Will M3 be too hot for a fanless MBA

[Blackened22]

If the m2 and m3 are slowed down to m1 speed they are more efficient. apple just runs them faster because they can; m1 doesn't do ray tracing and the gpu improvement is significant.

Probably slightly, but you cannot do that anyway. Low-power-mode is only option and that is much slower than M1.

GPU on other is drastically improved, that is what they mostly worked on M2/M3. CPU stayed essentially the same just overclocked and lost efficiency per W.

M2 performance advantage of 15 % on average countered by an additional power consumption of 35-40 %, so the overall efficiency is 20-25 % lower compared to M1

 

[Torty]

If the m2 and m3 are slowed down to m1 speed they are more efficient. apple just runs them faster because they can; m1 doesn't do ray tracing and the gpu improvement is significant.

Even more important for upcoming OS features/support: M1 -> NPU 11 TOPS. M3 -> 18 TOPS.

 

[Blackened22]

How do you know that, that is speculation - I think M1 and M3 will get same support, they have similar performance. Feel like same generation. Like with iPhone, as chips became powerful, support extended.

 

[jdb8167]

Here it is, depending on brightness and this is idle, also added low-power-mode values:

1 dot 4.83W (LPM 2.8W) - half 6.51W (LPM 4.3W) - full brightness 11.21W (LPM 9.25W).

As you can see idle average core temp is 57c (52c LPM), I am in room with AC, maybe 22-23c ambient temp.

Waiting for your proof of this, I believe you gave false info, average core temp cannot be that low on M3. Maybe if your room temperature is -10c.

Welcome to my ignore list.

This is after a 15 minute Zoom call.

This is idle:

 

[throAU]

Probably slightly, but you cannot do that anyway. Low-power-mode is only option and that is much slower than M1.

GPU on other is drastically improved, that is what they mostly worked on M2/M3. CPU stayed essentially the same just overclocked and lost efficiency per W.

M2 performance advantage of 15 % on average countered by an additional power consumption of 35-40 %, so the overall efficiency is 20-25 % lower compared to M1

No, you can't but the point is that Apple can run the M3 or M4 at whatever clock frequency they want to fit it into pretty much any thermal envelope they want.

They could stick an M series part in an iPhone if they were willing to clock it slow enough and compromise enough on physical dimensions by stealing space from the battery....

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Thanks, but I think quick glance might not be good - If you adjust brightness, you have to wait 30-60 seconds for coconutBattery to update power consumption reading. Can you please double check in iStat Menus better, it refreshes quickly, and shows the same values. I attached my reading now for 100% screen, ambient temperature is a bit warm 25c or so...

Ambient temperature 21°C, brightness at 60%, in a Teams online meeting, and browsing around at the same time. 14 apps running in the background.
CPU core average temperature and Total power usage for the last hour attached.

 

[Blackened22]

Thanks, yeah seems about right and not too bad in your room. Just I use screen at 100%, and my ambient temp is about 25°C+ actually, I measured now. That is the main issue - so I have 10-15c+ more on average compared to yours. 13 M1 MBP handles warmer climate much better and better battery life, otherwise 13 MBA M3 is nice, but accumulates heat too much for my usage.

 

[Blackened22]

Update: I checked MBA M3 13.6" in Apple store on the airport, it is warm as f... whole chassis on idle, every model presented was pretty warm. I do not know why you minimize the issue, M1 is much better and cooler option. I really enjoyed going back MBP 13 16/2TB, much better experience.

 

[NT1440]

Update: I checked MBA M3 13 in Apple store on the airport, it is warm as f... whole chassis on idle, every model presented was warm. I do not know why you minimize the issue, M1 is much better and cooler option. I really enjoyed going back MBP 13 16/2TB, much better experience.

“Warm” is not an “issue”.

 

[Blackened22]

It is, since that is on idle, on some medium/higher usage it is too hot to hold comfortably in lap, and screen is always hot on 100%. M1 is much cooler, even when pushed more. On table it is fine, but beats the purpose of portable laptop, hot as pre 2020. Intels. And battery is a joke, cannot do close to full work day on some medium usage and 100% screen (6-7h). MBP 13 does that np problem.

 

[Torty]

How do you know that, that is speculation - I think M1 and M3 will get same support, they have similar performance. Feel like same generation. Like with iPhone, as chips became powerful, support extended.

I think you really can't compare M1 with M3. Now we have M4. Software support will end soon for M1, so if you want to get latest macOS features you have to upgrade eventually.

 

[Elusi]

Update: I checked MBA M3 13.6" in Apple store on the airport, it is warm as f... whole chassis on idle, every model presented was pretty warm. I do not know why you minimize the issue, M1 is much better and cooler option. I really enjoyed going back MBP 13 16/2TB, much better experience.

I also checked and want to state the exact opposite. Cool as room-temp. Which makes sense since the chassis is not attached to the heatsink but rather air-insulated and on top of that the idle package power draw is below 1W.

High ambient temp and passively cooled devices used for prolonged compute loads aren't a good idea though and in that case you should look for a Pro with a fan. But this goes for the M1 as well. Ie the issue is as present now as with the introduction of passively cooled macbook airs.

 

[Blackened22]

I think you really can't compare M1 with M3. Now we have M4. Software support will end soon for M1, so if you want to get latest macOS features you have to upgrade eventually.

Do not think so, where you getting that info? all M chips so far will get the same software/OSX support, M1 will be supported as long as M2/M3, CPU is basically the same, slight performance differences.

Now tested the same .Net/Web project (15-20 seconds front-end compile time). Also went to very cool room (19-20c)

After 5 times compiling(total of 1-2 minutes)
13" MBA M3 is 105c and 13" MBP M1 69C, and M1 did it faster few seconds, every time after second run. Only on the first run M3 was faster.

This is some light/medium usage, mostly text editor and 15-20s compiling from time to time, usual case for light Web development.