on MBP heat, as compared to current/old 'books

[Miles Davis]

Hey all,

I recieved my MBP the other day and love so many things about it. While I do have the screen whine (that goes away with Photobooth), the deal breaker for me is becoming the heat issue. This book is HOT! I know, it has been said before, and I understand the argument that all laptops are hot, but I am a student and enjoy sitting with my computer on my lap and typing, something I could always do with my iBook. It is getting to the point that I put my MBP down for a while because it is uncomfortable or heats up my body, making me sweat. (Which is especially true when my wrists are on it while typing).

Anyhow, I really don't want to have to put this up on eBay, but if I have a machine that I am uncomfortable using, it will be useless. My question is then, how would you compare this heat to the heat on the other iBooks and Powerbooks? The iBook was never bad, but how about the 12" PB? Is it more the aluminum enclosure or that it is using an Intel chip? Hence, would the G4 be inherently cooler? And then, would the new Macbook in iBook plastic be cooler or similarly hot.

I would hate to go back to the screen of the iBook (I imagine the 12PB has the same brightness as well.)

Any advice? It is hotter as I have typed this!

Thanks,
M

 

[calebjohnston]

The MBP's are very hot. I'd say about the same temperature as the PB's. Apple has the software down incredibly, but I think they have a ways to go with figuring out how to manage heat in laptops, and getting the DAMN HINGES TO BE STRAIGHT GRRR.

Sorry, little rant.

 

[baby duck monge]

Having only briefly used a MBP, I will say that the iBook runs MUCH cooler than any other Apple laptop, the 12" Powerbook runs warmer than that (but I have found it cooler than the 15", and I have no real experience with the 17"), and the MBPs run hotter than either of the Powerbooks (and MUCH hotter than the iBook, naturally).

You are going to have to decide if you can live with the heat, and maybe the Intel iBooks will be released soon enough that you can still have the new tech, but in a cooler enclosure.

ps - PM me if you decide the MBP isn't for you, I might be interested in helping you avoid eBay.

 

[Miles Davis]

The thing is, is that I really do enjoy the MBP/PB line, the keyboard is sooo much nicer and the whole thing just feels more professional and well-built. Does it have to be a "to get X you have to take Y too"?

 

[gekko513]

I agree. The MacBook gets too hot to use in certain situations, like on your lap or in bed.

I've tried to suggest that they include a setting for colder vs. quieter or something to that effect, on the Apple discussions forum, in the hope that if the issue is flagged by enough people Apple will do something about it.

At the very least, it would be nice if Apple released specs so that developers could create third party tools to increase the fan speed to your own preference.

 

[atari1356]

Buy a cheap lap desk... I bought one a couple of years ago from Bed Bath & Beyond for around $10.

It solves the problem of it being too hot for your lap, and gives the laptop a steadier surface to sit on.

 

[gekko513]

Here's the "laptop stand" I use for the MacBook when I use it in bed. It's the largest Harry Potter book with four kroner taped to it. The coins are a new addition and I have yet to see if they make any difference. The MacBook is larger than the book so it should have plenty of air around it, but after an hour or more, the heat even spreads through the book.

There's one nice thing about the MacBook compared to my previous PowerBook, though. The left side hand rest on the MacBook doesn't get as hot as it got on the PowerBook.