I read a bunch of posts suggesting to get a cooling pad and others stating you don't need one because there are no vents below and the Air does a good job cooling itself through the rear vent and through the keyboard. I would like to use my Air without my cooling fan underneath if it really doesn't make any difference.
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Is a cooling fan needed?
- Thread starter gman901
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Unless the laptop is designed horribly, it should be able to cool down itself. My MBA is very cool and I see absolutely no need for cooling pad.
x2.
The few times it uses a lot of CPU/GPU and generates a bunch of heat, it seems to cool down very quickly on its own.
Awesome! Thanks for demystifying the need for a cooling pad! One less bulky item to connect to my Air!
I disagree with others that have replied
Though it sounds as if your mind has been made up I hope you return to this thread and hear me out.
I use my Mac Air for long periods with lots of videos. This type of usage heats up my computer beyond its enclosed fan's capacity. My computer has slowed down during these heat ups and perhaps even damaged the QualComm wifi chip.
I purchased a Belkin fan and the computer stays cool preventing any slow down or possible further damage. It was only about $30 and makes computing at home, where the major usage occurs, much nicer. I don't carry the fan or my electric connector cord with me while out and about so my usage is limited to the battery and the computer doesn't get excessively hot in that time. When it does get hot on those occasions I simply blow into the back vent and that helps cool things down.
Though it sounds as if your mind has been made up I hope you return to this thread and hear me out.
I use my Mac Air for long periods with lots of videos. This type of usage heats up my computer beyond its enclosed fan's capacity. My computer has slowed down during these heat ups and perhaps even damaged the QualComm wifi chip.
I purchased a Belkin fan and the computer stays cool preventing any slow down or possible further damage. It was only about $30 and makes computing at home, where the major usage occurs, much nicer. I don't carry the fan or my electric connector cord with me while out and about so my usage is limited to the battery and the computer doesn't get excessively hot in that time. When it does get hot on those occasions I simply blow into the back vent and that helps cool things down.
The Intel processors used in Macs are designed to automatically shut down to prevent damage if they truly overheat (around 100C/212F - 105C/221F, depending on your processor). iStat Pro will give you accurate readings of your temps, among other things.
Unless there is a rare defect in your Mac, your temps are well within the normal operating range, considering the workload you're putting on it. Websites with Flash content, games and other multimedia apps will put higher demand on the CPU/GPU, generating more heat. This is normal. If you're constantly putting high demands on your system, such as gaming or other multimedia tasks, expect temps to rise and fans to spin up accordingly. It's just your Mac doing its job to maintain temps within the normal range.
Your fans are always on when your Mac is on, spinning at a minimum of 2000 rpm (for MBPs) or 1800 rpm (for MBAs). They will spin faster as needed to keep temps at a safe level. If they're spinning up without increased heat, try resetting the SMC. Also, make sure you don't block the vents, which are located at the rear, near the hinge.
lol@copy-paste. Why haven't they made a sticky for "battery info here, cooling info here" ?
People don't read sticky posts or guides, either, or we wouldn't have so many threads on the same topics:
