Apple offers to refund a user a MacBook Pro M5 Max twice for thermal problems, but now buying it costs 1,770 euros more
On the Internet it is easy to find bizarre stories. Now, the one we are telling you today is interesting because it allows us to reflect on whether we are still ready to infer AI models in our homes, even with equipment costing more than 5,000 euros.
What has happened is that an Australian user, according to his own account on Reddit, faces a dilemma that could cost him around 1,700 euros. With the idea of running AI models locally, he bought a 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 Max chip, 128 GB of unified memory and 4 TB of storage for about 5,550 euros in exchange. Obviously, the results were not what was expected.
After subjecting the computer to continuous AI loads, which was what it had been purchased for, the laptop suffered thermal throttling and sudden screen shutdowns until it became inoperative. In view of the result, he decided to go to the official service.
Apple replaced the computer with a second identical unit, but the replacement reproduced the exact same symptoms of thermal saturation under extreme stress. Given the persistence of the failure, the company offered to rescind the purchase with a full refund of the original amount. However, it must be remembered that Apple has raised the prices of practically all of its products. Therefore, now the same configuration at about 7,320 euros. That means that the client would be forced to pay almost 1,800 additional euros If you would like to purchase exactly the same machine again.
The user wants a third replacement at no additional cost
The buyer has expressed his intention to comply with Australian consumer legislation, which allows the customer to choose between compensation, refund or replacement when serious faults occur again and again. Given the economic damage that would mean recovering only the initial money, their objective is to reject the return of the money to demand an equivalent replacement machine. Obviously, their idea is to do it at no cost.
On the other hand, the user proposes paying the difference, although in this case it would be for jump to 16 inch model. What you are looking for is a looser vent chamber better able to dissipate heat.
Throughout the thread, the affected person gave more details about the symptoms. He explained that they went beyond a drop in frequencies, since the screen and external monitors went black during temperature peaks. Although some participants pointed to possible flaws in software optimizations, this behavior seems normal. Wow, that’s what the system is expected to do to prevent components from being irreversibly damaged by heat.
Is a 14-inch laptop the right form factor for heavy AI loads?
The most interesting thing about the case, beyond the good functioning of Apple’s after-sales service, is that it opens a very interesting debate. A technical debate that, by the way, has already caused division in the thread itself. Can this behavior be identified as a defect or as an inevitable consequence?
Ok, it is true that Apple’s portable range stands out for its generous memory bandwidth, something that is great for local model inference. However, this is a very powerful chip installed in 14 inch chassis. That requires unavoidable thermal sacrifices in the face of very long inference sessions. It’s pure physics, we’re afraid.
Several users recalled in the thread that a conventional laptop is not designed for these uses. For long workflows where fans operate at maximum capacity for hours, desktops like the Mac Studio are often a more sensible alternative. They have larger volume heatsinks that avoid these problems. Anyway, it seems that the user wants to go through the situation a third time.
