PDA

View Full Version : GPU Temp on Macbook (early 09)



impulse462
Jun 3, 2009, 06:36 PM
Hi there.

I may look like a new user, but i've been reading this site for a while now (just too lazy to make an actual account) but here i am.

I bought a unibody macbook (2.4ghz) about 2 months ago. so far its running perfectly fine in os x and windows 7 under bootcamp.

i used to overclock the desktop pc which i used to own so im kind of a temp freak(not really happy about it), when i ran into a little problem. the istat menus on os x do not list the gpu temperature at all. granted the 9400m is integrated so i thought meh whatever. in windows however, i use hwmonitor to monitor my temps, and it shows a distinct gpu temp always over there.

the main reason i care about this is because my laptop runs significantly hotter in windows. i know os x handles hardware better, but it would be nice to find out my gpu temp under os x.

thanks for the help in advance


iLog.Genius
Jun 3, 2009, 06:47 PM
iStat should tell you the temperature of "Northbridge". IIRC from an old thread, Northbridge would be the temperature for the 9400M.
impulse462
Jun 3, 2009, 06:50 PM
Ahhh i see.

right now my cpu diode is at 53c so my northbridge (9400m) is at 48c

would it make sense that my gpu, under os x, is cooler than my cpu?
however this does make a lot of sense because in windows my gpu is in the upper 60s.

thanks for the info
NewMacbookPlz
Jun 3, 2009, 07:05 PM
Ahhh i see.

right now my cpu diode is at 53c so my northbridge (9400m) is at 48c

would it make sense that my gpu, under os x, is cooler than my cpu?
however this does make a lot of sense because in windows my gpu is in the upper 60s.

thanks for the info

Windows 7 will use your GPU far more than OSX in order to run its Aero interface. Also, Windows power management isn't quite upto par with OS X, at least on the macbooks; something that can be seen in the reduced battery life. With that being said, I wouldn't be surprised if OS X turns back the speed on the GPU further than Windows does when it's not being used for 3D acceleration and whatnot.
impulse462
Jun 3, 2009, 07:16 PM
Windows 7 will use your GPU far more than OSX in order to run its Aero interface. Also, Windows power management isn't quite upto par with OS X, at least on the macbooks; something that can be seen in the reduced battery life. With that being said, I wouldn't be surprised if OS X turns back the speed on the GPU further than Windows does when it's not being used for 3D acceleration and whatnot.

yes that makes a lot of sense. thanks a lot!