David K. Israel
What is that New-Mac smell?
by David K. Israel - March 23, 2009 - 7:02 AM

Wait, isn’t that a typo? Didn’t you mean that “new-car smell?”

No typo. I’m not a huge fan of the new car-smell. In fact, I usually keep my windows open 24/7 the first week I drive a car off the lot, so that Mother Nature can help speed the process along, sweeping that artificial smell out. I’ve never understood why anyone would want to buy an aerosol spray or one of those Christmas tree deodorizers that promise to bring the new-car smell back. In fact, there have been many studies done that say the chemicals in the plastics, paints and adhesives that are responsible for that new-car smell are actually quite toxic.

MacBook20060808.jpgThat new-Mac smell, on the other hand…! I’ve never bought a PC, but imagine some of the plastics probably responsible for the smell (polystyrene), are used by all manufacturers because it’s technically not a new-Mac smell, it’s a new-Apple smell. The company uses the same plastic in most of their products. I bought a Time Capsule not too long ago, it had it, and, of course, my new iPhone had it. But then I got a new MacBook, the aluminum one, and it had it. So I began to wonder, is it really the polystyrenes or is it something more motherboard-related?

I’ve done quite a bit of research but have come up empty-handed. Any Apple employees reading this blog? Anyone know the true source of the new-Mac smell? Is it in the packaging and not the computer at all? Is it something that spreads from the packaging to the electronics and then dissipates back into the atmosphere once the packaging has been removed? That’s another theory I’ve been hatching.

Usually, the smell only lasts about a week or so, but that’s long enough. Even if someone invented the new-Mac smell spray, I don’t love it so much that I’d be the guy spraying his computer every couple days. Still, there’s something wonderful about opening the packaging and taking that first whiff, no?

Who disagrees?

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Comments (28)

  1. Totally with you on this, David. The brand new 24″ iMac I received last week had that smell. And in fact, it took me back to when my family had bought our first Apple ][e, way back when. We went to a local retail store that specialized in Apple products, and the whole store had that smell! If that scent was sold as a Christmas tree-shaped (or perhaps some sort of fruit) deodorizer, I’d -so- buy it! :)

    posted by Jeff on 3-23-2009 at 8:19 am

  2. I don’t know about the smell. I’ve never experienced it, so I don’t know what a new Mac smells like. I’d love to learn though–anyone want to buy me a MacBook?

    posted by AMT on 3-23-2009 at 9:21 am

  3. Yeah, well I love that new PC smell. But I don’t go lollygagging around town perfuming my nancy armpits with it.

    posted by Joel on 3-23-2009 at 9:37 am

  4. Wow…Worst. Post. Ever.

    posted by Danny on 3-23-2009 at 10:02 am

  5. I’ve smelt it. My 2 co-workers and I all got new MacBooks the same week and our cubicle smelled like new Mac. But I’m more concerned with new Mac feel, the keys have this great texture the first few days before they start getting grimy.

    posted by nina on 3-23-2009 at 10:34 am

  6. It’s clearly the essence of Steve Jobs. They spread it on every Apple product.

    posted by Tom on 3-23-2009 at 11:46 am

  7. I’m so jealous!

    (But don’t tell that to my 4-year-old iBook!)

    recaptcha: Barzani Fingerman

    What the???

    posted by Meri on 3-23-2009 at 12:04 pm

  8. I’ve been saying for years that this is a good smell and people just look at me like i’m crazy. Well i’m glad there’s another crazy out there. It’s definitely something going on inside Apple products.

    My iPhone still has the scent, even more so if you sniff the bit where you plug in the charger.

    And I also hate that “new car” smell. It gives me a headache.

    posted by Cassandra on 3-23-2009 at 1:31 pm

  9. I usually keep my Windows open too, so I will never get a sniff of that new-Mac smell.

    posted by Jake Le Master on 3-23-2009 at 2:38 pm

  10. I always assumed that new mac smell was some sort of chemical substance, not unlike lysergic acid diethylamide, that they coated on the surfaces of their hardware in order to keep their cultists passive…

    posted by Jason! on 3-23-2009 at 3:45 pm

  11. I used to work at a Mac consulting firm and was responsible for taking inventory for the new Macs that came in. I completely agree about the smell and actually tried to figure it out myself. I am pretty sure it is the packaging in addition to the materials used. I am also fond of the new shoe/shoe store smell and have come to the conclusion that part of the scent is actually the bag new macs come in. The material is similar to a shoe bag and the scent is remarkably similar.

    posted by CrazyLady on 3-23-2009 at 5:56 pm

  12. It’s called innovation – it’s something Whinedohs users will never experience.

    posted by PartiallyDeflected on 3-23-2009 at 7:09 pm

  13. Did you buy the new Mac that is made with recycled/able materials? Wonder if that has the smell..

    posted by Dawn on 3-23-2009 at 7:46 pm

  14. Tom made me laugh with the essence of Steve Jobs comment.

    I don’t remember the smell, but I do remember the new Mac texture thing- it’s so true!

    posted by Jo on 3-23-2009 at 8:12 pm

  15. Blog posts like aren’t why I switched from Mac to PC after 13 years. That was the price. But blog posts like these make me glad I did. New Mac smell? Everyone else in my family besides me has a Mac and we’ve bought more Macs than PCs and yet I never remember some weird New-Mac smell.

    posted by Pablo on 3-24-2009 at 1:10 am

  16. if you smell the back of scotch tape http://www.gmstationery.com.au/images/Scotch%20Tape.jpg like this, the smell is remarkably similar.

    Therefore it’s got to be some sort of adhesive. And it can’t be too good for you.

    These links seem to point in the right direction:

    http://lowendmac.com/menagh/06/1013.html

    http://lowendmac.com/menagh/06/1019.html

    posted by H on 7-3-2009 at 1:02 pm

  17. Its Apple´s pheromone. Apple wants us to love the product we buy. And we do! Dont we?

    posted by Quaziz on 8-20-2009 at 5:54 pm

  18. I think that this is a product perfume – it enhances the user experience when they unpack their new mac hugely – con or sub consciously …

    They know what they’re doing. It’s similar to books and some other products – When you open some boxes, the just smell “too good for it to be just the glue or plastic smell” :))

    Mac packaging and mac product materials are always so different that it is impossible for them to always smell exactly the same.

    There you go! :)

    posted by Ginni on 10-23-2009 at 2:39 am

  19. GOD, I love that new-mac smell, i’m on my 3rd mac now, i can’t get enough of it lol

    posted by M_Woody on 1-10-2010 at 4:53 pm

  20. surprisingly, my new 27-inch iMac didn’t have the new mac smell but the mouse did :)

    posted by Chen on 3-29-2010 at 4:53 am

  21. Yeah I’m totally there too. Got a new iMac yesterday, fired it up and that familiar odor came wafting out. I don’t know what it is either, but it triggers some fond memories of Macs past.

    posted by ev on 3-30-2010 at 1:23 pm

  22. My 27-inch iMac didn’t have the smell in the beginning, but it does right now. Then again, it’s extremely humid and I just turned on the AC. I came here for clarification, though- a lot of comedians- don’t quit your day jobs. Sorry, but it’s annoying and a time-waster.

    posted by auramac on 5-14-2010 at 5:31 pm

  23. Yeah, I love the new mac smell as well, I’d love to purchase the scent if it was available, but if you smell a few of 3M’s products such as scotch tape, micropore etc you can get a whiff of new mac, I reckon it’s what they use to clean apple products before packaging, maybe the factories that make our apple products are filled with the beautiful smell, god I’d love to be in that environment if I got to smell and live apple, Steve jobs is definitely god

    posted by Matchiltd on 7-5-2010 at 6:47 pm

  24. Pinheads,

    That wonderful new Mac smell is the outgassing of dangerous, toxic chemicals. Keep on sniffing and enjoying it…in a few years you’ll be hooked up to a chemo machine wondering, “Gee, how’d I get cancer?”

    posted by Laura on 10-3-2010 at 2:55 am

  25. I have the answer, according to our senior mac technician the smell is acutally rainbows and unicorns. Seriously dudes..

    posted by caroline on 12-20-2010 at 5:17 pm

  26. Apple should write a story about their smell!

    posted by Poe on 1-30-2011 at 5:30 pm

  27. Check out a fragrance called Comme des Garcons Odeur 71. Smells exactly like new Apple products.

    posted by MER on 2-4-2012 at 7:30 pm

  28. every mac product has this smell my new magic mouse has this smell and it takes me back to when i bought my first ipod

    posted by bob on 2-8-2012 at 4:23 pm

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