MacBook Pro operating temperature

[bry2k]

Hi all. I have a MacBook Pro 17" - mid-2009 model, 3.06GHz, 8GB RAM.

When I'm putting a heavy load on it (Compressor, Handbrake, etc), the fans crank up to 5000-6000rpms, and the temperature hovers around 97-98C (207-210F). I've never seen it go above 210...so...it's just shy of being able to boil water for me for a nice cup of tea.

Even when it's idle - just doing email/web/etc, it run's at 120-150F (49-66C), which is the temperature most people on the threads I've found say is the max for their portable.

Do you think this thing is built to handle those temperatures day in and day out? Is there any 3rd party hardware to make it run significantly cooler (I have smc fan control - but lately, since the last software update from Apple, it won't change the temperature anymore, so I can't keep the fans pegged at 6000 which does bring the temperature down under 200F.

Do any of those laptop cooling pads really work?

Does anyone know how to make smc fan control work again, or know of a different app for controlling the fans?

Thanks,
Bryan

 

[cluthz]

While gaming my MBP is about 80-90°C. I have played over 100 days of wow, the computer is over two years old and still working great.

Normal load is 50ish, sometimes a bit more if im on websites with flash and such, but then the fans are at 2-3k rpm.

Your seems a bit higher, but then again, i live far north, I usually only have ~17°C inside my house (I like it cool )

 

[tooz]

when handbreaking my uMB gets up to about 90ºC
at the moment all I've got open is macrumors in safari and I'm sitting on 49ºC

 

[Dan73]

I use Fan Control to control my fan. I don't like SMCFanControl since you have to set it manually, where Fan Control you set your specifications and then forget it.

While gaming on my macbook I dont see the temperature go over 65c

 

[iphone3gss]

Playing with the fan controls is a waste of time. Fans take power and generate heat themselves. I would suggest Coolbook. Processors are made to operate at a wide range of voltages, and on the Macbooks they are set really high. You can safely lower them which will lower the amount of heat, give longer battery life, and not need the fans as much!

Forgot to mention, I have the 2.8Mhz processor. Just surfing the web my system is at ~40C. When gaming or encoding with handbrake it reaches about 60C.