15 inch Powerbook heat

[Toytown Mafia]

How much heat does the Powerbook (15 inch) give off? Some laptops I've tried can become really uncomfortable after about 30 minutes or so. If I bought one, I would use it on my lap quite a lot, but I don't want to end up having to stop using it because of the heat.

[goodknight411]

it gets a little warm, but nothing like other brands i've used. It's not so hot that you can't rest it on bare legs, but i still usually put it on a cutting board or something if i'm carrying it around the house.

[Toytown Mafia]

So just warm as opposed to "ouch, I should really stop using this now!" ?

We have a work laptop at home, a Compaq/HP model and it gets too hot to use when you're wearing thin trousers sometimes.

[tamara6]

For me, it is too hot for bare legs if it is plugged in and charging. (I put it on a "lap desk" that I found at Office Depot.

If it is just plugged in (not charging), it gets pretty warm, but not "too hot"

If it is unplugged then it is fine.

I have never found it to be too hot on top, where my hands touch it.

[Toytown Mafia]

Oh, so if unplugged it's not very hot at all? That's good :)

[goodknight411]

tamara6 is right. Unplugged you won't have any problems. No "ouch". Plugged in it gets a little warmer, sometimes you might want to put it on something besides skin.

[Toytown Mafia]

Alright, thanks for that feedback.

Going a little off topic, what's the battery life like?

[goodknight411]

I have the 1.5 and am using a wireless network with the bluetooth turned off. So far i've mostly done internet/email/iPhoto/iTunes. I'm getting about 3 hrs on the battery, charging only takes about an hour. Pretty good compared to my parents eMachines (about 1 1/2 hrs.)

[Ryan1524]

On battery: Cool
Charging & Automatic Processor: Warm
Charging & Highest processor: Hot

[Vanilla]

Well I have the 17". Putting it DIRECTLY on your lap is solely for those with masochistic tendencies in my opinion. Put the laptop on a TV dinner beanbag etc. and you'll be good.

On the surface where your hands rest as you type is fine. Sometimes the temperature gets up to a drowsy, Tuscan summers day, clay tiles warmed in the morning sun type heat, but nothing to get excited about unless your of the litigious persuasion of course.

Seriously my 17" is the best computing experience I have ever had and I have no doubt that the 15"will be the same; minus 2".
Vanilla

[OziMac]

I can second goodknight's assessment -

With bluetooth off, airport on, screen brightness to 3-5 bars and power settings all set low, I can get just over 3.5 hours using iTunes, Word, Safari, a little bit of Photoshop and some DVD player. I can watch a bit over 2.25 hours of DVD with Airport off. These are fairly conservative power settings, but do not hamper my usability.

And I also agree with the heat issue - only gets hot when it's plugged in and charging, and in those circumstances I usually have it on a table.

[JzzTrump22]

It gets quite toasty. I have the 15" 1.5 and it gets quite warm but not hot. I never keep it on my lap. It's always on a desk with the back elevated to get the air flowing. It gets pretty good battery life. About 3 hours on average with normal use. I could get more if i toned down settings. But it's so worth it to have such an amazing machine.