Am I slowly cooking my MacBook Pro?

[Kristenn]

I got up early today (stupid people next door) and decided to try WoW on my MacBook Pro.

If I play on the 9600M shared card (256MB) it runs ok with everything on high (all the settings) I get maybe 20 or 30 fps in most places sometimes 15.
And it keeps my computer much cooler.

But if I want really good fps for fighting in battle grounds or just a bunch of monsters in really large places. I need my 512MB card.
But it makes my computer much hotter. So Im wondering... am I slowly killing my computer? Like... cooking it from the inside?

If I keep it flat on the table (its a wooden table top in my room) my fans spin 5400 rpm to 6200 rpm with my CPU being 87c 89c or sometimes 92c.

I put it up on a small sized binder (so the back side slants up and I let a few inches reach out over the high end of the binder) and it seems to run just slightly cooler. 82c sometimes 77c or 87c with fans running 4000 or 4500 rpm maybe a little higher.

But is this bad? I saw on the website my model has normal running temps of 50c to 90c. does that mean anything 2 or 3 maybe 5 higher then 90c is bad? How hot does my cpu have to be before it shuts itself down? =O

Or worse... kills itself?

 

[Hellhammer]

CPU runs very hot when it's under heavy load. 90 Celsius isn't too high for CPU. GPU gets hot too when it's under load. My GPU is over 50c while it's idle.

What's your HD temp? That's something that I'd be more concerned. HDs don't like temps over 55c...

 

[dennis123123]

90 Celsius isn't too high for CPU.

If any CPU I saw was over 80 celsius I would panic! 90 is a common MAXIMUM temperature, where anything over could cause death and destruction and small fires (well, maybe that was a bit over the top, but it could easily cook itself or surrounding parts)

I know this is old, but check out the values for MAXIMUM temperatures (these are NOT regular operating temps)
http://www.technibble.com/what-is-my-computers-maximum-cpu-temperature/

Find the model number of your cpu and look the value up from the intel site

 

[phixiuz]

I don't think you should worry. Apple wouldn't have put such a graphics card in your laptop if they know that it could die after long usage because of it getting too hot, these things go through a lot of tests before they release these on the market. They don't wanna end up repairing tons of macs and losing a lot of money... Think about it.

Just be careful you don't toast your HD, like already said, because if those get too hot (which they do quick at about 50-6° degrees), you can harm them.

 

[Hellhammer]

I know this is old, but check out the values for MAXIMUM temperatures (these are NOT regular operating temps)
http://www.technibble.com/what-is-my-computers-maximum-cpu-temperature/

Find the model number of your cpu and look the value up from the intel site

That's from 2006... And those are desktop CPUs which, of course have more space and better cooling than narrowly packed laptop parts. My CPU gets 80c when it's under 90% load for 15 minutes, but when it's back to 5%, it drops to 40c in few seconds

I wouldn't worry. Just get AppleCare so if logic board gets toasted, Apple will change it.

 

[Kristenn]

My mom cant really afford AppleCare. It was either a 16inch Sony Vaio FW or a 15inch MacBook Pro without AppleCare. I guess my mom thought that for the price of the MBP nothing really should cook. But Im kind of worried about it >>

Then again. If the Vaio is plastic and the Macintosh is Aluminum. Then the Viao would have fried long ago I think. Dont most other laptops only have one fan where my Macbook Pro has 2?

I dont know... maybe Im paranoid. I dont think I can get AppleCare now... can I? its already almost 7 months old

But I will edit or post back my HD temps. I just need to run WoW for a good.. 10 15 or 20 minutes and see what it is.

 

[Hellhammer]

I dont know... maybe Im paranoid. I dont think I can get AppleCare now... can I? its already almost 7 months old

You still have 5 months to buy AppleCare. You can buy AppleCare at anytime during the 1 year of limited warranty. Ask it as a Christmas present if you can't afford it other way

 

[Kristenn]

I would. But. My mom said my iPod Classic was my early christmas present >>

How much does the 15inch MacBook Pro logic board cost to replace?

My hard drive seems to stay at 32c I sure hope that is good =O

 

[Hellhammer]

I would. But. My mom said my iPod Classic was my early christmas present >>

How much does the 15inch MacBook Pro logic board cost to replace?

My hard drive seems to stay at 32c I sure hope that is good =O

Something like 1000$. 32c is very low Mine is constantly ~45c. Anyway, try to get money for AppleCare because it'll give you a piece of mind and if something happens, you can just call to Apple and they will pick it up and fix it.

 

[Kristenn]

$1000?

Are you sure?! I mean... Im just surprised because... my HP logic board (logic board and mother board are the same thing right? ) only costed $100 to replace when it cooked itself (well.. it still did die 2 days close to a year later after replacement ><)

It was a AMD turion 64 1.61 GHz (dual core I think)

And a Nvidia Geforce Go 7200 (256MB I think)

The video card died... but I think the AMD is what cooked it >>

Anyway... those specs are waaay old... so... is that why it was so cheap for them to repair? Because $1000 dollars is a lot ><

 

[dennis123123]

$1000?

Are you sure?! I mean... Im just surprised because... my HP logic board (logic board and mother board are the same thing right? ) only costed $100 to replace when it cooked itself (well.. it still did die 2 days close to a year later after replacement ><)

It was a AMD turion 64 1.61 GHz (dual core I think)

And a Nvidia Geforce Go 7200 (256MB I think)

The video card died... but I think the AMD is what cooked it >>

Anyway... those specs are waaay old... so... is that why it was so cheap for them to repair? Because $1000 dollars is a lot ><

Was the HP a desktop pc rather than a laptop? If so, thats why.

Laptop parts cost more to buy than desktop parts, and the other reason is... its Apple!

 

[Hellhammer]

$1000?

Are you sure?! I mean... Im just surprised because... my HP logic board (logic board and mother board are the same thing right? ) only costed $100 to replace when it cooked itself (well.. it still did die 2 days close to a year later after replacement ><)

It was a AMD turion 64 1.61 GHz (dual core I think)

And a Nvidia Geforce Go 7200 (256MB I think)

The video card died... but I think the AMD is what cooked it >>

Anyway... those specs are waaay old... so... is that why it was so cheap for them to repair? Because $1000 dollars is a lot ><

Yes, I am sure Logic boards are extremely expensive to replace because Apple charges for parts and labor. I don't know why your HP's was so cheap, may depend on company and model.

349$ is nothing compared to +1000$... Plus it's only 250$ from http://www.lacomputercompany.com/cgi-bin/rpcart/index.cgi?command=dispitem&type=sku&sku=10126

Was the HP a desktop pc rather than a laptop? If so, thats why.

Laptop parts cost more to buy than desktop parts, and the other reason is... its Apple!

No. When laptop part other than HD or screen dies, the whole mother board has to be replaced because CPU and GPU are soldered to mother board, but when desktop part dies, only that part has to be replaced (in this case GPU) which is a lot cheaper than replacing almost everything inside.

 

[Pixellated]

Modern Core2Duos can go up to 120 C. If there is any danger of the laptop cooking itself it will shut itself down to prevent that. Do not worry and panic over it. Just enjoy your Mac.

By the way: The 9600 is the dedicated and the 9400 is the shared.

 

[Kristenn]

It was a HP Laptop (15.4 inch) dv600 or 6000 I dont remember. It was a 2006 laptop. It took me FOREVER to learn Windows because I grew up using a Macintosh... but.

Hmm. I guess Apple care would basically pay for itself. But my mom is worried we will get it and the logicboard wont die. At least not in tell the extra warranty is up. Not sure why she thinks so negative. But she just does >>

Anyway. I guess if my tempts are normal and it can not really be bad for the computer then I am safe.

 

[Hellhammer]

Hmm. I guess Apple care would basically pay for itself. But my mom is worried we will get it and the logicboard wont die. At least not in tell the extra warranty is up. Not sure why she thinks so negative. But she just does >>

Anyway. I guess if my tempts are normal and it can not really be bad for the computer then I am safe.

You don't buy AppleCare in hope that your Mac is gonna die, you buy it because you want piece of mind in case that your Mac dies.

Ask your mum is she willing to pay logic board replacement if something happens. I doubt she'll say yes.

It's your call. I bought AppleCare because I wanted my iMac to last at least 3 years, no matter what happens. AppleCare also increases resale value because buyer usually wants something which is under warranty

 

[Kristenn]

I could ask her. But in the end it would be my moms call.

I plan on keeping my Macintosh longer then 3 years. Closer to 5 or 6 maybe even 8 if it will keep running any new software at a doable speed.

Then again. It depends on what comes out. I could be really tempted by something really new in 2 years and beg my mom for it >>

In that case.. selling it in 2 years with Apple care would make it sell higher for sure...

I dont know. Im so paranoid about this kind of thing. Especially after my HP logic board fried 2 times. I did not bother getting it fixed the second time though.

I think Intel runs cooler then AMD though... and Aluminum keeps computers cooler than Plastic does.. right?

 

[Pixellated]

I could ask her. But in the end it would be my moms call.

I plan on keeping my Macintosh longer then 3 years. Closer to 5 or 6 maybe even 8 if it will keep running any new software at a doable speed.

Then again. It depends on what comes out. I could be really tempted by something really new in 2 years and beg my mom for it >>

In that case.. selling it in 2 years with Apple care would make it sell higher for sure...

I dont know. Im so paranoid about this kind of thing. Especially after my HP logic board fried 2 times. I did not bother getting it fixed the second time though.

I think Intel runs cooler then AMD though... and Aluminum keeps computers cooler than Plastic does.. right?

Yup. The whole computer acts as a big heatspreader.

 

[rgarjr]

if you're so concerned about the heat then dip that laptop inside an ice chest while you play.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I could ask her. But in the end it would be my moms call.

I plan on keeping my Macintosh longer then 3 years. Closer to 5 or 6 maybe even 8 if it will keep running any new software at a doable speed.

Then again. It depends on what comes out. I could be really tempted by something really new in 2 years and beg my mom for it >>

In that case.. selling it in 2 years with Apple care would make it sell higher for sure...

I dont know. Im so paranoid about this kind of thing. Especially after my HP logic board fried 2 times. I did not bother getting it fixed the second time though.

I think Intel runs cooler then AMD though... and Aluminum keeps computers cooler than Plastic does.. right?

While AC is your mom's call, I think your mom's logic is rather failed. Frankly your mom is saying that the price she pays for something directly correlates to the propensity for it failing. This is untrue. Electronics fail no matter how much you pay for them. It could be related to the way you use something or it could be a simple hardware failure that could very well happen to any brand. Therefore, her deciding AC is not worth it seems silly to me. If I were you I would earn some cash and buy it myself. Frankly, if you're old enough to have a 15" MBP then you best be old enough to earn a couple of hundred in 5 months. I know it seems lofty but I could do that when I was between 12 and 13, I know because I did.

When someone will not buy you something that is beneficial then you should buy it yourself. This argument doesn't go for gaming consoles, iPhones, iPods etc. An extended warranty on a pricey laptop is truly beneficial.

 

[jfyrfytr25]

seriously how old are you? can you not shovel driveways this winter or something to get a few hundred?

either way know this, normal heat does not fry electrical components.
they are designed to withstand the normal heat (which to you may seem high) for extended periods of time. and they can withstand high temps not considered normal for shorter periods of time. if you laptop was getting hot to the point of damage the CPU would shut down.

you are probably paranoid because you are not used to the heat. macbook pro are notorious for getting hot, been that way for years. as long as you are not abusing your computer (and normal gameplay is not abuse) you should not worry about heat.

however, A/C you should still find a way to obtain because even though heat itself wont affect it. if there is some sort of mfg defect in it, sometimes it may not rear it's ugly head until after the 1 year is up.

find the money and buy it. if you are going to buy from somewhere like ebay, DO YOUR RESEARCH. there are legit places in there to buy, but there are also alot of people on here that got scammed. they paid their money and ended up with no warranty.

 

[FnuGk]

$1000?

Are you sure?! I mean... Im just surprised because... my HP logic board (logic board and mother board are the same thing right? ) only costed $100 to replace when it cooked itself (well.. it still did die 2 days close to a year later after replacement ><)

It was a AMD turion 64 1.61 GHz (dual core I think)

And a Nvidia Geforce Go 7200 (256MB I think)

The video card died... but I think the AMD is what cooked it >>

Anyway... those specs are waaay old... so... is that why it was so cheap for them to repair? Because $1000 dollars is a lot ><

lol thats exactly the same hp machine as mine Mine have also have horrible problems. The most serious ones happened within guarantee so it got fixed for free but now it have fried the wireless and the battery cant charge pass 9% :/ also it cant boot if plugged into the wall.

 

[MADMAXX]

Mate your owrrying about absolutely nothing. I run 3 macbooks and all of them are pounded with aperture and photoshop every day. They regularly see 100 degrees. There is **** all to worry about. 1 is 3 years old the other 2 and the new one 2 months old.

Dont worry mate. Theyre made for work. The most important thing you can do is make sure there is clean air round them. Dont rest them on cushions or on your bed or a pillow. Leave the rear vents unblocked.

MOST OF ALL. ENJOY IT. Your worrying about something that might never happen.

You sound young. Forget about worrying about your logic board.

 

[Kristenn]

Hmm. Im 13. I guess that is young compared to some here

But yes I can get a small job I think. And when I told my mom how much the logic board was she said we can look into it.

Thank you for all the help everyone. I just worry too much. Especially after what happened to my HP =O

If I do find someone that will actually pay me money to do something around here... I will try to do it. Just so I can pay for it if my mom cant. My dad is being a big meanie about helping us out too >>

 

[m85476585]

Mobile Core 2 Duos can go up to 105C safely, according to Intel.
http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLAPR

After that, they will either throttle down or force the computer to shutdown. I have heard they do not force shutdown until they reach 125C. If it reaches 105, though, there is probably something wrong.

 

[Dan73]

First off you're a smart 13 year old. I've always been more into technology since a young age but at 13 I could care less about the inside of computer and how hot things got. Thats awesome that you care about your stuff and look into it.

I don't have AppleCare for my laptop but I definitely will be getting it before the warranty expires as I play a few games on my MBP too.

So I would talk to your mom about it. Like someone else said try getting SOME money to try and pay for AppleCare if you want it. I guarantee that your mom will really appreciate if you're trying to help get it too and will probably further convince her to get it!

Good luck and enjoy your MBP!