Fan friendly mac protective case?

May 6, 2011 9:06 PM

What kind of protection cover can I get for my new macbook pro that will prevent wear but also not affect fan power?

Every mac professional I've spoken to says that even the apple brand covers lessen the computers cooling system. I seriously hate how sensitive the titanium case is. I usually ding it in the first week and can also never quite get it clean. So, I need something that really protects but also let's the fan do it's thing. Thanks!

posted by JJkiss to Technology (4 answers total)

The cases I'm familiar with matching your description (the Speck snap-on plastic cases) don't really restrict fan airflow. I think what those folks might have been talking about is the tendency of those cases to act like an insulator - they cause the computer to retain more heat, and would therefore make the fans run harder.

There's not much to be done about that. Any plastic case that sticks to the computer in that way is going to keep it warmer. Have you used one of the new "unibody" MacBook Pros? They're aluminum, not titanium, and it seems like they're a good bit stronger than the previous aluminum and titanium laptops.

I don't care for the Speck cases, but I don't think they're dangerous or likely to cause fan failure.
posted by aaronbeekay at 9:41 PM on May 6, 2011

Gelaskins makes slightly protective covers.

May I suggest some Hieronymus Bosch? If that's not to your taste, they have scores.
posted by Mad_Carew at 11:03 PM on May 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Is this a brand new MacBook pro? The bodies are aluminum and basically act as a giant heatsink. They're also designed so the heat dissipates out through the keyboard so cases aren't really an issue other than if they cause the heatsink to be less efficient. You may also notice that when your Mac goes to sleep it will cool down very quickly. I wouldn't worry about it too much. The bodies are also a lot more dent proof than the old ones so maybe all you really need is a nice sleeve.
posted by jnrussell at 1:13 AM on May 7, 2011

I've had a plastic Spec case on my unibody 15-inch MBP for a couple years and have had zero problems. I use the machine for many hours at a time.

My experience with the Spec case across two different MBPs was totally fine.

I don't keep the CPU pegged though. Just doing Web development/coding. If you're in Blender or After Effects or watching movies in iTunes all day long it might be a different story.
posted by eeby at 1:25 AM on May 7, 2011