late 2011 macbook pro too hott?

H

happle

macrumors 6502a
i have a late 15" 2011 macbook pro 2.4ghz i7 quad with the 6770m.

the thing tends to run at 110-125F when browsing the internet and doing small tasks. 120-140F when watching youtube vids. but i just installed a game and for some reason the agent was taking an average of 30% of all cores of the cpu. the macbook went up to 189F. i believe the macbook shuts off at 210F, correct? is 189F too hot for short periods of time? long im assuming it could be?

also is my macbook pro defective? it seems to run very normal while doing most things but as soon as my cpu is at an average of 30% it gets really hott. i never have even come close to using 100% cpu on this thing even with many tracks and external plugins running in logic pro. are these mbp's simply just this way? it seems that they have too much power under the hood and not enough cooling if so...cant even use 100% cpu without overheating id imagine.

any comments?
 
Your temps sound normal for the workload you're running. The Intel processors used in Macs are designed to automatically shut down to prevent damage if they truly overheat. CPU Tjmax = 105C (221F), GPU Tjmax = 100C (212F) on i3, i5, i7 processors. (Source: Intel)

If you're not already using it, iStat Pro (free) or iStat Menus ($16) 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.

It is also quite normal for your Mac to become extremely hot to the touch during intensive operations. The aluminum body transfers heat more effectively than other materials used in computer casings, so you will feel the heat more. This doesn't indicate that it's overheating and will not harm the computer to be hot to the touch.

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). iMacs have 3 fans with minimum speeds in the 800-1200 range. They will spin faster as needed to keep temps at a safe level.

If your fans are spinning up without increased heat, try resetting the SMC.
(PRAM/NVRAM has nothing to do with these issues, so resetting it will not help.)

The intake and exhaust vents are in the back of the computer near the hinge on all Mac notebooks (except the new MBP with retina display, which has intake vents along the sides at the bottom). The iMac vent is a slot on the back near the top of the computer. Make sure the vents remain unblocked to allow your computer to perform at its best.

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

For Flash-related issues:
 
It's fine to run at 189. When I use handbrake on my 2010, I run at 190 for hours straight fans blaring lol. Still runs like a champ.
 
but getting this hot at roughly 30% cpu load? doesnt seem right does it?

but yeah like i said my mac seems to be running fine besides that. currently 104F while browsing, listening to music, just watched a video 2 mins ago. 68F room temp.

but as soon as my mac gets up to 30-40% total cpu it runs 170-189F...

thanks for the fast replies guys.

edit; btw GGStudios i use menumeters and fan control to view my temps and control my fans. and i do have all the latest updates for flash and what not. my only concern was those high of temps with only 30%ish cpu load. thanks for the awesome reply tho man. you have helped me so many times. the world needs more people like you.
 
happle said:
but getting this hot at roughly 30% cpu load? doesnt seem right does it?

but yeah like i said my mac seems to be running fine besides that. currently 104F while browsing, listening to music, just watched a video 2 mins ago. 68F room temp.

but as soon as my mac gets up to 30-40% total cpu it runs 170-189F...

thanks for the fast replies guys.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's really not a problem. When mine runs at 20% for a sustained amount of time it will start to heat up. Macs run hot and it's safe for all the internals as long as the fans are crankin.
 
The fan is suppose to speed up with temp, so if it looks like is doing that then is peachy. If u feel like it u can always give it a cleaning and a new fan.
 
ECUpirate44 said:
Yeah, it's really not a problem. When mine runs at 20% for a sustained amount of time it will start to heat up. Macs run hot and it's safe for all the internals as long as the fans are crankin.
Click to expand...

alright, thanks for relieving my anxieties.

Mrbobb said:
The fan is suppose to speed up with temp, so if it looks like is doing that then is peachy. If u feel like it u can always give it a cleaning and a new fan.
Click to expand...

the mac is just a year old and i've taken good care of it i dont think it needs new fans and i just cleaned the fans out about a month ago.

and yes ofcoarse my fans adjust with the temp, i have them set with fancontrol to speed up a little quicker than stock. stock seems to keep the fans low until the macbook gets really hott, then they will ramp up to 4-5k. having them run at like 3k rpms when 140F keeps it at a steady temp.
 
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