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MacBook being delivered in freezing weather
- Thread starter trjk434
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I'd say you're alright. These things (among all electronics) get shipped all over the world year round. Right now where I am it's about 9 degrees and my friend's Mac Pro arrived just fine.
If it goes below -25° Celsius, it might be not so good, unless those delivery companies have some kind of heating employed in their delivery trucks, warehouses and planes.
from some Apple website: http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs-retina/
There's a difference, too, with storage in the shipping carton.
If it's deadly cold, and you can feel that cold on the outside of the box before you even open it, then you should allow the equipment some time to come up to a more normal temp before you start power the first time.
I would probably take it out of the box, and on a laptop, open the lid so any condensation will dissipate, but just let it adjust to the room for 10 to 30 minutes before trying it out.
If it's deadly cold, and you can feel that cold on the outside of the box before you even open it, then you should allow the equipment some time to come up to a more normal temp before you start power the first time.
I would probably take it out of the box, and on a laptop, open the lid so any condensation will dissipate, but just let it adjust to the room for 10 to 30 minutes before trying it out.
I'd give it a lot more than 30 minutes if the laptop comes in dead frozen. Give it like 1-2 hours just to be safe.
Taking a cold machine into a warm (relatively damp) atmosphere is the fastest way to do damage. You notice many temp specs for all types of electronics mention the phrase "non-condensing". The way to avoid condensation is:
While still outside in the cold: Unpack the machine completely, place in sealed plastic bags with no holes, as tight a fit around the equipment as you can, I'd bag both the charger and MBP separately.
Once sealed then you can take it into the warm inside and allow to acclimatise, this will take as long as it takes and depends on the temp difference, longer is safer, too short and you will get the condensation that we are trying to avoid.
Note: If you power on when still cold inside the machine the fans will push the damp air into the machine and get condensation on the core electronics - which is the problem you are trying to avoid so don't be tempted to unwrap as soon as the MBP case is warm, the inside will take longer.
Under severe weather, if the machine has cold-soaked for a couple of days in unheated trucks/aircraft/warehouses/trucks while being delivered, I'd place it sealed as above in the warmest part of the house for 12hrs. Then unwrap and power on at will.
This method held true for mainframes 30yrs ago, electronics are no more waterproof now than then, that kit came pre-wrapped in the plastic due to its size.
While still outside in the cold: Unpack the machine completely, place in sealed plastic bags with no holes, as tight a fit around the equipment as you can, I'd bag both the charger and MBP separately.
Once sealed then you can take it into the warm inside and allow to acclimatise, this will take as long as it takes and depends on the temp difference, longer is safer, too short and you will get the condensation that we are trying to avoid.
Note: If you power on when still cold inside the machine the fans will push the damp air into the machine and get condensation on the core electronics - which is the problem you are trying to avoid so don't be tempted to unwrap as soon as the MBP case is warm, the inside will take longer.
Under severe weather, if the machine has cold-soaked for a couple of days in unheated trucks/aircraft/warehouses/trucks while being delivered, I'd place it sealed as above in the warmest part of the house for 12hrs. Then unwrap and power on at will.
This method held true for mainframes 30yrs ago, electronics are no more waterproof now than then, that kit came pre-wrapped in the plastic due to its size.
Give it a few hours to warm up and then start using the laptop. I think LCD should be ok, since -13F (bottom storage temps apple states that is safe) is not something that it will experience for long periods.
We get computers in at work all the time. Often it's COLD (like now). Absolutely follow the advice given. We follow similar advice for repair parts (specifically HDD's and LCDs).
I've found that a MBP takes MUCH longer to warm up than other laptops. For example, if it's in my car for the 20 minute ride home (in a backpack) it could take more than 90 minutes to get the aluminum warm.
I've found that a MBP takes MUCH longer to warm up than other laptops. For example, if it's in my car for the 20 minute ride home (in a backpack) it could take more than 90 minutes to get the aluminum warm.
I got mine during the recent cold spell we've had in Ontario. The machine was like ice when I pulled it out of the box but it was plastic sealed so I wasn't worried about moisture or anything. The battery was barely effected either, booted it up and the battery was at 80%.
You'll be fine
You'll be fine
How cold is it where its been transported?
You could buy a mac on a store and it feels warm, but it have also been trough a cold transport before it came to the store.
How cold could it be in transit now? Whitch place have more than -20 celsius?
I have buy one mac too and it feels cold, the aluminum body is cold every morning i turn it on
But if you just let it be in the box for an hour and then unbox it and let it stand on your desktop for about a hour then you will be safe
You could buy a mac on a store and it feels warm, but it have also been trough a cold transport before it came to the store.
How cold could it be in transit now? Whitch place have more than -20 celsius?
I have buy one mac too and it feels cold, the aluminum body is cold every morning i turn it on
But if you just let it be in the box for an hour and then unbox it and let it stand on your desktop for about a hour then you will be safe 
Second that. We have some simple electronic equipment in a lab setting and they are usually in our cold room (+4ºC). The best way to kill them is to take them out in the warm lab and switch them on - that's by experience! The fans will start, transport the humid air into it and the thing is electrocuting itself immediately.
Thus, upon arrival wrap the item tightly (we do still in the cold room), allow to warm for some longer time (there's not much air circulation this way - min. 12 hours isn't a bad advice), then unpack and let stand another few hours to allow any condensation to evaporate [best is in the condenser exhaust of a -70ºC freezer - but you may lack that ...
]. Only then start the electrons flowing
For what it's worth, I have left a notebook in the car for a few days when it gets down to 10 to 6+ degrees F, and they have not sustained any apparent damage. I don't make it a habit of doing this, but I think you will be okay. I feel certain if the device would be bother by this, computer manufacturers and shipping companies would develop a solution for it. I am sure your machine is not the first one that has been delivered in very cold weather.
As other have said, if it is cold upon arrival, just bring it inside and let it slowly warm to room temperature.
As other have said, if it is cold upon arrival, just bring it inside and let it slowly warm to room temperature.
An airplane's cargo hold isn't heated. Temperatures at flight altitude are a steady -55°C. MBP's get shipped that way all day, everyday, and they aren't damaged by it.
I've regularly taken out my MBP from a backpack that's been sitting asleep in my car at below freezing temps with no ill effects.
You have nothing to worry about.
If the laptop had a drive in it I'd say it could be more dangerous but a Mac Pro shouldn't be affected as long as you listen to everyone's advice to let it warm up a little first.
The only other thing that I can think would be affected by turning it on cold would be the thermal paste maybe. Too brittle could cause it to crack and causing overheating later down the road. I have left my laptop out in the cold lots of times and the paste starts to act really funny. (Artic Silver)
The only other thing that I can think would be affected by turning it on cold would be the thermal paste maybe. Too brittle could cause it to crack and causing overheating later down the road. I have left my laptop out in the cold lots of times and the paste starts to act really funny. (Artic Silver)
Umm, the LCD maybe? Might consider letting the LCD warm before booting and shocking it.
I know thats what apple says so its hard to arguee but I think those numbers are low -25C for storage?
those temperatures are common in many part of the world during winter
I ordered a PS4 on amazon a few weeks ago and it was delivered on the coldest day of the year here in michigan. the box was very cold as was the unit itself and the accessories. I let it sit for 30 minutes or so and powered it on, and the first disc gave me a read error! lol. I wasn't too worried as I figured there was condensation on the lens. I waited a bit more and it worked.
Don't be too worried. let it sit for awhile and then power on. The worst of the cold has passed here. where do you live?
Don't be too worried. let it sit for awhile and then power on. The worst of the cold has passed here. where do you live?
No-one is suggesting they are, but a sudden transition to a warm environment with the MBP unprotected certainly can damage it. Normal shipping movements would assume a gradual transition from the -55°C to a normal office environment (via successively warmer ground/warehouse/truck temps).
If however unusual weather conditions mean the transition might be faster then normal, then just allowing a bit of extra time to acclimatise is a sensible and well-proven way to avoid condensation problems.
My cheap laptop LCD is rated at a -4f operating temperature so I would assume the more expensive MBP screen wouldn't have an issue either. Or my spec sheet on my cheapo Japanese screen is lying hahah.
Maybe I should try it
Maybe those are the temperatures, if the Mac would be exposed directly to the cold, but since most stored Macs are inside some kind of housing, and then maybe even in some kind of box, it is hard to get to those temperatures.
I am more concerned about the high temp limit during use though.
The layers of boxes and cartons will only affect how long the cold soak will take to permeate to the goods inside, not whether it will get there.