MacBook Air users still faced with overheating problems?

We're still hearing reports of MacBook Air overheating woe, well after an EFI update in April that was meant to address some of those problems. While hot computers are nothing new, the MacBook Air starts shutting down cores and offloading processes when things get bad, which means users are faced with aggravating stop-start freezing until they can manage to cool the computer off -- or just put it to sleep and let it "rest." Apparently some people have traced this back to the age-old misapplied thermal grease problem, but that's hardly a solace for the average consumer trying to convince Apple to fix this thing for them. We took a MacBook Air that was acting up into the Genius Bar and Apple claimed it couldn't reproduce the problem, though we have heard cases of Apple replacing the computer for users. We'd be curious to know just how many Air users are having trouble, and if the X300 is experiencing anything similar, so let us know in the comments.

How's your MacBook Air treating you?

WonderfullyThere have been a couple hiccups, nothing majorSome problems, but the EFI update fixed thoseOverheats all the time, really annoyingI don't have a MacBook Air, thanks for askingVote

[Tone @ Apr 30th 2008 6:15PM]

This MacBook fails at life. It should have been a 12 inch notebook like the old powerbook but a lil thinner and redesigned.

[CraigJ @ Apr 30th 2008 6:23PM]

I thought the same, but I used one last week for a while, and I was actually very impressed with the build quality and how stiff the frame is and how light is is. It was just fine for the tasks I was doing, primarily Web, e-mail, etc.

[0megapart!cle @ Apr 30th 2008 7:13PM]

How would a 12 inch powerbook-like design been any less durable? It would have been far more useful and stable though, assuming they made it a little bit thicker (but still thinner than the old 12 inch powerbook).

[LarryLarryLarry @ Apr 30th 2008 7:50PM]

An $1800 computer with a 13" footprint, suitable for web and email.

Cut the price in thirds and the size by 4", you're talking sense. As it stands today, you're mumbling madness.

A _______ and his _________ are soon _________.

[Draaaainage! @ Apr 30th 2008 8:16PM]

A LARRYLARRYLARRY and his TROLLING will soon be ANNOYING.

Did I win the prize for completing the puzzle?

[Chuckles McGee @ Apr 30th 2008 8:29PM]

Looks like Apple's dealing with a lot of hot air...

[Ruben @ Apr 30th 2008 9:09PM]

@Draaaainage!:

Are you the kind of person that scratches out numbers in Sudoku to make the puzzle work?

[CraigJ @ Apr 30th 2008 9:21PM]

sorry. 9 inches isn't big enough.

[Aaron @ Apr 30th 2008 10:50PM]

That's what she said.

[Kurian @ Apr 30th 2008 11:10PM]

I'm just waiting for some one to lose a nut or two. Lets see what you fanboys have to say THEN.

[peshue @ Apr 30th 2008 6:16PM]

You guys really need a 'I just want to see the results' option for polls.

[AlexanderK @ Apr 30th 2008 6:20PM]

Right, otherwise someone will just pick "Overheats all the time, really annoying" to see the results =)

[Ryan Block @ Apr 30th 2008 6:25PM]

We usually do -- added to this one, cache is clearing shortly.

[Nick @ Apr 30th 2008 6:27PM]

You can just click vote without selecting one and it will show you the results. But yes you are right.

[Seth @ Apr 30th 2008 7:55PM]

I like toying with Apple's mind, so I always choose negatively on there polls. Sort of like revenge after all of these years. lol

[zephead @ Apr 30th 2008 8:59PM]

It really isn't helpful to have a "don't have one" option. How about this instead: If you don't have one, then you shouldn't be voting.

[phanbouy @ Apr 30th 2008 6:19PM]

i bet five bucks that people who don't own them vote "overheats" just so they can gloat

[Derek @ Apr 30th 2008 6:20PM]

Paypal??

[Abuzar @ Apr 30th 2008 10:15PM]

How's it goin' phanbouy? Seems like I haven't argued with you in YEARS.

[UKNigel @ Apr 30th 2008 10:25PM]

If you were correct there would be 0 votes for "I don't have one...". Instead, 72% of the vote currently swings that way.

[Cybergypsy @ May 1st 2008 8:04AM]

they do as i posted a poll on a forum, more then half didnt even own a air....yet they call us fanboys...LOL

[Paris @ May 1st 2008 8:09AM]

I'd bet apple fans will vote "Wonderfully" even if they don't have a MBA.

[ugg.tryptophan @ Apr 30th 2008 6:24PM]

Wonderfully 82 (31.5%)
There have been a couple hiccups, nothing major 27 (10.4%)
Some problems, but the EFI update fixed those 9 (3.5%)
Overheats all the time, really annoying 141 (54.2%) So only 36 people on engadget own a MBA, the rest are fanboys and haters

[Big John @ Apr 30th 2008 6:38PM]

You're right, I don't own this MacBook Air I'm posting on right now.

I've had no issues. Sure the fan kicks up now and again, but even my iMac does that.

[John @ Apr 30th 2008 6:38PM]

Um.. actually, that implies that almost half of Engadget readers own them. You also for some reason discounted the people whose MBAs have been 'wonderful' in your idiotic count.

[Drew Scott @ Apr 30th 2008 7:21PM]

Actually, he didn't. The "wonderful" votes he tagged as fanboy; the horrible votes as haters.

Get the idiotic count correct ;)

[Brad @ Apr 30th 2008 7:47PM]

That sounds about right. For all the rampant fanboyism and hating that happens here, it really seems to come from a few dozen users. The vast majority either don't have the product, or have level enough heads to speak rationally about the products they do own.

Unfortunately, they always get shouted down by the zealots. I think the idea that some 30% of Engadget readers own a MacBook Air is pretty dubious, since I think you'd be hard-pressed to find 30% of ANY group that owns a MacBook Air, let alone one as technically savvy as Engadget readers...

Maybe you should release these polls early in the morning, so all the middle-school and high-school kids don't get a chance to sway the opinions for several hours.

[martin @ May 6th 2008 6:11PM]

bs, i own a (march) MBA, and one of the cores shuts down 10% of the time, at least, more if i use it the way i'm used to.

i have to be careful not to open too many pages in safari, especially if they contain flash, i can't use USB ethernet for more than 5 minutes (very processor intensive)

i have had problems from the start, but they got a lot worse with the improving weather.

i'm careful about where i put my MBA, i use it on a table most of the time, and when i'm on my bed i use a little structure that leaves about an inch of space under the vents.

this is just not acceptable.

[lanejasper69 @ Apr 30th 2008 6:26PM]

@Tone: So you still don't get the idea behind this Air concept then, your argument is pretty outdated. by a pc.

Faslane

[lanejasper69 @ Apr 30th 2008 6:27PM]

Buy a PC...there I corrected myself.

[Derek @ Apr 30th 2008 6:31PM]

Almost gave me the chance to insult mac users. =P

[ethana2 @ Apr 30th 2008 7:04PM]

Don't buy a PC, buy an Ubuntu Dell.

[Draaaainage! @ Apr 30th 2008 8:09PM]

A Dell with Ubuntu is still a PC.

[timeToy @ Apr 30th 2008 9:32PM]

Typo please !

[hrt @ May 1st 2008 12:47AM]

An iMac or any other Apple is still a PC as well.

[jake @ May 1st 2008 1:16AM]

@hrt
esp after switching to intel, it's like they sold their soul. As for the poll, I agree the results are probably screwed up. But good to see at least most of the obviously fanboys/haters haven't really popped up yet; it's good when people can talk rationally.

[Bambeezer @ Apr 30th 2008 6:32PM]

I've never noticed any core shut downs. This thing runs like an ice box compared to my old macbook pro. That thing was crazy hot.

Brandon

[David @ Apr 30th 2008 6:38PM]

To some people life is like a box of chocolates.

[ethana2 @ Apr 30th 2008 7:03PM]

...but after so many worms, some people get a better operating system :)

[Drew Scott @ Apr 30th 2008 7:23PM]

this topic really has little to do with the OS

[happy_penguin @ Apr 30th 2008 10:36PM]

Life is like a litter box. Shit is always coming up.

[Gromit @ Apr 30th 2008 6:38PM]

I know the MBA is a popular target and it's hardly the best laptop for a lot of, if not most, people. But after another barrage of "the only people who buy a MBA are petty vain people who only want to impress others", I just wanted to chime in on why I bought one.

My wife and are sharing a laptop. Neither of us needs one full time, just for occasional use here and there. OS X was an absolute requirement. I was about to buy a MacBook when the MacBook Air was announced. My wife's biggest concern was that she wanted the thinnest laptop possible, in order to carry it in her bag without adding to the bulk. Light weight was a bonus and we didn't want a cramped screen or keyboard. We looked at the MacBook and she thought it was thicker than what she had in mind.

She went to a conference today and this morning she showed me how the MBA fit perfectly in a small slot in her bag. There's no way a MacBook would have fit in this slot, it would have had to go in another area of the bag which was already occupied by other things (notebook, folders, etc).

So I looked at the options and decided that the MacBook Air seemed like the best fit for what we needed. So far, it's been perfect. I have no interest in paying $500 to turn it lemon yellow though.

[Big John @ Apr 30th 2008 6:43PM]

Welcome to being flamebait. I've been defending my Air purchase since day one, yet the flames keep on coming.

Enjoy the laptop!

[Gromit @ Apr 30th 2008 6:44PM]

Crap, 1passwd pasted in my comment from a previous MBA article. Sorry for the double post, I wasn't trying to repeat the same thing I posted last time, which was a pro-MBA comment.

Anyway, I haven't had any overheating issues with mine. It hasn't really been 'pushed' though. I just use it for web browsing and occasional NeoOffice use so far.

[LarryLarryLarry @ Apr 30th 2008 7:58PM]

You bought the Airball because your wife said a Mac Pro looked too thick. Okay. Is it actually hard to understand why more people don't sympathize with your selection process and criteria?

Your post is absolute proof of exactly what everyone is saying about Airball owners:

Huge eyeballs. Huge wallets. Tiny brains.

[Draaaainage! @ Apr 30th 2008 8:13PM]

He didn't say it looked too thick, he said it *was* too thick. Now go sit in the corner and practice your reading comprehension.

[roole @ Apr 30th 2008 10:11PM]

Hey LarryLarryLarry: FYI, there is usually a positive correlation between size of wallet and size of brain.

But I doubt you would know (on either front)..........

[Big John @ Apr 30th 2008 6:38PM]

The fan kicks up to 6k now and again but I haven't experienced any core shutdowns at all.

[Terry @ Apr 30th 2008 6:39PM]

There is a software app called Coolbook that will fix all the overheating and Macbook Air issues: http://chipchick.com/2008/04/how_to_really_fix_your_overheating_macbook_air.html

[Big John @ Apr 30th 2008 6:43PM]

Pay $10 to have my processor throttled? No thanks. That's not a 'fix'.