Extreme heat when gaming? Simple fix :)

The OP didn't ask for an alternative so I'm not going to waste my time thinking one up for him. He seems satisfied with his solution but that doesn't mean we can't ridicule him for it.

That's debatable as ridiculing in a post, like your earlier suggestion to "pee" on his Mac, is against the MacRumors terms of service.
 
A better fix: use smcFanControl before booting into Boot Camp. It's a known fact that fan control sucks in Boot Camp and the fans are very delayed. My early 2008 MBP used to shut off due to overheating when I gamed in Boot Camp. If I set my fans to run high before booting into Windows, there was no problem.
 
That's debatable as ridiculing in a post, like your earlier suggestion to "pee" on his Mac, is against the MacRumors terms of service.

Where did I suggest that the OP urinate on his Mac? I said I did. Reading comprehension fail.
 
Heat is not an issue, and has no appreciable effect on the life of your machine.

I have to disagree with you here. Heat is an issue. If the computer isn't shutting down, probably no big deal, but to make the blanket statement that heat isn't and issue and has no appreciable effect on the life of a computer is just wrong.
 
...but to make the blanket statement that heat isn't and issue and has no appreciable effect on the life of a computer is just wrong.

Good thing I never made that statement. For electronic components with lifetimes rated in decades, the effect of running your machine at high temperature will be negligible. Lifetime depreciation ~2 orders of magnitude less than the expected life of the component is negligible.
 
Simply take the bottom plate of the MacBook Pro off and you're good to go.

I have an alternate solution ( not that I do any gaming or have any temp problems on my macbook air ... although when you convert DVD's using handbrake it does get warm ).

Get a small but efficient fan that's not real noisy. Get one that you can easily point and orient near the back of your machine.

Use that when your temps are running hotter than you like. It will help cool the aluminum body some and also increase airflow ( to some minor extent probably ) inside the machine if you do it right.
 
Well actually you did say that heat has no affect on the life of your machine.

If you actually read the post you quoted, you would clearly see I said it has "no appreciable effect", which is quite different from "no effect." Kind of like how saying something is "almost free" is different than saying it is "free."

Sorry to point out your obvious error.
 
With some designs (mostly in desktops), the case serves as a duct that makes sure the air gets from the fan to the CPU. Cutting holes into the case would distort the airflow and reduce the amount of fresh air that gets to the CPU. Given the layout of the MBP, I doubt this is an issue (and your results show that it is not).

It's a rather unconventional but also smart solution. But you should understand that it doesn't classify as "solution" for everyone, in particular since you loose mobility.

If you go through with cutting out parts of the base plate, I would like to see it ;)

Don't mean to be a nerd but you're wrong.

You laptop will run cooler with the cover off than it would with the cover on.

With the cover on, the machine relies on radiation (and the occasional conduction if it's in direct contact with a cooler object) to dissipate heat; but with the cover off, it's all convection.

However, you are right about one thing, cutting holes in a laptop's cover is sure to disrupt the airflow scheme. However, this doesn't apply to the Macbook Pro as there isn't any significant inner to outer airflow. You see, heat dissipation with the cover on doesn't rely on any convection whatsoever.

Now besides all the physics, it's just common sense really ... You're exposing a hot object to a cooler ambient environment ... How can you argue that it will hinder the cooling? Lol?
 
Don't mean to be a nerd but you're wrong.

You laptop will run cooler with the cover off than it would with the cover on.

With the cover on, the machine relies on radiation (and the occasional conduction if it's in direct contact with a cooler object) to dissipate heat; but with the cover off, it's all convection.

However, you are right about one thing, cutting holes in a laptop's cover is sure to disrupt the airflow scheme. However, this doesn't apply to the Macbook Pro as there isn't any significant inner to outer airflow. You see, heat dissipation with the cover on doesn't rely on any convection whatsoever.

Now besides all the physics, it's just common sense really ... You're exposing a hot object to a cooler ambient environment ... How can you argue that it will hinder the cooling? Lol?

So you are simply casting fluid mechanics to the wayside.
 
Don't mean to be a nerd but you're wrong.

You laptop will run cooler with the cover off than it would with the cover on.

With the cover on, the machine relies on radiation (and the occasional conduction if it's in direct contact with a cooler object) to dissipate heat; but with the cover off, it's all convection.

However, you are right about one thing, cutting holes in a laptop's cover is sure to disrupt the airflow scheme. However, this doesn't apply to the Macbook Pro as there isn't any significant inner to outer airflow. You see, heat dissipation with the cover on doesn't rely on any convection whatsoever.

Now besides all the physics, it's just common sense really ... You're exposing a hot object to a cooler ambient environment ... How can you argue that it will hinder the cooling? Lol?

Have you ever seen a heat sink? They are designed to do exactly what you say doesn't work - utilize a combination of conduction/convection.

The reason the fan is there in the first place? Convection, bathing the heat sink with cooler air allowing for convection heat transfer.

The laptop does... not rely on radiation heat transfer, lol. It'd burn up fairly quickly if the only cooling mechanism was radiation.

Don't mean to be a nerd but you're wrong.
 
Good thing I never made that statement. For electronic components with lifetimes rated in decades, the effect of running your machine at high temperature will be negligible. Lifetime depreciation ~2 orders of magnitude less than the expected life of the component is negligible.

Since when is the lifetime of a computer rated in decades?
 
Don't mean to be a nerd but you're wrong.

You laptop will run cooler with the cover off than it would with the cover on.

With the cover on, the machine relies on radiation (and the occasional conduction if it's in direct contact with a cooler object) to dissipate heat; but with the cover off, it's all convection.

However, you are right about one thing, cutting holes in a laptop's cover is sure to disrupt the airflow scheme. However, this doesn't apply to the Macbook Pro as there isn't any significant inner to outer airflow. You see, heat dissipation with the cover on doesn't rely on any convection whatsoever.

Now besides all the physics, it's just common sense really ... You're exposing a hot object to a cooler ambient environment ... How can you argue that it will hinder the cooling? Lol?

If you read my posting carefully, I explicitly stated that this applies to some designs and in particular (mostly in desktops). I have also explicitly said that Given the layout of the MBP, I doubt this [changing the air flow] is an issue. But thanks for reading anyways.

----------

Since when is the lifetime of a computer rated in decades?

Because they usually refuse to break, so you have to find other justifications to buy a new one. Decades might be stretching it, but in my university we have rooms full of old computers (5-10 years) that were too slow for some desktop users, but keep running and are being used for calculations (probably a waste of energy).

Some computing labs in universities look more like PC museums... easy to find sun workstations and other relics there.
 
I have a 1st gen so it only has a Core Duo and even worse heat dissipation than the newer models.
When I'm doing anything CPU or GPU intense I put a damp washcloth under the computer to soak up the heat. Since there aren't any vents or holes on the bottom face under the logic board it doesn't hurt anything and really helps keep it cool.
 
Think of all the dust thats going to get in your Mac. Also, you'd better be really sure about what you are setting it down on, you could either short something, burn yourself, or get something onto the sensitive underbelly that could render your machine broken and devoid of warranty.


Dust is gonna get in there regardless. At least the cover can be removed for clean out. Try cleaning out an iMac.

Possible shorting might be a real concern though.
 
Have you ever seen a heat sink? They are designed to do exactly what you say doesn't work - utilize a combination of conduction/convection.

The reason the fan is there in the first place? Convection, bathing the heat sink with cooler air allowing for convection heat transfer.

The laptop does... not rely on radiation heat transfer, lol. It'd burn up fairly quickly if the only cooling mechanism was radiation.

Don't mean to be a nerd but you're wrong.

Right the heat sink dissipates heat from the CPU and GPU via the heat sink, but how do you think that heat leaves the relatively air tight unibody enclosure?

I'm talking about the laptop as a whole, not just the processor. When the fan moves the hot air from the CPU where do you think it goes exactly? You think it leave the unibody enclosure via convection?

Anyway, point is the laptop will cool better without a bottom than with one screwed on.

I'm not a mechanical engineer, I'm electrical but even I know this.
 
If you read my posting carefully, I explicitly stated that this applies to some designs and in particular (mostly in desktops). I have also explicitly said that Given the layout of the MBP, I doubt this [changing the air flow] is an issue. But thanks for reading anyways.

----------



Because they usually refuse to break, so you have to find other justifications to buy a new one. Decades might be stretching it, but in my university we have rooms full of old computers (5-10 years) that were too slow for some desktop users, but keep running and are being used for calculations (probably a waste of energy).

Some computing labs in universities look more like PC museums... easy to find sun workstations and other relics there.

My friend still has a functional IMSAI, from when he first started. I have a couple other friends/coworkers who keep their old relics. C-128, Atari 2600, a couple DEC. I agree, quite a few machine can last a very long time.

---

Some of the arrogance and ignorance I've seen in the Macbook Pro sub-forum is downright scary. I think it's the evolution of the Holiday Inn commercials "No, I'm not a doctor...but I did buy a Macbook Pro the other day". The only saving grace is there clearly are also others here who are knowledgeable.
 
Right the heat sink dissipates heat from the CPU and GPU via the heat sink, but how do you think that heat leaves the relatively air tight unibody enclosure?

I'm talking about the laptop as a whole, not just the processor. When the fan moves the hot air from the CPU where do you think it goes exactly? You think it leave the unibody enclosure via convection?

Anyway, point is the laptop will cool better without a bottom than with one screwed on.

I'm not a mechanical engineer, I'm electrical but even I know this.


Dude, you just potentially created a dead air space. That can be even worse as it doesn't channel the air properly through the system and now you could introduce hot spots in portions of the vent system that you can't measure because there aren't temp sensors everywhere. I'm not saying that is the case here, but in all likelihood it is. It would server you well to just stop posting about this subject.
 
Dude, you just potentially created a dead air space. That can be even worse as it doesn't channel the air properly through the system and now you could introduce hot spots in portions of the vent system that you can't measure because there aren't temp sensors everywhere. I'm not saying that is the case here, but in all likelihood it is. It would server you well to just stop posting about this subject.

You're telling me, if the entire bottom of the laptop is exposed to air that it could potentially overheat more than if the cover is on?

Do you actually believe the stuff that you're saying? Potentially is not good enough, this is common sense ... Cool air moving on a hot object dissipates heat, and without the bottom cover, you have more cubic feet of air to move the heat.

Sure the airflow isn't predictable and as such might not as streamlined as with the cover on, but the sheer volume of air moving across the bottom of the computer will more than compensate for this.
 
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