Does MacBook Air 2023 M2 run hot?

[MacBookAirOfPayne]

Mostly-Novice Question:
As a mental health counselor, I use my MacBook Air primarily for Zoom sessions (while concurrently using a Safari web-based platform to take notes). On my current MacBook Air (2019;13"; 1.6 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5; 16 GB RAM; 256 GB Memory; Sonoma 14.2.1), the CPU runs pretty consistently at 212℉ and the fan is at nearly full-blast the entire time. Using Chrome for anything also seems to make it run hot.

I'm looking to get a new MacBook, and I'm eyeing the MacBook Air (2023; 15"; M2 chip; 24GB unified memory; 256 GB storage). I'm sure it'll work fine for my needs, but here's my question: Will it run as hot as my current MacBook Air? (And is that a problem?)

 

[chrfr]

Mostly-Novice Question:
As a mental health counselor, I use my MacBook Air primarily for Zoom sessions (while concurrently using a Safari web-based platform to take notes). On my current MacBook Air (2019;13"; 1.6 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5; 16 GB RAM; 256 GB Memory; Sonoma 14.2.1), the CPU runs pretty consistently at 212℉ and the fan is at nearly full-blast the entire time. Using Chrome for anything also seems to make it run hot.

I'm looking to get a new MacBook, and I'm eyeing the MacBook Air (2023; 15"; M2 chip; 24GB unified memory; 256 GB storage). I'm sure it'll work fine for my needs, but here's my question: Will it run as hot as my current MacBook Air? (And is that a problem?)

The M2 Air will not run nearly as hot as the old Intel computer, and it has no fan so you won’t need to listen to that either. These computers can very easily run Zoom without any performance issues.

 

[casperes1996]

If intensely pushed it can get as hot. It won’t be a problem per se. When too hot it will just slow down to manage heat. But the old machines would get hot with very light usage where the apple silicon ones require a much heavier load to heat up.

 

[bogdanw]

Apple: MacBook Air (15-inch, M2, 2023) - Technical Specifications
Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)
https://support.apple.com/kb/SP893

 

[casperes1996]

Apple: MacBook Air (15-inch, M2, 2023) - Technical Specifications
Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)
https://support.apple.com/kb/SP893

Operating temperature refers to the environments in which the computers are used. Not the internal temperatures of the devices which were discussed here

 

[MacBookAirOfPayne]

I currently have MBA 2019 w/ 16GB RAM, and it slows down from time to time due to having too many programs running at once. I'm looking to get the MBA 2023 M2 w/ 24 GB unified….is that overkill?

 

[casperes1996]

I currently have MBA 2019 w/ 16GB RAM, and it slows down from time to time due to having too many programs running at once. I'm looking to get the MBA 2023 M2 w/ 24 GB unified….is that overkill?

Well, not if you want it. But note that the M3 model literally just released

 

[chrono1081]

No it does not. I would run my M2 air with programs like Houdini, Blender, Final Cut, Logic, different games, etc and it never got even warm. Also for your uses 24 gigs ram is overkill. I had 16 gigs of ram on mine and it ran like a dream.

 

[darngooddesign]

hey, just so you know the new M3 Air can run two external displays with the lid closed, the M2 can’t

 

[MacBookAirOfPayne]

Very helpful, thank you!

 

[kschendel]

I'm sitting here in a conference room with a 15" M2 Air running Chrome, Safari, a Zoom session, a couple email clients, and a few Preview documents open, and it's right at room temperature as best as I can tell. It's certainly not hot.

 

[bogdanw]

Operating temperature refers to the environments in which the computers are used. Not the internal temperatures of the devices which were discussed here

1. The environmental temperature directly influences the internal temperature. The CPU & GPU will not run at 20° C in a 30° C room.

2. Apple’s ranges for “Operating temperature” and “Storage temperature” could provide a good indication to when the device will throttle down. If Apple considers it’s not safe to operate the device at more than 35° C, the MacBook will probably try to avoid getting to that temperature when running and definitely not over 45° C.

This issues has been discussed on the forum since 2022
“How hot does m2 get?” https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-hot-does-m2-get.2351392/

Max Tech - M2 MacBook Air Thermal Throttling: How Bad is it REALLY?

 

[Andrey84]

This question became obsolete as of yesterday. M3 MacBook Air has been released. I'd suggest just buying it and using it intensively for 13 days, assuming your return window is 14 days, and seeing how it goes.

 

[kp98077]

I currently have MBA 2019 w/ 16GB RAM, and it slows down from time to time due to having too many programs running at once. I'm looking to get the MBA 2023 M2 w/ 24 GB unified….is that overkill?

I think it is at that point I would jsut get a pro honestly, much smoother operations oveall...

 

[Isamilis]

I currently have MBA 2019 w/ 16GB RAM, and it slows down from time to time due to having too many programs running at once. I'm looking to get the MBA 2023 M2 w/ 24 GB unified….is that overkill?

what other programs do you use in the same time? If only Zoom and Office-like apps with 10-20+ tabs safari, 24gb is overkill. It can be handled easily with 8gb. For longevity, try get 16gb / 512gb.