MacBook Pro - Heat issues ?

danceclimberdanceclimber
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Hello everyone,



I have a: MacBook Pro 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 15" (purchased just under a year ago)



I sometimes wonder if my computer is running at higher temperatures than one would expect.

I've heard about some laptops having heat issues because to much thermal-paste was applied.



Mine normally runs at temperatures between 150-160

(currently at 121, but it just booted up and this is not the norm)



When the processor is really being worked it gets to: 179-182

This seems very hot to me.



Does anyone know what the expected peak temperature should be?

Or what the expected average running temperature is?



Chris

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    ros3ntanros3ntan Posts: 201member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by danceclimber View Post


    Hello everyone,



    I have a: MacBook Pro 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 15" (purchased just under a year ago)



    I sometimes wonder if my computer is running at higher temperatures than one would expect.

    I've heard about some laptops having heat issues because to much thermal-paste was applied.



    Mine normally runs at temperatures between 150-160

    (currently at 121, but it just booted up and this is not the norm)



    When the processor is really being worked it gets to: 179-182

    This seems very hot to me.



    Does anyone know what the expected peak temperature should be?

    Or what the expected average running temperature is?



    Chris



    thats normal. What you feel too hot is the aluminum of the laptop. It is a very good heat spreader that it spreads the heat to all of the aluminum part of the laptop. So if you feel hot its normal. Mine run around that temp when idle. Goes into the 200 when im streaming. Besides, if it is thermal paste problem, it should overheated from day one.
  • Reply 2 of 5
    applebookapplebook Posts: 350member
    180 does seem quite high, but your idle temps are normal. This is the nature of putting multi-core CPUs in 1" thick aluminum enclosures.



    Some PC laptops run much cooler because they are much thicker and can accommodate better cooling.



    The new 25nm Penryn Centrino 2 chips should run cooler, just like the Core 2 is less of an oven than the original Core 1.



    I had a P8400 Centrino 2.26 Sony Vaio that runs at 35C idle and 40C under load. I hope that this chip in a MacBook will be somewhere near these numbers.
  • Reply 3 of 5
    drazztikkadrazztikka Posts: 240member
    I just opened mine, had a fan issue, removed the fan and look what was in there:







    I also left out the battery which makes a huge difference, but this might not be an option for U.
  • Reply 4 of 5
    applebookapplebook Posts: 350member
    That is gross but is expected for an older MBP. Fans, unfortunately, do suck in a lot of dust. The way that the MBP is designed makes cleaning its fans really difficult unless you open up the unit (not too difficult to do anyway).
  • Reply 5 of 5
    charlesp2009charlesp2009 Posts: 50member
    I bought a used MacBook 2.4Ghz unibody (the aluminum one) and it had quite a bit of dust and lint in the fan exhaust but not as bad as the pic above.



    My machine had been getting up to 209 degrees Fahrenheit (98C) under load so I decided to clean the internals and replace the thermal paste. The original paste wasn't too sloppy (at least compared to some of the MBP horror photos I've seen) or dried out but my new Arctic Silver 5 (and cleaned out exhaust) has dropped the loaded temperature down to 194 degrees Fahrenheit. 15 degree improvement, not too shabby!



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