MBP 2012 Low CPU, High Temps...help?

[kimberlymm]

I don't know what is going on. I don't have anything using more than 25% CPU but my temp is 122F and 50C using two different temperature monitors. it is always running hot these days. I have smcFan Control running on high all the time to help with the temperature. I use it on my lap but with my legs crossed so there is a ton of airflow under the computer.

 

[Isamilis]

Firefox was using 50+% CPU. Also, it would be worthed if you check / clean the fan regularly.

 

[Fishrrman]

In Activity Monitor, do you have it set to show "All Processes" (not just open applications)? You can select this in the "view" menu.

Could a "background process" be consuming too much CPU power?

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I don't know what is going on. I don't have anything using more than 25% CPU but my temp is 122F and 50C using two different temperature monitors. it is always running hot these days. I have smcFan Control running on high all the time to help with the temperature. I use it on my lap but with my legs crossed so there is a ton of airflow under the computer.

50 degrees centigrade is fine it’s half of what the cpu is rated for.

It’s 5 years old, give it a clean out of dust and it’ll probably settle right back down.

 

[SarcasticJoe]

That looks pretty normal considering how you have firefox stressing the CPU. It many not be stressing the CPU to the max or anything close to it, but anything above fairly low stress is going to cause the CPU to put out a decent amount more than when it's just idling.

Some general temperature lowering tips include clearing the dust out by spraying in some air from a can of compressed air (which you can find from any halfway decently stocked computer store) into the air vents and installing something like smcFanControl to increase the minimum fan speed. I personally clear out the dust once every year by taking the bottom panel off and blowing air from a can directly into the fan and use smcFanControl to bump up the minimum fan speed from 2000 to 2500 RPM (with barely any audible increase in fan noise).

An additional tip for the compressed air can cleaning; Don't put your face right up to the air vent when you clear out the fans for the first time in years. The cloud of dust can be surprisingly big.

 

[buran-energia]

I don't know what is going on. I don't have anything using more than 25% CPU but my temp is 122F and 50C using two different temperature monitors. it is always running hot these days. I have smcFan Control running on high all the time to help with the temperature. I use it on my lap but with my legs crossed so there is a ton of airflow under the computer.

What's the problem? 50C is relatively very low. There still should be noticeable difference in temps between the CPU using ~1% and 25%, and the fan even at 100% can't do miracles.

 

[ocnitsa]

I don't know what is going on. I don't have anything using more than 25% CPU but my temp is 122F and 50C using two different temperature monitors. it is always running hot these days. I have smcFan Control running on high all the time to help with the temperature. I use it on my lap but with my legs crossed so there is a ton of airflow under the computer.

Is the CPU throttling? My 2012 rMBP has been slowing down with fans full...a sensor went bad on the logic board and now it thinks it’s overheating half the time. Could that be your prob?