Macbook/Macbook Pro Heat Update: 08/23/06

Ok so it's been a bit since I had my Macbook now.

Tempertures:
Purchased: 63C
2 weeks after Purchase: 54-56C
Now over 2 months later and the SMC update for MB moo and heat: 41-44C

So, as you can see this shows support for what I've been stating all along about burn-in period, after about two weeks you'll see a drop in tempertures, from what I read from others they can confirm the same thing. The drop can vary.

Now more time has passed, and quite frankly it's not gonna drop anymore after the first couple weeks, but I went ahead and did the new SMC update for the Macbook Mooing problem. This update also seemed to dramatically reduce heat as well, as you can see above 10+C drop.

So, I'm kind of doing a little study right now, and I'd like both MB/MBP owners to post their Purchase temp. (first few days of owning), 2 weeks after owning, and if you did a the temp after the SMC update, if you know what it was before the update as well please post that too.

From what I hear MBP owners had an eariler SMC update (go figure) before the Macbooks got theirs.

Thanks to those who participate.

P.S. - Having the MB on my lap, I don't really notice it as much as I first did.

 

That is idle temperature right?

 

Normal load tempertures.

Like Mail, Safari, and adium as well as any other adverge programs.

 

Interesting "study" . Now I just got my MacBook less than a week ago so can certainly give you a data point. Couple of things though:

1. Need to control for ambient temperature - eg. both measurements should be taken probably around same time of the day since it'll be cooler at night than day, also locale of the computer; snugged up with me before sleep like a good book vs. opened on dining room table with good ventilation.

2. The load issue. I'd say probably best to do it with full load for 10 minutes controlling for the above. Problem with average load is that I don't know what average is! Mail and Safari is probably mostly CPU idle apps.

Anyhow, I'll give this a go and see if there is any noticeable decrease in temperature here.

 

How would one go about finding the temperature?

 

There is either a widget and/or a application you can use, however you need the application installed anyways just to use the widget because the application installs the stuff that gets the tempertures for you.

Core Duo Temp is it

 

Got it....Its giving me a temp of 50C. And you think that will go down after a couple of working it in?

 

Well since it's new, it most likely already includes the newer logic board as well as all the firmware updates.

It's possible it could anywhere from 3-5 degrees cooler.

 

Mine says 31C 19% 18 Mins, Current 1.5 GHz Can you explain this ? My Macbook was bought on Tuesday Last Week. This is just on normal usage, Safari, Aim, Core Duo Temp.

 

31 Celsius is 87.8 Farenheit omg!!! I installed the SMC Firmware and my Macbook is 1 Week and 1 day old, and I am just on Safari with just this tab, Aim talking to no one, and the core duo temp!@

 

I never measured mine, but I *know* that it's MUCH cooler than it was a month ago. I can use my machine on my lap on bare legs now. When I first got it, it was ALARMINGLY warm.

I think this supports the "burn-in period" theory that we're all referring to.

 

Core 1: 53C
Core 2: 51C
Hard Drive: 43C

Pretty much the same temps as when I got it.

 

Wow 31C thats pretty cool.

I R Jealous.

Thanks everyone so far who contributed.

 

These temperatures mean nothing without ambient temperatures listed . . .

How warm/cold is the room it sits in?

Anyway, just a point . . .

 

In a reasonably cool room (it's winter in Sydney), my 1.83GHz MacBook has been running from 50-55 degrees C while just surfing and email.

After doing the firmware upgrade, I'm now sitting at about 43 degrees C under the same circumstances. And, no apparent increase in fan usage. So - what is making it run cooler ????

Unfortunately, I didn't bother checking the temps after a couple weeks of "burn-in" so I can't say the temp drop is conclusively from the firmware upgrade. But, I do know it feels much cooler on my legs now, and I hadn't noticed that before the update.

I was fine with it before, but this is even better!

 

My Macbook was idling at 60C-63C after an hour or so. I didn't see any appreciable temperature drop after the would be burn-in period (even then, that would be indeed expected; it is the time the thermal compound takes to accomodate itself, and I have seen it a hundred times in desktop CPUs - perhaps there are some Macbooks like the early MBPs that have thermal paste incorrectly applied).
After the SMC upgrade the temperature dropped to 48C-53C under the same circunstances.
And well, it is not very scientific to talk about temps without measuring the room temperature, a default time and set of apps running, but it allows us to have at least a broad idea of how cool (or hot) are our Macbooks.

 

Ok, for ambient temps I was on my MBP this morning and the air was a lot cooler then last night when I was on. Last night's temp was 50C; the temp of my comp this morning was only 30C after 1/2 an hour of light use.

I guess the air temperature does make a huge difference, I'll keep checking mornings vs night to see if the trend continues.

 

So 31 C is good? I thought that it was hot?

 

For a notebook that is pretty good. It's certainly still hot, of course.

 

Pressure, I'm conducting a scientific study here. Just getting a broad idea.

31C is VERY good, most desktops run hotter than that.

 

You kidding? Human body temperature is higher than that!

 

Wow thats cool, my room isn't that cold it is about 80 degrees out here in Cali. I didn't think that it was that good. ^^ Btw Wooky I love your Avatar!!!

 

So there is no more heat problem with the MBP ?

 

Not really, with the new Logic board thats in the new MBPs, as well as the SMC update the MBPs had a while ago, reports seem to have dropped quite a bit.

Naturally it'll be a litte warm, but its not going to be hot as it was when it first came out. If you plan to get the MBP remember that it takes some time for the thermal compound to set, once it does you'll notice a bit of drop in temperatures.

 

No whine too ?

 

Apple has officially acknowleged the whine as a problem, so if you do get a MBP which whines, they will exchange the logic board or maybe even the whole thing. But I guess new MBPs do not have this problem anymore, so you shouldn't worry much.

 

Not exactly true. It depends on the production date of your product and whether or not they have a new logic board available (that is newer than what you already have).

Mine was produced in late April and as such, was eligible for a new logic board which should reduce the "electric buzz" by 4-5dB. The Apple Technical Service Provider said that mine was one of the last units (by my serial number) that were made with the "old" logic board.

 

Pressure, what was your build serial number if you don't mind me asking? Mine is a week 15 build, and I have the logic board buzz...

 

So MB owners, with this new SMC revision, does the MB itself still feel excessively hot from outside?

I remember testing some of the in store units, they defenetly felt to hot to use for extended periods of time.

If its true they dropped 10*C inside/out, it brings them well in spec with most windows offerings.

 

It feels fine now, I can have it on my lap for a few hours before I start noticing my lap is getting warm (clothes trapping heat).

Yes there was a 10C+ drop in my temp.

 

How did they do it? You must wonder. Is it louder?

 

Nope, it's still silent as ever.

firmware updates are usually updating more than one thing, not just the fan control, I'm sure it also adjusted other things on the system to better control the heat.

 

Wow, im not sure if im impressed how well they fixed the problem, or shocked they didn't test it to the point of fixing it before bringing the product out.

So more or less now, on the outside, it feels like most other notebook computers, like its obviously still not cool, but not the very very hot feel of before.

 

You pretty much summed it up perfectly, it falls in range with all the others now, it still amazes me how apple can accomplish this without the use of fans.

 

Then it must be that they have adjusted the CPU throttling, because they had to have changed something physically and if it's not the fans then it must be the CPU instructions. Been waiting to hear some news like this. Think I'm going to be dumping my already failing 3 month old Sony SZ for a MacBook very soon. I also agree with you xbandaidx that 31c is nothing as far as notebooks are concerned. My general observation is that most x86 notebooks generally run in the 40+ degree range. I would be extremely happy with those temps.

 

Week 17.

Contact AppleCare and explain you have the noise under the keyboard.

 

Whats going on with that Sony?

 

My right mouse button quit working (hardware failure) and I'm having to send it in for repair. Plus I've been getting some general overall weird behavior which persists even after a reformat and clean install (also hardware?). I'm now having to send it in for repair after the Sony support techs couldn't solve the problem either. My wife is now gloating and clucking her tongue saying "You never should have left Apple". Not to sound like a fanboy, but I'm afraid she's right. Never, ever had I experienced any major problems with any of my Macs (going all the way back to 1989) and I'm kind of regretting the fact I ever "switched". I don't know, maybe it's just Sony but this has left a pretty bad taste in my mouth. Hopefully I can get something out of this SZ on eBay when I get it back. Don't know how much, though, since I fully intend to be up front about the issues I've had with it when I put it up for sale.

 

You most likely got a lemon. I never had any real issues when I owned a sz.

The smc update lowered the temps 6-10c on my week 19 MB. It makes the fan come on more often and you can hear it when its on. It only feels slighly less hot on the bottom.