13" 2011 MBP can't take heavy loads

[east1999]

Hey everyone,

I read most threads in this forum about overheating, but it turned out that's not at all a concern in a daily basis. What is a concern, however, is the instant fan noise whenever the laptop gets under load.

It is constant when running games (always at 6000 rpm). I've tried Call of Duty IV, and Starcraft II. Also Crysis II via Boot Camp.
It may happen under Facetime.
It may happen if you leave a flash animation running in a tab.
it may happen with AirVideo Server (serving to an iPod).

Turns out there's really no middle ground for this fan. It is either audible, or isn't. With 2000 rpm you know it's there, but frankly that's barely a concern. Sometimes it turns on suddenly and goes to maximum speed in seconds, stays there for a minute or two, then drops down.

So I guess that ANY heavy load will come with fan noise. Here's what I need to ask then.

- Is this a given for Sandy Bridge?
- Do you have this kind of noise in your C2D MacBooks (Air included)?
- Is it better when you have more fans involved (larger MBP's, iMacs..)?

Like I said, it hasn't been that much a concern for most uses, because they stay under the radar. The MBP gets hot but that's not even a problem. What I get is there is a clear threshold between what you can do (silently) and what produces noise. I stopped playing games because I really cannot do with that much noise. Turns out the GPU can roll with a lot of games, but I thought the noise wasn't included. Plus I'm afraid I'll damage the laptop if the fan is on for so long.

I'm thinking I'd rather have lower processing power and silent operation. I can take a longer iPhoto import if I don't hear this fan. Help?

 

[BlingBling]

The 2011 runs hotter than the 2010. It has a faster CPU and a GPU on the same core while the cooling and enclosure design hasn't changed. For gaming the 2010 and 2011 are almost the same (the 2010 coming on top in most cases).

The fan noise is a given when your running under heavy load. You can get slightly better results if you reapply thermal paste like I did, but at best your fans will run around 5500 rpm under load.

There currently is no solution to lower the cpu performance for reduced heat by undervolting like coolbook used to do.

I can only suggest getting earphones or cranking up the volume or simply exchanging for another mac (some are cooler than others).

BTW I do not get loud fan noise watching flash (even in hd), just games, and recording from the facetime camera in quicktime or imovie. Running facetime under normal conditions does not make my fans noisy.

 

[east1999]

Well, it's mostly games, which is a pity. I know it's not a gaming laptop but they do sell them through Steam, so I'd like to buy them.

The way you say it, it seems related to the extra power provided by the SB processor. So there seem to be three solutions.

1. Undervolting, which isn't possible right now.

2. Downgrading, and, as in the MacBook Air, fixing another kind of bottleneck (HD operation).

3. Better cooling through termal paste, more fans, cooling pad, etc.

Am I right here? I'd like to know more about this CPU+GPU combo in the same core, because I read it lead to further heating. Is there any truth to this?

 

[ayeying]

Well, it's mostly games, which is a pity. I know it's not a gaming laptop but they do sell them through Steam, so I'd like to buy them.

The way you say it, it seems related to the extra power provided by the SB processor. So there seem to be three solutions.

1. Undervolting, which isn't possible right now.

2. Downgrading, and, as in the MacBook Air, fixing another kind of bottleneck (HD operation).

3. Better cooling through termal paste, more fans, cooling pad, etc.

Am I right here? I'd like to know more about this CPU+GPU combo in the same core, because I read it lead to further heating. Is there any truth to this?

Just because it's on steam doesn't mean you need to buy the game... Furthermore, like with Windows, you need to see if the requirements match your system or it'll run poorly.

Under volt is possible. It's pointless though especially if you're stressing the system then the fan will come on or your system will shut down

Downgrade is up to you. But any system, you stress it, fans will come on

Cooling pad just adds to the noise. You can attempt a thermal paste change but like I said, games will cause the system to run fans at max to keep it a good temperature.

It's not so much of a CPU + GPU combo, it's the heat generated by both parts of the die concentrated on a single heatsink. To be honest the older systems genereated about the same amount of wattage wasted in heat so it's not too big of a difference