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2017 Macbook 12" w/ 1.3GHz i5 running hot

A

Avery1

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 14, 2010
138
12
About 2 weeks ago I purchased a 2017 12" Macbook with a 1.3GHz i5 processor. I've noticed with that normal internet browsing activity it can get rather hot. I was hoping that with the mobile processor, this wouldn't be the case. My late 2013 15" MBP with i7 gets outrageously hot... this isn't as hot, but still uncomfortable to hold in my lap.

Is this the same experience others have had with this generation of Macbook, or is this expected?

What's the best way to check my temps?

Thanks!
 
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Has it finished its initial indexing of the drive? (Likely, if you are using it a fair amount and that it's been two weeks.)

Are you using Chrome (apparently a battery, CPU hog)?

Have you checked the Activity Monitor app to see whether there are programs using excessive amounts of CPU time or with heavy loads?!

Have you seen other reports of heat problems?! If so, please link to them so we other prospective buyers can become better informed!
 
Avery1 said:
About 2 weeks ago I purchased a 2017 12" Macbook with a 1.3GHz i5 processor. I've noticed with that normal internet browsing activity it can get rather hot. ...

Is this the same experience others have had with this generation of Macbook, or is this expected?

What's the best way to check my temps?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
You can download Intel Power Gadget from Intel's web site. It will tell you the temperature of the CPU and give you an indication of CPU and GPU speeds (it won't be exact as it hasn't been updated for Kaby Lake, but you'll get a general sense).

If you have anything in the background or a lot of tabs open, the MacBook can get warm. Note that while it has a 5W processor, it also has no fan, so it cools passively through the case.
 
"Can get warm"

What about hot?!

And, do you know this from experience with the 2017 models?!
 
My 2017 i3 just gets mildly warm with internet browsing and Netflix playback. BTW, I have 16 GB RAM, so no page outs.

iStat Menus is a good application for monitoring temps, in the menu bar.

I'm not sure if Intel Power Gadget functions properly on 2017 Macs, since it hasn't been updated since 2016. Whlle the temps are probably fine, the values it gives for CPU speed don't seem correct.
 
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Thanks, all, for the responses. I've been out on a trip, without internet the last week -- hence the slow response.

I don't believe there is any significant CPU usage... I will watch and confirm. I don't have any data on the machine to index, at this point -- only programs installed. I was using firefox and/or safari... have chrome installed, but not using it.

Warm and hot are subjective, but I'd say hot enough to be uncomfortable sitting in my lap. I'll try and get some actual temp readings from possibly the Intel Power Gadget or iStat (thanks for the recommendations on both of these!) or using a thermometer on the case.

Any other experiences with the 2017 macbook and various levels of heat would be great to hear!
 
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Agreed!

I'd like to know, too!

Too hot for laptop work -- and fan noise -- is what bothered me about the 2015 MacBook Pro!

Was hoping the 12" MacBook with passive cooling and slower CPU would run warm at most...
 
You simply have to track down which programs are using excess power and causing the heat. Web browsers like Firefox or Chrome can use a significant amount of power even if you feel like your usage is light. Pages have a ton of scripts these days that can run continuously in the background. Safari shuts these down better but even it can have issues with some pages. Using an ad blocker will cut power usage significantly.

I would install the app Coconut Battery and configure it to run in your top bar at all times showing real-time power draw. If your power draw on battery is over about 6W, you are going to feel significant heat on your lap. Use the Energy tab in Activity Monitor to track down exactly which apps are using the most power. Even apps like OneDrive or Dropbox sometimes get stuck using a significant amount of energy in the background.
 
Does 2017 m3 really run hotter than 2015? I use mine 2015 as a laptop mostly
 
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