Heat, Etc

jedivulcan · May 28, 2007

Hi! I've kind of been through trying times with Macbook Pros. Switched out from bad SuperDrives to bad hinges, to warped cases. I'm just beginning to believe that's how they are and that bad luck doesn't entirely have anything to do with it. I just got a new 2.33C2D 15inch notebook... totally maxed out in specs now. Totally amazing. I at least like to ask if certain things are a condition with just my MBP or if it's common with all of them.

Running Firefox, iMail,TextEdit,and Azureus... on a dual monitor setup using the DVI to VGA adapter. MBP screen set to (1440x900), external Samsung is at (1280x1024) Is 59 degrees C and 3424RPM fanspeeds normal?

I'm assuming that glitter, grain is normal with matte LCD screens? Also, I'm concerned with my screen being crooked. As in, scanning my eyes from left to right across the top and bottem, the black border between the LCD and silver frame seem to get slightly larger on the right side. Any thoughts?

core20 · May 28, 2007

that seems pretty hot, but you are running a number of programs at the same time, so it would explain the heat production. I have had 4-5 programs running at the same time and not had it that hot, bro, I have had to operating systems running at the same time on my MBP and the fans weren't running that hot, so I really couldn't say, but from what you are running it is plausible, but 3424RPM is A LOT !!

jedivulcan · Jun 1, 2007

Well, I noticed two things now. The fans do not run at the same speed. One is always a little higher or lower than the other one when monitoring using SMCfancontrol 2.2. It creates a bit of a resonance or a "wahhh" sound when it blows air. It's something that I could only probably hear. Anyways, I have no widgets running, and usually just firefox running. Granted, I do keep it running a lot, but it never cools down. It's on a flat surface, plenty of ventilation around a cool space. The CPU temp never dips below 60 degrees celcius and the fans rarely dip below 2700-2800 RPM. More or less, it never will hit 2000 RPM... I'm a little worried.

core20 · Jun 1, 2007

okay, you should be a little worried, because it should not run at that speed all the time. do you have all the updates and the fan control software sent out by apple? If you do and still these problems persist then i would take it into apple, and after all you have been through ask for another laptop. Did you perform a system archive or system restore or anything like that??

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jedivulcan · Jun 5, 2007

There are fan updates and fan control software by Apple out?

D3v1L80Y · Jun 5, 2007

Running Firefox, iMail,TextEdit,and Azureus... on a dual monitor setup using the DVI to VGA adapter. MBP screen set to (1440x900), external Samsung is at (1280x1024) Is 59 degrees C and 3424RPM fanspeeds normal?

Yes, that is well within normal temperature levels for a notebook computer. Some people's have gone as high as 70º to 80º C and they have been just fine.
Bottom line, notebooks run hot no matter what. If the temperature was ever anywhere near to becoming a detrement to your system, then the machine has a failsafe that would simply shut it down automatically before any damage could occur.

As for the fan speed, the fan for most notebooks kicks on somewhere around 40º to 50º C and will run until the temp drops below that again. The hotter it is, the higher and longer the fans will run to cool things faster. If you are constantly running the apps, then the fan will constantly run. Speeds over 3000RPM are definitely high, but I woulnd't trust a monitoring software on this one.

If you are concerned about the heat and fan speeds, then I would suggest looking into a cooling fan pad. This will alleviate the work needed from your system's internal fan. It will also keep things much cooler than the system fan could anyway.

Another thing to consider is that many of these monitors (widgets or otherwise) are not as accurate as one would think. Some measure HD temp, some case temp, some gauge the processor temp... etc. There could also be an inaccurate reading of the fan speed. I sat and watched someone checking their iStat widget and it recorded an extremely high temp and outrageous fan speeds... and the person had only turned on their system 2 mintues prior. There was no audible fan noise, no heat being expelled from the vents, the notebook was cool to the touch, and no apps open besides his Mail. Go figure.

Over the years, I have owned about eight Apple notebooks and never used any sort of temperature gauge on them. Only once did a notebook I had ever shut down due to heat issues, and all of them have run pretty darn hot at times (depending on what I was loading it down with at the time). My opinion is that these kinds of monitors only serve to make a person a temperature hypochondriac, rather than offer any usable data or have a practical use.

jedivulcan · Jun 5, 2007

Thanks for all that D3v1L80Y. I definitely agree with you. I'm shutting off the SMCfancontrol for a while.. that thing makes me more paranoid than I need to be.

jedivulcan · Jun 5, 2007

Is there any cooling pads you specifically recommend or suggest I get? I think I want to get one.

core20 · Jun 5, 2007

that's normal... I have never even come close to that temp.. range, and that is with 5-6 applications running at the same time along with photoshop... that still seems pretty hot to me..