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Are MacBooks really THAT hot?

heatmiser said:
That conduction is *exactly* why the Macbook Pro is far more likely to scorch your lap than the Macbook. What's more likely to burn you? Putting your hand on a glass plate sitting on top of a lit stove, or putting your hand on a metal plate on top of said stove? :D
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I would like to point out. that glass is actually a good conductor of heat. its right up there with aluminum.
 
The bottom of my MBP enclosure is at 95 degrees F. I've gotten it to 105 gaming but since then I started using a targus cooling pad. Now my machine is always 95 or less. It's should also be noted that I have the marware protection pack and a speck hard shell installed on my MBP which doesn't make it any easier to cool.

I was worried about all the negative things that everyone said about how hot these computers get but I haven't had any problems. People on here are too negative about everything.
 
The first batch of MacBooks are definitely the hottest, I have one which I ordered upon release and its very hot, fans fire up all the time (Great machine though).

My brother has a MacBook (Black) and it runs significantly cooler. Basically a MacBook purchased now shouldn't be too hot, probably the same as a standard modern laptop.
 
I have a PowerBook and the only area that REALLY gets hot is right where the screen joins to the computer. Both top and bottom. But that part is usually over my knees or in the air.


What you might think about doing is getting a nice ergonomic chair, and a laptop stand / external keyboard and mouse for your laptop. Thats what ive done and I like it ALOT better.
 
My BlackBook doesn't get ridiculously hot and often sits between 47-49C when im using mail, iTUnes, Safari and Adium. Heavy Safari use though. In fact the hottest component is Airport at 53C....everything else is between 33-48C and my room is heated.

I have the SR model by the way
 
In our schools library we have 60+ MacBooks that we use and I've never used one that was hot. I use them for an hour and a half everyday.
 
After multiple hours of use, my Macbook only gets hot on the left underside. It does get pretty darn hot... However, I feel absolutely no heat what-so-ever on my palms. :apple:
 
I have a 17" MBP 2.33 C2D. The top of the case never gets hot except for the thin strip between the keyboard and the screen.

The bottom of the case gets warm to hot when in heavy use (ie when the fans decide to come on). I use it on my lap all the time. In the winter time, when I have jeans on, I don't even notice it.

In the summer time though, with shorts, or whatever, the heat can be annoying. Not enough to burn you, but hot enough to be unfomfortable. Putting pretty much anything between you and the bottom of the case takes care of it.

That said, the performance difference between your iBook and any intel mac is well worth a little bit of heat...
 
They can get pretty hot.

Here's mine while running a command that will use the maximum of the processor, it gets to that temps also when Im playing Unreal Tournament 2004 or when Im working with lots and lots apps at the same time (safari, pages, keynote, word, adium, itunes etc.) It doesn't bother me now because I have her on a podium, but before that the heat could get pretty annoying.

-Victor
 

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Can you borrow somebody's MB or MBP and use it for a few hours? It would be worth it to try it out and see if it's comfortable. I mean, everybody's threshold and sensitivity to heat are gonna be different.

Here is a thought. Something that's 50 plus degrees C probably has no place on your lap for extended periods of time! It's why they don't call 'em "laptops" anymore. They burn you slowly!

Personally I'd either keep it on the desk or invest in a protective pad or something.
 
is ok

On the bottom, the hottest parts are under the LCD and on the left side.
On the front, your wrists will be ok :) Just like your old laptop, it will get hotter on the left where the HDD is.
 
I have owned both a macbook pro and a macbook, and have done video editing and photoshop, as well as heavy garage band use, and can tell you for a fact:

the macbook pro got hot as hell, especially above the F keys. I don't know if this was because my mbp was first gen; that may have been fixed by now.
I now have a blackbook and the thing is great at keeping cool. I haven't been uncomfortable using it whatsoever. I've been very pleased with it.

Hope that helps!
 
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