macbook SUPER HOT

soundsystem00 · Oct 14, 2007

is it natural for the bottom left of the macbook (by the power) to get SUPER SUPER hot? I mean hot.. not burning me but wow makes my lap sweat bad.

mad_vtak · Oct 14, 2007

I'm pretty sure you posted in the wrong sub thread but it doesn't sound correct. Do you have the mac plugged in while in your lap?

wytwolf · Oct 14, 2007

Yes the bottom of all macbooks get very hot. Today's portable computers are no longer true laptops, they are notebook computers. Todays cpu's are just too powerful and hot to stay cool in just a small confined space. On apples website I'm pretty sure they suggest not using the macbook on your lap.

From page 106 of the macbook manual:
Do not leave the bottom of your MacBook in contact with your lap or any surface of
your body for extended periods. Prolonged contact with your body could cause
discomfort and potentially a burn.

Geeky1 · Oct 14, 2007

It's probably not abnormal. You should consider downloading iStat Pro or another program and checking what the actual CPU temperature is.

wytwolf said:
Todays cpu's are just too powerful and hot to stay cool in just a small confined space.

Now that's not exactly accurate. The Core 2 Duo doesn't put out very much heat; in fact, it puts out less than some mobile P4s, and it just about equals some Mobile P3s.

The 2.4GHz Core2 Duo in the top end MBPs has a TDP of 35w. The 2.16GHz Core2 Duo in the high end MBs has a TDP of 34w.

That's not much more heat output or power consumption than a 2.16GHz Pentium M-which uses 27w and is a single core processor that's significantly slower than the C2D-or the 31w TDP of a 2.33GHz Core Duo. Indeed, 35w is the same TDP that the last 400MHz FSB Mobile P4s had, and significantly less than the near-90w TDP of some of the 533MHz bus models, like this 3.33GHz P4m.

Even compared to older processors, like the Pentium 3 or even the Pentium 2, 35w is not at all unreasonable, nor is it significantly higher than what those CPUs were doing-despite the fact that they were far, far less complex. Some examples:
1.4GHz/512k PIII-S 'Tualatin'- 32.2w
1.26GHz/521k Mobile PIII 'Tualatin'- 22w
1GHz PIII 'Coppermine'- 29w
1GHz Mobile PIII-M 'Coppermine'- 34w
300MHz (.35 micron) Pentium II- 43w

So yeah. A mobile 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo puts out less heat than some Pentium IIs did. As I was saying, 35w is not "just too (powerful and) hot". There are reasons why machines like the MB and MBP (edit: and many PC laptops) run as hot as they do; it could be anything from incompetent engineers, or engineers that just don't care, to an ignoramus in the marketing or accounting department poking his or her head in somewhere that it doesn't belong. But it's NOT because the TDP of current mobile CPUs is unmanageable or unreasonable.

D3v1L80Y · Oct 14, 2007

wytwolf said:
Yes the bottom of all macbooks get very hot. Today's portable computers are no longer true laptops, they are notebook computers. Todays cpu's are just too powerful and hot to stay cool in just a small confined space. On apples website I'm pretty sure they suggest not using the macbook on your lap.

From page 106 of the macbook manual:
Do not leave the bottom of your MacBook in contact with your lap or any surface of
your body for extended periods. Prolonged contact with your body could cause
discomfort and potentially a burn.

Exactly. They are portable computers or notebooks..... not laptops. They are neither designed for nor intended for use on your lap.
Most modern notebook computers by any manufacturer get hot during normal use, it isn't an Apple thing.

xxMacAttackxx · Oct 15, 2007

Hey,
I suggest you download smc fancontrol... there you can raise the minimum speed of your fans. I use it with my macbook pro and it reduced the heat significantly without making it any louder... I suggest about 2500rpms.

Hope this helps

jstatik · Oct 15, 2007

You can also pick up a fan that the laptop sits on. runs on usb power. has 2 fans that act as an exhaust. this is what i use, and it helps alot, especially when im using my ibook for a few hours or more.

wytwolf · Oct 15, 2007

Geeky1 said:
It's probably not abnormal. You should consider downloading iStat Pro or another program and checking what the actual CPU temperature is.

Now that's not exactly accurate. The Core 2 Duo doesn't put out very much heat; in fact, it puts out less than some mobile P4s, and it just about equals some Mobile P3s.

The 2.4GHz Core2 Duo in the top end MBPs has a TDP of 35w. The 2.16GHz Core2 Duo in the high end MBs has a TDP of 34w.

That's not much more heat output or power consumption than a 2.16GHz Pentium M-which uses 27w and is a single core processor that's significantly slower than the C2D-or the 31w TDP of a 2.33GHz Core Duo. Indeed, 35w is the same TDP that the last 400MHz FSB Mobile P4s had, and significantly less than the near-90w TDP of some of the 533MHz bus models, like this 3.33GHz P4m.

Even compared to older processors, like the Pentium 3 or even the Pentium 2, 35w is not at all unreasonable, nor is it significantly higher than what those CPUs were doing-despite the fact that they were far, far less complex. Some examples:
1.4GHz/512k PIII-S 'Tualatin'- 32.2w
1.26GHz/521k Mobile PIII 'Tualatin'- 22w
1GHz PIII 'Coppermine'- 29w
1GHz Mobile PIII-M 'Coppermine'- 34w
300MHz (.35 micron) Pentium II- 43w

So yeah. A mobile 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo puts out less heat than some Pentium IIs did. As I was saying, 35w is not "just too (powerful and) hot". There are reasons why machines like the MB and MBP (edit: and many PC laptops) run as hot as they do; it could be anything from incompetent engineers, or engineers that just don't care, to an ignoramus in the marketing or accounting department poking his or her head in somewhere that it doesn't belong. But it's NOT because the TDP of current mobile CPUs is unmanageable or unreasonable.

You talk about current day CPU's not being hot and you have your cpu listed at 91 degrees C under full load?

Geeky1 · Oct 15, 2007

Yes, I do. The MBP is a flawed design in the extreme. I've got another post up my sleeve shortly that may reveal just how flawed it is (though I'm going to need someone to confirm the results). Regardless, the fact that it runs at 91*C is NOT because the CPU puts out an excessive amount of heat, it's due to somebody (or a group of somebodies) at Apple either royally (censored) things up, or deciding that "just barely within spec" was "good enough". I thought I made that perfectly clear in my first post.

wytey · Oct 15, 2007

I agree with geeky here, the cooling design is flawed.

Take a look at where the air is being exhausted, now take a look at what is blocking it

What is the number one rule with Laptops, Notebooks and every equipment that has air vents? Do not block them, and give them plenty of space...