Brand new Macbook Pro overheating?

[tangerinefight]

I got this mac in January I believe, and have had no problems with it until the last couple of weeks. (I provided a link instead of just stating the specs because I'm still new to Macs and have no idea what would be considered useful info in this situation)

Anyway, whenever it's plugged in it starts to overheat and the fan goes like crazy. The bottom gets hot enough that I can touch it or keep it on my lap if I really want to, but it's extremely uncomfortable to the touch (I've seen other members post specific temperatures on here but I have no idea how to measure that). I don't play any games and only occasionally watch videos, and as I mentioned it's only a few months old, so I can't imagine what is causing it to do this.

The one thing that came to mind was, I have a cat who sheds a LOT, perhaps there's hair caught in the fan? I don't know if I'm comfortable taking the computer apart to clean the fan, though. I'm not confident that I'd be able to get it back together... is that likely, though? Or is there something else I should look into?

 

[GGJstudios]

Your Mac is not overheating. The Intel processors used in Macs are designed to automatically shut down to prevent damage if they truly overheat (around 100C/212F - 105C/221F, depending on your processor). iStat Pro will give you accurate readings of your temps, among other things.

Unless there is a rare defect in your Mac, your temps are well within the normal operating range, considering the workload you're putting on it. Websites with Flash content, games and other multimedia apps will put higher demand on the CPU/GPU, generating more heat. This is normal. If you're constantly putting high demands on your system, such as gaming or other multimedia tasks, expect temps to rise and fans to spin up accordingly. It's just your Mac doing its job to maintain temps within the normal range.

Your fans are always on when your Mac is on, spinning at a minimum of 2000 rpm (for MBPs) or 1800 rpm (for MBAs). They will spin faster as needed to keep temps at a safe level. If they're spinning up without increased heat, try resetting the SMC. Also, make sure you don't block the vents, which are located at the rear, near the hinge.

There is not an overheating problem with Mac portables. There is only a perceived overheating problem. That's partly due to the fact that the aluminum casing transfers heat better than some other notebook materials, so they may feel hotter to the touch than notebooks made of other materials. It may even become hot enough to be uncomfortable to rest on your lap. This, too, is normal. Because a user is unfamiliar with the heat normally generated by a Mac portable doesn't mean there's a problem with the Mac. Only on rare occasions is there a defect that causes true overheating.

Launch Activity Monitor and change "My Processes" at the top to "All Processes". Then look to see if you have any processes that are putting high demands on your CPU.

 

[dsio]

Its normal for the CPU and GPU to be running hot, if the underside is extremely uncomfortably hot, you could have an ineffective thermal interface between the chips and the heatspreaders, or a fluff filled heatsink. If that much heat is sinking into the chassis, that would tend to be abnormal.

 

[SavMBP15]

Its normal for the CPU and GPU to be running hot, if the underside is extremely uncomfortably hot, you could have an ineffective thermal interface between the chips and the heatspreaders, or a fluff filled heatsink. If that much heat is sinking into the chassis, that would tend to be abnormal.

Not at all. The name 'laptop' is a huge misnomer these days if you are watching videos, playing games, multi-tasking etc. Why? Because it is normal for a macbook pro (that has an aluminum chassis to help conduct the heat out) to become uncomfortably hot. That helps keep the insides cool, by bringing the heat out.

If you have an "ineffective thermal interface between the chips and the heatspreaders, or a fluff filled heatsink" then the result will be higher CPU/GPU temps because that stuff is not working. That will then cause the chassis to become hotter, but not before the CPU heats up. You cannot have one without the other.

Use a lap desk.

 

[stevemurrayphot]

Its 6 months old

can you not just take it back and get it looked at, while your warranty period is still active ?

 

[Resqu2]

Are you running Parallels by any chance?

 

[ratzzo]

What temperatures are you getting? Overheating would be 100C and above, these machines run naturally hot anyway.

 

[dsio]

Not at all. The name 'laptop' is a huge misnomer these days if you are watching videos, playing games, multi-tasking etc. Why? Because it is normal for a macbook pro (that has an aluminum chassis to help conduct the heat out) to become uncomfortably hot. That helps keep the insides cool, by bringing the heat out.

If you have an "ineffective thermal interface between the chips and the heatspreaders, or a fluff filled heatsink" then the result will be higher CPU/GPU temps because that stuff is not working. That will then cause the chassis to become hotter, but not before the CPU heats up. You cannot have one without the other.

Use a lap desk.

The aluminium chassis is not intended to conduct heat out of the laptop, if it were they would not have gone to such lengths to thermally isolate the heatspreader and heatsink from the chassis, open yours up and have a look for yourself. They have even gone to the trouble of designing the mounts for the heatsink and spreader assembly such that it has no direct metal contact with the aluminium casing at any point, and is supported entirely by the logic board. Its successful too, if you look at the thermal imaging picture that one of the regulars frequently posts, the heat is very isolated at the screen hinge.

With a new laptop, I'm getting 90C on the CPU, but only 36C or so on the base, that's normal. If the effectiveness of the cooling is lacking, an excess amount of heat is being absorbed by the logic board (most uncooled chips by design sink into the PCB they sit upon). It won't actually lead to dramatically higher core temps, as the normal operating range for many (especially the new ones) is already so close to the thermal throttling point that there isn't much room. Increased heat in the logic board will lead to increased heat in the chassis.

A clean heat sink and quality even thermal paste will make a difference, and especially given the fact that the OP has only recently started to notice it, this is the likely case here, unless he's been burning his crotch and not noticing since January

 

[Tydog07]

Hi there, I don't meant to hijack this thread but here are some temps. that I have incured over running my 2.2 15" MBP for the last 3 hours with iMovie stabilizing clips (341 to be exact):


Fans=6200RPM
CPU=86
GPU=62
CPU HS=53
GPU Diode=73

All are in Celsius, are these normal? Under normal idle conditions, the fans run around 2000RPM, right now it sounds like a jet engine about to take off!

 

[GGJstudios]

Hi there, I don't meant to hijack this thread but here are some temps. that I have incured over running my 2.2 15" MBP for the last 3 hours with iMovie stabilizing clips (341 to be exact):


Fans=6200RPM
CPU=86
GPU=62
CPU HS=53
GPU Diode=73

All are in Celsius, are these normal? Under normal idle conditions, the fans run around 2000RPM, right now it sounds like a jet engine about to take off!

If you're putting high demands on your CPU/GPU for extended periods as you are, those temps and fan speed are perfectly normal.

 

[AmbiguousNinja]

Hi there, I don't meant to hijack this thread but here are some temps. that I have incured over running my 2.2 15" MBP for the last 3 hours with iMovie stabilizing clips (341 to be exact):


Fans=6200RPM
CPU=86
GPU=62
CPU HS=53
GPU Diode=73

All are in Celsius, are these normal? Under normal idle conditions, the fans run around 2000RPM, right now it sounds like a jet engine about to take off!

This is normal don't worry!

 

[Dark Void]

these threads are redonkulous.

just use your computer. you'll know if there is an obvious heat related defect in your new mbp (i.e. consistently shutting down due to true overheating, melting on your lap, giving you third degree burns, etc, etc). there is no sense in posting temps when running applications. obviously they are going to be somewhat high if you are using at least semi-intensive applications.

 

[Tydog07]

If you're putting high demands on your CPU/GPU for extended periods as you are, those temps and fan speed are perfectly normal.

This is normal don't worry!

Ok, thanks, I'll post again when I've been idle with it for awhile and record the temps.

these threads are redonkulous.

just use your computer. you'll know if there is an obvious heat related defect in your new mbp (i.e. consistently shutting down due to true overheating, melting on your lap, giving you third degree burns, etc, etc). there is no sense in posting temps when running applications. obviously they are going to be somewhat high if you are using at least semi-intensive applications.

Forums are discussions, just asking a question to see if I should be concerned about anything, asking a question is a lot easier than dealing with fried parts.

 

[marc11]

Ok, thanks, I'll post again when I've been idle with it for awhile and record the temps.






Forums are discussions, just asking a question to see if I should be concerned about anything, asking a question is a lot easier than dealing with fried parts.

Yes, true. But when the same question is asked 10 times a day in 10 different threads and no one bothers to search it gets a little bothersome.

 

[Dark Void]

Forums are discussions, just asking a question to see if I should be concerned about anything, asking a question is a lot easier than dealing with fried parts.

i'm all for that sentiment, but it's just not sensible. what fried parts? the fried parts on the macbook pro that you are using and running applications on? the mbp that didn't come close to the true overheating temperatures?

if worse comes to worst, the mbp that apple would have covered if it was an obvious defect, especially considering it's new?

do yourself a favor and just use it, if there is something actually wrong with it you'll know, rather than your perception of what it should be running at under the usage of imovie.

 

[Tydog07]

Yes, true. But when the same question is asked 10 times a day in 10 different threads and no one bothers to search it gets a little bothersome.

I'm sure glad I didn't start a new thread by your rules!

i'm all for that sentiment, but it's just not sensible. what fried parts? the fried parts on the macbook pro that you are using and running applications on? the mbp that didn't come close to the true overheating temperatures?

if worse comes to worst, the mbp that apple would have covered if it was an obvious defect, especially considering it's new?

do yourself a favor and just use it, if there is something actually wrong with it you'll know, rather than your perception of what it should be running at under the usage of imovie.

Point well taken!

 

[marc11]

I'm sure glad I didn't start a new thread by your rules!




Point well taken!

Nope you didn't but the OP did and you jumped on the hot computer band wagon.

 

[dealmaker]

Are you running Parallels by any chance?

I have the same issue with my 8 week old 15" MBP.

I'm not sure but I think the problem may have got worse since 10.6.8 was installed??

Anyway - I have got Parallels running - but the CPU usage is light and the CPU rarely gets above 72 C - but the fans are always running at or near max speed??? Case also seems much hotter than my last 13" machine - (the fans on which never seemed to be audible - that one was running VMware and was much lower spec).

I have tried the SMC reset several times - but to no avail.

Getting a bit sick of it now TBH - the fans are going like crazy for no apparent reason??

By the way I just used the "Processes" monitoring function of iStat and it says that the "Dock" is running at 99% - I wonder if that is because of Parallels??

edited to add - I've just found the solution - for me anyway - on this thread - and yes it relates to Parallels :

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=12848591#post12848591