There have been reports of the new MacBook Air (M2, 2022) having overheating issues, due to its fanless design having problems under certain conditions, but a cheap and risky trick could fix it.
Although we didn't find any overheating issues during our review of the new MacBook Air, it seems that some people are reporting issues where the MacBook Air's heat is too high, causing the laptop's performance to drop, which is known as throttling, to prevent serious damage.
Unlike most laptops, the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) doesn't come with built-in fans, instead using a heat sink to keep internal components cool. Although this solution means that the MacBook Air is thinner and lighter than many other laptops, as well as being completely silent, it also means that it has a harder time staying cool, especially if the ambient temperature in which it is used is also very high.
However, YouTuber Max Tech apparently found a cheap solution to this problem by opening up the MacBook Air and adding thermal pads on top of the MacBook Air's heatsink. Best of all, it only costs €15.
The results look promising, as the MacBook Air takes much longer to heat up after adding the thermal pads, while the MacBook Air takes one minute and 23 seconds to reach 108 degrees Celsius. Without the modification, it only took 28 seconds to reach this temperature.
As shown in the video above, this had a positive impact on the MacBook Air's performance, as it was able to last longer performing intensive tasks before slowing down.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro (M2, 2022) doesn't have this problem because, while it has the same M2 chip as the new MacBook Air, it does have built-in fans that help keep it cool.
So it looks like this cheap solution is working. But should you try it?
Review: Should You Try This MacBook Air Fix?
Short answer: no. Long answer: Nooooooooooooo.
Slightly more helpful answer: Although this €15 fix apparently makes a difference, we highly recommend trying it out for yourself. Not that it's particularly difficult to do, on the contrary, it's actually quite easy, as all you have to do is unscrew the four screws on the back of the MacBook Air, open it up, and place the thermal pads on the heatsink. heat. .
It sounds like adding more thermal paste to the motherboard might help as well, but it's a much riskier and time-consuming endeavor.
So why do we suggest you not try this solution? For starters, opening a device always carries an element of risk, and you can accidentally damage sensitive electronics while trying. Also, if you add the pads incorrectly, it could make the overheating problem worse and seriously damage your laptop.
More importantly, opening up the MacBook Air and trying to repair it yourself will almost certainly void the warranty. If this happens and you need Apple to fix it, it may be out of warranty and you could end up spending a lot of money to fix it.
If this problem is indeed widespread, we imagine that Apple will look for an official solution, which could even involve physical repairs or replacement. This should be offered for free under warranty, and if you've tried an unofficial solution, it may mean you're no longer eligible.
For now, therefore, we recommend that you hold your ground and wait to see if Apple has an answer. However, one thing the company could argue is that the MacBook Air isn't designed for heavy-duty tasks, which is what the 13-inch MacBook Pro is designed for.
Via Wccftech (Opens in a new tab)
