What happens when it starts to get Hot with no fan?

[MarvinHC]

Let's wait until it is in consumer's hands and we shall see. Right now we can only speculate but I am a bit cynical about it.

And for the record: I just held my Macbook Air right to my ear and was still only barely able to hear the fan. So I do see no reason to get rid of it, but am happy that it kicks in at full speed when there is a need for it.
Even if the new Macbook can do without, I wonder how often it will heat up and what this will do to the lifespan of the hardware. Only time will tell...

 

[GGJstudios]

It's a bit of a simplification to suggest they happen at the same rate however, and we are definitely hitting genuine physics problems with thermal efficiency improvements at this point.

I didn't suggest anything about the rate of advances in processor or thermal technology; only that they both advance. Many times we have faced what we perceived to be barriers to further advancement in many areas of technology over the years, yet we always found ways to break through such barriers.

 

[fisha]

The core-m in the new MacBook runs on 5w of power, compared to the 15w chips in the MacBook Air. This is more in line with the power consumption of the chip in the iPad.

Fans aren't necessary.

Correct, the power consumption of CPU's is getting so low that even if all the consumed watts of power were being converted into heat and nothing else, the chassis and thermal design would still be able to absorb and dissipate all that heat without the need for additional cooling fans.

Thermal transfer and dissipation does not always need a cooling fan to to work.

thats not to say that the CPU won't get hot . . . it certainly will under load . . . its just that the heat it creates will pass away fine.

A bit like putting a tea light candle (low power CPU heat source) under a pan of room temperature water (metal chassis that can dissipate and transfer heat). The candle will heat the area immediately round it and the pan of water might get warm overall (just like a Macbook under load would) but the heat will still dissipate out such that the water won't get to a point that its too hot to touch.

 

[Rachel Faith]

Wear jeans. This is NOT girl friendly, these have always been too hot for a skirt and uncovered legs.