MacBook Pro 2011 Overheating Problems?

I've been researching and trying to decide whether or not I should buy a MacBook pro. During my research I noticed plenty of people commenting on how bad the 2011 MacBook pro overheats, and how fast the fans spin. There were multiple people who had got up to 80 degrees celsius just by watching a 1080p YouTube video. I really like the looks of the MacBook, but if they get that hot its not worth it. What do you guys think?

 

Definitely on track with your thoughts. Though i'd advice you to go to the store, try a video out on youtube and see if the fans go off when you're watching it for a while and see how it is IRL.

I'm curious if people have their macobok on a table or in the bed or somewhere else when they reach such temperatures, if it's on a table, then it's bad. Wouldn't wanna put it on a pillow or such..

 

When pushing the machine hard its easy to get in the 80s... But just watching video at 1080p...? mine hasn't gotten that hot just from a video, youtube or otherwise.

 

My 13" hits 100C max when I render a video, usually sits at 93C. However, I sit at right below 50C doing normal tasks (YouTube videos, word processing, browsing, etc).

 

sincerely for the 13'' model that you are looking for, there arent any overheating issues, but I would actually get the mba 13

 

My 13" MBP gets really hot sometimes, I can't imagine the 13" MBA being better?

 

also no overheating or throttling issues

 

I posted a gaming graphics review of the 2011 MBP 1(with temps of course): http://forum.notebookreview.com/app...-2-00ghz-hd-6490m-gaming-graphics-review.html

 

The MBP 15" 2010 i7 2.66 GHz, which is the second highest had a TDP of 35W.
The similar model in the 2011 lineup has 45W TDP.

No wonder the 2011s heat up so fast, it's like a 25% increase in TDP.

 

interestingly enough the 2011 models dont overheat

 

do this

Let apple store test a 13" i7 model for a CPU stress test (tell em you're worried and such) and let them install SMC fan control (only temp monitor) or borrow a friend's

open terminal and type

"yes>/dev/null" press enter (WITHOUT " )

press command+T (new terminal tab)

and do the same


be aware there's MBP 2011 v1 and v2 tough
different i5's

 

I'm in the same boat as op is. Looking to get a 13" MBP.

So far I decided to buy and do my testing at home, if it will get too hot I'll just return it...

 

OK, guys.

I pulled the trigger today for a MBP 13" and my wife loves it... which is great, but... back to heat problem.

My initial tests were:
- full screen some random youtube video: temp was ~60C
- played a 3 min 1080p video, temp was ~53C

now the sad part:
- installed chrome with angry birds, temp is going up till 89-90C, after that fan(s) go crazy... and it cools down. Activity monitor shows 10-13% of CPU usage for Chrome, so my guess would be that GPU is getting pushed.

Now, I don't mind the heat when it's under heavy load, but it gets that hot that it burns your lap... so, having a small laptop on your desk only it's just wrong.

Anyway, it's just our 1st day, we have many days of usage before we'll decide to return it or not...

If anyone would like some tests to run I would be glad to try those, but please provide detailed instructions, since this is our 1st mac....

PS: I've got the base model, with Intel graphics.

 

SO it is a model with HDD? I have seen it with my sony that bottom would get warmer but the palmrest would remain cool. I haven't done any tests on my mac, but I have seen the same kind of result there. The only time the palmrest was warm was if I used a cooling fan below the laptop.

 

Yes, hdd, 500GB. Palmrest is ok, it's the bottom of laptop that gets hot...

Btw, according to Apple, bottom being hot is something normal.

http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro/care/ - "Using Your MacBook Pro"

 

I am using an SSD in both cases, but the comparison still holds.

 

Does anyone know if flash is using the gpu now on osX? Or is it still using all cpu?

Flash used to run cooler on the windows side because of the help from the gpu.

 

Edit: delete.

 

My mbp when through a really hot phase - fans spinning away at high speed for ages, thought my battery had mostly died at the same time.
It turned out to be app related - I'd installed the Plex media software and it was causing all the problems. Removed it and I'm back to a happy (but still quite warm) mac...