Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

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
Thanks, I'll try it out later. I would imagine I'd get the same readings...Apparently, I can exchange the MacBook Pro at the Apple Store no questions ask. Even though I don't really mind the hassle, I'm wondering if I should. And also, if I did, whether I should opt for the 13 i7 or even the base 15" to make a virtue out of necessity.

I've gone back and read just about every heat thread here -- Putting aside whether it's worth it, for the record, does the i7 really run warmer?
 
...does the i7 really run warmer?

I wish I knew, too.

More specifically, I wish I knew which MBP2011 models run coolest as defined by lowest fan noise at default settings with normal use (incl. web browsing, video playback, and Windows 7 apps via vmware Fusion, but not counting things like active games or transcoding videos). (This is one of the top 3 factors that will sway my choice of model. I'm leaning toward the 2.7 i7 13" if it'd be silent & pretty fast for my normal use.)
 
I wish I knew, too.

More specifically, I wish I knew which MBP2011 models run coolest as defined by lowest fan noise at default settings with normal use (incl. web browsing, video playback, and Windows 7 apps via vmware Fusion, but not counting things like active games or transcoding videos). (This is one of the top 3 factors that will sway my choice of model. I'm leaning toward the 2.7 i7 13" if it'd be silent & pretty fast for my normal use.)

Under normal use, the 13-inch models fan runs at 2000 rpms, even though there may be a discrepancy of 10 degrees C or so.
 
More specifically, I wish I knew which MBP2011 models run coolest as defined by lowest fan noise at default settings with normal use



Mine is a 17 inch. So it's different. But for what it's worth, here's my i7 after about 3 and a half hours of web use, a few youtube videos, and I watched 2 episodes of Reno 911 in VLC. Nothing too major. It rarely gets warmer though, even when I do more strenuous tasks. About the warmest it's ever gotten, is 10C or so over this.

temps.png
 
Mine is a 17 inch. So it's different. But for what it's worth, here's my i7 after about 3 and a half hours of web use, a few youtube videos, and I watched 2 episodes of Reno 911 in VLC. Nothing too major. It rarely gets warmer though, even when I do more strenuous tasks. About the warmest it's ever gotten, is 10C or so over this.

View attachment 275532

Damn, chassis size makes quite a difference. Mine is that cool only after awaking from sleep. I think I am gonna exchange it tomorrow, doesn't hurt. I booted up my 2010 13" and it was difficult to get it up to 75 degrees C on my Google Earth stress test. Even then it was a measured build-up, one degree at a time. Whereas, my '11 just shoots up to the high 80s without much provocation.
 
Damn, chassis size makes quite a difference. Mine is that cool only after awaking from sleep. I think I am gonna exchange it tomorrow, doesn't hurt. I booted up my 2010 13" and it was difficult to get it up to 75 degrees C on my Google Earth stress test. Even then it was a measured build-up, one degree at a time. Whereas, my '11 just shoots up to the high 80s without much provocation.

I think chassis size makes a difference, but it also depends on how it's used :) I never boot into Windows, for example. I don't even have Windows. I've seen the 17 inch i7's get just as warm as the 13 inch models when in Windows. But for my uses, (web, email, light video editing, moderate to heavy photo editing when I can't get at my iMac, media such as music and videos, dvd playback, all in OS X) that's about what it runs :)

Edit: That is the reading as it sat on my desk. If I use it on my lap, the temps raise a bit as well. But not by much.
 
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 can almost guarantee that there will be some sort of firmware update to deal with this problem
There are facts and then there are opinions. You are trying to make your opinion a fact and it is not. 90C is no problem. Some of these machines do have horrible thermal paste applications, in which case take the machine back. To say that "to me it is too hot no matter what the facts are and what the CPU can really handle" is just silly. As for a firmware update to deal with high CPU temps I highly doubt it. Unless they want to underclock all the CPU's. People would not be amused with that.
 
There are facts and then there are opinions. You are trying to make your opinion a fact and it is not. 90C is no problem. Some of these machines do have horrible thermal paste applications, in which case take the machine back. To say that "to me it is too hot no matter what the facts are and what the CPU can really handle" is just silly. As for a firmware update to deal with high CPU temps I highly doubt it. Unless they want to underclock all the CPU's. People would not be amused with that.

I am under the opinion that a Cpu in a notebook that operates in the 90's C when any sort of load is put on it will not stand the test of time. Again, this is my opinion.

However, it is a fact that the temps are in the 90's C. When the machine is pushed. I had this machine for 8 days of my own testing and watched it get hot easily, and fans would ramp up to 6000 at the drop of a hat.
 
Well, I swapped out my i5 for a new one. The temperatures and everything are exactly the same. Apparently, there was nothing wrong with the original. I regret having done anything. At least, I should have sprung for an i7 to make it worth my while. Oh well.
 
Should I exchange yet another MacBook

Hi,

I'm sure most of you have been following my threads, the latest concerning overheating. Well, I grew concerned that my base 13" 2011 was going above 90 degrees on my Google Earth stress test while other owners were not experiencing such high temps. Thus, I exchanged my i5 today and the new model isn't really any different, if anything a degree or two warmer while idle (but the jury is still out on that). To assess what role ambient temperature plays, I just had the computer outside. Although it did not get to 90 or hang in the high 80s on the Google Earth stress test, I could still push my computer above 85 C in the 43 F cold.

Does it sound like I should roll the dice again and see what I get? I could go to another Apple Store to exchange it so not to embarrass myself. Third times a charm, right? Or is it a matter of principle, returning machines while the only thing amiss with them is the person who owns them.

Or I could opt for the i7 13" to make a virtue of necessity (pay the difference, of course)?

Thanks in advance.
 
Last edited:
I have absolutely no experience with the 13 inch MBP's. But from what I've read and heard, your temps are not really abnormal when pressing that machine. How often will you be pushing it to the absolute limits? If you're worried, I mean, you did spend money on it, and you need to find a solution that pleases you, or get your money back. So by all means do what you feel like would make you feel better :)

Have you thought about a size upgrade? Or at least researching it? I realize finances may not allow it/you may not want a bigger laptop, but I have heard that the larger ones run cooler by virtue of larger cases/more cooling capacity. (but I don't know for sure.) I do however, know that my 17 inch never approaches those temps, when I've worked it. And as I posted with a screenshot in another thread, it idles between 27-45 dependent on ambient temp and the surface it's on. Normal use is between 45-55 or so. It varies.
 
I have absolutely no experience with the 13 inch MBP's. But from what I've read and heard, your temps are not really abnormal when pressing that machine. How often will you be pushing it to the absolute limits? If you're worried, I mean, you did spend money on it, and you need to find a solution that pleases you, or get your money back. So by all means do what you feel like would make you feel better :)

Have you thought about a size upgrade? Or at least researching it? I realize finances may not allow it/you may not want a bigger laptop, but I have heard that the larger ones run cooler by virtue of larger cases/more cooling capacity. (but I don't know for sure.) I do however, know that my 17 inch never approaches those temps, when I've worked it. And as I posted with a screenshot in another thread, it idles between 27-45 dependent on ambient temp and the surface it's on. Normal use is between 45-55 or so. It varies.


Yeah, I have considered the 15". I'm just in love with the 13" size and don't really have the money to spend at least 600 dollars more. On normal use my 13-inchers have run between 45-55, few tabs open and such. When I have roused the 13-inchers fron sleep they are usually in the lows 30. When I was just outside before, I closed all applications and left dashboard on while the computer slowly drifted to sleep (although I made sure it didn't). Got down to 33 C before I made it do something.
 
If temperature concerns you that much then you will not be able to reduce it until you

1) Reapply the thermal paste
2) Buy a laptop cooler

90C does seem very high and uncomfortable >< I would go for number 1.
 
FWIW

I downloaded google earth and ran the guided tour on my 3 day old 2011 13" i7 macbook pro. Temps ranged from 80 to 90 degC. Fan was annoying at ~5K to 6Krpm. Processor loading was reported as ~150%. Looking at the bars that was ~ 50 to 75% across all four cores (I suppose 150% is considering it is a dual core that is 75% loaded).......

For that level of loading I am OK with the fans coming on......

Anyone get quieter performance with this kind of load??

-Lee
 
If temperature concerns you that much then you will not be able to reduce it until you

1) Reapply the thermal paste
2) Buy a laptop cooler

90C does seem very high and uncomfortable >< I would go for number 1.

Just keep in mind doing so voids your warranty. The temps here are on the high side, but are safe, and are happening under stress conditions that will not (hopefully? o_O ) be applied all the time. I'd recommend holding off on opening the machine up to do the thermal paste until warranty is out. It's a good mod to do, but is it worth the risk when your temps are normal for the machine under those conditions? Chances are small, and you'd probably be fine, it would maybe not even be noticed by Apple. But imagine it wouldn't start tomorrow, and the warranty was voided because of that, and you were just out the cash? :eek:
 
Last edited:
It's a thin metal laptop with a fast processor. Of course it's going to be hot. It's alright, just don't place it on your laptop is you don't like it.
 
While I don't have experience with the new 13" MBP, honestly, I think you are missing the forest for the trees. Yes, there are a few threads here talking about the laptop running warm but I think they are the minority.

Overheating by definition is your laptop shutting itself off because it became too hot to run anything or components are breaking because the heat sink is not doing its job, etc. Overheating is not your opinion that the laptop is running too warm, therefore swapping out one laptop after another until you find the temperate bowl of soup.

Honestly, stick with what you got, enjoy the laptop for your daily uses and if you're really concerned, get Apple Care which will take care of you for three years. I just picked up the 15" AG and I'm giving my old 2008 MBP to my parents. I took it in today cause the hinge was cracked and when the Genius noticed a flicker in the screen, he offered to replace the screen, hinge and logic board for free. Yeah, I agree they have great service and they're always there when we need them, but swapping out brand new laptops when nothing is wrong is just taking too much advantage of them.

Stress tests are great for labs and bloggers who want to share some technical data but if the laptop performs fine for your daily use, you really should just be happy with what you got and not worry too much about stress test results. If it breaks, you know it can be fixed, why waste time and resources stressing out about something that may or may not be an issue?

People can get the same paranoia when they watch too much local news that report local murders and thefts. Most people are here to solve problems - the rest are out enjoying their new toys. All I'm saying is you should give the latter a try. Ignorance can truly be a bliss and I'm sure you will be able to do a ton of cool stuff with your new laptop whether it's running at 86 or 90 degrees.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.