Macbook Pro: Fans too loud when gaming

[AppleShinobi000]

Ok so I recently bought a MacBook Pro, 15.4" non-retina version, the last one before they stopped making them with Optical Drives, it has 8gigs of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650m graphics card with 1GB of dedicated video ram.
However, whenever I try to play computer games like Minecraft the fans always go into Maximum Overdrive or something but they get so loud that it sounds like a freaking plane taking off, plus the body itself gets really hot whenever this happens that I'm afraid it might get damaged.
Is there a way I can fix this or buy something to help this. I usually use it on my lap an not on a solid surface so maybe that's the problem?
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

 

[T5BRICK]

The fans are spinning at full speed in order to move the air and keep the components cool. If there is an issue with heat, the computer will throttle the CPU or GPU to keep the heat within an acceptable level. Using it on your lap probably doesn't help, but it doesn't make a huge difference either.

It's possible that there is dust built up inside the computer, it may be worth opening it up and cleaning it out with a can of compressed air.

 

[Queen6]

Being an owner & user of the 15" MacBook Pro forever; Over the years the 15" has frequently struggled with it`s thermals, especially when an external display is connected as the dGPU switches on as default, internal temperatures soar;

• Elevate the rear, aluminium passive coolers generally work best (I use RainDesign`s mStand & iLap)
• Increase base fan RPM to 3K or as much as you are comfortable with (MacsFanControl or SMC Fan Control)
• Limit the dGPU`s usage with gfxCardStatus
• Swap out Chrome for Chrome Canary as it`s way more optimised for OS X and will extend battery run time, reduce thermals
• Swap out VLC for Movist as again it`s a reduced load on CPU/GPU
• Uninstall or block Flash
• Install an ad blocker Ublock extension works well
• Powered coolers are very much a "mixed bag" when it comes to Mac portables, you need one that has a high capacity (100 CFM minimum) and preferably a large single fan, this can help to keep the 15" internal fans below 4K which for many is good enough as often it`s this point and beyond where the fans become intrusive. Don't expect a powered cooler impact internal temperatures, beyond a couple of degrees
• Older machines can benefit from cleaning of the cooling system
• Replacing the thermal paste has been hit & miss, some with very positive results, some with no improvement over stock. Personally I would only do this on a Mac Portable that was either very old, or one that I can confirm was definitely running hotter than stock.
• If your MBP has a discrete GPU, it will fire up when an external display is connected as default, temperatures will rise rapidly.

The key to a quiet life with a 15" MacBook Pro is several incremental changes that do add up to reduce thermals. From my experience over the years if your going to push a 15" hard the fans are going to max out fast, with associated noise. If your using it with a moderate load life can be made quieter For the most part your MBP runs hot as that`s how Apple designed it, the trade off for form over, function, thin & light...

Gaming is always going to push your Mac`s internal temperatures way up, nor is the 15" rMBP specifically designed for gaming. The old adage still applies; it`s easier to keep a system cool, than cool-down an already overly hot machine. This being said it`s not strictly necessary, equally it`s nice to know that there are options for reducing temperature out there.

For use on the lap try iLap by Rain Design, don't expect miracles.

Q-6

 

[Dead0k]

Ok so I recently bought a MacBook Pro, 15.4" non-retina version, the last one before they stopped making them with Optical Drives, it has 8gigs of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650m graphics card with 1GB of dedicated video ram.
However, whenever I try to play computer games like Minecraft the fans always go into Maximum Overdrive or something but they get so loud that it sounds like a freaking plane taking off, plus the body itself gets really hot whenever this happens that I'm afraid it might get damaged.
Is there a way I can fix this or buy something to help this. I usually use it on my lap an not on a solid surface so maybe that's the problem?
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

probably it was refurbished or whatever.. just send them back and ask for another unit.
Or probably this computer from 2012 is weak for your 2015s video tasks...

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Ok so I recently bought a MacBook Pro, 15.4" non-retina version, the last one before they stopped making them with Optical Drives, it has 8gigs of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650m graphics card with 1GB of dedicated video ram.
However, whenever I try to play computer games like Minecraft the fans always go into Maximum Overdrive or something but they get so loud that it sounds like a freaking plane taking off, plus the body itself gets really hot whenever this happens that I'm afraid it might get damaged.
Is there a way I can fix this or buy something to help this. I usually use it on my lap an not on a solid surface so maybe that's the problem?
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

Turn down the settings in the game is the only answer. You give us no idea of what games you play but anything intensive and modern will stretch that computer to it's limit.

 

[patternjake]

Take it to your local repair centre and get that dust cleaned out, that's probably what it is.

 

[snaky69]

Ok so I recently bought a MacBook Pro, 15.4" non-retina version, the last one before they stopped making them with Optical Drives, it has 8gigs of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650m graphics card with 1GB of dedicated video ram.
However, whenever I try to play computer games like Minecraft the fans always go into Maximum Overdrive or something but they get so loud that it sounds like a freaking plane taking off, plus the body itself gets really hot whenever this happens that I'm afraid it might get damaged.
Is there a way I can fix this or buy something to help this. I usually use it on my lap an not on a solid surface so maybe that's the problem?
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

That's normal behaviour.

Gaming requires power.
Power generates a byproduct: heat.
For the components to work, they need to keep cool, for them to do that, they need to run the fans.

The fan noise and body temperature you're experiencing is 100% normal. Aluminum conducts heat better than plastic so for any given internal temperature, an aluminum bodied laptop will always feel warmer to the touch than a plastic one.

That's how every single computer on this planet works. There is nothing wrong with your machine.

 

[b0fh666]

some games, like wow for instance try to push the most FPS they can, that results in high temps and that jet takeoff feeling.

if the game has some fps limiter set it to 32 or so, that would reduce the temps a lot most of the time.

cheers

 

[throAU]

The cooling on them sucks, they're not real flash for gaming.


edit:
one thing i did find helped was in windows, putting it into "balanced" power profile. it stops the CPU clocking up so high (turbo), doesn't have so bad an impact on performance on most games, but it did knock the fan speed off a little

 

[patternjake]

I game on my MBP mid 2012 Retina with no issues, don't hear it at all, and that's Dolphin 5.0 and Twilight Princess, a VERY heavy game.

 

[throAU]

I game on my MBP mid 2012 Retina with no issues, don't hear it at all, and that's Dolphin 5.0 and Twilight Princess, a VERY heavy game.

This thread isn't about the retina version though. The non-retina cooling sucks.

 

[Kissmyne]

Being an owner & user of the 15" MacBook Pro forever; Over the years the 15" has frequently struggled with it`s thermals, especially when an external display is connected as the dGPU switches on as default, internal temperatures soar;

• Elevate the rear, aluminium passive coolers generally work best (I use RainDesign`s mStand & iLap)
• Increase base fan RPM to 3K or as much as you are comfortable with (MacsFanControl or SMC Fan Control)
• Limit the dGPU`s usage with gfxCardStatus
• Swap out Chrome for Chrome Canary as it`s way more optimised for OS X and will extend battery run time, reduce thermals
• Swap out VLC for Movist as again it`s a reduced load on CPU/GPU
• Uninstall or block Flash
• Install an ad blocker Ublock extension works well
• Powered coolers are very much a "mixed bag" when it comes to Mac portables, you need one that has a high capacity (100 CFM minimum) and preferably a large single fan, this can help to keep the 15" internal fans below 4K which for many is good enough as often it`s this point and beyond where the fans become intrusive. Don't expect a powered cooler impact internal temperatures, beyond a couple of degrees
• Older machines can benefit from cleaning of the cooling system
• Replacing the thermal paste has been hit & miss, some with very positive results, some with no improvement over stock. Personally I would only do this on a Mac Portable that was either very old, or one that I can confirm was definitely running hotter than stock.
• If your MBP has a discrete GPU, it will fire up when an external display is connected as default, temperatures will rise rapidly.

The key to a quiet life with a 15" MacBook Pro is several incremental changes that do add up to reduce thermals. From my experience over the years if your going to push a 15" hard the fans are going to max out fast, with associated noise. If your using it with a moderate load life can be made quieter For the most part your MBP runs hot as that`s how Apple designed it, the trade off for form over, function, thin & light...

Gaming is always going to push your Mac`s internal temperatures way up, nor is the 15" rMBP specifically designed for gaming. The old adage still applies; it`s easier to keep a system cool, than cool-down an already overly hot machine. This being said it`s not strictly necessary, equally it`s nice to know that there are options for reducing temperature out there.

For use on the lap try iLap by Rain Design, don't expect miracles.

Q-6

Lol it seems everytime I see a "fan speed" or "temperature" post I practically always see ^ this EXACT post, Glad to see your Command, C, and V keys are working. Either way MOST of that post is sound advice even if some parts don't apply to the OP's model.

 

[Queen6]

Lol it seems everytime I see a "fan speed" or "temperature" post I practically always see ^ this EXACT post, Glad to see your Command, C, and V keys are working. Either way MOST of that post is sound advice even if some parts don't apply to the OP's model.

True, equally many do struggle with the temperature of the 15" I recently helped my wife, and used her 15" rMBP (dGPU) on the lap literally, it can only be best described as unpleasant, even light usage and the base plate rapidly becomes uncomfortably warm. I have even seen people use large external fans to attempt to keep the early MacBook Pro`s cool it was the only practical way to reduce throttling.

The other aspect of the post is that it may also prompt others to document their solutions, as there is no way of getting around it the 15" especially with dGPU does run at elevated temperatures due to the nature of it`s design. For me the intrusion of fan noise is the biggest irritation of the new Retina`s. When working on a complex issue, I really don't need Apple`s finest to remind me of it presence continuously...

I use my own 15" Retina mostly in the desktop role, infrequently using it in the field. These days I prefer to use the 12"& 13" for field work, equally the 15" is a very "solid" system and I will be updating my own once Skylake is available.

Openly I encourage all to add to the suggestions and or correct.

Q-6