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What should I do?

  • Stick with what you have, stop being a pain in the ___

    Votes: 17 54.8%
  • Swap it out for another i5, can't hurt?

    Votes: 1 3.2%
  • Swap it out for a 13" i7, can't get any warmer, can it?

    Votes: 7 22.6%
  • I don't know

    Votes: 6 19.4%

  • Total voters
    31

AppleGoat

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 14, 2010
655
8
I have the base 13" '11 as most of you know. Whenever I run a graphic-intensive program like Google Earth, either pan through cities or enter street view to the deliver the quasi-experience of driving, my MBP heats up to like 80s and it seems the sky is limit. I could push it over 90 C without much hassel. These problems have been well documented here. But, I've done this test on various computers at the Apple Stores. Both 13" models, and 15-inch models. And I have never been able to push them above 90 on Google Earth, perhaps I need to try harder. The 13-inch models hit the mid-80s easily, but after a while it seems like they would level off around 80 or below. Should I try to exchange mine?
 
just tried google earth for 15 mins on my 2011 mbp 13" (OS X) and the temps were about 75C on average (max I saw was 78C), fan speed stayed at 2000rpm.
 
just tried google earth for 15 mins on my 2011 mbp 13" (OS X) and the temps were about 75C on average (max I saw was 78C)

Damn, did you go into street view at all. If you had, then I have a hotter-than-normal model. Do you have the i5 or i7?
 
use Mroogle.... There's gotta be hundreds of threads on this by now. YOUR COMPUTER IS NOT OVERHEATING!!!!! These are normal temps, and if it was, the computer has this nifty little thing that shuts it down when the computer gets too hot to prevent damage to the computer.
 
Damn, did you go into street view at all. If you had, then I have a hotter-than-normal model. Do you have the i5 or i7?

yes I did go into street view, I have the i5. Id say 80C would be normal but I think 90C is a bit too much for something like google earth. what are your ambient temps like?
 
use Mroogle.... There's gotta be hundreds of threads on this by now. YOUR COMPUTER IS NOT OVERHEATING!!!!! These are normal temps, and if it was, the computer has this nifty little thing that shuts it down when the computer gets too hot to prevent damage to the computer.

Sorry to create another one of these threads, as I've read many. My question really is, "is my MacBook Pro hotter than average." And even though my computer may not shut itself down, the heat may still be wreaking havoc on my internals.
 
Sorry to create another one of these threads, as I've read many. My question really is, "is my MacBook Pro hotter than average."

No, if you're doing things with it, it'll heat up. That's how these things work. The only reason it's more noticable on the MBP is because it's an aluminum case, which conducts heat, as opposed to plastic cases, which serve to insulate the machine more. And it's not messing with your internals, because they're all built to withstand those temps. once one of them gets too hot, the machine shuts off.
 
yes I did go into street view, I have the i5. Id say 80C would be normal but I think 90C is a bit too much for something like google earth. what are your ambient temps like?

Hmm...do you think I should ask if I could exchange before my return period expires? I'm sure if I got one of the more expensive models like the 13" i7 or the base 15", and paid the difference they'd be pretty accommodating.
 
lots of apologists in these 2011 MBP 13 heat threads...

I returned my 2011 MBP 13 because 90+ degrees C seems too hot to me, whether it is technically within an acceptable "heat rage" or not.

To me, this is too hot and even if not breaking the computer immediately, prolonged heat is known to shorten the lifespan of notebook computers.

I got the 2010 MBP 15 inch refurb. for about $50 more than the 2011 13 inch MBP, and the difference in heat and fan noise is extreme, with the 2010 being much, much cooler and quieter. Maybe the CPU is not quite as fast as Sandy Bridge, so what, fast enought for me and a discrete video card also...

I can almost guarantee that there will be some sort of firmware update to deal with this problem
 
Hmm...do you think I should ask if I could exchange before my return period expires? I'm sure if I got one of the more expensive models like the 13" i7 or the base 15", and paid the difference they'd be pretty accommodating.

they should exchange it without much trouble, if you really feel like it's an issue then theres no harm trying to exchange it.
 
use Mroogle.... There's gotta be hundreds of threads on this by now. YOUR COMPUTER IS NOT OVERHEATING!!!!! These are normal temps, and if it was, the computer has this nifty little thing that shuts it down when the computer gets too hot to prevent damage to the computer.

I think correct answer is that the computer is overheating but... this is how Apple designed it (i.e. it's expected)
 
Just tried it, Google Earth street view - 84c and 3500 rpm fan

Not concerned at all
 
Just tried it, Google Earth street view - 84c and 3500 rpm fan

Not concerned at all

How hard did you push it..that seems congruent with what I experienced in the store. I usually have high 80s with the fan about 4000 RPMs, but the fan speed really fluctuates.
 
How hard did you push it..that seems congruent with what I experienced in the store. I usually have high 80s with the fan about 4000 RPMs, but the fan speed really fluctuates.

Pretty hard, was trying to get it to go to my front door but failed - lol

Bearing in mind Google Earth 3d view has to be pretty intensive on the CPU considering what it is doing
 
Pretty hard, was trying to get it to go to my front door but failed - lol

Bearing in mind Google Earth 3d view has to be pretty intensive on the CPU considering what it is doing

lol...I wish I hadn't bought online. Would make exchanging much easier, if I take that path.
 
If you are proficient with computers (hardware wise), maybe take apart your MBP and reapply the thermal paste with AC MX-4 or AS5. There are multiple threads about it that have shown improved temperatures ranging from moderate improvement to 10-20ºC. Normally, reapplying thermal paste is not necessary in most computers, but with Apple's <1" design, every degree counts and the poorly applied blobs of thermal paste on the CPU+GPU exacerbates the problem.

If the thought of taking apart your MBP for this operation is troubling to you then you can return and replace your MBP OR down a program that will keep the OS from using the discrete GPU.
 
You have 12 months warranty so if anything happens it will be fixed by Apple.

Try using a fan control app - smfancontrol or fan control to manage the fans better.

High 80's doesn't seem that hot to me considering what the machine was doing.
 
If you are proficient with computers (hardware wise), maybe take apart your MBP and reapply the thermal paste with AC MX-4 or AS5. There are multiple threads about it that have shown improved temperatures ranging from moderate improvement to 10-20ºC. Normally, reapplying thermal paste is not necessary in most computers, but with Apple's <1" design, every degree counts and the poorly applied blobs of thermal paste on the CPU+GPU exacerbates the problem.

If the thought of taking apart your MBP for this operation is troubling to you then you can return and replace your MBP OR down a program that will keep the OS from using the discrete GPU.

Yeah, I've read those threads, and I don't have the audacity or expertise to do any of that. My computer doesn't have a discrete GPU either.
 
Just been pushing mine hard on Google Earth, max I saw was 72C (didn't even feel that on my lap) the fans just hovered around 2000rpm.
 
I just got off the phone w/ Apple. Tests yielded nothing, but they are still willing to let me exchange it. Don't know if it's worth the hassle. If I do exchange maybe I should spring for the base 15" or the i7 13" to make a virtue out of necessity, but who's to say the next MacBook I get won't have the same problem.
 
Up to you really

If it was me I wouldn't be worrying over the temps you are getting.
 
Up to you really

If it was me I wouldn't be worrying over the temps you are getting.

Well, high 80s, easily up 93 degrees C with the fan revving at 4000/5000+ is a lot hotter than what others have posted here. I dont know if they are pushing their machines as hard as they claim though.
 
I just watched a 6-minute Hulu SNL spoof on Charlie Sheen in Chrome...Full Screen at 360p...computer hovered around 80-83 C...fan nothing more than 2000 RPMs
 
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