AppleInsider StaffApple's newly refreshed MacBook Pro models with Retina displays may be affected by an issue that causes the cooling fan speed to unexpectedly spike, users say.
Apparent problems with the latest Retina MacBook Pros were first highlighted this week by Geek.com. Users have also taken to a growing thread at the Apple Support Communities forum, where numerous Retina MacBook Pro owners say their system's fan will unexpectedly spin up to full speed while doing basic tasks, then will return to normal.
The user who started the thread, "jamezmbp," said they attempted to reset their computer, repair disk permissions, and even ran an Apple Hardware Test, all of which did not resolve the problem.
"It could be something to do with the SSD, as when I am making file transfers the fans kick up, without the temps increasing," they wrote in one post. "The fans also kick up at other times, but I've noticed it when making file transfers also."
YouTube user "oyinko" believes the issue may lie with the new Sandisk solid-state drive being used by Apple in its latest MacBook Pros. Apple made the switch from SSDs built by rival Samsung to Sandisk, and the change may have caused a conflict in fan management.
Those posting at Apple's official support forums say they believe the problem could be fixed with a software update. However, customers have had varying success obtaining information from Apple support officials, and some have received replacement hardware in an effort to address the issue.
Apple surprised last month when it refreshed its MacBook Pro with Retina display models with slightly faster processors and lower prices. The new models are between 3 and 5 percent faster than their predecessors, but are priced up to $200 cheaper.
Wesley Hilliard
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33 Comments
Apple's newly refreshed MacBook Pro models with Retina displays may be affected by an issue that causes the cooling fan speed to unexpectedly spike, users say.
This happens every time Apple releases a new computer. People forget that Spotlight is indexing their drive for the first few hours, causing other things to run slowly and the fans to come on.
I bought the Retina MBP when it first came out. No issues.
This happens every time Apple releases a new computer. People forget that Spotlight is indexing their drive for the first few hours, causing other things to run slowly and the fans to come on.
But its kicking the fans up even though the computer isn't getting hot. There must be something up with the firmware. I'm sure Apple is working on a fix for this issue. I've never seen nor heard a Mac spin the fans up just in case it gets hot while working. Its always when its getting hot. When the fans are spinning they aren't just spinning up a little, they're spinning up to over 6,000 RPM. That is a little extreme, especially since the computer itself isn't getting very hot.
[quote name="macxpress" url="/t/156373/users-report-fan-speed-issues-with-apples-latest-retina-macbook-pros#post_2290364"] But its kicking the fans up even though the computer isn't getting hot. [/quote] That's the point of the fans. They keep it from getting hot. It could be a bug - and if it is, it will undoubtedly be fixed soon.