Which video chat app? Skype runs HOT!

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This is a very common issue with Skype. We try to video chat between windows 7 and our macbook pro. We have a 2011 15" and Skype makes it run around 84 degree's which I think is way too hot for video chatting.

Has anyone had better luck with another video chatting app such as something from Google or something? As soon as you turn the video off during a conversation the temps sink to the mid 50's rapidly. I think it is insane for a laptop this powerful to be brought to it's knee's by a video chatting app.

-Kelly
 

CrimsonRequiem


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That's Celcius. My 4 year old thinkpad runs way cooler running Skype than our brand new top of the line MBP. I'm guessing it's running so hot because it actually has the power to process all of the high quality streaming video and my thinkpad may not even bother with some of it.

We tried google video chat and the CPU runs around 65 degrees C with that but the quality is a bit worse. I'm also wandering if the windows version of Skype allocates CPU resources better than the Mac version. I've read some complaints that the mac version needs some work.
 

BrianLachoreVPI


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This is a very common issue with Skype. We try to video chat between windows 7 and our macbook pro. We have a 2011 15" and Skype makes it run around 84 degree's which I think is way too hot for video chatting.

Has anyone had better luck with another video chatting app such as something from Google or something? As soon as you turn the video off during a conversation the temps sink to the mid 50's rapidly. I think it is insane for a laptop this powerful to be brought to it's knee's by a video chatting app.

-Kelly


In all fairness - it's not being "brought to its knees" - unless you're seeing poor performance while chatting. It's just using its powerful processors to do exactly what you've asked it to do - and a byproduct of that is heat. The fact is most computers generate quite a bit of heat and the more transistors you pack into a smaller product and the faster you ask them to transition - the more heat you get. I have a solid XP machine at work - that the fan really cranks on if it's running any video. For some reason (and I can include myself in this) we seem to obsess about monitoring our chip temps on these new Macs. Unless you're seeing the computer shut down or computer performance start to suffer - you're probably agonizing over a non-issue. Let the fans spin up - that's what they're supposed to do. It'll keep the temps at a healthy grade of warm until you move to a less processor intensive activity.
 

robduckyworth


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I wish people would stop obsessing over heat. you arent overclocking a CPU. you are running it at stock speeds. Apple's engineers have got it covered. 84ºC is fine. video encoding sees mine up to 90+.

if you see shut downs, start worrying.
 
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Thanks guy's, I appreciate the input. I think what started to worry us is that the bottom got too hot to hold your hand to for more than a second but I think the difference is that the aluminum case also acts as somewhat of a heatsink so that is probably normal. Our MBP is still new to to us so we're just trying to keep all of the I's dotted and T's crossed. However, the MBP has failed as of a few hours ago, but that's for another thread.
 

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