Quietest apple laptop for browsing while listening

[AudioExplorations]

What is the quietest apple laptop? Will use only for browsing and music downloads, aiff conversion, and transfer to NAS.

Will have on my lap as I am listening to music, so ideally silent. My current Sony vaio is driving me nuts.

Am hoping the larger model MacBook Air as its perfect for my needs.

 

[GaryProtein]

The quietest Apple Laptops would be any with a solid state drive.

 

[AudioExplorations]

Yes, although I am more worried about fan noise which can get seriously out of control on some laptops. My vaio sounds like a jet engine ready for take off.

I guess I want the coolest most low wattage chipset.

I also read that the latest airs have an asymmetric fan which is quieter

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

The fan in my MacBook Pro rarely comes on. I can't imagine that a MacBook Air...I'm not even sure an Air has a fan. In any case the fans are very quiet. It's the hard drives - particularly the fast ones, that can make enough noise to be heard over a system playing at any volume to speak of.

Tim

 

[Keith_W]

Why do you want to do AIFF conversions on your laptop? It would be slow as heck and heat up the CPU no end. That's why I own a desktop, a laptop, and a tablet

 

[GaryProtein]

Why do you want to do AIFF conversions on your laptop? It would be slow as heck and heat up the CPU no end. That's why I own a desktop, a laptop, and a tablet

The Apple laptops really move along. For many people they have replaced their desktops, plus if you have s good laptop, you have good speed and don't have to do very much syncing except with accessory devices. I know with the cloud does that for you, but I don't trust the cloud's security any more than I can touch a cumulonimbus.

 

[AudioExplorations]

I do on average 1-3 album conversions per day so the MacBook Air is more than sufficient, single conversion takes around 30sec.

My research has concluded that the current 2012 13" air is the way to go. Based mainly on this thread http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=65501

 

[Steve Williams]

I agree about the SSHD.

I have the new Mac Book Pro 15" with SSHD and it is dead quiet

 

[audioguy]

I agree about the SSHD.

I have the new Mac Book Pro 15" with SSHD and it is dead quiet

And incredibly fast --- and no fan!

 

[AudioExplorations]

Latest 2012 unibody MBP has 2 fans

 

[AudioExplorations]

2012 MBAir a single fan

 

[Steve Williams]

It definitely has a fan. Mine have only come on twice since I have had it

 

[AudioExplorations]

Yes I understand they spin at a very low RPM and so are inaudible. They only speed up when required under very heavy processing. I'm sold .

 

[Steve Williams]

perhaps that is why I have only heard mine twice

 

[audioguy]

perhaps that is why I have only heard mine twice

Mine is a backup for my main business computer in case it crashes. So it gets light use sitting in the kitchen for browsing. I've never heard a fan!

 

[AudioExplorations]

these are very well designed laptops, a lot of thought went into the airflow/cooling. pricey but you get quality. props to apple

 

[Gregadd]

Fanless laptop cooler

 

[GaryProtein]

View attachment 7118Fanless laptop cooler

Is this a heat sink?

 

[Gregadd]

Is this a heat sink?

yes

 

[vinylphilemag]

Yes I understand they spin at a very low RPM and so are inaudible. They only speed up when required under very heavy processing. I'm sold .

That, and the fan blades are at varying pitches, so as to distribute the frequency of the fan noise over a wider range. Impressive engineering, indeed.