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I think the go to solution will be to just power limit the thing to 8 watts or so via third party app.
It wouldn't surprise me if apple alter the power limit via firmware update.
edit:
i'm going to try volta on mine (third party app)


according to the volta web site: "Undervolting" is only compatible works only on MB 2013->2015
if that is what you want to do
 
I know it's a stupid question, but can I open and use the MacBook for 14 days before returning it? I'll receive my i7/16/512 in 1 week and I think I'll try it a bit before deciding to return it or not.

I just want to make sure how the return policy actually works. Thanks

Don’t worry. If it doesn’t suit you, you can return it within 14 days. Apple’s no quibble return policy is second to none.
 
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I think the go to solution will be to just power limit the thing to 8 watts or so via third party app.

It wouldn't surprise me if apple alter the power limit via firmware update.


edit:
i'm going to try volta on mine (third party app)
Apple appears to be limiting the MacBook Air to about 12W. I saw a tester on YouTube hook it up to a liquid cooler and it performed faster than stock, but not quite as fast as the base MacBook pro (which has a nominal 15W processor that Apple lets go up to its max of 25W).
 
i7/16gb/256gb

Had it since Friday. Keyboard is a massive improvement over the 2018/19, I really like feeling a bit of key travel when typing. I'm at attorney so I type all day - this was one of my biggest issues with the work issued 2019 I had before. i7 is super fast, probably didn't need to upgrade to it over the i5 but everything is silky smooth and I've never noticed the laptop get hot. I'm not a power user with this thing, so the biggest thing I may do is convert a 2000pg PDF to word or play a video while taking notes on Word, so this is the ideal machine for me.
 
Thank you - I have already found some user reports in a German forum.
The fan remains silent and the temperature does not change.
Even when 4 YouTube videos 1080p are played in parallel, the fans do not start, with playback on external and internal monitors.
I think that's really great.
The test device was an I7 with 16 GB RAM
 
Thank you - I have already found some user reports in a German forum.
The fan remains silent and the temperature does not change.
Even when 4 YouTube videos 1080p are played in parallel, the fans do not start, with playback on external and internal monitors.
I think that's really great.
The test device was an I7 with 16 GB RAM
I'm running a Windows Update within Parallels Desktop on an i7 MacBook Air. The CPU is around 90 degrees, but the notebook itself is not uncomfortably warm. The fan is off. Intel Power Gadget showed the CPU hovering around 2.5-3GHz.
 
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How is parallels running? If Windows doesn't install updates what is the temperature?
Parallels runs fine. It won't be as fast as on a 13" MacBook Pro because the CPU generally runs at a lower rate. When Windows starts, it rockets from the idle temperature of 50 degrees to close to 100. But then it settles down to about the low 60s. When I start Quicken, it goes back to 100 but then settles down to the 60s.

The fan did kick on when the update installed, but when it is not installing updates, the fan typically doesn't run.
 
Parallels runs fine. It won't be as fast as on a 13" MacBook Pro because the CPU generally runs at a lower rate. When Windows starts, it rockets from the idle temperature of 50 degrees to close to 100. But then it settles down to about the low 60s. When I start Quicken, it goes back to 100 but then settles down to the 60s.

The fan did kick on when the update installed, but when it is not installing updates, the fan typically doesn't run.

Sounds good as long as it doesn't constantly stay hot.
 
Has anyone tried logic pro? I will use cpu demanding orchestral plugins. I think it will perform well because there won’t be sustained load. I ordered i5/16gb but need to wait a lot before it arrives.
 
For anyone else who bought the 2020 Gold Macbook Air, does it somewhat look like Rose Gold to anyone else with the trackpad being gold?
 
For anyone else who bought the 2020 Gold Macbook Air, does it somewhat look like Rose Gold to anyone else with the trackpad being gold?
It’s closer to actual rose gold than the “rose gold” MacBooks in the past (I have both).
 
It’s closer to actual rose gold than the “rose gold” MacBooks in the past (I have both).
At first I hated the colorway and called to return it but it’s slowly growing on me, I think i’m going to stick with it. It does look like gold to me in the light though
 
according to the volta web site: "Undervolting" is only compatible works only on MB 2013->2015
if that is what you want to do

I'm not planning on undervolting because i read that. I'm talking about limiting power draw at the same volts. e.g., limiting the watts. This will essentially cap boost speed below what it would normally boost up to in order to keep the fan noise quiet. Yes i will drop performance, but at even at 2-2.5ghz this will still be much faster than my 2015 dual core and most likely totally silent.
 
So I just received my Air i5 16 256. Space with OS naked 220 for my own usage. But my RAM usage is at 12 GB with only one Youtube tab and this macrumors tab. The fan is dead silent with video playback and writing. I still have to get used to OS X. The display is nice and vivid and the system is still pretty snappy besides its indexing process. Till now im pretty happy.
 
I've had my i5/16/256 for about 6 days now, and I'm happy with it. I switch within each day from this as my personal machine and a 2019 MBP for work, and the keyboard on this thing is, for me, way, way better. Not a power user, but have not noticed the fan kicking on at all, nor uncomfortable heat. Daily usage includes a browser, Outlook, often YT videos in the background, Word, PowerPoint.

In the first days it seemed like it might be using more battery with Safari than Chrome, but in all likelihood that was illusory and based on my usage. Will get a better feel over time.
 
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What the heck is going on? It is impossible that some of you people are having no issues. Did you not read this thread that said the cooling is an absolute failure and that it would be catastrophic for you to use this machine?

Mine arrives today and I too will update how my usage goes.
 
Received my i5/16gb/1TB yesterday morning. It ran hot during setup & indexing, and warm to very warm the rest of the day. But you can't judge based on the first day or two.

I have a 2018 MBA with butterfly keyboard. Due to keyboard errors, I took advantage of the Apple keyboard replacement program and the new keyboard they put in there is the slightly improved butterfly keyboard that's in the 2019 MBA. I like it better than any previous butterfly keyboard. It's quieter and typing on it is slightly more comfortable.

When comparing the experience of typing on it with my new 2020 MBA, the 2020 MBA wins, of course. But not by as huge of a margin as I had expected.

My wife has a 2016 pre-retina MBA. Comparing the typing experience on her MBA to my 2020 MBA, I prefer hers. Not by leaps and bounds, but I just don't think the new "magic keyboard" has the magic of the keyboards on the pre-retina MBA and pre-2016 MBP--which I thought were the best in the industry.

But among MacBooks currently available for purchase, the 2020 MBA and the 16" MBP have the best keyboards.

I'll update this in a few days after I've used the machine more. I'm keeping my eye on the temperature and fan usage closely, both during non-processor-intensive tasks (which is the norm for my usage) and processor-intensive tasks like ripping CDs and DVDs and streaming ten 4K videos in multiple Chrome tabs at the same time.
 
So if I have a 2017 MBP, with 16gb (not that I need that - I’m a light user), and really love the form factor of Air, but love the MBP display... would you recommend me to NOT swap for an Air?
 
It's been so many years since I've done a clean system install I have no idea how long it takes to index a clean system? Anyone notice on their new MBA?

I ordered a 2020 MBA for my grand daughter that's due for delivery in a couple days. I should tell her what to expect if she plugs it in and lets it index while not using it. FYI, she's 14 and I promised her the MBA for her 8th grade graduation present 3 years ago. She's pretty excited waiting for it to arrive.
 
So if I have a 2017 MBP, with 16gb (not that I need that - I’m a light user), and really love the form factor of Air, but love the MBP display... would you recommend me to NOT swap for an Air?
I agree with you, I much prefer the MBA form factor over even the current 13" MBP, which has the same footprint and only weighs 4oz more.

Regarding the display: You've probably seen the retina MacBook Airs from 2018 or 2019. If you haven't, you should know that they are VERY good. Not as color-rich as the MBP (I have a 2016 MBP from work sitting next to my 2018 & 2020 MBA's), and not as bright (500nits for MBP vs. 400 for MBA). But IMHO, still very, very good, and plenty bright enough for my needs, even in bright daylight.

If you love the Touch Bar, that would be a reason to stick with the MBP line. If you don't, consider the MBA--it's the only MacBook in the current lineup that doesn't have the Touch Bar.

Since you're a light user, you can probably live without the extra processing power of the MBP. I'm a light user in the sense that I rarely edit video and I'm more likely to edit photos on my iPad Pro. I do mostly MS Word and browsing. But I often work with large spreadsheets and data analysis software with large datasets. I have never found my 2018 underpowered, except that burning CDs takes about 2x as long as burning CDs with the MBP.


If your credit card limit will allow, you might order one and put it through its paces at home for 14 days, then return it if it's not for you.
 
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I'm writing from my new i7/16/512: a 4k video playing, using whatsapp, mail, writing here and surfing Facebook. Temp at 53 deg average, no fan. It goes up to 80 for 1 second when I start new apps and then it comes back to 53.

I left it open for a couple of hours today, to index and everything. For now I'm not seeing overheating behaviors, but it's only my first hour of usage :)
[automerge]1586378039[/automerge]
Apart of the heating stuff:
* the keyboard is great, I didn't use the 2019 one but I can say this is really well done
* I really like the screen, but I'm using it during the night and I still don't know how it behaves at the sun
* the sound is also very good

Any doubt, just ask :)
 
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