Macbook pro over heating? or is this normal?

[Sirren]

So i bought this Macbook Dec 17 2010. I didnt receive it until after christmas...

I dont do anything on this laptop but Webcam/skype... Surf the internet- Facebook, Twitter, lululemon shopping, and my work website.
I occasionally listen to itunes, and have Skype and Trillian running.

Currently I have One browser up, Skype, Trillian, Im on webcam with my little sister and my Computer is at 185degrees.
I installed Istat today so i could see just how hot my laptop is getting. Ive taken a Screen shot. Its hit over 205degrees earlier with out changing a thing.
Getting off webcam the temp dropped to 153.

I have a 17" macbook pro, 2.66ghz intel core I7. 4gb ddr3 ram.

Should i take this into Apple? Or is this normal? It feels super hot to the touch above my Keypad. I dont have a cover on it, and it sits on a Glass Desk.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Skype video chatting is CPU intensive.

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Have a look at Activity Monitor (Applications / Utilities /) and select All Processes and sort by CPU to see what the culprit may be.

image below uses sorting by CPU as an example

Further reading:

Mac OS X: Reading system memory usage in Activity Monitor
Making The Most of Activity Monitor
What Is Activity Monitor (or How to Take Your Mac's Pulse)​

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[Sirren]

Ive taken two Screen shots of the Temps.
One using webcam, and one not....

The left side is using Skype with webcam open, Trillian, Mail, Google chrome browser on 3 Tabs...
The Right side is using Skype with out webcam running, trillian, mail and google chrome browser on 3 tabs.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Ive taken two Screen shots of the Temps.
One using webcam, and one not....

The left side is using Skype with webcam open, Trillian, Mail, Google chrome browser on 3 Tabs...
The Right side is using Skype with out webcam running, trillian, mail and google chrome browser on 3 tabs.

Yep.

 

[Repo]

MBP's can get very hot, especially when the discrete graphics are in use. From the looks of it your laptop is fine, but if it starts shutting down regularly from overheating, then you should take it to Apple. Your temps seem reasonable though.

 

[RHELF]

185 is okay. I have had my 2010 15" I7 hit 211 degrees and stay consistantly above 200 for a long time while doing some intensive audio editing. I forgot what temperature the MBP automatically shuts down at. I think it's 213 or 214, but I have had no issues with mine at those high temps. Best thing to do is just make sure you are not blocking the vents(dont leave it on a bed) or get some sort of stand so there is some air flow. You'll be fine.

 

[gorskiegangsta]

Ive taken two Screen shots of the Temps.
One using webcam, and one not....

The left side is using Skype with webcam open, Trillian, Mail, Google chrome browser on 3 Tabs...
The Right side is using Skype with out webcam running, trillian, mail and google chrome browser on 3 tabs.

Well, there you go. It went from 181F (83C), which is quite hot, to 129F (54C) which is quite normal.

 

[sebgreen]

Meant to get hot

Apple design their machines so the fans don't run at full speed - it keeps them quieter (some would argue not quiet enough).

Taking that into consideration and the fact that the machines are aluminum (heat conductor) and they will get very hot. If it starts to shut down, or you can smell burning, then there is nothing to worry about.

 

[snaky69]

Macbook pros and most other laptops run quite hot, you just don't notice it in other laptops as they are made from plastic which is a poor heat conductor. Your temps are well within operating range and perfectly normal, just like the other 100 000 threads asking the very same question.

 

[daneoni]

You can also blame Skype for their terrible coding on the mac platform. But yeah...your temps are par for course based on what you're doing.

 

[maclaptop]

If something's melting then you know it's too hot

 

[Repo]

If something's melting then you know it's too hot

MacBook Pancake.

 

[Sirren]

Thanks Its my first mac laptop product & my previous laptop got Rediculously hot & burns to the touch, i had to buy a mini fan to "fan" the laptop so it would stay cool.
Just didnt want the same issue with this since i paid so darn much for it! i guess i just expected it to stay cool.. - ahh dreams

Sorry for my noobness, i really didnt even think to search the forum about heat issues.
Thanks again!

 

[lil' brudder]

If it starts to shut down, or you can smell burning, then there is nothing to worry about.

I lol'd at this.