This unconventional MacBook Neo water-cooling modification enhances its performance significantly.

      A liquid-cooled MacBook Neo may seem absurd until the performance improvements become evident.

      The MacBook Neo was never intended to serve as a high-powered laptop for demanding tasks. It was designed as a straightforward, budget-friendly notebook that guarantees good performance and reliable battery life for daily activities. It shouldn't require custom water cooling like a gaming PC.

      Yet, that’s precisely what transpired.

      A new modding initiative aimed to address one of the MacBook Neo’s key flaws: thermal management. Under heavy use, the laptop reportedly reaches temperatures as high as 105 degrees Celsius, making it an ideal candidate for those with excessive ambition and the necessary tools.

      So, how did it all begin?

      Before going full-on mad scientist, modders jakkuh and Zip Tie Tech opted for a simpler approach first. They began by replacing the original cooling material with a 2.5mm thermal pad. This minor adjustment resulted in a notable performance boost, showing a 14% increase, while temperatures also saw a slight reduction. However, they clearly didn’t want to stop there. Their goal was to fully test the MacBook Neo’s limits, and this is exactly what they did.

      Things soon escalated to a remarkable level.

      To enhance performance even more, the pair developed an entirely custom water-cooling solution for the MacBook Neo. They crafted a unique copper water block and an acrylic reservoir. The process wasn’t without its challenges; they faced issues with gummy copper, broken drill bits, and difficult threading work, which was just as tedious as it sounds. The turning point came when they cut a hole in the bottom of the MacBook Neo’s chassis.

      The final cooling setup incorporated a small pump originally designed for smart watering systems connected to a large power steering cooler acting as the radiator. At this stage, the MacBook Neo had transformed from a budget Apple laptop into a desktop cooling project.

      The outcomes were remarkable.

      The complete liquid-cooling modification resulted in a significant performance gain of 21.2%, elevating it beyond a mere novelty. In the 3DMark Solar Bay Extreme benchmark, the modified Neo achieved a world record with its stellar performance, surpassing even the M1 MacBook Air.

      ---

      Tech journalist and product reviewer focused on consumer electronics, Sean has covered a wide array of topics, including flagship devices.

      ---

      This new AI attack takes models without direct access to the system.

      A side-channel attack can remotely reconstruct AI models using leaked signals. AI systems have typically been viewed as secure black boxes, particularly in fields such as facial recognition and autonomous driving. Recent research implies that this perceived security may be flawed. A team from KAIST has demonstrated that AI systems can be reverse-engineered from a distance by capturing emissions that naturally occur during operation, all without direct disruption. The technique relies primarily on listening.

      ---

      Google boosts storage to 5TB at no additional charge for existing AI Pro users.

      If you currently subscribe to Google AI, you have just received an extra 3TB of storage at no cost.

      Google has discreetly enhanced its AI Pro plan, increasing the included storage from 2TB to 5TB without altering the monthly fee. This means that users already paying approximately $20 per month for Google's AI tier can now enjoy an additional 3TB of storage across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos without any extra expense. AI subscriptions are appealing due to promises of enhanced chatbots and impressive generation tools, but they become significantly more justifiable when they address another common issue: the lack of sufficient cloud storage.

      ---

      Google Chrome has a hidden loading feature that could enhance your browsing speed.

      If you've ever wondered why a webpage takes a moment longer to load, particularly those loaded with videos and media, this upcoming modification might resolve that. For years, Chromium-based browsers, including Microsoft Edge and Vivaldi, have offered lazy loading, but only for images and iframes. This hasn’t extended to video or audio—until now. Thanks to a proposal from independent developer Helmut Januschka, Chromium-based browsers are preparing to enable native lazy loading for video and audio elements as well. While it may seem like a minor detail, it has the potential to significantly improve the browsing experience.