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Harry-70

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 6, 2014
16
0
hi so i was watching netflix on my macbook on chrome today and i noticed that the fan goes crazy loud is this normal?
 
hi so i was watching netflix on my macbook on chrome today and i noticed that the fan goes crazy loud is this normal?
If you're not already doing so, use iStat Pro (free) or iStat Menus ($16) to get accurate readings of your temps, fan speeds, etc., rather than relying on your sense of touch or sound. A forum member has posted a copy of iStat Pro that has been "tweaked" to enhance compatibility with recent OS X versions. You can download it here.
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)
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. For Flash-related issues:
 
Typically streaming video content will cause your laptop to run hotter, and it is not uncommon for the fans to reach their highest speeds. At least in my personal experience.

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Don't use Chrome. It's the worst browser you could possibly install on your Mac, because it's a massive resource hog.

Use Safari.

Is it really? What resources particularly?
 
Typically streaming video content will cause your laptop to run hotter, and it is not uncommon for the fans to reach their highest speeds. At least in my personal experience.

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Is it really? What resources particularly?

I hear CPU.
 
Typically streaming video content will cause your laptop to run hotter, and it is not uncommon for the fans to reach their highest speeds. At least in my personal experience.

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Is it really? What resources particularly?

The CPU.

Chrome also seems to like forcing the dGPU to be active.

Netflix doesn't seem to ramp up the fans on Safari in my case.
 
Using Netflix in chrome only yeilds 8-12% CPU usage normally for me. Check to make sure you are not blocking any fan ports and that they are free of dust.
 
hi so i was watching netflix on my macbook on chrome today and i noticed that the fan goes crazy loud is this normal?

Yes it is. Netflix uses silverlight to run, which is awful on OS X. Couple that with it having to scale to retina resolutions and you get a lot of heat output.

Only thing you can do to help is to use an app like RDM to lower your display resolution while you watch the video. This will lessen the load on your system and reduce the heat generated.

OS X 10.10 Yosemite will allow netflix to run unsing HTML 5 instead of silverlight, this will completely solve the issue.
 
Yes it is. Netflix uses silverlight to run, which is awful on OS X. Couple that with it having to scale to retina resolutions and you get a lot of heat output.

Only thing you can do to help is to use an app like RDM to lower your display resolution while you watch the video. This will lessen the load on your system and reduce the heat generated.

OS X 10.10 Yosemite will allow netflix to run unsing HTML 5 instead of silverlight, this will completely solve the issue.

Yosemite's HTML 5 for netflix is so much better than silverlight! My fans don't spin up and temps don't go over 130°F when watching full HD.
 
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