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MBP on commercial airline

J

Jazojas12

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 24, 2009
228
1
I was looking on Apple's site and for the new MBP it says:
# Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet
# Maximum storage altitude: 15,000 feet
# Maximum shipping altitude: 35,000 feet

My question is does this matter on a commercial airline since it would be in a pressurized cabin? I will be purchasing one within the next 3 days and I'm flying to Japan soon. I just want to make sure I can use it on the plane with no problems. Thanks in advance.
 
It will be just fine. I'd say thousands of people fly each day with a laptop and all is fine.
 
There are populated places on Earth at that height or above, and that's the only reason why that restriction is on there. It will work fine in an airplane.
 
I would be more concerned about the person in front of you reclining. It is possible to destroy the LCD if it gets caught in the seat. Just a word of caution. Hopefully you are flying Business or Premium Economy. The Economy seats don't have much tray space.
 
K I will keep that in mind to watch out for recliners. That and to remember to take both pieces of the airline power adapter.
 
1 atmosphere at 35,000 feet is the same as 1 atmosphere at sea level. If you're flying at 40,000 and your cabin depressurizes, your laptop might be damaged. The upside is that you'd suffocate or freeze to death within a minute and probably not notice.
 
Jazojas12 said:
I was looking on Apple's site and for the new MBP it says:
# Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet
# Maximum storage altitude: 15,000 feet
# Maximum shipping altitude: 35,000 feet

My question is does this matter on a commercial airline since it would be in a pressurized cabin? I will be purchasing one within the next 3 days and I'm flying to Japan soon. I just want to make sure I can use it on the plane with no problems. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter how high an airplane is flying because the cabin is pressurized. Those numbers are only for potentially concerned people living in high altitude areas like Tibet, or for mountain climbers who want to bring along their Macs.
 
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Ever watch Everest: Beyond the Limit on Discovery? They use Toshiba laptops at Advanced Base Camp which is over 21,000 feet. Do they do anything special to these laptops? People's lives depend on them.
 
mgamber said:
1 atmosphere at 35,000 feet is the same as 1 atmosphere at sea level. If you're flying at 40,000 and your cabin depressurizes, your laptop might be damaged. The upside is that you'd suffocate or freeze to death within a minute and probably not notice.
Click to expand...


how delightfully macabre!
 
rdowns said:
Ever watch Everest: Beyond the Limit on Discovery? They use Toshiba laptops at Advanced Base Camp which is over 21,000 feet. Do they do anything special to these laptops? People's lives depend on them.
Click to expand...

I beleive they have solid state drives, a regular hard drive wouldn't work at that altitude.
 
What size are you planning to get? I have a blackbook and 15" MBP, my wife has the 13" MBP. When I take my blackbook on a flight, I have no problem, even when the person in front reclines. My wife has no problem either. However, the 15" is a pain. And forget about it, when the person reclines in front of you.

Anybody else have this problem?
 
I was looking on Apple's site and for the new MBP it says:
# Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet
# Maximum storage altitude: 15,000 feet
# Maximum shipping altitude: 35,000 feet

My question is does this matter on a commercial airline since it would be in a pressurized cabin? I will be purchasing one within the next 3 days and I'm flying to Japan soon. I just want to make sure I can use it on the plane with no problems. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Pressurized cabins are the equivalent of 8500ft MSL, so you'll be fine. No emailing from the summit of Everest though.

It does make me curious what parts would be susceptible to high altitudes...
 
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6-0 Prolene said:
Pressurized cabins are the equivalent of 8500ft MSL, so you'll be fine. No emailing from the summit of Everest though.

It does make me curious what parts would be susceptible to high altitudes...
Click to expand...

The HDD, most likely. Can't really think of anything else.
 
Apple have to say that their stuff won't work above 10,000 feet because...:

Someone who lives up in the mountains 10,000+ feet might go and buy a Mac...

...it might fail because of the height...

...they might sue Apple because they didn't warn them...

...which starts a whole... "thing" about it:rolleyes:
 
When flying at cruise altitude, the cabin is pressurized at the same pressure you would have at like 5000-6000 feet.

The "maximum operating altitude" of most humans is lower than that of a MBP so don't worry xD
 
rdowns said:
Ever watch Everest: Beyond the Limit on Discovery? They use Toshiba laptops at Advanced Base Camp which is over 21,000 feet. Do they do anything special to these laptops? People's lives depend on them.
Click to expand...

Those Laptops need to have Ultralow Voltage components and still have a proper cooling system. There is just not enough air around to cool it properly. A macbook would go up in flames in a matter of minutes (well it would shut down before, but you get my drift).

If you use it outside on the other hand the temperature would be too low for a laptop to operate.

Another thing that doesn't like altitude too much are tft displays.
 
# Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet
Click to expand...

As long as you're not sitting out on the wing while using the laptop, you'll be fine :D
 
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Eltorero said:
The "maximum operating altitude" of most humans is lower than that of a MBP so don't worry xD
Click to expand...

Um no; if you climb the everest, or at least pretty high, you won't die because of the lack of pressure (though you might find it difficult to breathe).
Your hard drive however will die : The hard drive head requires an "air cushion" to hover above the disk, if the air pressure gets too low, the head will go down and scratch against the disk, damaging it.
A computer with a SSD instead of a HD shouldn't have any problems.
 
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