Apple Exploring Liquid Notebook Cooling Systems for Cooler Laps - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Exploring Liquid Notebook Cooling Systems for Cooler Laps

MacNN reports on a newly published Apple patent application which details ongoing research into alternative cooling systems for notebook computers.

141726 2 patent 5

Specifically, Apple explores the possibility of a liquid cooling system for their notebook computers.

Current MacBooks use air cooling, driven by internal fans; while this is sufficient, it is thought that future components -- such as faster video cards and quad-core CPUs -- may force Apple to use more efficient (and possibly quieter) cooling. Active and passive methods are being suggested.

Apple suggests that the heat could be dissipated through an aluminum plate located behind the computer's display. This positioning would help reduce the amount of heat transmitted to the user's lap. This issue has received some press after Apple warned that "prolonged contact with your body could cause discomfort and potentially a burn."

Related Roundups: MacBook Air, MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Neutral)
Related Forums: MacBook Neo, MacBook Air

Popular Stories

apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple

Apple to Overhaul Mac Lineup With 11 New Models

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:13 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to refresh every Mac it sells over the next two years, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The plans come amid a Mac resurgence, with sales projected to climb for a third consecutive year, partly thanks to a growing following among users who lean on the machines for demanding, agent-based AI workloads. The wave of new Macs will begin this fall with a refreshed...
iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 12 New Features

Friday July 24, 2026 7:26 pm PDT by
It is now late July, and that means the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are less than two months away. The devices are expected to look similar to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but there will still be many year-over-year changes, with rumored features including a smaller Dynamic Island, 5G via satellite, and more. Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro...
Apple Intelligence Comes Under Fire Feature

Apple Will 'Watch Everything Burn' When AI Bubble Bursts - Ed Zitron

Monday July 27, 2026 7:11 am PDT by
Memory prices have doubled, Macs and iPads have gone up, and iPhones are expected to follow. Ed Zitron – who writes the Where's Your Ed At newsletter, hosts the Better Offline podcast, and has been described by Politico as the AI boom's most "acerbic gadfly" – has spent years arguing the buildout driving those costs will never pay for itself. We asked him what happens to Apple if he's...