Sony VAIO SA idle temp is around 52C. Is this normal?

Hi,

Its been 4 days since my SA arrived and I'm impressed with the build quality (my old lappy was a DELL E1505). I am still concerned about the heat aspect though.

My old laptop (using Intel Core2 duo T7200 2Ghz) runs at 42-44C on idle (30 processes, 0-2% CPU utils) with basic browsing it can climb upto 47c and watching youtube it can hover around 55C.

The new SA on the other hand starts up at 44-47 and after some use it idles at 52C (73-75 process, 3-8%CPU). Watching youtube it does increase upto 62C and basic browsing stays at 55-57C.

BTW..my SA is using an i7-2620M and 500GB 7200rpm drive.

In general I understand the 13-inch laptops do tend to run a bit hot with faster CPUs. But looking at the temps on mine, is this normal?

I'm just worried if it would get worse as time progresses and becomes unmanageable. Can somebody please throw some light on this?

If it is expected to get worse..I would rather return it now.

Also, I am seeing some threads that state "CTO" (I believe they are referring to customized models) models cannot be returned. Is this true?

My laptop is a (USA) VPCSA290X customized model (but no engraving) and the rep on the phone mentioned that it can be returned within 30-days except that I would have to pay the shipping. Can someone please confirm?

I really like this machine except the heat issue. Do you think I can keep it? (or) return it ..given that I shelled out $1680 for it!!

Thanks in advance everyone!

 

I've built and owned many desktops and had quite a few laptops ranging from HP, Toshiba, to Sony and let me tell you: the ambient room temperature makes a HUGE difference. At work, my laptop idles at ~38C, this is with watching YouTube, multiple Chrome tabs, and Skype chats. At home, my computer idles at ~50C because I have it on my bed or on my desk but my room gets dreadfully hot. It all depends on where the computer is and what the ambient temperature is.

Don't freak out, just remember that a computer is like anything else in a room: it's at the same temperature the room is at. Just try to put it on a solid surface and don't block the vents.

 

Question is - what'll you do once you return it? ANY 13" laptop you get will have heating problems with high end cpus (and yes this includes macbook pros). my advice is - enjoy the good and ignore the bad.

 

Thank you so much for the quick reply. I totally agree with you. I am using it on my desk and with the lid open at 90 degrees to prevent the vent from getting blocked. The room temperature is around 24-27c. So, I was expecting the temps to be a bit low (again I understand that i7s tend to run a bit hotter). I'm planning on maintaining couple of VMs and run some simulations pertaining to my work on it which can be a little CPU intensive.
hence the worry!

best regards.

 

Thank you for the advice. Perhaps I am being too paranoid. But again..it just concerns me given that I spent a lot of money on it...I know I don't have much of a choice..

best regards.

 

my best advice is to get a laptop fan to place your laptop on, they actually work wonders

 

My SA with the low end i5 idles at the same temps (50 C) . I have it in a vertical stand so the vents are all exposed.

Perhaps someone would be interested in re-pasting the cpu? That would drop these temps dramatically I am sure.

 

My i5 2410m takes about 15min to get from boot ambient temps, to 50C, upon which the fan kicks in to cool it down. I'm in Taipei, Taiwan ATM, and the temps where I am at are 30C (indoors! ).



EDIT: I'll admit it, to be fair - I was using it on a matress all this morning, which has seriously prevented the fan from turning on. It never got as hot as my m11xr2 did while web surfing/email. I'm personally, quite impressed so far . At a desk, it veries between 40-50C, depending if the fan is on.

 

Thanks everyone for chipping in with your temp values. It looks like 50C is the idle temp for this machine.I've been using this machine for the past 5hrs continuously on a desk with the lid in a proper position...and the fan has not started to get loud even once...tried watching a couple of videos on youtube (1080p) and then it hits the 60-62c mark..But it cools down pretty quickly.

So I'm jut wondering..if we have to clean the vent frequently..given that the lid already blocks it to certain extent. n I am not sure if its going to be easy to open casing on the backside easily. Any Ideas? Is this a painful process?

 

Its been 10-15 days since I purchased my SA. I like everything about this laptop..except the heat issues..my Laptop idles at 53-55C at room temperature of 23-25C. My Old DELL laptop on the other hand stays at 42-43C. There is a significant diff ...n if I start watching a simple youtube video..it climbs all the way to 72-77C..
This has been my only gripe about the machine..

I am thinking of returning it and perhaps wait for the next model..

Please, could anyone let me know if there is anything that can be done to keep this machine cooler other than using a cooler.

BTW..I am using it on a desk.
The lid is at 90degrees position.
My CPU utils are around 2-5% occassionally spike to 9%.

I don't what else can be done..please help..

Thanks.

 

Cool down your room. Place the laptop on a desk at home, some between 23-25C and I idle like you, 50+C. Do the same thing at work where it's less than 18C, idles ~38C.

Every laptop reacts different depending on the room temperature.

 

Eeerrr... so I'm supposed to turn on the AC in the house to the max so I can keep my laptop cool? That's a BRILLIANT idea, especially in the summer. The normal room temperature is 21 to 23 in winter and 23 to 26 in the summer. We're not talking about keeping the laptop under direct sun outside in 30+ weather.

A properly built laptop should not idle at those high temperatures. My 3-year old FW idles in the mid-40s now and hits high 60s under full load, rarely do I see 70s and this is after 3 years and in a house where temperatures are in the high 20s. Also, it definitely ran cooler when it was new but I guess it's time to replace the thermal paste.

Cooling down the room is not a good recommendation. A better one would be to get some sort of cooling pad for the laptop or return it, simple as that.

 

Thanks for chipping in...Thats exactly my point...23C is normal room temperature..and If my old Dell laptop is able to stay at 40C..I expect this $1700 premium machine to be at least close to that value in stamina mode. (taking the form factor into consideration).

I am not sure if this problem is specific to my machine or i7 SA CTO models in general...I was trying to google and found a huge thread related to the same problem on SONY's UK/Italy forums...perhaps a design flaw??

Another funny thing I noticed...the manual says something like...please do not keep the lid open a for a long time!!!! ....seriously???


I really like this machine except for the heat issue..Its really frustrating as I can't find an alternative either..there are no other 13 inchers that come close to its feature set...

Alas..I returned my machine today! Its been really disappointing....

Just out of curiosity.... the i5 SA models are running into this problem as well????

 

Yes.

I heard that most Sandy Bridges run super hot on laptops anyway... it's true that the idle speeds are rather disappointing but consider that the fans are almost not running at that speed, unless you want them to rev up the fan and everyone complains.

When you consider load temperatures, it's not fair to compare to the Core 2 series, you should compare to other Sandy Bridges, due to the Turbo Boost which will only be disabled near 100 degrees Celsius.

Regarding the lid, it's clear that when you open the lid completely it nearly blocks the vent opening, but if the fan inside is blowing out won't the air coming out just come out of the sides of the hinges, wherever there's space for it to come out?

 

i tried several i7 2620 notebook, and they all idle/load at similar temperatures. what i can say is the SA doesn't downthrottles under heavy load, wich is great and means the cooling system works great. i didn't buy the 13" MBP because a friend of mine let me try it for a WE, and i wasn't able to work with heavy load programs, it downthrottled to 800MHZ everytime after 10-15 minutes of matlab/ANSYS code compilation.... yesterday was a stressing day for my SA, i had to do several ANSYS and matlab models. the computer easily reached 94°C but still went 3400MHZ, turboboost made the cpu go between 3GHZ 3,4 GHZ as the temperatures went 92°-95°.
after removing high load, the temperatures immediately idled at 45-50° wich is an idle temperature COMMON TO EVERY I7 2620 NOTEBOOK i tried (this also includes the lenovo x220). the macbook pro reaches >100° then it downthrottles to 800mhz. the SA never exceeded 96° in 1hr of stressing and CONTINOUS calculations (and i also had the radeon at 80°C for random 3d plotting during the work)
so....i'm very happy with this notebook, i don't find any rival at the moment for that price.

 

Seriously ? who the cares about the temp of a cpu ? As long as it is under the 100 degrees it's fine. There is a reason the cpu is hotter idle, that is becouse the fan can be silent and a cpu can easily take 50 degrees in idle.

The real problem is that the fan is a washing machine when you load the cpu, even worse with gpu.

 

Thats an interesting point...May be I should not be comparing the old core2Duos with the i7 in terms of the heat generated by cores. May be 50-55c is the new default. But if the cooling system is great as you mentioned..I am surprised that a simple youtube video (not even HD stuff) can cause the temp spike upto 70-77C in stamina mode(almost 15-20c higher)...that bothers me ...since the cooling system is unable to keep it down.

 

Not unable, unwilling. The fan be BIOS tweaked by Sony to run much faster, but they didn't do that


Also, is HW acceleration enabled in Flash? It will use the IGP, resulting it slightly lower temps if it's a high bitrate flash vid.

 

And I guess you read the part of his post that said "Please, could anyone let me know if there is anything that can be done to keep this machine cooler other than using a cooler."

I gave him a suggestion other than a cooler. Why are you getting all worked up?

 

Do you have the i7 or the i5? The i5 tends to run a little bit cooler although a machine that slim was always going to run quite hot.

What is it that bothers you about the heat? Is it just the fan noise? If the fan noise isn't an issue, then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

If these temps are the new default, wouldn't laptop internals degrade much quicker? (I know Sony wants that but as a consumer, it leaves much to be desired)

What I don't understand is if the current cooling tech cannot keep up with the increasing temperatures of the internals, then Sony should not be offering these options on the laptops. I always thought i3s and i5s would be sufficient for a laptop like the SA.

yubeie, the Sony manual actually states to not keep up the screen for long periods of time? Wow, I don't know who designed the laptop but they sacrificed function over form by putting the vents at the back. I only put my lid down when moving the laptop, I leave it up most of the time, even during the night when it's shut off. How does Sony expect you to do any serious, long-term work on a laptop? Am I supposed to put down the lid every time I take a break every few hours to let it cool down?

 

55 degrees is really not high. And as for temperature spikes, you should check what background processes, browser add ins etc that you are using because some of them are not well coded and the cpu/ram utilization can be immense.

A game like Diablo 2 for example is so poorly coded that it will ramp up a single Sandy Bridge core to 100% and it will stay there as long as the game process is running. Thats just the way it is, in case you were wondering why a 10 year old game would appear to be so taxing on modern hardware.

Theres a tendency to get paranoid about temperatures but I think it is highly irrational. Modern cpus are designed to cope with 24/7 operation under load up to a threshold temperature on the order of 100 C.

And anyway, how often is your computer going to be at idle temps unless you don't use it (i.e. leave it idling all the time)? As soon as you load any half demanding program, cpu activity goes up and core temperature goes up.

Notebook coolers don't do squat. I had a notepal U3 with a F series notebook and whilst it kept idle temperatures and thus fan speed slightly lower than without, using the computer for any task would just ramp up the cpu temperature and the fan speed anyway. It became impossible to tell when the cooler had an effect and the magnitude of the effect given that cpu activity and thus temperature varied wildly depending on user and program activity. You can't expect anything more from a device that wafts room temperature air onto the base plate. In fact, the only thing it did for sure was contribute more fan noise and make dust collect on the base plate in 3 different places.

As long as the cpu operates within the thermal design envelope then you are good to go. Notebook chassis temperature and fan noise are trade offs/design issues and ones that are documented on notebookreview and notebookcheck so you know what to expect before you put down any money.

I don't see any problem with idle temps on the order of 50 C. You might wonder why you get 50 C and another guy gets 40 C but there are too many external factors to account for the difference. You could be in completely different environments with completely different daily temperature averages in completely different rooms running completely different software and hardware add ons. One person might be using it in an air conditioned room on a desk with a total clean install and another might be using it on their lap with a tonne of bloatware running in the background. Either way, +/-10 degrees at idle is nothing to get bothered about.

 

Hi,

I have the i7. Its the heat and the fan noise as well. I could compromise on the noise aspect...But even when the fan is running, the temps are still around 55C in idle..which worries me..since I plan on running some CPU heavy simulations.

Also...I suspect over a period of time...the idle temps would get higher....due to the dust in the vents...and cleaning it is not going to be an easy task due to the design and the form factor.

 

Yeah..the manual says "It is recommended that you do not use your computer with the LCD screen lid fully open for an extended period of time. If you do so, the temperature of the bottom of the unit may rise."
...I think this is just ridiculous....I mean this machine has all the features needed for a perfect machine and looks good in terms of fit and finish..but the heat issue.

 

http://www.docs.sony.com/release/VPCSA2_VPCSB2_series.pdf

Page 15.

 

This one of the first things I did ..In fact I constantly monitor my CPU usage and the temps...to get a fair idea if the machine is getting stressed..I've also cleaned up a lot of unnecessary processes. As I mentioned in my earlier posts...
The CPU usage at idle is around 2-5%...55C for this kinda usage is surprising to me..But then I might be wrong (since this is my first 13 inch machine)...n thats why I was trying to seek some advice from you folks.

Thanks once again everyone for the your active participation and constructive feedback.

Regards!

 

I am getting 90oC after a single pass of 3dmark06, with an ambient temperature of around 10-15oC. Isn´t that too much?

 

90C might be acceptable if the CPU is running at full load...even though I understand the ambient temperature is pretty low....The fans might be running at max speed struggling to keep the temps down.

But does the machine cool down once the run completes? If so, does it actually return to normal idle temps per this machine standards (50-55c) quickly? (or)does it take a while?

If it does take a while..It is clear indication that the thermal design of this machine sucks ( which I think most of us know )

It all boils down whether one can actually ignore and live with it.

Atleast I could'nt n took a tough decision to return it...I say tough..bcos I like this machine in all other aspects..n can't find an alternative.

 

ok I´ve run Intel burn Test software and it raise the temperature to a maximum of 96oC. It´s strange because no throttling occured, even with Core Temp giving me a Tjunction temperature for the 2520 CPU of 100oC, I mean, it was just 4oC near the fatal temperature for this CPU and no throttling, so I must wonder if thermal protection is active by default in the SA´s bios?

 

It's active. My i5-2520M down-throttles to 2400Mhz when running Prime95, and there's no turbo boost at all

If it is too noisy, I suggest that you set Maximum Processor State in Advanced Power Options in Control panel to about 60% for the Balanced Profile, and use the Performance profile (100%) when you really need it.

When idle the CPU stays at 800Mhz due to Intel SpeedStep which keeps it cool, however any little CPU usage quickly spikes it to 2700Mhz (for 2620M) which increases its temperature quickly.

Just give it a try and see how it goes.

 

yeah it´s working alright, when running orthos it turbo boost to 3.1ghz and when running intel test program which uses 4 threads it throttles to the regular 2.5ghz speed of the CPU because of heat. It didn´t go anything lower than 2.5ghz (CPU default speed) so I believe sony did a good job in temperature handling.

 

It says not to use it for long time with lid fully open. It doesn't say you can't keep the lid open in a normal position. If you fully open the lid, it blocks the vent.


I have a question now. What is the best angle for the lid besides having it closed for maximum air flow?

Also, are people using any kind of undervoltage tool for SA/SB/SC? I had a AMD C-50 11" netbook (Acer AO722), and using 'brazos tools' made the temperature drop at least 10C just by slightly undervolting it. It also increased the battery life by more than 10%.

 

Interesting point there! I think you might be right. Nonetheless the laptop was getting hot even in normal position. It does not matter anymore since I returned my laptop.

To answer your question, I believe there is no such tool available for this model since the BIOS is locked down. Don't quote me on that though

 

drat, I tried my SC on my lap today, and after a few hours, it did get too hot

Not burning hot, but hot enough till I knew it was too hot. It was the area with all the bottom vents. Though the OP is talking about something else

 

And yet I have to ask once again - what was wrong with the old Vaio design that I have (for example S11/S12/S13), which:

• Doesn't block the vent no matter in what position the lid is (the opposite is just RIDICULOUS!)
• Doesn't have ANY heat-exchange problems, even when used as a "TOP of a LAP" (LapTop) - it never gets too worm
• The palm-rest remains cool and with constant temp along it
• Has the ports evenly distributed on each side
• Has much more individual and "vaio-like" style and IMO looks much better
  
  I'm just wondering what was that all about? In the name of what exactly? To make it look like a vegetable growing very close to apples? Where did the individualism and innovation go!? What does any user benefit from that new design? I see only downsides and not a single advantage!
  Laptop manufacturers have experimented with vent positioning for a long time:
  My first laptop had the vent opening underneath - a very silly idea as you can imagine, they stopped doing that when it turned out the laptop overheats even when used on a desk.
  My second laptop had the vent openings on top - very clever! I could never leave the laptop running with a closed lid!!
  Thus, evolution showed that the best and most reasonable place for heat dissipation is on the side (and even not on any side, but on the left as statistically most human beings use their right hand to control an external mouse!)
  And yet sony "restarts" the evolution and progress and starts all over again??? I seriously don't understand that!
  If you can't do it better, don't f******g make it worse!
  
  If Sony doesn't come with something better very soon, I think I will be forced to go for another brand in the future.
  It is clear that Sony has huge financial difficulties lately.... but instead of doing their best to attract customers... they seem to aim the opposite
  
  
  
  

 

^I suspect Sony went the exhaust under the lcd design because, well, Apple did it.

 

Awesome. If they have to copy something - why not the good features ( the rigid LID cover for example) ?

I really wonder what manufacturers think when copying the design of the competitors... If I wanted an Apple or Toshiba - I would just buy one!

But I am still really interested in reading about at least one practical advantage of all those changes made in the design!?

Does anyone feel it is better to have all ports on one side only?
Does anyone benefit from the exhaust being towards the LCD?
Does anyone benefit from the keyboard design being like a tub?

What are the advantages?

 

For your theird question, it allows the LCD unit to be thinner, more KB travel, and prevents the KB from leaving a pattern on the screen

 

None of those were EVER an issue on VPCS1 !
1. I don't have patterns on the screen (there is no contact between screen and keyboard!)
2. The LCD of VPCS1 is at least as thin as SA

So absolutely no advantage there.

 

Now that I've used the SA for two days, I notice there is a lot heat build up. When idle, it's near 43C, with light web surf, it normally hits 50C. Installing programs makes it hit 60-70C.

The laptop itself looks clean and nice, But there's clearly something wrong with the design of the cooling. When the lid is opened in normal position, 3/5 of the rear exhaust is blocked. When the lid is open to it's maximum position which isn't a lot more anyways, I'd say about 4/5 is blocked. The user manual says don't use the laptop for long time with the lid fully open.

 

^Those temps are perfectly normal for a 13", even higher with discrete graphics.

 

I'm not sure what temperatures you are expecting. Those are internal temperatures and they are perfectly normal. Plus I used to have:

Code:

http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/asus-g1-core-2/4505-3121_7-32152982.html

and you know what its idle was? 72C. Load? 119C. Try putting that in your lap

 

Simple answer: Sony wants everyone to buy Sony VAIO notebook, whether they want Apples or Toshs.

The one side ports generally makes sense since the DVD drive takes up almost all the space on the other side.
What's wrong with the keyboard?

 

Same with the battery. I would rather ditch the ODD for a bigger battery and better cooling, but whatever

And he doesn't like the KB being "sunken" in to the laptop, I'd guess. Price of a thin LCD bezel