Mac Book Pro Overheats - 2008 Purchase

Ok, so it has not started a fire yet, but are we supposed to be satisfied with a laptop (sorry, NOTE book ) computer that cooks your genitals?

My match-book pro was just purchased this year 2008 and usually is too hot for my lap even if bridged to open air between my legs and belt.

I also bought a 1 Terrabyte Time Machine for backup that I would not dare to place on cloth or carpet.

I don't understand what the variables are with the MBP, as it is currently NOT overheating. It is charging normally. Yet other times I find it is too hot too hold your hands to it... both on top and on the bottom.

I was going to buy one for my wife too, but not until Apple turns a little more green for power.

What causes it to go into the red-zone sometimes?

Is there a possibility that they have another batch of bad batteries?

Is there a list of Serial Numbers for batteries or for MBP's that specify the recall list?

Should I wait for a fire or component failure before I call up Apple CSR's?

-- Fried Paranoids.
Shutting it off now to pull the battery for a SN check.

What are you doing when it gets this hot. What applications are running? That really does not sound right at all.

I would take it to Apple ASAP.

Take it to Apple and let them try and recreate your problem. My MBP gets hot when under heavy use, but not enough to get a fire extinguisher. (These things are made out of metal and the processor sits very close to the exterior.)

Just a suggestion- it would probably be better if this was posted in the "Apple Notebooks" forum.

Mine get extremely hot as well when under heavy use, to the point it's literally uncomfortable to touch -- but I understood this is normal. I've always got iStat running in the Dashboard, and I've seen the temps get up over 180 degrees a few times

I'd be willing to bet that Apple is once again over-applying thermal compound to the CPU and chipset. Complaints about heat-related issues with the first generation MacBook Pro were rampant, but the new Penryn machines run significantly cooler. I'm on my second MBP, the first one was a first generation machine. I've never experienced a situation with either machine, where it was uncomfortable to use on my laptop.

If you're unhappy with it, take it to an Apple Store and ask them to check the application of the thermal compound.

I also have MBP(purchased 2/08) that was overheating....and the green light in the plug didn't always illuminate. I learned that is also symptomatic.
Geniusbar recommended I bu and bring it to them to run diagnostics. I did last Mon. passed diagnostics and they noted it "overheats"!!! sent to Apple depot, and I got it Friday. They replaced fans, and logic board.
I am again aware it is really HOT. I don't know about the dashboard temp reading Brains mentioned. will look up. I'd like to have something more specific to report than "its hot!!)

I'm running iStat Pro, from www.islayer.com ... It's free, and gives you all kinds of great statistical info on your Mac.

My MBP (15.4", 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo) runs barely warm to the touch most of the time, like right now the CPU is at 108 degrees, GPU at 126, and the bottom is at 88 degrees Fahrenheit. But if I really tach it up, she gets HOT!

And if you can't get it to cool off, you can always...............

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76566&highlight=101+things

I personally have no experience with how warm a Mac notebook gets, however I do own an Acer laptop that originally came with a single core 1.8Ghz Sempron processor which I've upgraded to a dual core 1.6Ghz Turion processor, and it does tend to get quite toasty where the CPU is when I'm pushing it all full tilt. Not hot enough to start a fire but definitely warm to cause concern so much so that I did temperature checks in software and with my infrared non contact thermometer (I'm a mechanic, it's a wonderful tool) so far so good..... You didn't indicate whether or not you had applications running that would bring up the CPU load or not.....this is what does it to my Acer. Load the processor up with say the distributed.net client and sure as anything, it'll get toasty but as I said, not hot enough to trigger it's thermal protection. Just some insight.

It is not cooling correctly whenon your "lap" It cools largly through the case and through contact with the desk or whatever surface it is on. when it is on your legs is is not only not fully flush with a heat transfer surface it is also not connected with a good percentage of its lower surface.

It is not designed to be used on the lap. It is designed to be on a desk or flat surface.

Mine gets hot also, enough to bake a apple pie. My control panel says 81c, thats pretty darn hot. It sits at 70c most of the time but if i watch a movie or play a game it reaches 80-82c fairly fast and makes the fan go to full force.