Anyone having heat problems with Macbook?

Is anyone out there having heat problems on the Macbook similar to the MBPro models?
If so, does this require a firmware update or taking it apart like some folks have for the MB Pro models and reapplied the thermal paste to the CPU'S?

 

Have not seen one myself, but their have been reports floating that they have similar issues. It seems that Apple is instructing manufacturers to put too much thermal paste on. The advantage is that the notebook will be quit, but the disadvantage is that heat won't radiate properly.

 

Yup. With these chips they can't have it both ways if they stick to what are pretty much the same old designs. I think Apple is learning some hard lessons right now. If they were worried about keeping them quiet and cool I think they shoud have either 1) used a ULV chip instead to help keep the heat down or 2) redesigned the chassis to accomodate better ventilation. It looks like there very little area for the heat to escape on the MacBook.

Going to be waiting for Rev B myself, or until I hear other users starting to report cooler running MacBooks coming off the shelf. Hope it is sooner rather than later, though, since my wife is starting to gnaw her arm off in anticipation after I told her she had to wait.

 

I have a friend that has a black MacBook and it's running really hot. 82C! Then to add to the problems the nice black finish is flaking off! Just 3 days old and all these issues! I'm glad that I put off purchasing one.
It's as though this computer comes in "Kit Form" one must take it apart, redo the thermal compound, and put it back together they way the mfg should have!
No Thanks. Apple's message is clear: Tough Luck... You Own It!

 

there has been only ONE case out of the thousands upon thousand of black macbooks sold where the stuff flacked off, and NO ONE has been able to reproduce it

and as far the thermal paste in macbooks, no one has really taken theirs apart and posted pics

on ifixit they did, and the paste doesnt look too bad, not even close to as bad as the MBP

stop spreading rubish crap

 

Actually I've heard of a couple of cases with the black flaking off... There is a pictuer somewhere of them applying the paste, and its wayyyyy too much.

 

Try not to take it personally, it's only a computer.

Simply stating the facts that I have personally observed.

I have been a mac user for many years and enjoyed a number of PowerBooks. I intend to buy a new MBP when they finally get them sorted out.

 

care to link? ive only seen the main one, and i even went to the apple store and scratched one to death with no such flaking

the picture of them applying paste is from the macbook pro repair manual

 

Which model PowerBook / MacBook / MacBook Pro are you using?

 

I've heard of the black flaking and scratching. Black is a hellish color on cars, computers anything! Also it does run hot also. I have heard of many people re applying the paste.

 

Offended much?

I've seen quite a few cases of Macbooks overheating. The people that say they don't are just living in denial

 

I have a MB and it doesn't overheat. I'm currently running at 48C while surfing. I do use a passive cooler underneath the MB. Interestingly, I didn't buy the cooler just for the MB. I've been using a cooler for the past several years. I wouldn't suggest anyone use a modern day notebook without one. Contrary to whatever "cases" you are referring to I haven't seen many cases at all where machines have actually overheated. Saying overheated implies that there was a hardware failure or shutdown due to elevated heat levels. The only reports I've seen so far are a couple people having kernel panics and the scattered complaints that the machines run hot. My MB does heat up to 70C when both cores are maxed at 100 percent. I'm sorry to inform some of you that my Sony SZ150 can hit 70C as well if stressed to the same level. Of course the Sony does run cool when idling, but that is due to the fan running nearly all the time. Pick your poison.

The heat issue as some claim it to be is something that has been going on for sometime....about 22 years to be somewhat exact. That is about the time the original Macintosh came out. Anyone familiar with Steve Jobs obsessive desire for quiet PCs would know that ever since the beginning of the Macintosh there has been internal struggle within Apple. The struggle between heat and quiet. So if you didn't know this little factoid mark this day as a day you learned something about Apple. It won't be the last time you hear about cooling issues.

So you're always going to have people complaining about the heat. It's a legitimate complaint if you desire a cool machine. Is it a deal breaker for many? Probably not, but I'm sure the vocal minority (which includes people who have no desire to ever own a Mac) will have their day. I'm quite familiar with notebook computers on both sides of the rift. I can honestly say that there are always going to be people complaining about something (hey I do my fair share). No doubt if you did an all forum search for "fan noise" you would find several hours worth of interesting reading. You can't make everyone happy.

 

hi ppl , i am new to mac but when exactly will rev b be coming out?
Has rev b came out for the MBPs yet?

just roughly how long will it take.. on avg

 

Hi, I'm one stupid individual who willingly bought an iBook 12" one month before the MacBooks were out

However, it was not a stupid buy as I didn't want to cope with problems that come with the first batches of MacBooks, which I'm hearing here and there...

As for the heat, I have to say my iBook does also heat up as high as 68 degrees approx. and that's where the fan kicks in. While the CPU is maxed out, the fan only manage to lower the temperature to about 60 degrees, not lower, so heat has indeed always been something that Apple had to check, even for the lowly G4. However, on idle, it is a lot less hot, around 40 degrees.

Anyway, I hope Apple corrects these problems with MBs, as I have to say that my iBook experience has been very good and wish people could get the same good feeling with MBs.

 

duffyanneal,
While I agree with most of what you say I do believe that these Macbooks and MacbookPros do not need to get so hot that you could actually cook on them after extended use. I did get a chance to use a friends 17" MacBook Pro for about 1hr on battery power and I have to say that it got pretty hot (I mean that I could not put it on my lap for fear of getting burned). To say that any laptop is suppose to totally cool/cold would be preposterous. I have use many other laptops, (ie, Thinkpad T30, serveral Sony's, Fujitsu's, and Dell's) and despite some of these being older models they still felt warm and at times borderline hot but not enough to burn you. Of course for some folks that would be reason not to buy any laptop and your right you can't please everyone. These newer generation of CPU chips do run hotter and I think that companies like Apple need to do a better job at addressing and managing heat levels to a reasonable temperature.
The reason I asked the intial thread question was to see if many others were having the same problem that the Macbook Pro's were before I sink hundreds of dollars into a Macbook. I have used Windows laptops for years and recently I got a G5 tower to do some video work and would like to be able to do some work on the road with a Macbook but still have the Windows capabilities...The best of both worlds!

Thanks for the comments!

 

Apple released a firmware upgrade last week for the MBP. Many people are reporting the the machines do run cooler.

 

Unfortunately, there have been some that report it just further underclocks the machine I would love for someone to confirm, since I will be buying a Macbook Pro next week.

The worst part of all of this is that in the last quater Apple reported a huge percentage of first-time Mac buyers. If these problems really are widespread they may squander a huge opportunity to lure a new user.

 

im also thinkin of switching over and getting a macbook 13", i just hope the heat won't be too much of an issue.

as asked earlier, how long does it usually take for a new revision to come out.
im thinking of buying in august

 

I was reading a lot about Mac Book Pros getting dangerously hot. I just got my MBP today and although it only gets lukewarm after a while of use, I'd still like to see if my unit is having heat problems.

Are there any programs are tools I can use to monitor the temperature?

I'm thinking that my refurbished model may not have problems associated with thermal paste.

 

Google Coreduetemp to monitor your CPU temps. If it doesn't seem hot to you then don't worry about it.

 

Thanks for the link. When idle, my MPB runs at 32C. Is that good?

 

Try running a fairly demanding game for an hour or so. For me since I will be buying mine in Vegas(long story) I am gonna take WoW install discs with me. There are 5 in all and that should give a good idea of heat. I think(hope?) maybe some of the reports are a little overblown. Remember, people without problems do not post in forums nearly as much as people with problems.

 

I'd need to install bootcamp since all my games run on Windows (first time apple user), but even so, most of my games are old. The most recent one I own is "Rome: Total War" and I don't think it is resource demanding as today's games.

Are there other ways? Perhaps playing a DVD or running a test program along with "coreduotemp"?

 

DVD would be a good idea. or try running 3dMark05. You could even run it a few times back to back. I takes about 10 min or so to go thru once.

 

I would call that very good

It means it only runs around 10°C higher than room temperature.

 

I get 58C/134F with MSWORD and FireFox in use. If I use this thing under Windows, it gets even hotter so I can flip my notebook over and warm my tea!

 

Hey, did you get that temperature using a program or did you measure the bottom of the laptop with a thermometer? I have a Pentium 4 laptop and I can rest my hand on it and it is barely warm, not even close to being hot or too warm. I checked the temperature using a program and it said it was nearly 80C/176F, suprisingly.

 

I did notice that my MBP did run hotter (around 39°C - 41°C) when charging a depleted battery. Afterwards, the temperature went back down to the usual 32°C.

 

Just received my MacBook Pro with serialnumber W8617 and I have to say heat is definitely not an issue!

Right now I am copying my entire mp3 collection from my main computer using Wi-Fi, browsing the web using FireFox and have CoreDuoTemp running.

It shows a temperature of 19-20 C . . . and the MacBook Pro is hardly warm to the touch.

Guess I am one of the lucky ones or the newer models seems to have it all fixed.

 

Anyone see this?

Macbook Heat Vent Blocked?