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February 28, 2006
MacBook Pro Heat Generation (Updated)
With the disclaimer that this isn't at all scientific, I wanted to comment on the heat generated by the MacBook Pro, a frequent question. I tested the PowerBook G4 (1.5GHz, 2GB, 120GB) and a MacBook Pro (2.0GHz, 2GB, 120GB) running all night while sitting on a Podium Coolpad from RoadTools. The ambient temperature on the bottom rear middle of the PBG4 was about 112 degrees and the MBP was about 104 degrees Fahrenheit (as measured by a digital thermometer).
In practice the MBP seems to get about as hot as my PowerBook G4,15-inch when used extensively on "Normal" power conservation, especially when plugged into AC power.
UPDATE: 2006-0228:
After running the MBP for about six hours straight last night the surface temperature at the top of the keyboard (above F2 and F4) was as high as 126 degrees Fahrenheit (as measured by a digital thermometer). The bottom temperature was about 106 degrees at the hottest location (running on a Podium Coolpad). It appears that the MBP is no cooler than the PowerBook G4 and may, in fact, run hotter.
What is your experience with the temperature on the MBP?
Posted by jasonogrady at February 28, 2006 10:34 AM
Category: MacBook Pro
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Comments
Its still 8 degrees cooler. That is an improvement
Posted by: Dan at February 23, 2006 6:58 PM
The best way I've found to beat any amount of heat, including continuous 100% CPU, is the iLap (google it). The cushion is a bit much for typing, so I took it off and placed a line of bumpers across the bottom of the tray. My wife even uses my 15" version with her 12" PB.
Posted by: Dan at February 23, 2006 7:27 PM
re: BG4 was about 112 degrees and the MBP was about 104 degrees Farenheit
Yes, but isn't the MBP 8 degrees closer to the 98.6 degrees that you wish was sitting on your lap?
Posted by: Paul at February 23, 2006 10:38 PM
"What is your experience with the temperature on the MBP?"
Dude we don't have ours yet!!!!!!! That's why we keep refreshing this page to find out every detail of yours!
Seriously though - it looks really great!
Posted by: Paul Turner at February 23, 2006 11:44 PM
Do you have any plans to test out dual boot options? Obtain a beta copy of Vista and try it, or try an XP install disk? This could help answer a lot of questions that are out there about dual booting on the mbp.
Posted by: CM at February 24, 2006 2:38 AM
I didn't run temperature tests on mine, but the MacBook does have at least two internal temperature sensors: one glued to the heat sink, and one to the lower case on the right hand side. You can see them in the upper right-hand corner of this picture:
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/85/images_large/46.jpg
They're small rectangular green chips Kapton'd to the enclosure, with red/white wires running to the logic board.
I'm sure you can access the readings in software somehow. I've had success with Temperature Monitor on my PowerBook:
http://www.bresink.com/osx/TemperatureMonitor.html
-Kyle, iFixit
Posted by: Kyle Wiens at February 24, 2006 3:28 AM
How often does the cooling fan come on compared to the PowerBook 1.5 or 1.67? And how loud is it?
Posted by: Chris Cargen at February 26, 2006 10:20 AM
Now that the hard drive has been moved under the left side of the wrist rest area, how hot does that get during steady usage. The 12" Powerbooks had a tendency to get pretty warm. Does the MacBook Pro get unusably hot?
Posted by: neil at February 27, 2006 3:28 PM
Mine gets really hot too.. about 45 Degrees celsius above the F keys (that would be about 113 degrees fahrenheit) But i think it's normal. many people reported that their MBP gets hot.. and apple is using its alu case as a passive cooler i think, (they would be stupid if they wouldn't) the fans don't get loud at all.. at first i didn't even hear anything... after 20 minutes playing UT 2004 or WoW the fans start working.. but they are very silent (you have to hold your head about 10 cm over the keyboard to hear them)
And the Harddrive (I Have a 100GB 5400 RPM) doesn't get hot at all.. so don't worry about your wrist)
Posted by: Franz at March 19, 2006 1:55 PM
I just received my Mac Book pro (15.4 inches)
I'm using it in right now, and it got SO HOT that I could not even put my hand on it (where there's the F1,F2 and F3 keys) for more than a few seconds. In the top-left area, the hot zone goes from the screen to the cap lock key. I can't even touch that zone for more than a few seconds because it so hot that hurts !
I'm going to have the computer looked at tomorrow.
Posted by: Mike at July 11, 2006 8:55 PM
