The MacBook Air M2 has generated hype for its redesign and performance, but it’s also garnering attention for reports of CPU throttling. This is not surprising: as with the M1, performance drops during heavy processing to maintain proper operating temperature, since the MacBook Air is a fanless design. However, that hasn’t stopped reviewers from using benchmarks and video demos to blow up the issue.
However, one YouTuber has come up with a clever solution to the problems with the MacBook Air processor. Max Tech placed thermal pads on the motherboard of the MacBook Air based on the theory that the pads would help draw heat away from the processor so it wouldn’t slow down and be able to maintain its performance.
And from Max Tech’s testing, the thermal pads worked. The tests made in the video show that the MacBook Air improved the results recorded before the pads were installed. What’s more, the modified MacBook Air actually outperformed the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro in tests. Max Tech also showed that the CPU takes longer to reach higher temperatures.
Max Tech’s solution is pretty enticing – thermal pads are cheap ($15) and relatively easy to install (you only need to open the laptop, which is easy). But the long-term effects, such as how heat exposure affects pad durability over time, are unknown. (This leads to the question of why Apple didn’t implement such a simple fix in the first place.)
There’s also the fact that doing this modification to the MacBook Air will almost certainly void Apple’s warranty. So if you want your MacBook Pro to work like a MacBook Air, you can try installing thermal pads yourself. But you will do so at your own risk.