rates.

Macs are designed to lose heat through the aluminium body as well as vents, any cover at all will restrict this.

A cooling pad will help but let's be honest you haven't bought a gaming machine and have to tailor your expectations accordingly.

 

[bhayes444]

As others have noted, the vent intake and output is in the screen hinge. Never block this area! The aluminum body does act as a heat sink for the computer, but is not nearly as important as the fan vent. The keyboard is an even less important area for heat dissipation. You can cover up the body and keyboard if you like, but the computer will run a few degrees hotter. A laptop cooling pad doesn't decrease internal temperatures all the much, and would be most effective on a laptop with no bottom case on it. The computer will run fine with the case on. Heck, the case may even help protect your legs if you game with it on your lap!