I was told by the Apple store "the first batch of MBA had heating issues"

[aristobrat]

I just got back from the apple store with my MBA. Let me just say, I HATE THIS MAN. I have him every time i go, and he doesnt help me.

If he doesn't help you, remember that he's not the ultimate authority in the store.

I'd call the store and politely explain to the manager your difficulty getting your MBA issue resolved.

My guess is that the MBAs are still new enough that the managers are going to go out of their way to make things right.

 

[daneoni]

Maybe this is your root of your problems. A big ol dollop of Thermal Paste.

 

[Shackler]

My Kool-Aid doesn't make any noise.

How has no one qouted this.
this is priceless lol.
random. uncalled for. irrelevent. perfect.

 

[ayeying]

Maybe this is your root of your problems. A big ol dollop of Thermal Paste.

Its possible. As tempting as it is to take this thing apart, I'm not gonna risk voiding the warranty.

 

[ExcelonGT]

I have the 1.6/80.

I swapped the HDD for SDD...no I didnt return it. I have a channel at work to get my hands on SSD's, so i opened up my MBA and put in the exact same model Samsung 64gb ssd.

My fan's run 6200 all the time, and more often then not my CPU is over 50C. youtube or any other flash content just stutters like everyone else.

My friend has the 1.8/SSD with boot camped Vista (no OSx at all). He has not noticed any of the problems with video playback. I really wonder if there is something in Safari/Leopard that is causing the problem here.

 

[NC MacGuy]

I have the 1.6/80.

I swapped the HDD for SDD...no I didnt return it. I have a channel at work to get my hands on SSD's, so i opened up my MBA and put in the exact same model Samsung 64gb ssd.

My fan's run 6200 all the time, and more often then not my CPU is over 50C. youtube or any other flash content just stutters like everyone else.

My friend has the 1.8/SSD with boot camped Vista (no OSx at all). He has not noticed any of the problems with video playback. I really wonder if there is something in Safari/Leopard that is causing the problem here.

It's very easy to change the HDD's but you probably shouldn't have if your computer has its fan running at 6200 with cpu at 50C.

There aren't fan's -there is only one fan which I'm sure you saw when you took it apart.

My fan doesn't kick up until over 60-65C. You may be reswapping those drives if you do in fact have a faulty machine.

Mine never runs under 55C with fan at 2500.

 

[ExcelonGT]

It's very easy to change the HDD's but you probably shouldn't have if your computer has its fan running at 6200 with cpu at 50C.

There aren't fan's -there is only one fan which I'm sure you saw when you took it apart.

My fan doesn't kick up until over 60-65C. You may be reswapping those drives if you do in fact have a faulty machine.

Mine never runs under 55C with fan at 2500.

Sorry, meant to say the fan goes to 6200 under load. right now its 54degrees with fan at 2500.

 

[ayeying]

At least your fans goes on during load.. I'm at 14% cpu usage, with iTunes playing music and my fans are at 6200rpm w/ laptop cooler. Sometimes this laptop doesn't behave

 

[al82]

I would hardly say watching an episode of simpsons on an avi file is strenuous multimedia activity.

Sure the Air isn't designed for editing and hi def. But two things, firstly for £1200 I expect to be able to watch an episode of simpsons that my old laptop with half the specs can handle with no problems. Secondly a 1.6 dual core should run something my psp can run without problems.

 

[hansano]

Macbook Air temperature reading.

Hi everybody.
I have been reading a lot about heat issues on the Macbook Air, and i think myself, that my MBA gets quite hot. The fans kick in quite often...
But everybody is writing about special scenarios in which their subjective impression of the temperature is this or that. This makes comparison very difficult. I would suggest therefor, that people with heat issues follow these steps in order to get an objective measurement:
1. Download hardware monitor
(http://www.bresink.de/osx/HardwareMonitor.html#Download)
2. Start the program, install driver, go to preferences, history, add CPU A and Main heat sink to the history.
3. Open windows, history window
4. Let the MBA be idle for a few minutes. Let it rest on a flat surface.
5. Open two terminal windows, type in both of them: yes > /dev/null
6. Wait for the temperature to stabilize on it's max.
7. Wait for the temperature curve to drop.
8. Take a screenshot (cmd + shift + 4) and post it in this thread.

Note that this procedure is a modified version of this: http://www.intelmactemp.com/howto

My screenshot is attached below.
Regards Jakob

 

[al82]

Hi guys, just to let you know i am going to apple store regent street london to pick up my replacement unit as they called me and said theyre holding it for me.

I will test it tonight and will post the results.

I will also do what the above says.

 

[MRU]

Just watched a 700mb AVI file (28 weeks later) and it played without any stuttering and on my lap and the mba didn't warm up anything spectacular ?

I may be cursed with long charge times but thank god I don't have any heating issues

Let us know how you get on later

 

[Cybergypsy]

I had the ssd and the hDD and the SSD ran a bit hotter then my HHd, and also the fans ran higher..eneded up keeping the HDD

 

[prominence]

Anything I watch a youtube video, 3-4 minutes into it, fans hit 6200 RPM and right top corner of laptop gets hot, especially near ESC button.

After closing out of the page, 5 minutes later, the fans slow back down.

 

[al82]

--------------------------------GOOD NEWS---------------------------------------

I got my third MBA and while the fan do go up to 6200rpm so far (1 hour of playing videos) there has been NO SLOW DOWN OR STUTTERING OF VIDEOS.

I have now turned the MBA off and will try testing it again in an hour or so and will post the results.

EDIT, I JUST WENT ONTO IT AND IT WAS AT CRAWLING PASE AGAIN, EVEN TRYING TO OPEN SAFARI CAUSED IT TO SLOW WAAAAY DOWN well looks like my relationship with the MBA was like a relationship with Pamela Anderson, eventually you get over the looks and thing oh s**t what have i got myself into.

 

[teek]

man....

--------------------------------GOOD NEWS---------------------------------------

I got my third MBA and while the fan do go up to 6200rpm so far (1 hour of playing videos) there has been NO SLOW DOWN OR STUTTERING OF VIDEOS.

I have now turned the MBA off and will try testing it again in an hour or so and will post the results.

EDIT, I JUST WENT ONTO IT AND IT WAS AT CRAWLING PASE AGAIN, EVEN TRYING TO OPEN SAFARI CAUSED IT TO SLOW WAAAAY DOWN well looks like my relationship with the MBA was like a relationship with Pamela Anderson, eventually you get over the looks and thing oh s**t what have i got myself into.

If I was you, I'd get a MBP or MB and forget about the MBA I myself would not take this **** even twice. It's not acceptable. Hopefully the next version will be what the first one was supposed to be.

 

[SFStateStudent]

Excellent thread and posts...

everyone! I had no idea that "heat" and "fan" issues were beating up the MBA. I'll hold off until there is a substantial turn around. Thanks!

 

[Guv280984]

Flash bug

I think a flash bug could be the cause of all these problems! Hopefully there will be an update out soon to try and sort the problem out.

I purchased my new Macbook Air today, cant wait to get it!

 

[Scott6666]

Returned mine today

Mine was a first day MBA that always had fan issues but seemed to get worse and worse. Apple store was nice enough to take it all back if I agreed to take a store credit (which is what I wanted anyway). They offered me another MBA but I would not take one now. I'm going to hold onto my credit for a month and see if these isses can be ironed out. If not I'll just get a MBP and give up on the MBA as a nice try Apple.

Funny though, both the manager at the store and the tech rep acted as if this kind of stuff never happens. Maybe most people can't hear fan noise.

Now, does anyone know how much noise a new MBP makes?

 

[raremage]

Mine was a first day MBA that always had fan issues but seemed to get worse and worse. Apple store was nice enough to take it all back if I agreed to take a store credit (which is what I wanted anyway). They offered me another MBA but I would not take one now. I'm going to hold onto my credit for a month and see if these isses can be ironed out. If not I'll just get a MBP and give up on the MBA as a nice try Apple.

Funny though, both the manager at the store and the tech rep acted as if this kind of stuff never happens. Maybe most people can't hear fan noise.

Now, does anyone know how much noise a new MBP makes?

You'll notice a difference because of the graphics card - my old MBP would spin up the fan from time to time but most of the time it's pretty quiet. I would suspect the same to be the case with the newer MBPs.

 

[al82]

"Funny though, both the manager at the store and the tech rep acted as if this kind of stuff never happens. Maybe most people can't hear fan noise."

The staff at the Apple store regent street said the same to me, its funny because it was the same member of staff that had exchanged my first faulty one who was telling me he never had one returned.

 

[ayeying]

The genius people @ the bay street store here in California heard my fan noise when it was still at 4000rpm... They must have super hearing.

 

[ayeying]

I have redone the thermal paste on my air today. Lemme just say, it is AMAZING how lack of thermal paste I had. Nearly 1/2 of the chips were shining bright. I cleaned the chips and put AS5 on it. Now I'm holding at 55 deg C while opening a large number of programs so far.

Even while running parallels the fan stays a cool 2500 rpm.

 

[Tom J]

I have redone the thermal paste on my air today. Lemme just say, it is AMAZING how lack of thermal paste I had. Nearly 1/2 of the chips were shining bright. I cleaned the chips and put AS5 on it. Now I'm holding at 55 deg C while opening a large number of programs so far.

Even while running parallels the fan stays a cool 2500 rpm.

Sounds promising. Any specific before and after comparisons?

 

[ViperrepiV]

my MBA has been fine but you guys are starting to get me paranoid