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How to cool down my MBP

T

torabora

macrumors member
Original poster
Whats the best app for cooling down my macbook pro? I came across 2 so far, Fan Control and smcFanControl?

I need to know the idle settings for a Macbook Pro with a 2.33 Core 2 Duo processor
 
torabora said:
Whats the best app for cooling down my macbook pro? I came across 2 so far, Fan Control and smcFanControl? I need to know the idle settings for a Macbook Pro with a 2.33 Core 2 Duo processor
Click to expand...

Forgive my curiosity (no solution) but why are you worried about your MBP running hot? I have one and it runs cool and the fan only comes on when I am ripping movies or something... and even then it doesn't get super hot.
 
I read that they run hot and when I'm put them on my lap they burn!! and I'm doing basic stuff like web browsing and maybe watching a video and chatting
 
torabora said:
I read that they run hot and when I'm put them on my lap they burn!! and I'm doing basic stuff like web browsing and maybe watching a video and chatting
Click to expand...

In cases like that I find it helpful to put it in the freezer cools it down in no time.

Seriously though I don't use either but Fan Control and smcFanControl are the most popular I have heard of. They seem to work the best, but I cannot speak from experience.
 
torabora said:
I read that they run hot and when I'm put them on my lap they burn!! and I'm doing basic stuff like web browsing and maybe watching a video and chatting
Click to expand...

Wow. It shouldn't get THAT hot just poking around the web.

Anway, what I have is a plastic cutting board. I bought it at Linens 'N Things for $10.

My Mac has a flat bottom. I bought the cutting board for a PC I had. It had fans on the bottom so if I put it on something soft like cloth, my skin, the bed... it would block the fans. I needed a FLAT surface for my PC.

Try one of those thin (3/8") white lexan (?) cutting boards. It will keep you and your Mac very cool! 😎
 
how can I measure my laptops temperature? is their a widget or app?

I keep my notebook flat on the bed, is that blocking the fans?
 
thestaton said:
get an iLap best 50 bucks ever!! couple that with smc fan control and you are in business.
Click to expand...
Excellent advice -- I use both and have no problems with my MBP making me sterile. 😱 😀

I like the latest smcFanControl because it runs in the status bar at the top of the screen and is always showing the temperature/fan speeds.
 
I personally like smcFancontrol. It lets you independently control it as you wish, if you don't want to light your legs on fire, crank er' up to 6000RPM and it'll be nice and cool.

Theres my $.02
 
Current fans speed - right, 1998 left, 1999rpm (without smcControl)
what should I set them too?

Temperature - CPU A, 135

for the widget what does Cycles stand for?

Thanks guys!

at 6000 it does cool down, a lot, but is it safe to put on my lap or will I still become sterile?
 
torabora said:
Current fans speed - right, 1998 left, 1999rpm (without smcControl)
what should I set them too?

Temperature - CPU A, 135

for the widget what does Cycles stand for?

Thanks guys!

at 6000 it does cool down, a lot, but is it safe to put on my lap or will I still become sterile?
Click to expand...

At 6000 I think it will still be hot to the touch.

A thing that I am worried about is constantly having the fans roaring. I've heard stories on the Apple support website of fans going out after constant use. Make sure you do not place the laptop on a bed or pillow when doing intense stuff, the laptop will begin to heat up.

i'd refer to the thread I made a couple days ago about the hottness of my MBP.
Here it is: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/300785/
 
FF, is your MBP Core Duo or Core 2 Duo?

I returned three Core Duos and waited until the Core 2 Duos came out because the Core Duos were wayyyyyyyyyyy too hot for me to comfortably use.

My Core 2 Duo only gets warm to the touch when I'm recharging the battery and doing some CPU intensive at the same time.
 
at 6000, its alot cooler but still hot when doing basic stuff

for the iLap if I get the one for the lap not the desk can I still use it with a desk?
 
I've gotten my CPU core temp down to about 35-37 degrees celsius at 6000 RPM, at that fan speed, the MBP shell is usually room temperature, I've even had it where the case between the keyboard and the monitor is cool to th touch.
 
I prop up the back of my MBP on two coasters, works pretty well. Form even better cooling put the corners on 4 coasters (1 per corner, and aim a fan at it.

Ghetto, but works. For the lap, I use a cutting board with coasters. If you have extra coasters and an extra cutting board, use superglue to put them in the desired position, then just a little of that shelf liner stuff that keeps things from sliding around on each coaster.

There you have it, the Redneck MBP laptop cooler.

Brian
 
bmcgonag said:
I prop up the back of my MBP on two coasters, works pretty well. Form even better cooling put the corners on 4 coasters (1 per corner, and aim a fan at it.
Click to expand...

On that same note, I've also gone out to the garage and gotten some slim pieces of wood (1"W x 0.25" thick) and cut them to the right length to go front to back underneath the MBP. I found it helps alot with the cooling. After the first few weeks doing some rendering work on a church recording I found that a significant amount of heat was bleeding through my desks work surface. Noticed it when I put my feet up to check out my handiwork and watch the video. I was surprised there wasn't a scorch mark on the desk!
 
TheJayWay said:
On that same note, I've also gone out to the garage and gotten some slim pieces of wood (1"W x 0.25" thick) and cut them to the right length to go front to back underneath the MBP. I found it helps alot with the cooling. After the first few weeks doing some rendering work on a church recording I found that a significant amount of heat was bleeding through my desks work surface. Noticed it when I put my feet up to check out my handiwork and watch the video. I was surprised there wasn't a scorch mark on the desk!
Click to expand...

I've been thinking of doing that, but don't have the tools handy here to cut the wood. Woold like to make a couple of slanted slats with upward stops at the front to glue to the cutting board. Then it's good for lap, desk, whatever.

Brian
 
what is generally considered a safe temperature for my mbp to run at? right now its at 80 C at 2726 rpms.
 
Thats about as high as I like to see mine creep up to. Mine idles at about 45 celsius and 1200-1300 rpm. Usually when mine gets up to 80-85 degrees the fans are howling away nicely.
 
I was always under the impression that somebody a lot smarter than me programmed my computer to keep itself cool. Maybe I'm just naive. Yes the computer feels hot, but the fact that it has at least 5 built in thermometers makes me assume that it knows what is an appropriate temperature to run at.
 
switcher168 said:
I was always under the impression that somebody a lot smarter than me programmed my computer to keep itself cool. Maybe I'm just naive. Yes the computer feels hot, but the fact that it has at least 5 built in thermometers makes me assume that it knows what is an appropriate temperature to run at.
Click to expand...

Problem is the people that applied the thermal paste on some of the MacBook Pros weren't too bright or were mis-informed.
 
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