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by jd3 4125 days ago
Exactly. My daily driver is still a mid-2009 macbook air whose CPU actually actually hit its TJMAX for the first time ever last week.

I've asked Apple in the past to clean out the hardware with compressed air and re-apply the thermal paste, but I don't think they did, and they told me that they can't re-apply the thermal paste because they don't have the tool to do it anymore [Bethesda, Maryland store]. I've never had an Apple product that hasn't had overheating issues at some point in its lifecycle, and this new no-fan architecture honestly has me worried for this product in the long run.
2 comments
abrowne 4125 days ago
> they can't re-apply the thermal paste because they don't have the tool to do it anymore

They don't have the same screwdriver they use on the latest MacBook Airs, some alcohol wipes, and the same thermal grease they use on everything except today's MacBook? Try an Apple Authorized Service Provider – i.e. an independent shop that repairs Macs – they should be able to help you out.

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sliverstorm 4125 days ago
On the bright side, passive cooling generally can't fail, unless you physically snap something in two or separate the heatsink from the die. Notice that laptops generally have cooling problems as they age- I'm sure some of this is due to the processor degrading over time, but most is going to be due to gradual failure of the cooling system as the fan dies and the fins fill with dust. Neither is usually a problem with passive systems.
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