The New MacBook Pro Cooling System, Explained (Fog Test) | Cupertino Metric
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The New MacBook Pro Cooling System, Explained (Fog Test)

A fog test shows where the air actually goes: out the back through the hinge, instead of up across the display.

The New MacBook Pro Cooling System, Explained (Fog Test)

Apple says the new MacBook Pro has a completely redesigned cooling system. Now you can see it working. The YouTube channel Geekerwan filled the air with fog to show where each laptop sends its heat.

Before and after

On the previous MacBook Pro, the one with the mini-LED display, warm air comes out at the hinge and rises up across the screen. On the new model, the air is pushed toward the back and out through the hinge, away from the display. Side by side, the difference is easy to see.

Why the display matters

Apple says the design redirects warm air away from the display. And this display is new: an OLED panel, which Apple calls PROLED XDR, with touch for the first time on a Mac.

Lid closed is the hardest case

The change matters most with the lid closed and the laptop connected to an external monitor. That is the hardest case for cooling, and it is where the new design improves the most in the test.

Lighter, with M5 Pro and M5 Max

Apple did this in a lighter body. The 14-inch model is 3 pounds, half a pound lighter than before, and the 16-inch is 4 pounds. Inside are the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Prices start at $2,899.

The airflow graphics in the video are our own illustration of what the test shows, not footage from it.

The measured part

Fog shows where the air goes. It doesn't show temperatures, or how much faster the laptop runs. Treat it as a clear picture of the design, not a benchmark.

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