Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MBP Cooler Recommendations

H

HONDAxACURA

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 6, 2008
119
0
California
Hi there! I'm trying to help my friend with her MBP temperatures. I guess she has a problem with her laptop idling at 65-70 C constant. It can go up a lot. She has the MBP from 2007 i believe. The one that had a problem with its graphics card overheating.

So my question is, to prevent another costly failure, i told her to get a cooler. She asked me pick out a solid performing one. And at a good price. Can you guys recommend me some solid performing coolers at a good price?

Currently I have a Vantec Lapcool 2 and it's doing wonders for my Unibody macbook that i just got. 44 C playing music and flash games. Kinda pricey, but it does its job.

Appreciate it! Thanks!
 
Hi, I just bought a Belkin Laptop cooling pad. Grabbed it from Circuit City for just over $20.00. They have different versions, one has a USB hub built in. What makes it different then others, is that it's curved like a spoon and therefore provides more airflow. I have seen about a 5c dip in temp. I also run smcfancontrol at a slightly higher then normal rpm. It lets you set the lowest speed of your fans. My MBpro's lowest setting was 2000 rpm, I run it slightly higher, 2500. I sit at about 36c, sub 45c while surfing web and some apps, 60c while playing WoW.
 
Also stop using it in bed or on the couch. Sitting it on anything made of soft material instantly leads to higher temps. If that's how its being used definitely get a cooling pad. Also granite counter tops seem to drop it another 5c. I have a deep window sill that's cold in the winter, using my MBpro on it drops it about 10c, so surfing or using iWork still keeps me in the 35c range.
 
Thanks for your reply!

I saw that Belkin cooler at Costco. It looks good and the price is pretty reasonable. I was trying to find some reviews for it, but you answered it for me. Thanks! I will be telling my friend that.

She usually uses her MBP for art school, lots of Adobe apps. To idle at 35c sounds great! Thanks again
 
i like fan control more.
im running it at 43 degrees celsius and 1100rpm atm. its silent
 
I would recommend no cooler. Your laptop isn't going to overheat. Coolers don't do much, are noisy, and attract dust. The last one, to me, is particularly annoying and one of the reasons I gave up on desktops.
 
Because the majority of the "heat causing components" are at the back of the macbook pro - buying a cooler with fans that push air to the back would be ideal. I have the NZXT Cryo or something or other with 3 120mm fans in the back that I can swap out at any time - the beauty of having these fans is that they are much quieter compared to the belkin.

I have had both the belkin and the CRYO and while the cryo is a gentle whoosh sound, you'll have to deal with the shrill whine of the 60mm fan on the belkin and it's really only temp effective when set at the highest settings. The cryo is a pretty penny but if you continue to stay with apple and the components at the back, it should be a decent investment - especially if you do any graphics/cpu intensive activity.

Air flow is limited in such a thin notebook - so a lot of heat will have to be dissipated through the chassis. It will help to cool at the source. The Cryo also raises the laptop to a nice typing level for me - about a 20-30 degree incline. just my two cents. :)
 
HONDAxACURA said:
Hi there! I'm trying to help my friend with her MBP temperatures. I guess she has a problem with her laptop idling at 65-70 C constant. It can go up a lot. She has the MBP from 2007 i believe. The one that had a problem with its graphics card overheating.

So my question is, to prevent another costly failure, i told her to get a cooler. She asked me pick out a solid performing one. And at a good price. Can you guys recommend me some solid performing coolers at a good price?

Currently I have a Vantec Lapcool 2 and it's doing wonders for my Unibody macbook that i just got. 44 C playing music and flash games. Kinda pricey, but it does its job.

Appreciate it! Thanks!
Click to expand...


I have a late 2.33ghz 2006 MBP (pretty similar specs I'd imagine) and here are my 2 strategies. Firstly I run my SMC fan control at 2500rpm per fan then, on my desk, I have a Griffin Elevator.

If I'm in bed or have it on my lap I'll make sure there's nothing blocking the vents at the back. This sometimes entails putting a magazine or book under the back of the MBP but I don't see the need for anything more elaborate for simple surfing/email (most high hp stuff is done at my desk).
 
Thanks guys for your replys, I really appreciate the help.

I think a laptop cooler is still a solution to MBP prone heat issue. My current unibody macbook can reach 60 in the winter without any cooling, the laptop cooler helps me keep it under 55.

I will be sure to pass on the fan control to her. It does help on my iBook.

That NZXT Cryo looks awesome! Seems it can cool down any laptop really well. But that price is pretty darn expensive. But it is worth it imo for the time you're going to use your laptop.

I might reccomend her this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834997168 as the fan are located in the rear. Cooling the hotspots of all Apple Laptops. Aluminum to remove heat. Looks great. Few more $ than a Belkin.
 
Cooler Master coolers are usually aluminum and helps with the dissapating of heat in addition to the fans on it
 
How about water cooling?

268837161_35f155bf31_o.jpg


or a little chiller?
(strongly not recommended)

2762383839_79d6ccfa0c_b.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back