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Graphics processor temperature?

M

mbrown9412

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 11, 2011
7
0
Hi all.
I have a 2011 15" MBP with the Radeon 6750M. Recently, I downloaded a better activity monitoring system, and I noticed it happened to tell me temperature of things.

Anyhoo - I make use of this graphics card to say the least. Mainly playing Minecraft (a decently processing intensive application). While playing, my CPU temp jumps to maybe 63C - not that big a deal. However, my graphics card rockets to 73C (quite hot). Is this a problem? In a desktop I know this would be a cause for some alarm, but....

Really what I'm asking is what temperature should my GPU get to under stressful conditions, and is 73C too high?

Thanks!
 
mbrown9412 said:
Really what I'm asking is what temperature should my GPU get to under stressful conditions, and is 73C too high?
Click to expand...
No, it's not too high. 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 and fan speeds, among other things.

Unless there is a rare defect in a Mac, most temps are well within the normal operating range, considering the workload being put 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, MBs and minis). 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. PRAM/NVRAM has nothing to do with these issues, so resetting it will not help. Also, make sure you don't block the vents, which are located at the rear, near the hinge.

Learn about the fans in your Mac
Apple Portables: Operating temperature

For Flash-related issues:
 
Ah, another CPU temperature day :)


I'm actually surprised the CPU stays at 63 C, would expect it to go much higher. Also seventies on the GPU is really cool. Heavy gaming usually brings the system to around 90/80 CPU/GPU.
 
Awesome, thanks for the help guys.

As for the GPU, it seems to be able to handle the game pretty well - ~200 fps, 0% processing power, 30-40% VRAM.

For the CPU, Minecraft really doesn't use the CPU too much, maybe adds about 10% of it's total power (40% using the activity monitor rating). The game is all about putting textures on blocks.

And thanks for the overheat ranges, I didn't know they were that high. I guess I'm fine then.

Thanks!
 
Minecraft itself isn't a graphically intensive game and it is one incredible game. Keep building, keep exploring :D
 
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