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Extreme heat when gaming? Simple fix :)

Y

Young Spade

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 31, 2011
2,156
3
Tallahassee, Florida
Simply take the bottom plate of the MacBook Pro off and you're good to go.

With the recent release of Skyrim, I can play it just fine in Bootcamp, but the machine always ran in the top 90s. I was hesitant at first, but after taking the bottom off and running it bare, the machine stays in or under 80 C.

And yes, this is with it running at 1020 by 700 or something like that. No lag, amazing gameplay.
 
Think of all the dust thats going to get in your Mac. Also, you'd better be really sure about what you are setting it down on, you could either short something, burn yourself, or get something onto the sensitive underbelly that could render your machine broken and devoid of warranty.
 
1) Repeated wipe downs of the desk along with yh fact that I don't live in filth fixes the first issue

2) you only need to prop up the left back corner as that's where the logic board parts are. All the other places can be rested on whatever hard surface.
 
Young Spade said:
Simply take the bottom plate of the MacBook Pro off and you're good to go.

With the recent release of Skyrim, I can play it just fine in Bootcamp, but the machine always ran in the top 90s. I was hesitant at first, but after taking the bottom off and running it bare, the machine stays in or under 80 C.

And yes, this is with it running at 1020 by 700 or something like that. No lag, amazing gameplay.
Click to expand...

Since by doing so, you've reduced the portability of your laptop to that of a desktop, perhaps you should have gotten an iMac or Mac Pro?
 
Of course this is only a temporary fix until I get a portion of the bottom faceplate removed.

At first I really thought it was the processor just being inefficient or whatever, but the real problem is the fact that the machine has poor ventilation.

----------
BrickbookPro said:
Since by doing so, you've reduced the portability of your laptop to that of a desktop, perhaps you should have gotten an iMac or Mac Pro?
Click to expand...

As I only game from my desk, it isn't a problem.

Screwing the bottom back on takes less than a minute.

But thanks for reminding me why I don't post here anymore.
 
Young Spade said:
But thanks for reminding me why I don't post here anymore.
Click to expand...

Now where did this come from? :confused:

The advice given you was sound and you make it like we're the "oddballs" for believing the bottom panel of any MBP should stay in place?

Simple "fix". Hilarious.
 
I would be curious to know if by removing the cover and running it in such a fashion it might actually compromise proper airflow? It's quite possible that it does.

Many machines, including desktop computers are built this way. I remember when running the cover off of old Shuttle PC's in the office would create dead air zones, therefore hotspots and increase the temp on certain components as much as another 10c, well at least what little testing I did.

Oh my, did I just pull an "I remember when" moment? In that case, we also did this in the snow, uphill...both ways.
 
Risasi said:
I would be curious to know if by removing the cover and running it in such a fashion it might actually compromise proper airflow? It's quite possible that it does.

Many machines, including desktop computers are built this way. I remember when running the cover off of old Shuttle PC's in the office would create dead air zones, therefore hotspots and increase the temp on certain components as much as another 10c, well at least what little testing I did.

Oh my, did I just pull an "I remember when" moment? In that case, we also did this in the snow, uphill...both ways.
Click to expand...

How would allowing more air impact the machine lower airflow? I mean, I have some elementary understanding of Physics and it doesn't make sense to me.

But I see a 10+ C drop in temperatures across the board.

CPU is at 79, main board is 31, heat sink at 60, and there are others but they are hidden at the moment

In boot camp.
 
Young Spade said:
How would allowing more air impact the machine lower airflow? I mean, I have some elementary understanding of Physics and it doesn't make sense to me.

But I see a 10+ C drop in temperatures across the board.

CPU is at 79, main board is 31, heat sink at 60, and there are others but they are hidden at the moment

In boot camp.
Click to expand...

With some designs (mostly in desktops), the case serves as a duct that makes sure the air gets from the fan to the CPU. Cutting holes into the case would distort the airflow and reduce the amount of fresh air that gets to the CPU. Given the layout of the MBP, I doubt this is an issue (and your results show that it is not).

It's a rather unconventional but also smart solution. But you should understand that it doesn't classify as "solution" for everyone, in particular since you loose mobility.

If you go through with cutting out parts of the base plate, I would like to see it ;)
 
thundersteele said:
With some designs (mostly in desktops), the case serves as a duct that makes sure the air gets from the fan to the CPU. Cutting holes into the case would distort the airflow and reduce the amount of fresh air that gets to the CPU. Given the layout of the MBP, I doubt this is an issue (and your results show that it is not).

It's a rather unconventional but also smart solution. But you should understand that it doesn't classify as "solution" for everyone, in particular since you loose mobility.

If you go through with cutting out parts of the base plate, I would like to see it ;)
Click to expand...

Ah, I see what you mean. And of course; this was just one of the spur of the moment things that I thought would work. And it did.

It is a bit of a hassle to get everything situated but if you're gaming for a long period of time (and I've been going at Skyrim for 6 hours now) it is definitely worth it.

Also worth noting that I'm using an Xbox 360 controller; I doubt that it's stable enough to use with the trackpad and keyboard in a hard gaming session.

Mind you, that's because it's propped up on cd cases and a water bottle cap.
 
miles01110 said:
Probably one of the more pointless threads in the last week. Heat is not an issue, and has no appreciable effect on the life of your machine.
Click to expand...

That's why the Computer doesn't automatically **** itself off at a certain temperature right? And IIRC, that's somewhere around the 100C mark, which is exactly what I hit today.

But hey, it's a forum. Thanks for the comment.
 
Young Spade, I'll blame your anger at a differing opinion on your youth. The fact that you don't do well with disagreeing opinions probably has more to do with why you don't post here anymore.

Young Spade said:
Of course this is only a temporary fix until I get a portion of the bottom faceplate removed.

At first I really thought it was the processor just being inefficient or whatever, but the real problem is the fact that the machine has poor ventilation.

----------



As I only game from my desk, it isn't a problem.

Screwing the bottom back on takes less than a minute.

But thanks for reminding me why I don't post here anymore.
Click to expand...
 
Young Spade said:
That's why the Computer doesn't automatically **** itself off at a certain temperature right? And IIRC, that's somewhere around the 100C mark, which is exactly what I hit today.

But hey, it's a forum. Thanks for the comment.
Click to expand...

If your computer is actually shutting down due to heat, you should take it in and get it fixed under warranty. What you should not do is come up with a half-assed solution on your own. Unless it is shutting down, you do not have a heat problem.
 
miles01110 said:
If your computer is actually shutting down due to heat, you should take it in and get it fixed under warranty. What you should not do is come up with a half-assed solution on your own. Unless it is shutting down, you do not have a heat problem.
Click to expand...

*shakes head*

When did I say that happens to me? It has never happened to me.

I'm just going to stop though.

I fail to understand why people are so inclined to think they know everything about the situation given to them.

Oh and you completely sidestepped the validation of your original claim. I'm still waiting for the answer to that.
 
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I fail to understand why people are so inclined to think they know everything about the situation given to them.
Click to expand...

Coincidentally that's pretty much exactly what I thought reading your original post. But then again, why would anyone take a malfunctioning machine into the manufacturer for repair? Obviously the best solution is to take it apart and run it that way :rolleyes: Seriously dude, get over yourself. Your original idea is comically awful, and anyone with a brain knows it.
 
In order to maximize airflow while maintaining portability, you could buy another bottom plate, and drill a pattern of small holes under the centers of the fans. Actually, they're not really fans, they're radial blowers. The heat from the CPU and GPU is conducted away by heat pipes to finned radiators at the rear of the chassis where the blowers cool them and exhaust the heated air from the case. Openings under the blowers will allow the blowers to operate more efficiently with increased cooling airflow through the radiators, resulting in lower CPU and GPU temps.
 
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