Apple launched the MacBook Neo on March 4 this year and since then the laptop has been the topic of discussion among tech enthusiasts. While some are happy and excited about Apple’s most affordable laptop till date, others are a bit skeptical about its performance. And then there are people who are trying out new experiments on the new toy in town. One such modder, with the YouTube channel ETA Prime, found a way to boost gaming performance of the laptop.
SurveyNow, it is to be noted that the MacBook Neo isn’t really a gaming device and doesn’t even pretend to be one.But what happens when you add a copper heatsink along with better thermal material to help the device manage heat? Read on.
Also read: Apple MacBook Neo review: A gift for Apple fans
Modder improves MacBook Neo’s gaming performance
The MacBook Neo is powered by the A18 Pro chip, which is the same processor found in the iPhone 16 Pro. Now since this is a phone chip, it is not designed to handle heavy tasks like gaming. But a modder tried fixing this by trying to improve how the laptop handles heat. In a YouTube video by ETA Prime, the modder is seen adding a copper heatsink along with better thermal material. This helps transfer heat away from the processor more efficiently and as per the video, the result could be seen. Temperatures dropped by over 20 degrees Celsius, and gaming performance nearly doubled, with frame rates jumping to around 58 frames per second from the usual 30 fps in a demanding game like No Many’s Sky.
The story doesn’t end here. The modder also took a thermoelectric cooler, similar to the ones used for smartphones, and attached it to the bottom of the laptop. This device actively cools the area where the processor sits. With this setup, temperatures dropped even more, and performance improved further in benchmark tests, as shown in the video.
As a result, this MacBook Neo would deliver a smoother gameplay experience and faster performance. The laptop will also likely maintain higher speeds without slowing down.
Why the MacBook Neo slows down under pressure
So what does this little experiment by the modder show? It simply tells us that the MacBook Neo has more power than it lets on, but its cooling system holds that performance back. With customised thermal management, it can perform far beyond what you get out of the box.
Now coming to the second question – why does the laptop slow down under pressure? This is because it was never designed to handle intense tasks. So when you push it with demanding tasks like gaming, it heats up quickly. And since the laptop does not use fans and relies on passive cooling, the heat has nowhere to go. As a result, it spreads into the metal body of the laptop. And this becomes a problem while running games.
As shown in the video, the laptop reached temperatures as high as 105 degrees Celsius, which is extremely hot. To protect itself, the system automatically reduces performance. This is why games struggle to run smoothly, often dropping to around 30 frames per second.
For a regular user, this means the laptop feels slower when pushed. It is not because the chip is weak, but because it cannot stay cool enough to maintain its full speed. Apple likely chose this design to keep the laptop quiet and comfortable to use, but it comes at the cost of sustained performance.
Finally, just because a modder experimented with the MacBook Neo doesn’t mean you should do the same with your device. Unless you’re an expert, it is better to leave the laptop as is. It comes with a strong everyday performance and decent gaming performance as well if you run lighter titles like Hollow Knight and Overcooked.
Also read: macOS Tahoe 26.4 update rolls out with new features: What has changed
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Divyanshi Sharma
Divyanshi Sharma is a media and communications professional with over 8 years of experience in the industry. With a strong background in tech journalism, she has covered everything from the latest gadgets to gaming trends and brings a sharp editorial lens to every story. She holds a master’s diploma in mass communication and a bachelor’s degree in English literature. Her love for writing and gaming began early—often skipping classes to try out the latest titles—which naturally evolved into a career at the intersection of technology and storytelling. When she’s not working, you’ll likely find her exploring virtual worlds on her console or PC, or testing out a new laptop she managed to get her hands on. View Full Profile
