Heat in I6000

Just getting ready to leave for college in 2 days and my laptop has been warming up more than usual. When the computer has been on, either after a large amount of usage, or just an hr or two of idleness, the upper right area of the keyboard gets pretty hot. This is my first laptop..so I do not really know what is too much or a normal amount of heat, but I find it odd how easily it has been warming up. Is this area on the laptop a common spot for this problem?

 

It is normal for notebook to get warm even after 1 hour of idle usage, especially notebooks with PCI Express x16 graphics cards. If your notebook has the Intel Integrated Graphics solution then it shouldn't really get hot at all, even with using it on your lap. The heat will increase if you have the ATI X300 64mb/128mb gpu. The area under the right hand is normally where the gpu is located, I am not sure about the Inspiron 6000 but I think it is located there. If that area becomes hot and too uncomfortable to use then call Dell and tell them your problems. When I say hot, I mean hot. Some people complain about their notebooks getting hot when their notebooks are actually just warm. If you find it uncomfortable to type as your wrist is heating up too much then call Dell. I hope you purchased the extended warranty, if not then you will have to try to fix the problem yourself.

It also depends where you are using your notebook when it gets hot. If you are using it on your lap, for periods of 1 hour or longer, the room is hot, or the notebook is not well ventalated then expect temperatures to increase.

 

thanks, that sounds like a reasonable explanation for why it is getting warmer in that area. I do have the 128 mb x300, and a 3 yr warranty. It will normally be kept on a wooden desk, but hopefully long-term wise the heat wont affect the screen(as it warms that too when the lid is closed). But i guess for now i can deal with this small problem.

 

Well, your I6k isn't going to get that hot - it's pretty big, a little thick, has a lot of places for the heat to go. Not like mine! Mine has a 15.4 widescreen too, but it's 1.3" thin - and this thing gets hot. I am going to go purchase a laptop cooler pad, hopefully, that will make things better.

 

I have a 9300 and what you are describing is not normal, not for the 6000 either!! Dont let anyone tell you otherwise, how long have you had your laptop?? If its been three or four months or more, you may need to clean the dust out of the fan and vents, this is normal maintenance that you should perform on a regular basis, two to three times a year depending on environment. At no time is it normal for the 6000 to feel warm on its keyboard surface. I run my 9300 all day long and my keyboard is never hot, ive used 6000's and never a problem either, but like I said, these puppies need a regular dusting, get some canned air , open the hood and blow the baby clean, should bring your temps back to normal

 

Another thing I forgot to mention, make sure the lappy is well ventilated, not sitting on carpet or on your legs without somekind of laptop platform for it to rest on so the fan underneath is getting air to it.

 

conghelach: I think it is because the laptop is ontop of a wooden desk. I only move it when i feel the bottom is becoming too hot and shift it over to the side a little on the desk, so the heat doesnt build up. The laptop is brand new, probably just outside of the 21 day return date. would a cooling pad help?

 

i have a i6000 as well, and i notice a little heat, but nothing major, I mean you cant be expecting the notebook to run at 60*f .... lol.. Deal with a little heat, if the laptop is a little older, open it up and blow out the dust

 

Yes a cooling pad would definitely help

 

I just went to Compusa to pick up a cooling pad. Although I didnt download the programs to find my cpus heat before i purchased the pad, it has decreased dramatically. I picked up a $20 Targus cooling pad, without the 4 extra usb ports if anyone is interested. Also, although the pad is smaller than the laptop, the only problem I have with it is when I open the screen as it shifts the bottom around. Otherwise, I can atleast feel a cooler surface now, but I have no numbers of the diference in temp. or anything since I never got one of those programs beforehand.