CoreDuoTemp

I just slapped togetherr a quick widget that gives you the CPU temp. If someone wants to improve the GUI, just do it. It requires root access to load the kext.

http://xbean.gotdns.com/CPUTemp.dmg

If I remember correctly the operating range goes up to 90c on these chips..

Providing it remains stable I'm not going to bother thinning the paste... if it works fine and doesn't make much noise then I'm not complaining :)

Uh, Jason, 120F is only 49 C, hardly what I'd call scalding, and plausible considering that the CPU runs 20 degrees hotter. Intel would probably know what the operating temperatures for their chips are, and Google is your friend (unless you're Chinese).

I honestly don't think this app could be right. The temperatures are jumping all over the place (65-75 celsius) when I'm doing exactly the same thing (not much!).

My Macbook (2ghz, 1.5gig RAM) actually feels quite cool to touch at the moment, cooler than usual. It's a hell of a lot cooler than my old Rev A 12" Powerbook. That thing got really hot to touch, but the CPU temperatures only ranged from 50-65 celsius at most.

I just don't believe that my Macbook is running so damn hot, whilst the case feels quite cool. My Powerbook fans kicked in at 64 celsius, but this app says my Macbook is idling at 65+ !!!

Just got a 1.83 direct from China, and it started out with external temperatures about 10C warmer than now. Now the top gets up to about 112F and the bottom 120F, which is warm but not out of line with other laptops. Idle CPU temps started at 60C and topped out at 85C after a week of relatively heavy use the temperatures have dropped some. Idle is now about 53C and the system tops out at 76C. This still seems a little high to me, but about inline with what others who have changed their thermal material are seeing. So take it for what it's worth.

Really though I would have thought the whine would have been fixed by now. Not so for mine, maybe those with the 2.0GHz or greater would be better.

Personally I would like to have a quiet low frequency fan running and keep temperatures about 10-15C lower.

A few bits of info for those of you new to checking the temperature of an Intel type MB/Chipset. First of all, the thermal diodes vary quite a bit. And the location of the contact can make temperatures vary quite a bit from system to system. So comparing temperature between two 'identical' systems will be pretty meaningless.

Furthermore, removing the CPU and/or CPU Fan will change the thermal connections. You will see temperature differences for that reason alone. So fiddling around to get the 'lowest' temperature reading can be very misleading. It is better to determine that your system is stable for all usage, and not try to tweak the temperature too much.

Maybe an informal poll is in order.

How many of you would rather have more fan use and cooler temps, and how many of you would rather have less fan and higher temps?

It seems that Apple really did put that paste on to hush up the computer, but every laptop that exists today has fans in it. Fact of the matter is that right now fans are a necessary evil that you can't get around without different technology (watercooling/radiator) or taking a performance hit somewhere.

I don't think that holding the heat in can be good for the CPU. Funny thing is that it would break beyond the warranty period, and in most cases outside of the 3-year apple care dealie, so the average user wouldn't think to associate it. The short end of the stick for the MBP owner occurs many years from now; when the computer could still be working like new, it is instead crippled by a broken CPU soldered into a motherboard, something that most regular people can't fix themselves, would cost real money to fix elsewhere, and Apple doesn't care about anymore.

I have no proof about this theory of mine, as I have never owned a Mac, but I do own several computers, and all CPU's need the same cool temp lovin, no matter what case they're in or what OS they run. But from what I understand, Apple computers last a long time and work reliably so. I think that this paradigm will change if the CPU's are handicapped by the higher heat environment like I think the thermal paste thing is doing.

My iMac 1.83 17" is running @ 31 degrees right now, in this app. coooool

Mine, a 1.83GHz ordered the day of the intro, runs in the 70s/80s.

I purchased a Targus chillpad (laptop pad with 2 USB-powered quiet fans) over the weekend, which I find does little to reduce the temperature reported by this utility, but does reduce the exterior temperature.

#1: Try iStat nano, it's a widget for temp, memory and processor usage, etc. Helpful and customizable.:

http://www.islayer.com