Mac has high temperature while running games, is this a concern?

[Gst95]

Hello,

So I've recently started testing a game (Skyrim Special Edition, on Bootcamp to be exact) on both my Macs, one of which is an iMac and the other a MacBook Pro. Now, I'm perfectly aware that Macs aren't really designed for gaming, and while I have considered something a little more specialised for such a need, such things tend to be expensive.

That said, the game works surprisingly quite well on my Mac performance-wise, even at higher settings (though high resolutions tend to cause slowdowns). The one thing that concerns me, is the heat. While running these games on either Macs, the fan tends to get rather loud and the back/bottom (where the CPU is presumably located) feels like a radiator. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but it does get a bit hot, though according to the Task Manager the CPU usage is between 65% and 75% while running the game. For further perspective, here are the specs of both machines.

Macbook Air:

iMac:

Now I'm no expert on the inner-workings of Macs, but from what I understand, is it true they have things built in place to turn it off if it gets to a temperature that's unsustainable? If so, this is quite reassuring to me. Really though, I'm more concerned about the long-term effects, namely that extended usage of the machine at such high temperatures will cause the inner-components (be it the fan or the CPU) to deteriorate and wear over time.

Based on all this information (if you need any more, I'll try to provide), is it safe to run games on my Macs that may be demanding?

 

[wilberforce]

The CPU (and GPU) will throttle (i.e., reduce its clock frequency) if it gets too hot, moreover the OS will assign CPU resources to a dummy process (via kernel_task) to reduce load on the CPU if necessary.
Basically, the Mac will not overheat if it produces more heat than the fans can remove, instead it will just slow down.
People do not "like" the idea of the CPU running continuously at ~100C, but it is designed to do so. (It is fabricated at much higher temperatures.)
You don't have anything to worry about for game use, within reason.
Fans are moving parts, and thus do not have infinite life, and get clogged with dust reducing their effectiveness (which will just result in further slow downs, not overheating.) Continuously subjecting the battery to high temperatures may shorten the battery life.

 

[DeltaMac]

If that is YOUR iMac - I think your game would probably be helped out with more RAM. 8GB is a bit on the edge now, and doubling that is a reasonable purchase, with a quick upgrade (probably less than 2 minutes, even with no tech experience)

 

[Gst95]

If that is YOUR iMac - I think your game would probably be helped out with more RAM. 8GB is a bit on the edge now, and doubling that is a reasonable purchase, with a quick upgrade (probably less than 2 minutes, even with no tech experience)

Yes, that is my iMac. Like I said, the game runs reasonably well actually (at 60fps with high settings at 1080p resolution), it's more the heating issue I was concerned about. However, it's not as noticable on the iMac than it is on the MacBook (though I guess that's expected since it's a more compact device).

Maybe upgrading the RAM would be a benefit (seems pretty straightforward watching videos), but I can't see it being a priority at this moment since I'm trying to save a bit of cash.

 

[DeltaMac]

I think if you want to game on your 16-inch Intel, you get to expect that you will "feel the heat"
It's aluminum, so a pretty good heat transfer, and the heat sink is doing its job.
If the heat still concerns you, shop for some kind of laptop "coolpad"
Don't game on any kind of soft surface, and be careful of anything that will block airflow, even a little.

I really am just guessing that adding RAM will help on the iMac -- but, you have 16GB on the MBPro, and only 8GB on the iMac.
Well, it's something to think about, eh?

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Macs are designed to work within a specific thermal envelope. a CAD program or Blender will heat your iMac up just as much as a videogame will, if not more, as CAD / Blender will use every cycle it can grab. Nothing to worry about for sure.

I play games all the time on my 2020 iMac. It can easily output 1440p/60FPS at max settings for every game I’ve tried (Cyberpunk 2077, Dark Souls III, Sekiro, Elden Ring). 4K gaming results in 40-45FPS so I don’t use that setting too much.

 

[EvilMonk]

Get a fan control app like TGPro… I have it on my Macs and it prevent them from having the CPU and GPU always throttling…

 

[Gst95]

Get a fan control app like TGPro… I have it on my Macs and it prevent them from having the CPU and GPU always throttling…

The thing is I run games on Windows (via BootCamp), and TGPro only seems available for the Mac OS.

 

[LeeW]

Macs are designed to work within a specific thermal envelope.

That is every device, not just Macs.

 

[Diablo360]

I wouldn’t be concerned. Every Intel Mac I’ve owned has run a little hot while performing tasks

 

[Aston441]

When I opened up my 2011 MBA to replace the battery, I cleaned 11 years of dust off the cooling fan. It seems to run a lot quieter now. An iMac seems a bit harder to open up, with risk of cracking the glass, but you might consider it.