MacBook Air update fixes processor shutdown during video playback – reportedly by cutting CPU speed by half

Posted on 24 August 2008 by


macbook air update.jpg

Apple released an update on Friday for their MacBook Air addressing an issue concerning one of the dual processors shutting down during video playback. Not everyone seems to experience this issue, however a number of users on MacRumors forum had been complaining about this shutdown which apparently is heat related. In order to work around the issue they’d been using a program called CoolBook which kept the Air running even when video playback maxed out the processing power (driving up internal heat and causing a processor to shut down). Users who have installed this update report that it cures the processor shutdown but requires that CoolBooks usage be discontinued and according to several forum messages the fix seems to work in part by backing down both processors’ speed to 800 MHZ during periods of intense video use.

MacBook Air Update via MacRumors

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  • reidme

    I installed it, but haven’t noticed much difference. Maybe slightly cooler and slightly longer battery life, but more likely my imagination.