2011 15" 2.3 HR AG Left Palm Rest Hot

[999999999]

Hello all,

I've been reading MR forums for years now but this is my very first post. After over 5 years with the final iteration of the PowerBook G4, I got the new 2.3Ghz HR AG 15" on launch day. Recently, however, I've noticed that the left palm rest has felt a LOT hotter. It's not unbearable, but I feel like a $2500 laptop shouldn't be this uncomfortable to use for basic tasks. (When I do HandBrake encodes I don't even touch the computer lest my flesh melt off the bones.) My usage patterns haven't changed (though the ambient temperature in my room has), and I just thought I'd ask the assembled minds here if the temperatures I'm seeing are normal or whether I should be concerned. I would have called AppleCare, but unfortunately I live at GMT+9 and the service hours correspond to when I'm asleep. I've included a screenshot with the numbers in Celsius. (The relevant temp in Fahrenheit is 93.2º.) Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[daneoni]

^
What app are you using to get these temps? Also that is quite high if that is with the computer idle The only thing around the left pal-rest is the battery.

 

[999999999]

^
What app are you using to get these temps? Also that is quite high if that is with the computer idle The only thing around the left pal-rest is the battery.

I'm using iStat Menus 3. The battery temps are included in the screenshot, too, and they seem pretty comparable. I guess the logical question is, if I'm using my computer plugged-in with only Firefox (no video content), iTunes, and Skype (also no video) open why is my left palm rest so hot?

 

[daneoni]

I dunno. Skype is a resource hog though but you're not using video so it shouldn't be. It and Firefox also invoke the discrete GPU which might be one explanation.

 

[apolloa]

Don't use Skype for a day and use Safari, although Safari can be the opposite and hammer the CPU.

 

[999999999]

So I tried changing a few things. First, I used gfxCardStatus to force the use of integrated graphics. Then I shut the computer down for 8 hours to let it cool off. Today I'm not signed into Skype, but lo and behold, there's no meaningful change in the palm rest temperature. It's still within 1º C of where it was before. Any other ideas? Thanks for your suggestions so far!

 

[Nameci]

How did it compare with your PowerBook G4?

 

[asdf542]

Try smcFanControl and crank the fans up to max and see if that reduces the temperature.

If all else fails I say bring it into the Apple Store and have it checked out. There might be a problem with your battery.

 

[999999999]

How did it compare with your PowerBook G4?

This computer is A LOT hotter, though this seems to be a recent phenomenon. When I first got it, the palm rest didn't feel like a radiator, but now it does and I have no idea why. However, in over 5 years with the PB G4, I never experienced unpleasant heat at the palm rest or keyboard. It was only unpleasant to use directly on your lap; this MBP is unpleasant to use even on a desk. Basically, everything but the display is sweat-inducingly hot all the time and I'm seriously considering asking for a replacement via AppleCare when I get back to the States. (I'm in Korea right now.)

 

[999999999]

Try smcFanControl and crank the fans up to max and see if that reduces the temperature.

If all else fails I say bring it into the Apple Store and have it checked out. There might be a problem with your battery.

I think I'm just going to go with your second suggestion. If I have to use third-party software to max the fans just to bring the computer to a usable temperature for web-browsing, then to me that indicates a fundamental failure of Apple's heat management design on these. I'm sure doing so would drop the temperature slightly, but two fans blowing at 6500 RPM is not a sound you want to listen to for any great length of time, and I'm at my computer all day. I know this is heresy, but I could live with a slightly thicker laptop if it ran cooler...

 

[asdf542]

I think I'm just going to go with your second suggestion. If I have to use third-party software to max the fans just to bring the computer to a usable temperature for web-browsing, then to me that indicates a fundamental failure of Apple's heat management design on these. I'm sure doing so would drop the temperature slightly, but two fans blowing at 6500 RPM is not a sound you want to listen to for any great length of time, and I'm at my computer all day. I know this is heresy, but I could live with a slightly thicker laptop if it ran cooler...

I understand your frustration but you likely just have a lemon or an issue with the battery specifically. Mine never gets hot to the touch unless I'm taxing the CPU or gaming.

 

[999999999]

I understand your frustration but you likely just have a lemon or an issue with the battery specifically. Mine never gets hot to the touch unless I'm taxing the CPU or gaming.

I'm glad to hear that yours doesn't suffer from the same issue; it makes me feel optimistic about my chances of getting a cooler-running replacement.