Temps in Mac Mini

No. The Core i series are capable of running over 100C before they shut themselves off. I've seen mine spike to over 90 when doing encoding before the fans kicked in (or rather ramped up since they technically always are running, just slowly).

rip-the-jacker said:

Hey guys,

Im getting temps on light usage of around 68c-72c.

Is this too high. It has never crashed or lagged etc and all seems well, just wanting to know if they are ok temps?

Click to expand...

They're quite normal. Your Mac is not overheating. The Intel processors used in Macs are designed to automatically shut down to prevent damage if they truly overheat. CPU Tjmax = 105C, GPU Tjmax = 100C on i3, i5, i7 processors. (Source: Intel) If you're not already using it, iStat Pro will give you accurate readings of your temps and fan speeds, among other things.

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 they're 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:

• Find your Flash version and make sure it's the latest version available.
• Install ClickToFlash (Safari), Flashblock (Firefox) or FlashBlock (Chrome) to control which Flash content plays on websites.
• Use the YouTube HTML5 Video Player to watch YouTube videos, when available. (May impact fullscreen viewing. See link for details.)

I had heat issues upon initially restoring a Mac Mini from a Time Machine backup (similar temps, but slightly higher). After studying the Activity Monitor a bit and doing some research I found that the "Send to Kindle" app was really amping them up after the transfer (even though the app wasn't open). After deleting it I'm running at half that temp (42c).

rip-the-jacker said:

Hey guys,

Im getting temps on light usage of around 68c-72c.

Is this too high. It has never crashed or lagged etc and all seems well, just wanting to know if they are ok temps?


RTJ

Click to expand...

rip-the-jacker said:

Hey guys,

Im getting temps on light usage of around 68c-72c.

Is this too high. It has never crashed or lagged etc and all seems well, just wanting to know if they are ok temps?


RTJ

Click to expand...

Nah, those are good temperatures. My Macbook Pro runs at 90 - 100 C playing games or doing video encoding, as long as it doesn't hit 105 C you will be fine.

BTW, what program are you guys using to measure the temps. I have an old late 2006 1.66ghz mac mini 2gb r am and 10.6.6..