Heat problems with new pBooks? [Archive]

Ozi

Apr 20, 2004, 03:01 AM

I am going to buy a 12" powerbook, no questions asked.

I just was interested in how hot they are getting. I know that some Macrumors users have already bought these machines, and once you guys have had some time using them, could you let me know if your lap is scalded by the heat? I know the older pBook 12" were plagued with heat problems... heres an interesting take on the heat issue! (http://www.crazyapplerumors.com)

Thanks... if they do turn out to be too hot I might opt for an iBook instead.

~ozi

kbonnel

Apr 20, 2004, 08:08 AM

Sorry, I didn't have the 12", but I can tell you my experience with my previous 15" (I returned it so I could order the new ones). It got hot, really hot. The area's I noticed it most, was in the back of the machine, on both the top and bottom. Mine seemed to get hotter than the ones in the Apple Store, so I don't know if mine was bad. I used it a couple of times with the battery, and I didn't really notice the heat much. It seemed to get really hot when sitting on my table under AC power. According to my temp monitor, it could get around 65+C degrees.

Samuel L Bronkowitz

DreaminDirector

Apr 20, 2004, 10:01 AM

I bought the new 12" yesterday (1.33Ghz, combo) and there doesn't seem to be as much heat as I expected. I haven't thrown any heavy photoshop work at it yet, but I did constantly load software on it for about three hours or so. The computer got warm, but not hot. My old TiBook used to get much hotter. Actually, now that I think about it, the fan didn't even come on last night.

I also use a Coolpad from Roadtools.com. That might help a bit.

I personally love my new powerbook. But, everyone has different reasons to love a computer. I that helps you out.

Ozi

Apr 21, 2004, 12:47 AM

thanks guys... I will probably get the pBook then! I was originally looking at a iBook, but if the pBook doesnt get too hot, I will get it instead. Living in Australia, I don't want a machine which heats me up any more than necessary! :D

And from the pics, I think I could very easily fall in love with a new pBook 12", and out of love with my bank account! :D

entropy1980

Apr 21, 2004, 12:50 AM

DreaminDirector

Apr 21, 2004, 01:23 AM

I had a 800mhz 15" TiBook with 512MB of RAM. The fan used to come on after about 15 or 20 minutes of use, but with my new 12" powerbook, I used it for about 2 hours plugged in and no fan. Don't get me wrong, it got good and warm, but not as hot as my old TiBook. My Tibook used to leave a nice red mark on my leg (nothing serious, of course...), but with this little 12", it's hasn't gotten nearly as bad.

However, the real test will be this weekend when I start to test it with all the photoshop and video work I can throw at it.

Oh and the speed of this little 12" is sweet! I can really feel a difference in OSX with the new 64MB nvidia cards. Overall, it feels much faster than my old powerbook and it's smaller!

powerbook4me

Apr 21, 2004, 01:25 AM

However, the real test will be this weekend when I start to test it with all the photoshop and video work I can throw at it.

Keep us updated :D

Im looking forward to getting one. Would like to know how its fairs against the older ones/how the performance is/ect.

DreaminDirector

Apr 21, 2004, 01:44 AM

I will definitely let you guys know how it goes.

Ozi

Apr 25, 2004, 04:14 AM

Hows your 12" going? Do any other owners of the new pBooks suffer burnt thighs, or scalded wrists?

aswitcher

Apr 25, 2004, 04:32 AM

Various owners of rev b PBs seem to be reporting less heat issues and fan start ups and noise. I hope my 17 is as good.

Steven1621

Apr 25, 2004, 05:04 PM

Various owners of rev b PBs seem to be reporting less heat issues and fan start ups and noise. I hope my 17 is as good.

how often do the fans turn on in a PB?

aswitcher

Apr 25, 2004, 06:25 PM

how often do the fans turn on in a PB?

Dont have one yet, so dont know. Reports are that the latest PBs have the 7447A chip, and it sounds like better insulation/heat sinking (I guess?) so they are not running as hot and the fan isn't coming on much...

dragula53

Apr 25, 2004, 07:07 PM

I just got one

no heat problem

it doesn't appear much different than my 1GHz Imac.

it xbenches a little higher.. a few points.

it's very nice

hi_im_rob

Apr 25, 2004, 07:12 PM

how often do the fans turn on in a PB?

I have both a 12" PB 1ghz and a 12" PB 1.33Ghz.

Strangely the 1.33 seems to run cooler.

-Rob-

powerofthekiwi

Apr 25, 2004, 08:14 PM

I have both a 12" PB 1ghz and a 12" PB 1.33Ghz.

Strangely the 1.33 seems to run cooler.

-Rob-

starting a collection?

DreaminDirector

Apr 25, 2004, 10:47 PM

Yeah, the 1.33 Ghz 12" powerbook ran warm but never hot this weekend. My 800mhz powerbook ran hot and the fans were always on after about 30 minutes of use. I have yet to hear the fan in my 1.33ghz.

0s and 1s

Apr 25, 2004, 11:03 PM

I have both a 12" PB 1ghz and a 12" PB 1.33Ghz.

Strangely the 1.33 seems to run cooler.

-Rob-

OT: Ah...so you lied to me about buying my 15" PB and purchased a 12" PB instead? What a wuss. Be a man next time and tell me WHY you didn't want it.

Hwnlocalgurl

Apr 25, 2004, 11:11 PM

Ozi

Apr 26, 2004, 01:24 AM

And dreamin, is yours the combo or super drive? Is there likely to be any heat difference? Thanks everyone for posting too... I just want to make an informed buy.

DreaminDirector

Apr 26, 2004, 01:32 AM

And dreamin, is yours the combo or super drive? Is there likely to be any heat difference? Thanks everyone for posting too... I just want to make an informed buy.

It's a combo drive. I decided that going up to the superdrive wasn't a logical choice because I have one in my tower. I lose out on the bragging rights, but I save 200 bucks.

I don't think that there are going to be huge heat differences in which drive you have. I could be wrong, but seems like it wouldn't matter.

DreaminDirector

Apr 26, 2004, 01:36 AM

Thanks DreaminDirector for posting about your new 12" pbook not having heat problems. I was wondering about that.

Do you happen to have iDisk on your 12" pbook. My sister was wondering if that comes with the pbook?

I'm not sure what you mean by if it has an iDisk. Access to iDisks is built into Panther (and jaguar). Even if you don't have a DotMac account, you can connect to other peoples public folders and stuff. Just go to "Go" in the menubar in the finder and there is an iDisk option.

I think that's what you're talking about. So to answer your question; Yes. :)

win_convert

Apr 26, 2004, 06:57 AM

APC magazine in Australia says: "The new surface (aluminium) is soft, easily scratched and quickly appears tatty", is this accurate?

aswitcher

Apr 26, 2004, 07:07 AM

APC magazine in Australia says: "The new surface (aluminium) is soft, easily scratched and quickly appears tatty", is this accurate?

Issue? Page?
Link?

Rod Rod

Apr 26, 2004, 07:55 AM

APC magazine in Australia says: "The new surface (aluminium) is soft, easily scratched and quickly appears tatty", is this accurate?

the surface (aluminium) is much harder than plastic. it's scratch resistant to a point. I haven't managed to get any scratches in my aluminium PowerBooks, but I've seen friends's Al PBs who've achieved it.

back on topic, my new 1.33GHz 12" PB runs way cooler than my old (and sold, gotta ship it out today) 867MHz 12" PB.

DreaminDirector is right. the fans just don't need to spin very often.

one strange thing though, is that Pac the Man 2 seems to stress the computer a bunch when another app is running. I had Disk Utility erasing the old PB's HD, while playing PtM 2, and PtM 2 was acting slow and stuttery. should a Pac Man imitation really stress out a 1.33GHz machine?

JFreak

Apr 26, 2004, 08:04 AM

I had a 800mhz 15" TiBook with 512MB of RAM.

i had a 667mhz dvi model (same generation as yours) and noticed slight temperature drop after putting in the full gig of memory, which was nice. but only after i exchanged the stock hard drive to the 7200rpm hitachi 7k60 model last summer i was amazed: with this new and mowerful hard drive the tibook was really cool no matter how extreme use i put it into. the fan became almost useless.

i think there was something wrong with the toshiba 4200rpm hard drives apple put into 667/800 powerbooks, so anyone still having that generation powerbooks could make it so much better by simply changing the hard drive. yes, it costs something and not everyone is comfortable changing the drive by himself, but it's well worth it. i'd say you get 100% more hard drive performance and 50% less heat, leaving battery life as it was before. my only regret is that i couldn't do it sooner [as they were introduced last summer] because the excess heat the toshiba drive put into the powerbook made the paint drop off making the 'book look kind of ugly. after drive change, no further paint dropoffs. sad but true, and i will absolutely never ever touch toshiba hard drives anymore.

wdlove

Apr 26, 2004, 06:38 PM

My wife complains about her 15" PB getting warm. It was purchased in October of '04. I installed folding so it's the major reason for the warmth. :)

173080

Apr 26, 2004, 06:59 PM

Ozi

Apr 27, 2004, 02:00 AM

I am yet to hear the fan on my 1.5Ghz 15" PowerBook ;) .

Even after intense Quake III games I cant hear the fan running. It gets hot to the point I cant have it on my lap, but under normal use (non-gaming) it's not warm at all. In fact, it seems as if it was almost turned off. :D

Awesome! i will get a 15" w/ 128meg graphics, so gaming will be awesome. And nay gaming will be done at a desk, with a big keyboard and a real mouse, so the "lap frying" wont be a problem. The only time I use a laptop on my lap is when casually surfing the net, and that doesnt sound like it will heat it too much. I do run folding, but if it only gets "warm" then its no problem. :D

win_convert

Apr 27, 2004, 06:35 AM

It is in the current issue. I don't usually buy it as it is $9.80 but I had to read something during a 4 hour wait at the airport. It is in the "Mobility superfeature". Apart from that comment, it comes "highly reccommended" and "a worthy alternative, PC user or otherwise" it was a review of the "old" 15incher.

Ozi

Apr 28, 2004, 06:36 AM

pardon? are you making any sense? maybe having "win" in your nickname caused you to have a "system failure?!"

win_convert

Apr 28, 2004, 06:52 AM

Some one asked me a question and I was replying to it. Sorry if I sound nuts. I get that alot.

tamara6

Apr 28, 2004, 06:49 PM

My new 15" 1.33 GHz powerbook gets very hot while it is on my lap - much too hot to hold against bare skin. I think this is only the case when it is plugged in and charging the battery.

When it is plugged in but not charging, it is not hot. And I haven't noticed it being too hot while unplugged and running off the battery.

I hope this is normal. I like this computer far too much to have to trade it in.

What application do people use to determine the temperature inside the powerbook? And how hot is it supposed to get before the fan turns on? And will I hear the fan? I don't think I've heard it yet.

Ozi

May 1, 2004, 09:43 PM

the program I use to determine heat inside my computer is "MenuMeters" which is a great tool which teells you your network activity, CPU usage, Memory usage, processor temperature, and a few other things.

Download it for free here: (http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/17713)

It is a great program, quite invaluable. :D

~ozi

marmotte

May 2, 2004, 04:45 PM

Awesome! i will get a 15" w/ 128meg graphics, so gaming will be awesome. And nay gaming will be done at a desk, with a big keyboard and a real mouse, so the "lap frying" wont be a problem. The only time I use a laptop on my lap is when casually surfing the net, and that doesnt sound like it will heat it too much. I do run folding, but if it only gets "warm" then its no problem. :D

I also have a 15" 1.5 GHz Powerbook, 5400 rpm drive, 128GB VRAM, 1GB RAM. I did not even know it had a fan. I have used it the entire week-end and it is not too hot underneath (the top is just luke warm): you can definitely keep your hand on the bottom of the case. It's fine.

Ozi

May 3, 2004, 11:54 PM

awesome. It is ordered, but as it is a BTO, and I live ona remote island (AKA Australia) they reckon it will be some time before i get it. :(

But the order has been placed! My old G3 (now obsolete) is about to get superceded by a G4! w00t! :)

blawson

May 4, 2004, 04:25 AM

Got my PB this morning, been playing with it all day naturally. There is a huge difference in heat when using the optical drive. When using it for simple surfing, email, music playback, the fan never comes on. But it does get pretty toasty when I'm ripping lots of CD's right after each other. A wonderful machine regardless.

Elbeano

May 4, 2004, 01:39 PM

I got one of the new 12" powerbooks the saturday after the update. The only time the fan came on was after I was playing a wolfenstein demo for about a half an hour. It was definately getting uncomfortably warm. The fan is also quite noticeable. Of course, I could barely hear it over my PC that was also in the room. The fan blows out the hole in the top middle, at least on the 12" model. You can get a good look at it if you look for the post that has the link for "inside the new 12" powerbook" or something to that effect.

simply258

May 4, 2004, 08:57 PM

My wife complains about her 15" PB getting warm. It was purchased in October of '04. I installed folding so it's the major reason for the warmth. :)
Did you use the DeLorean to get that PB? :D

cyks

May 4, 2004, 09:39 PM

Did you use the DeLorean to get that PB? :D

lol, quick, what are the specs of your Oct '04 PB? Please tell me they're the same as they are now (I just bought one- and am hoping until at least next Jan before another upgrade ;) )