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What temps are safe on rMBP?

B

bkribbs

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 15, 2012
1,178
0
So I know heat has been discussed but I can't find a straight forward answer.

What temp is the max I should let me rMBP get to?

I've seen up to 104 C. I can easily keep it in the 50s with the fans maxxed.

My understanding is that as the CPUs get thinner (can't think of correct phrasing. Its late.) it safer for them to be hotter. So how hot is ok?

Also, what app tells me the CPU temps? I have several apps and none of their temps for CPU seem to match each other.
 
If its not glowing or shutting off or smoking, then its doing fine.
 
bkribbs said:
Damage can definitely occur from heat...
Click to expand...

The hardware will not allow you to exceed safe thermal limits, it will shut off immediately should that happen specifically to avoid damage.

If it's still running then the temps are safe. Also, nobody is saying that heat doesn't kill. All we're saying is that you're not going to suffer a catastrophic failure if you don't watch the temps. Don't watch the temps like a hawk, just use the dang thing and don't worry about the temps unless you're doing something you're not supposed to, like use it while it's sitting inside a bag or case that blocks the vents, etc. :)

You are not going to damage anything due to heat just by using the laptop, even if you're using GPU and CPU intensive apps that have them maxed out. You're going to hear the fans, that just means that they're doing their job.
 
bkribbs said:
Damage can definitely occur from heat...
Click to expand...

That is what your warranty is for. If your machine is defective and the heat will kill it, it is likely to happen within the first few months anyway.
 
bkribbs said:
So hitting 104 C isn't a problem at all?
Click to expand...

AppleTecFan said:
little hot for me, what is your usage when the temp hits that high
Click to expand...

I suspect the OP sees that the max CPU temp spec'd by Intel is 105C and is trying to play games or make some point. I highly doubt he's REALLY seeing 104C and if he is then I'd be curious to know exactly what he's doing to run right up to 1C below shutdown and stay there.

OP, you asked a question and were given answers. Now you're arguing about heat causing damage. Either you were curious and wanted to know about temps (Now you know) or you were looking to start a debate/argument. Which is it?

Is your laptop still running? Yes? Hey, great, keep on using it and stop arguing edge cases, what-ifs, or hypotheticals. Nobody is going to want to help you if you're going to ask questions and then argue about the answers you're given, it just makes you look like a jerk. If you already knew the answer then why ask the question in the first place? Hmmmm? :rolleyes:
 
First, Why your MacBook Pro runs so hot

Then:

Problem is still there with the rMBPs as well.

When everything is working properly as Apple's engineering team designed it, you should not exceed 90C stable during a heavy workload.

If you are exceeding 95C, you have a problem.
 
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Ive seen my cpu temps reach 102 and then the fans hit full blast bringing temps down. Mostly happens when encoding large hd files.
 
bkribbs said:
So I know heat has been discussed but I can't find a straight forward answer.

What temp is the max I should let me rMBP get to?

I've seen up to 104 C. I can easily keep it in the 50s with the fans maxxed.

My understanding is that as the CPUs get thinner (can't think of correct phrasing. Its late.) it safer for them to be hotter. So how hot is ok?

Also, what app tells me the CPU temps? I have several apps and none of their temps for CPU seem to match each other.
Click to expand...
If you're not already doing so, use iStat Pro (free) or iStat Menus ($16) to get accurate readings of your temps, fan speeds, etc., rather than relying on your sense of touch or sound. A forum member has posted a copy of iStat Pro that has been "tweaked" to enhance compatibility with Mountain Lion. You can download it here.
​
The Intel processors used in Macs are designed to automatically shut down to prevent damage if they truly overheat. CPU Tjmax = 105C (221F), GPU Tjmax = 100C (212F) on i3, i5, i7 processors. (Source: Intel)
​
Unless there is a rare defect in a Mac, most temps are well within the normal operating range, considering the workload being put on it. Websites with Flash content, games and other multimedia apps will put higher demand on the CPU/GPU, generating more heat. This is normal. If you're constantly putting high demands on your system, such as gaming or other multimedia tasks, expect temps to rise and fans to spin up accordingly. It's just your Mac doing its job to maintain temps within the normal range.
​
It is also quite normal for your Mac to become extremely hot to the touch during intensive operations. The aluminum body transfers heat more effectively than other materials used in computer casings, so you will feel the heat more. This doesn't indicate that it's overheating and will not harm the computer to be hot to the touch.
​
Your fans are always on when your Mac is on, spinning at a minimum of 2000 rpm (for MBPs) or 1800 rpm (for MBAs, MBs and minis), or 1200 for the newest MBAs. iMacs have 3 fans with minimum speeds in the 800-1200 range. They will spin faster as needed to keep temps at a safe level. If your fans are spinning up without increased heat, try resetting the SMC. (PRAM/NVRAM has nothing to do with these issues, so resetting it will not help.)
​
The intake and exhaust vents are in the back of the computer near the hinge on all Mac notebooks (except the new MBP with retina display, which has intake vents along the sides at the bottom). The iMac vent is a slot on the back near the top of the computer. Make sure the vents remain unblocked to allow your computer to perform at its best. For Flash-related issues:
 
GGJstudios said:
If you're not already doing so, use iStat Pro (free) or iStat Menus ($16) to get accurate readings of your temps, fan speeds, etc., rather than relying on your sense of touch or sound. A forum member has posted a copy of iStat Pro that has been "tweaked" to enhance compatibility with Mountain Lion. You can download it here.
​
The Intel processors used in Macs are designed to automatically shut down to prevent damage if they truly overheat. CPU Tjmax = 105C (221F), GPU Tjmax = 100C (212F) on i3, i5, i7 processors. (Source: Intel)
​
Unless there is a rare defect in a Mac, most temps are well within the normal operating range, considering the workload being put on it. Websites with Flash content, games and other multimedia apps will put higher demand on the CPU/GPU, generating more heat. This is normal. If you're constantly putting high demands on your system, such as gaming or other multimedia tasks, expect temps to rise and fans to spin up accordingly. It's just your Mac doing its job to maintain temps within the normal range.
​
It is also quite normal for your Mac to become extremely hot to the touch during intensive operations. The aluminum body transfers heat more effectively than other materials used in computer casings, so you will feel the heat more. This doesn't indicate that it's overheating and will not harm the computer to be hot to the touch.
​
Your fans are always on when your Mac is on, spinning at a minimum of 2000 rpm (for MBPs) or 1800 rpm (for MBAs, MBs and minis), or 1200 for the newest MBAs. iMacs have 3 fans with minimum speeds in the 800-1200 range. They will spin faster as needed to keep temps at a safe level. If your fans are spinning up without increased heat, try resetting the SMC. (PRAM/NVRAM has nothing to do with these issues, so resetting it will not help.)
​
The intake and exhaust vents are in the back of the computer near the hinge on all Mac notebooks (except the new MBP with retina display, which has intake vents along the sides at the bottom). The iMac vent is a slot on the back near the top of the computer. Make sure the vents remain unblocked to allow your computer to perform at its best. For Flash-related issues:
Click to expand...

Doesn't the new iMac only have 1 fan?
 
Doward said:
First, Why your MacBook Pro runs so hot

Then:
YouTube: video

Proof:
YouTube: video

Problem is still there with the rMBPs as well.

When everything is working properly as Apple's engineering team designed it, you should not exceed 90C stable during a heavy workload.

If you are exceeding 95C, you have a problem.
Click to expand...
Not true at all. I have cleaned my rMBP and reapplied thermal compound. The temps improved a lot and it does work but it still reaches 80ºC when watching a 1080p full screen YT video and it still goes as high as 104ºC if I'm running, for example, 2 flash based websites and an HTML5 one. After the fans kick in, it does not go as high but I'm still getting that temperatures. Don't just go saying that, if you go higher than 95ºC people have a problem. That is not true. These machines can go as high as 105ºC so, if they need to go as high as that, it shouldn't be a concern.
 
dastinger said:
Not true at all. I have cleaned my rMBP and reapplied thermal compound. The temps improved a lot and it does work but it still reaches 80ºC when watching a 1080p full screen YT video and it still goes as high as 104ºC if I'm running, for example, 2 flash based websites and an HTML5 one. After the fans kick in, it does not go as high but I'm still getting that temperatures. Don't just go saying that, if you go higher than 95ºC people have a problem. That is not true. These machines can go as high as 105ºC so, if they need to go as high as that, it shouldn't be a concern.
Click to expand...

I agree - I can get mine up top 102ºC and 6K RPM fan speed, but it still works OK and cools down really quickly when the CPU loading is reduced again.
 
I use my MBPr for research that often involves video or image processing code that runs for hours, sometimes days, on end. I'v had no issues at all, even while letting it stay in the mid 90's degrees C for 4 days straight processing video on all 4 cores.
 
Dronac said:
I use my MBPr for research that often involves video or image processing code that runs for hours, sometimes days, on end. I'v had no issues at all, even while letting it stay in the mid 90's degrees C for 4 days straight processing video on all 4 cores.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I process 8 threads at 100% load for 10-12 hours and I have never had temps go over 60-70c

I doubt 104c is possible, you would suffer burns from the aluminium case if the temps where real.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 2
 
Sym0 said:
Agreed. I process 8 threads at 100% load for 10-12 hours and I have never had temps go over 60-70c

I doubt 104c is possible, you would suffer burns from the aluminium case if the temps where real.
Click to expand...
Such temps are quite real, as has been reported many times in this forum. The aluminum case can certainly get too hot for comfort during heavy workloads. That is quite normal.
 
Yahooligan said:
I suspect the OP sees that the max CPU temp spec'd by Intel is 105C and is trying to play games or make some point. I highly doubt he's REALLY seeing 104C and if he is then I'd be curious to know exactly what he's doing to run right up to 1C below shutdown and stay there.

OP, you asked a question and were given answers. Now you're arguing about heat causing damage. Either you were curious and wanted to know about temps (Now you know) or you were looking to start a debate/argument. Which is it?

Is your laptop still running? Yes? Hey, great, keep on using it and stop arguing edge cases, what-ifs, or hypotheticals. Nobody is going to want to help you if you're going to ask questions and then argue about the answers you're given, it just makes you look like a jerk. If you already knew the answer then why ask the question in the first place? Hmmmm? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Excuse me. I really didn't appreciate the one sentence answer which is not true. Heat causes damage, and saying that as long as its not glowing, I'm ok, is just wrong. I'm perfectly knowledgable that heat can be bad for computers. I was clarifying how damaging it is to these and at what temps. His answer simply was not detailed enough.

Also, please don't call people liars. Its not beneficial and just pisses people off. AKA me. I had windows 7 running matlab in a virtualbox processing stuff for 12+ hours at the same time as I was using OS X for minecraft or something else. I absolutely saw 104. I'm saying it was there for all of 5 seconds, (it didn't "stay there") but it was there for a few moments. No need to call anyone a liar or be sarcastic. That does not promote a friendly forum.

And I'm the jerk... :rolleyes:

Doward said:
First, Why your MacBook Pro runs so hot

Then:
YouTube: video

Proof:
YouTube: video

Problem is still there with the rMBPs as well.

When everything is working properly as Apple's engineering team designed it, you should not exceed 90C stable during a heavy workload.

If you are exceeding 95C, you have a problem.
Click to expand...

I definitely am not re applying thermal paste to my 2k laptop. However, when I get my screen replaced for IR, I think I am going to tell them it gets really hot and ask them to do so.

Oh and thank you to everyone who was being legitimately helpful. Its very appreciated.
 
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GGJstudios said:
Such temps are quite real, as has been reported many times in this forum. The aluminum case can certainly get too hot for comfort during heavy workloads. That is quite normal.
Click to expand...

It might be COMMON (on apple MacBooks), but it's certainly not desirable, and no other manufacturer's machines do this (to anywhere near this extent) that I've experienced in over 15 years dealing with portable machines.

And that includes some pretty terrible (in other respects) PC hardware. It also includes the same generation hardware (with the same CPU and comparable GPU) churned out by HP, Lenovo and Dell.

You can't tell me this is "too hard" for apple to get right either, this is the company who laser cuts holes in their speaker grilles and goes above and beyond the norm with regards to the way they engineer their product.

They simply need to figure out how to get their thermal compound applied with more finesse than the average backyard truck mechanic, which surely should be achievable by the most profitable computing hardware manufacturer on the face of the planet.

This is a major problem, given that Apple spend so much effort on R&D, only to have it completely ******** up in the assembly process (presumably, by foxconn?)

It's literally pretty much the ONLY complaint I have about my MBP. Heat generation (and thus, fan noise).


And for those who are commenting that the MBP is not supposed to be able to run at full CPU usage or whatever... please. As demonstrated, if the assembly process wasn't screwed up, the hardware design is more than capable of doing so WITHOUT sounding like a jet turbine.
 
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When running multiple virtual machines, mine gets 92 degrees (reported in iStat). I can't put it on my lap of course since it's so hot, and the fan whining is really annoying.

I experienced a bit more instability while running at this temperature for long periods of time, but I couldn't say if it came from the software I am using, or the temp itself.
 
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