App to control fan as f(temp)

[ronswanson]

Is there any app to set the rpm of a 2012 MBA fan as a function of the temperature?

I find the built-in settings not aggressive enough for my 13" i7 .. the laptop is cool to the touch but I dont want to keep hitting 100 C when running scientific computing programs with the fan running only at 4000.

Would rather hear a whirr than be throttled.

 

[needfx]

Is there any app to set the rpm of a 2012 MBA fan as a function of the temperature?

I find the built-in settings not aggressive enough for my 13" i7 .. the laptop is cool to the touch but I dont want to keep hitting 100 C when running scientific computing programs with the fan running only at 4000.

Would rather hear a whirr than be throttled.

i just googled this. never tried it

http://www.eidac.de/?p=243

and this small conversation

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4242808?start=0&tstart=0

 

[mrsir2009]

Yep, there's an application exactly for that called SMC Fan Control. And if you want more information about how to cool your Mac down check out this page. Good luck!

 

[Zedsdead185]

I second the SMCfancontrol. I've used it on every install on all of my macbooks I've owned. Even on some of desktop macs. Proven invaluable several times

 

[ronswanson]

thanks but smc is not good

thanks for the replies!

I have been using SMC Fan Control for years as well but it is incapable of doing what I asked for. All SMC does is change the minimum RPM of the fan with complete disregard for what temperature or load the CPU is at. I got tired of directing SMC to speed up the fans everytime I do something intensive and that's why I asked for an automated program that will increase the minimum RPM as the temperature rises.

Obviously Apple does this for you but it is not close to being aggressive enough.

 

[mrsir2009]

thanks for the replies!

I have been using SMC Fan Control for years as well but it is incapable of doing what I asked for. All SMC does is change the minimum RPM of the fan with complete disregard for what temperature or load the CPU is at. I got tired of directing SMC to speed up the fans everytime I do something intensive and that's why I asked for an automated program that will increase the minimum RPM as the temperature rises.

Obviously Apple does this for you but it is not close to being aggressive enough.

Is there any specific reason why you don't want the computer heating up? Do you use it on your lap when you preform intensive tasks?

 

[ronswanson]

Is there any specific reason why you don't want the computer heating up? Do you use it on your lap when you preform intensive tasks?

Huh? No, I don't use it on my lap but huh? I don't want my CPU running hot just because..

well, ok, being serious, the CPU is throttled once it gets close to 100 C - i.e my expensive i7 computer will run slower than a computer half its cost, completely defeating the point of having a fast computer to run my scientific tasks.

 

[mrsir2009]

Huh? No, I don't use it on my lap but huh? I don't want my CPU running hot just because..

well, ok, being serious, the CPU is throttled once it gets close to 100 C - i.e my expensive i7 computer will run slower than a computer half its cost, completely defeating the point of having a fast computer to run my scientific tasks.

Have you thought about getting a cooling pad?

 

[asting]

Huh? No, I don't use it on my lap but huh? I don't want my CPU running hot just because..

well, ok, being serious, the CPU is throttled once it gets close to 100 C - i.e my expensive i7 computer will run slower than a computer half its cost, completely defeating the point of having a fast computer to run my scientific tasks.

I assure you if it's being throttled then the fan should be at full speed. It won't run the fan at half speed and throttle... If it is doing that it sounds like you have a defective machine.

 

[ronswanson]

Have you thought about getting a cooling pad?

Ok, this is getting really weird.. a cooling pad for an ultraportable 3 lb laptop?

As for throttling, yes, the fans do run at full speed when I get to 100 C - but not before. That is the problem. There are other detailed reviews of the i7 vs i5 online who found the same thing, so it's not just my machine. Apple seems to have come down heavily on the side of keeping your machine quiet. Hence they wait until it is almost too late to really crank up the fan. With manual control using SMC Fan Control, I found I was able to do much better and keep the max CPU temperature for a given intensive calculation 10 - 15 C less than Apple would achieve.

My OP was just asking for a program that could do this for me without manual intervention.. anyway, I think UltraFan, made by someone on this forum, might be the answer I was looking for.