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    W3V heat management

    Discussion in 'Asus' started by wraybling, Mar 26, 2007.

  1. wraybling

    wraybling Newbie

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    I recently had my W3V cleaned and serviced, and I am pretty happy with the heat improvements. I guess I had a lot of dust build-up because my CPU and HDD are now about 45C and 40C when idle, down from about 60C and 50C. (I am using the "AC Dynamic switching" mode in NHC.)

    However, I think my notebook should be even cooler considering I use it on a desk in a large, cool room. This leads me to a few questions for my fellow W3V owners...

    1) What are typical CPU and HDD temperatures for this notebook?
    2) What program do you use to control heat and what settings have you found to be optimal?
    3) Which cooling pad (if any) have you found to work best?

    Also, this is not specific to W3V's, but I heard that the heat generated by a notebook causes damage to the battery, so it is best to remove the battery when using AC power. Is this true?
     
  2. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    I used to have the W3A (=W3V with Intel GPU) and remember that the HDD ran relatively hot. You will be lucky to see it below about 45C after sustained use. Have you looked into undervolting to get the CPU temperature down? The Dothan CPUs usually undervolted quite well. Undervolting does not cost you any performance.

    Regarding the effect of heat on battery life, all I have read is that it is better to let a battery cool after discharge before recharging it. The W3's battery is relatively exposed and less vulnerable to chassis heat than most computers.

    John
     
  3. Mystic Image

    Mystic Image Notebook Consultant

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    Consider yourself lucky, then. You should realize that 40C is pretty darned low for any computer of any kind, even on idle.

    My W3V typically sits around 48-50C while idle, undervolted, and underclocked to 800MHz using RMClock. The ambient room temperature is around 22C or so. I consider that good. Under load, it will reach low 60's.
    The heat sink area is cleaned up quite often; when it gets dusty it will idle at about 50-52C.

    If you're going to leave the laptop sitting there for weeks, then yes, remove the battery (though discharge it to around 40% first). However, heat may not really be the determining factor for doing that - rather, you just want to prevent excess cycles of discharge and charge as well as overcharge on the battery which can reduce its capacity.
     
  4. wraybling

    wraybling Newbie

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    Thanks guys, I appreciate the replies.