Mac Desktop overheating

PcKiller · May 27, 2011

Hello I own a newer Mac desktop that gets very how after being used for a long period of time (like 2 hours depending on what I'm doing) I was wondering if this is normal and how hot it would need to get for damage to be done?

Dysfunction · May 27, 2011

define hot please

Dutchlimits · May 27, 2011

CPU, GPU temperatures please.

Mac Masta · May 27, 2011

Your mac knows when it's too hot. It is designed to run up to a certain temperature, designed by apple engineers. If it gets too hot, it will shut its self down. There is no need to worry about the temperatures of your computer.

MunkeyQ · May 27, 2011

Mac Masta said:
Your mac knows when it's too hot. It is designed to run up to a certain temperature, designed by apple engineers. If it gets too hot, it will shut its self down. There is no need to worry about the temperatures of your computer.

The 'too hot' threshold is arbitary. If it's running its fans at full speed all the time, trying to keep cool, something's not right.

Also, running at very high temperatures (but not deemed high enough for damage by said Apple engineers) will cause solder joints on BGA chips to fracture over time. A common failure mode for many logic boards on both Mac and small form factor PCs.

PcKiller · May 27, 2011

I'm not sure if my computer has fans because i never hear them, and Dutchlimits I am not sure how to find out what my cpu gpu temperatures are, but it's hot enough to hurt my hand not so much that i have to pull it away though.

MunkeyQ · May 27, 2011

It definitely has fans, although they're very quiet when the computer's not doing much as their speed is temperature controlled. When you do something CPU intensive like encode a video, you should hear them spin up.

This neat widget will tell you the temps:
Apple - Downloads - Dashboard Widgets - Temperature Monitor Widget Edition

TattooedMac · May 27, 2011

PcKiller said:
I am not sure how to find out what my cpu gpu temperatures are, but it's hot enough to hurt my hand not so much that i have to pull it away though.

iStatMenus 2.0 should help you out. Dont upgrade or update to the newer version as it goes paid at some stage. This is still free. Sits in you Menu bar for your convenience.

This is the paid .v3 but works the same for this version.

PcKiller · May 27, 2011

I was wondering if Temperature Monitor was an accurate app because i just downloaded it here is a sceenshot

sorry it kinda small

Dysfunction · May 27, 2011

those temps are all well within a normal range. What makes you think it's 'hot' in the first place?

btw, they all probably just parse ioreg output anyway.

PcKiller · May 27, 2011

Heres the link of the website Download Temperature Monitor for Mac - Displays processor temperature. MacUpdate.com

harryb2448 · May 27, 2011

How 'newer' and what model desktop?

Have a look at smcFanControl which will speed up fans on an Intel machine. Always helps if you provide the model and operating system.

http://www.eidac.de/?p=134

cwa107 · May 27, 2011

I would love to understand this obsession with temperatures. Newsflash: Computers generate heat - and the more powerful they get, the hotter they run. Apple does a pretty good job mitigating the thermal output of their machines relative to the rest of the industry. If you want to see a machine that truly runs hot, I'd submit my 2003 vintage Dell Inspiron 8200. Relative to that machine, my i7 MacBook Pro is an ice cube.

If you've got an overclocked gaming rig, that's one thing.... a pedestrian iMac or MacBook doesn't need to be monitored for the most part. I do agree however, that if the fans are on at max RPM 24/7, there might be a problem - but for the most part, enjoy your machine and allow it to work as it was designed.

PcKiller · May 27, 2011

The tempatures that I displayed were not at a time that I though the computer was how, I've just never had a Mac desktop before and I was surprised at how hot it was getting. Thanks for all the posts.

PcKiller · May 27, 2011

PcKiller said:
The tempatures that I displayed were not at a time that I though the computer was how, I've just never had a Mac desktop before and I was surprised at how hot it was getting. Thanks for all the posts.

Hot not how second line

MunkeyQ · May 28, 2011

cwa107 said:
I would love to understand this obsession with temperatures. Newsflash: Computers generate heat - and the more powerful they get, the hotter they run. Apple does a pretty good job mitigating the thermal output of their machines relative to the rest of the industry. If you want to see a machine that truly runs hot, I'd submit my 2003 vintage Dell Inspiron 8200. Relative to that machine, my i7 MacBook Pro is an ice cube.

If you've got an overclocked gaming rig, that's one thing.... a pedestrian iMac or MacBook doesn't need to be monitored for the most part. I do agree however, that if the fans are on at max RPM 24/7, there might be a problem - but for the most part, enjoy your machine and allow it to work as it was designed.

In my experience, Macs do in general run hotter than a similar priced PC laptop though. I guess this is down to cost-cutting, as the heatsink is far smaller, and cosmetics - Apple don't like having visible vents.

I'll refer back to the Dell D630, which has the exact same specs as a plastic Macbook - same GPU, same stepping CPU and it's the same size. However, it has a heatsink twice as large as the Macbook and idles at 30C; under full load on a fluffy pillow (worst case scenario, vents partially blocked), it only hits 55C.

Keep the heatsink clean as due to its small size, dust buildup will cause it to overheat rapidly. The fans will run at full speed when this happens, trying to cool itself down.

Dysfunction · May 28, 2011

MunkeyQ said:
In my experience, Macs do in general run hotter than a similar priced PC laptop though. I guess this is down to cost-cutting, as the heatsink is far smaller, and cosmetics - Apple don't like having visible vents.

I'll refer back to the Dell D630, which has the exact same specs as a plastic Macbook - same GPU, same stepping CPU and it's the same size. However, it has a heatsink twice as large as the Macbook and idles at 30C; under full load on a fluffy pillow (worst case scenario, vents partially blocked), it only hits 55C.

Keep the heatsink clean as due to its small size, dust buildup will cause it to overheat rapidly. The fans will run at full speed when this happens, trying to cool itself down.

I'm going to go with form factor and aesthetics, cost would simply be passed along.. and lets face it, average Apple consumers would pay the additional 1% it'd cost. Either way, the processor itself controls the thermal shutdown characteristics and that's all Intel. All the Apple engineers have to do is build their machine to keep within Intel's specs for running temperatures.

It all comes down to the same thing. You put a powerful processor into a small area and it will generate heat. Heck you should see the fan assemblies on mainframes, and those things are generally installed to be cooled by air forced through the frame from the floor.

naeno · Jul 21, 2011

I'm curious about this issue myself. My '08 Imac is randomly shutting down. I've narrowed it down to either overheating or a logic board issue. (I took it in last week to be looked at, they ran all the diagnostics, and couldn't find anything). It feels extremely hot to touch, and I can't figure out any consistent pattern for the shut down. I don't know what "normal" temperatures are, but I've attached my Sensor overview in both C and F. Thanks for any help you could give me.

cwa107 · Jul 21, 2011

naeno said:
I'm curious about this issue myself. My '08 Imac is randomly shutting down. I've narrowed it down to either overheating or a logic board issue. (I took it in last week to be looked at, they ran all the diagnostics, and couldn't find anything). It feels extremely hot to touch, and I can't figure out any consistent pattern for the shut down. I don't know what "normal" temperatures are, but I've attached my Sensor overview in both C and F. Thanks for any help you could give me.

That ambient air reading can't be accurate. I'm going to assume its measured at the intake. Is it possible the intake areas could be clogged with dust?

baggss · Jul 22, 2011

None of those temps are sufficient to cause any issues with the iMac in question although they do seem a bit high to just be "idle" temps. What was the iMac doing when you captured that screen?