The race to squeeze the absolute maximum performance out of the budget-friendly Apple MacBook Neo has taken a drastic turn. While previous attempts by tech YouTubers Jakkuh and Zip Tie Tech relied on custom water loop cooling to set new benchmark records, a newer contender has emerged with a far more extreme approach. YouTuber Salem Techsperts has reportedly surpassed those earlier records by employing dual-sided chip cooling and a giant industrial air blower, proving that extreme thermal management can unlock surprising power from a device powered by a modified iPhone processor.
The Quest for the Fastest MacBook Neo
The MacBook Neo has captured significant attention due to its affordable price point in an increasingly expensive hardware market. At its heart lies the six-core A18 Pro chip, which is essentially an iPhone processor adapted for a laptop form factor. While Apple’s optimized software allows it to run surprisingly well out of the box, there is always untapped potential when thermal constraints are removed.
Salem Techsperts entered this arena with a clear goal: to become the owner of the world’s fastest MacBook Neo. The challenge began after Jakkuh and Zip Tie Tech achieved a 3DMark Solar Bay Extreme score of 1,450. In a bold move, Techsperts reportedly beat that score the very next day by a single point. However, rather than stopping there, he set out to break the record definitively, stating, "I am determined to have the fastest MacBook Neo in the world, and no one is going to beat it after today."
Extreme Cooling: Industrial Blowers and Peltier Coolers
To achieve these gains, Techsperts moved beyond standard thermal pads and implemented a complex sandwich cooling method. The setup involves cooling both the top and bottom of the A18 Pro chip simultaneously, a process that requires significant hardware modification.
The core components of this extreme thermal solution include:
- PTM 7950 Phase Change Thermal Pad: Designed to replace standard thermal interface materials.
- Upsiren Thermal Putty: A specialized compound used to fill gaps and improve heat transfer between the chip and cooling blocks.
- Peltier Cooler: A thermoelectric cooler that uses electric current to actively pump heat from one side of the device to the other, effectively lowering the chip's temperature below ambient levels.
- Industrial Air Blower: A high-volume fan positioned to churn air from an external source (like an open window) directly over the top-side heatsink.
The Modification Process
The initial setup involved applying thermal putty to the integrated circuits (ICs) on both sides of the chip. Copper shims were placed next to the chip, connected via a PTM 7950 thermal pad. However, Techsperts found that swapping the PTM 7950 for more Upsiren thermal putty yielded better results, allowing him to crank up the performance scores further.
The most critical step involved installing the Peltier cooler underneath the chip. This "sandwich" configuration requires disconnecting the logic board and removing the display to access the underside of the processor. Crucially, the Peltier cooler must be carefully isolated from the airflow of the industrial blower; if the cold air hits the thermoelectric device directly, it can interfere with the heat transfer process and disrupt the cooling efficiency.
Benchmark Results: Breaking Records
The results of this extreme thermal engineering were immediate and significant. By managing the heat so effectively, the system maintained a chilly 10 °C at idle. More importantly, the A18 Pro chip was able to sustain a power consumption of 11 W, a notable increase from the default 10 W limit, allowing the chip to operate further beyond its stock capabilities.
CPU Performance Gains
The modded MacBook Neo shattered previous CPU benchmarks, achieving scores that rival much more expensive hardware:
- Cinebench Multi-threaded: 2,076 points
- Cinebench Single-threaded: 639 points
These figures are particularly impressive given that the single-threaded score is only slightly below what an M4 Max chip can achieve, highlighting the efficiency of the A18 Pro when thermal throttling is eliminated.
GPU and Gaming Performance
While the CPU scores soared, the graphics performance told a different story. The MacBook Neo did not beat the previous 3DMark record, hitting scores between 1,400 and 1,450. Techsperts noted that the GPU score was actually higher before the extensive modding, suggesting that the complex internal modifications may have inadvertently affected GPU cooling or power delivery.
However, gaming performance saw tangible improvements. In Cyberpunk, the modded setup achieved 50 fps at 1080p on low settings, utilizing resolution scaling and FSR 3.1 frame generation.
A Viable Mod for Enthusiasts?
Perhaps the most interesting finding from this extreme experiment is the performance gain from simpler modifications. Techsperts tested the system by putting the chip and logic board back into the case with only the thermal pads and putty mods installed, without the Peltier cooler or industrial blower.
Even with this reduced setup, the MacBook Neo achieved:
- 28% higher multi-core scores
- 25% higher single-core scores
While the keyboard did get noticeably warmer, this suggests that a moderate thermal upgrade could offer substantial performance benefits for enthusiasts willing to open their device. It proves that even without industrial-grade cooling equipment, there is significant headroom to be gained from the MacBook Neo’s A18 Pro chip, provided you are willing to look past the default thermal constraints.
