2011 Macs

I'm planning to switch to an MBA and an iMac in the next few months, however, I've been hearing about overheating issues especially regarding Flash. I've read that it still extends to the newer i5/i7 models since it's really an OSX+Flash issue rather than the hardware.

Is the situation really that bad? I watch more than 3 hours of Flash video content a day (think of it as my TV, I don't subscribe to cable anymore) and I'm afraid this is really going to affect my purchase.

Any thoughts?

 

There is no overheating issue... there is just heat. Flash on OSX is programmed very poorly (thanks Adobe!) and uses too much processing time, and therefor eats up battery faster and creates more heat... just because it gets hotter (like anytime you run the machine harder) does not mean its over heating.

 

Oops, my bad. No overheating, but a lot of people are saying that the heat is unbearable and really bad, even to the point that the videos stutter when the laptop is already THAT hot.

Is it advisable for me to go for an MBA if I watch YouTube a lot? I of course have other uses for it, and the main reason is I am always on the go.

 

If you can wait, wait till the 2012 macbook pro.

 

and with intel graphics lol?

 

I watch Netflix, Hulu, and other flash streaming websites. I've had 0 problems. I use Chrome. I don't think chrome actually utilizes the standard flash player the way the other browsers do. I don't think if this affects my results. I say this because when Apple moved my old computers stuff to my new computer, they didn't include flash player so Firefox and other applications didn't work for that but Chrome did.

I get 720p video streaming to my TV Just fine. No over heating, no performance issues, no slowing down. I really doubt that is just chrome, but while flash might underutilize my computer I don't think its an issue because the computer is already so fast that it doesn't really matters. Flash isn't putting a strain on the computer to the level of gaming ~ if I go into Windowed mode in SC2 on Ultra and try to do other stuff it lags. However my computer doesn't lag at all in flash video or anything like that.

Plus even while maxing the draw on the computer (SC2 in Ultra) I get like 70 degree celsius temps and throttling is 105+ so I really don't see how flash is going to ever do throttling. Maybe if you have an MBA so I don't really know how the less powerful Macbooks do it. An iMac should have 0 problems, I know that for sure.

 

I watch Hulu Plus a lot at 720p on my 2011 MBP for about 4-5 hours a day on the weekends without any issues popping up and that is all Flash as well and I use Safari. The cooling fans do kick on high from time to time but that is it. MBPs and MBAs run hotter in general anyway, that is due to their small form factors and use of metal enclosures. Metal is a solid heat conductor but not a good heat insulator. So watching Flash content (even HD) on a MBA will be fine so long as you don't use the MBA in your lap. That shouldn't be an issue since most notebooks/laptops aren't designed to actually be used on laps these days.

People are still complaining about this lol?

 

given that the intel HD3000 is already more powerful than your 9400m, and given that ivy bridge is supposed to come with a 60% performance improvement (while I dont buy it, intel was right when they changed from the 4500mHD to the HD3000)

and this is just flame bait, I still prefer jailbait

 

I haven't seen any wide scale issues like this.

The metal Macbooks get hot. This isn't a new thing, it's been this way since pre-Intel. Since the entire laptop is metal, and Apple keeps them thin and light, the entire case helps act like a heat sink. Unlike a plastic laptop where the heat concentrates in a couple of spots and is funneled out through loud fans and heavy copper heatsinks, the Macs use slower, thinner fans and use the case to help with heat removal.

Now when I say "hot" I don't mean "boil water" hot. My 2009 MBP gets warm to the touch on the left side, but I mean in a "slightly warmer than room temperature" way. It's never gotten hot enough to cause me concern, and my MBP is on most of the day, every day.

 

Can only tell when you buy the product, and see for yourself. You can't generalize things, as the product you get is an "individual".

 

Thanks for the comments. I'll actually be able to borrow a fairly new 2011 13" MBA for a day from my friend. I'll see how it goes from there.

@earthlingsDOTcom: I guess you're right. My current business laptop has no issues, while two colleagues of mine has had hardware problems with it and had helpdesk fix it. So no matter how identical they are, they're still "individual."

 

Just go to the store and ask them to use macbook for 15 minutes, there load dozen flash sites and watch some video and... see for yourself.

I didnt have any problems for example.

 

I don't think this is a problem.

I opened up 7 hulu streams + 1 crunchy roll stream + I had mathematica, skype, itunes, ichat, mail, more chrome tabs, word, and preview open.

My temperatures were only in the 70-80 and that was without SMC at 6000Rpm. Plus your never going to have that much flash running....ever.

Screenshot:

 

Screenshot (discrete on):

 

Netflix doesn't actually use Flash, to the best of my knowledge, but instead uses Microsoft Silverlight.

Chrome does include its own build of Flash.

 

Correct. Netflix relies on Silverlight for streaming but Hulu uses Flash.

 

i am not sure where did this overheating thing come from. Macbooks were always coolest for me. Comparing to my dad's ibms and lenovos. Not to mention those ibms made noticeably more noise.