Macbook overheating!

Joined
Feb 17, 2012
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Why is that my Macbook is unable to handle video content, such as youtube, video-skype, mp4video, and online media? I've sent my Macbook in for repair on 3 occasions now and (1.logic board replaced 2. not sure 3. battery replaced) still it overheats.

Now, my rep advised me to download a FanControl widget to up the fan speed to cool the diodes, chips etc; but surely if the average Mac layperson has no clue, this surely begs the question that the Macbook has a design issue of overheating with power hungry applications such as video/graphics content??

Anyone got any ideas if its just my 'TGIF' produced laptop, or is this a real design issue for Apple??
 
Joined
Apr 26, 2008
Messages
2,963
Reaction score
120
Points
63
Location
Belgium
Your Mac's Specs
iPad Pro 12.9 latest iOS
Now it would help us a little if you could share the model and technical specs of your Macbook.
Based on your post, we have nothing to go on to provide a quality response.

Also, what do you mean with " ... unable to handle video content .... "

Cheers ... McBie
 
OP
T
Joined
Feb 17, 2012
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi
Im using a 2.26 GHz Intel; 2Gb Memory Mac OSX. The video content i'm talking about is anything like mp4s, streaming news content like BBC, watching films from Lovefilm.com, Skype, etc basically anything that plays video on the Mac.

This Macbook in my opinion tends to heat up even if i'm on Facebook watching links such as youtube shared links.

My Widget shows temperatures up to 100oC which has warped the plastic casing underneath the battery compartment (twice).

Thanks
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Anyone got any ideas if its just my 'TGIF' produced laptop, or is this a real design issue for Apple??

Not a design issue. Lots of MacBooks out there manufactured from 2006 through the end of 2010 that don't overheat. A temperature of 100º C is definitely not normal though which would point again to the logic board. How long ago was the logic board replaced? It may still be under warranty.
 
Joined
Apr 26, 2008
Messages
2,963
Reaction score
120
Points
63
Location
Belgium
Your Mac's Specs
iPad Pro 12.9 latest iOS
Can you check the following things please ....
1) Ensure that heat can freely flow away from your Mac by not blocking the exhaust channels.
2) Have a look at the Activity Monitor.app ( in Applications/utilities ) and see if there are processes that are burning CPU cycles while not watching video's. Make sure you select " All processes " in the top right hand corner and then sort the processes by %CPU
3) Are you sure all the fans in the machine are operational ?

Cheers ... McBie
 
C

chas_m

Guest
I'm using an older machine (2007 BlackBook, 2.16GHz) and having no trouble at all with YouTube, Skype, online media, Mp4 video etc.

In fact, I have a second, larger screen which I play 720p movie trailers on all the time. No problems.

The Intel chipset this machine uses (GMA 950) stumbles pretty hard on 1080p content, but I don't watch 1080p on my computer so this is a non-issue for me. I use Skype without incident at least weekly. YouTube, being Flash-oriented, tends to rev up the fans but that's perfectly normal. Switch to HTML5 instead of Flash (several web extensions let you do this in your browser) and the fans don't have to work so hard.

Also, your machine is not "overheating." If it was overheating, it would shut itself off (something I think you would have mentioned). Do you perhaps mean "when I play video on my Mac the fans rev up a lot?" because if so that's an entirely different question.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top