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GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
My Macbook reaches 100 - 105c when playing World Of Warcraft.
Will this damage my hardware?
No, it won't. That's normal. If you're not already doing so, use iStat Pro (free) or iStat Menus ($16) to get accurate readings of your temps, fan speeds, etc., rather than relying on your sense of touch or sound. A forum member has posted a copy of iStat Pro that has been "tweaked" to enhance compatibility with Mountain Lion. You can download it here.

The Intel processors used in Macs are designed to automatically shut down to prevent damage if they truly overheat. CPU Tjmax = 105C (221F), GPU Tjmax = 100C (212F) on i3, i5, i7 processors. (Source: Intel)

Unless there is a rare defect in a Mac, most temps are well within the normal operating range, considering the workload being put on it. Websites with Flash content, games and other multimedia apps will put higher demand on the CPU/GPU, generating more heat. This is normal. If you're constantly putting high demands on your system, such as gaming or other multimedia tasks, expect temps to rise and fans to spin up accordingly. It's just your Mac doing its job to maintain temps within the normal range.

It is also quite normal for your Mac to become extremely hot to the touch during intensive operations. The aluminum body transfers heat more effectively than other materials used in computer casings, so you will feel the heat more. This doesn't indicate that it's overheating and will not harm the computer to be hot to the touch.

Your fans are always on when your Mac is on, spinning at a minimum of 2000 rpm (for MBPs) or 1800 rpm (for MBAs, MBs and minis). iMacs have 3 fans with minimum speeds in the 800-1200 range. They will spin faster as needed to keep temps at a safe level.

If your fans are spinning up without increased heat, try resetting the SMC.
(PRAM/NVRAM has nothing to do with these issues, so resetting it will not help.)

The intake and exhaust vents are in the back of the computer near the hinge on all Mac notebooks (except the new MBP with retina display, which has intake vents along the sides at the bottom). The iMac vent is a slot on the back near the top of the computer. Make sure the vents remain unblocked to allow your computer to perform at its best.

Learn about the fans in your Mac
Apple Portables: Operating temperature

For Flash-related issues:
 

Zanaros

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 11, 2013
9
0
Birmingham, United Kingdom
No, it won't. That's normal. If you're not already doing so, use iStat Pro (free) or iStat Menus ($16) to get accurate readings of your temps, fan speeds, etc., rather than relying on your sense of touch or sound. A forum member has posted a copy of iStat Pro that has been "tweaked" to enhance compatibility with Mountain Lion. You can download it here.

The Intel processors used in Macs are designed to automatically shut down to prevent damage if they truly overheat. CPU Tjmax = 105C (221F), GPU Tjmax = 100C (212F) on i3, i5, i7 processors. (Source: Intel)

Unless there is a rare defect in a Mac, most temps are well within the normal operating range, considering the workload being put on it. Websites with Flash content, games and other multimedia apps will put higher demand on the CPU/GPU, generating more heat. This is normal. If you're constantly putting high demands on your system, such as gaming or other multimedia tasks, expect temps to rise and fans to spin up accordingly. It's just your Mac doing its job to maintain temps within the normal range.

It is also quite normal for your Mac to become extremely hot to the touch during intensive operations. The aluminum body transfers heat more effectively than other materials used in computer casings, so you will feel the heat more. This doesn't indicate that it's overheating and will not harm the computer to be hot to the touch.

Your fans are always on when your Mac is on, spinning at a minimum of 2000 rpm (for MBPs) or 1800 rpm (for MBAs, MBs and minis). iMacs have 3 fans with minimum speeds in the 800-1200 range. They will spin faster as needed to keep temps at a safe level.

If your fans are spinning up without increased heat, try resetting the SMC.
(PRAM/NVRAM has nothing to do with these issues, so resetting it will not help.)

The intake and exhaust vents are in the back of the computer near the hinge on all Mac notebooks (except the new MBP with retina display, which has intake vents along the sides at the bottom). The iMac vent is a slot on the back near the top of the computer. Make sure the vents remain unblocked to allow your computer to perform at its best.

Learn about the fans in your Mac
Apple Portables: Operating temperature

For Flash-related issues:

Would running the fans at 6200rpm for 3 hours a day cause any damage? Would it shorten the life by a lot?

Thanks
 

Freyqq

macrumors 601
Dec 13, 2004
4,038
181
CPU is rated for 105C. Anything higher for sustained periods, and it is suppose to shut down automatically.
 

Asuriyan

macrumors 6502a
Feb 4, 2013
622
23
Indiana
I'm curious as to what you're measuring at 105C. Airflow in the chassis? GPU core? CPU? I have a first-gen i7QM (Nehalem core) in an HP laptop which was relatively notorious for its heat output; it idles around 64C and gets up to 85C under load. I did have an issue at one point with the heatsink becoming loose, at which point I experienced frequent shutdowns until it was repaired. Over 100C and you're getting quite close to the shutdown temperature- and your computer should never be shutting down due to heat under any kind of safe operating conditions (as long as you're not blocking the vents or something you should be fine).
 

swerve147

macrumors 6502a
Jan 12, 2013
837
114
TBH it might even be the app you're using to monitor your temps, which can throw it off those precious few degrees C. For example from my experience iStat Menus and the Temperature Gauge App consistently report lower temps than smcFanControl.

I'd go with the experts on this one, the MB seems to control temps really well on its own. If you're not experiencing shutdowns, glitches or otherwise and your fans are kicking in as they should you should be OK. I think a cooling pad would also be a great idea for long gaming sessions.
 
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