The recently released MacBook Air M3 from Apple is quite powerful, but it appears to be prone to overheating.
TechNewsSpace reported that Apple has recently launched new models of MacBook Air with advanced M3 processors. According to a review by Max Tech, the new MacBook Air can reach a temperature of 114 degrees Celsius when handling intensive tasks.
During the testing phase of the new 15-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip, testers utilized 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme and Cinebench 2024 performance measurement tools to evaluate the device’s performance under heavy workloads for an extended period. The testing results showed that the CPU and GPU temperature levels reached an average of 107 degrees Celsius and 103 degrees Celsius, respectively. Additionally, the temperature of the laptop’s body peaked at 46 degrees Celsius.
The last few generations of MacBook Air come with passive cooling systems, which often leads to hardware components overheating. Even the latest MacBook Air is not an exception to this issue. On the other hand, the expensive MacBook Pro line has a fan to help keep the components cool. In the past, MacBook Air laptops with M2 chips also faced similar problems, but there was no clear information about the temperatures that the processors could reach.
It is not safe for the processor to operate at a temperature of 114 degrees Celsius for an extended period. Therefore, during testing, the chip’s clock speed and power consumption are gradually reduced. This leads to a decrease in the processor’s temperature to 100 degrees Celsius, which is still quite high but not too hazardous for the chip.
Certainly, when the MacBook Air’s battery life is extended, it can negatively impact the computer’s performance. Based on tests conducted using Cinebench R23, the 15-inch MacBook Air experienced a 10% decrease in performance, while the 13-inch version experienced a 20% decrease. The graphics system’s performance is also significantly affected, with the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme test revealing a 27% decrease in performance on the 15-inch MacBook Air between the best and worst results.