Macbook Pro 2015 seems to be getting hotter over time

[dogbait]

It feels like over the past year my MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015) has been running hotter and hotter.

Here's a graph of the last 7 days for CPU Core 1:

It has the Radeon M370X GPU but that seldom goes above 60C. The CPU itself seems to average 70-99C. Are the temps above normal? Anyone experienced their Macbook getting hotter and hotter over time?

 

[Queen6]

If you live in a dusty area, may be well worth having the cooling system cleaned out. Thinner systems generally have less
surface area for cooling and more prone losing efficiency. Can also be related to software updates.

You will also get a better quality of response if you can detail the applications running, around 70C doesn't surprise me for a 15" MBP with dGPU. If the monitoring App is looking at solely CPU core temps I wouldn't be concerned, unless a sustained 80C+

Q-6

 

[ZapNZs]

What do you do with it? My 2014 MBPr 15 is usually between 80-100C in terms of CPU temps when doing work, although at idle with one display + built-in display it sits at about 55 C and at idle with 2 displays + built-in around 60 C.

 

[dogbait]

Software dev work mainly. IntelliJ, Sublime, Docker and a zillion Safari and Chrome tabs. Always connected to a 3440x1440 external display.

From the above info you've both given seems my temps are about normal then. Thanks.

 

[jerryk]

Software dev work mainly. IntelliJ, Sublime, Docker and a zillion Safari and Chrome tabs. Always connected to a 3440x1440 external display.

From the above info you've both given seems my temps are about normal then. Thanks.

I bet most of the load (and associated heat) is coming from IntelliJ. I love the capabilities of IntelliJ, but have the weight. I have mostly quit using it and gone to lighter text editors (Sublime first, now MS Code), and running CI to rebuild when I save changes.

 

[ZapNZs]

Software dev work mainly. IntelliJ, Sublime, Docker and a zillion Safari and Chrome tabs. Always connected to a 3440x1440 external display.

From the above info you've both given seems my temps are about normal then. Thanks.

It sounds that way. My work is more CPU-heavy than GPU-heavy, and it sounds like your work has the same CPU-heavy usage to it as well.

It couldn't hurt to clean the fans/ducts with some compressed air if they have tremendous dust accumulation. I did this with my 2014 last month and, while it had minimal difference on overall temps, there was a ton of dust in it and I am glad I removed this buildup.

 

[jerryk]

It sounds that way. My work is more CPU-heavy than GPU-heavy, and it sounds like your work has the same CPU-heavy usage to it as well.

It couldn't hurt to clean the fans/ducts with some compressed air if they have tremendous dust accumulation. I did this with my 2014 last month and, while it had minimal difference on overall temps, there was a ton of dust in it and I am glad I removed this buildup.

Did you have to remove the bottom plate to do this cleaning?

 

[ZapNZs]

Did you have to remove the bottom plate to do this cleaning?

Yup. I just opened the bottom side case with the pentalobe screwdriver and blew the buildup on the fans/in the ducts out the hinge-side vent ports the way that it came in.

 

[jerryk]

Yup. I just opened the bottom side case with the pentalobe screwdriver and blew the buildup on the fans/in the ducts out the hinge-side vent ports the way that it came in.

So no need to pull fans or remove other parts?

 

[ZapNZs]

So no need to pull fans or remove other parts?

The times I have done it with a retina model, I personally never have removed anything other than the case back. I've just opened the case backing, wiped the dust off of the back of the bottom lid, taken a soft toothbrush to the vent slots on the bottom lid to remove any dust stuck between the openings, used a very light spray of canned air in an upright position to remove any loose dust from the logic board or in any cracks/crevices, and then (2x-once for each fan) gently placed my finger in the middle of the fan blade so it cannot spin freely, and then given it a full pressure air blast through the blades of the fans and all of that dust that gets built up on the fan blades and in the duct work area with the black plastic debris filter (not sure of the jargon for that part?) shoots out of the vent in a big cloud of dust.

I first did this with an older Unibody model that I could not figure out why it was hotter with the same workload and surprisingly just doing that made a pretty big difference. I'm not sure exactly why something as light as dust can make a difference - my best guess has always been that the dust buildup changes the physical shape of the fan blade and eventually this changed shape interferes with directing the air flow?

 

[dogbait]

Thanks I removed the bottom plate and blew out a fair bit of dust (keep my Macbook on a stand 24/7 so surprised at just how much there was). The fins on the heatsinks are very finely spaced so I can certainly imagine them getting clogged in dusty environments or if you're inclined to use your Macbook on a table cloth or bed.

I also replaced the thermal compound with Arctic Silver 5, this helped a little but I wouldn't recommend it if your Macbook is in warranty or if you're not very handy - I'm seeing maybe a 5-6C drop in temps which is nice but nothing to write home about.

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

Thanks I removed the bottom plate and blew out a fair bit of dust (keep my Macbook on a stand 24/7 so surprised at just how much there was). The fins on the heatsinks are very finely spaced so I can certainly imagine them getting clogged in dusty environments or if you're inclined to use your Macbook on a table cloth or bed.

I also replaced the thermal compound with Arctic Silver 5, this helped a little but I wouldn't recommend it if your Macbook is in warranty or if you're not very handy - I'm seeing maybe a 5-6C drop in temps which is nice but nothing to write home about.

That sounds about right. Your computer wasn't overheating and operating within guidelines so you won't see much of a difference. If it's shutting down and stuff then it's getting too hot, otherwise it's just normal.