Filed under: Hardware, Troubleshooting, Macbook Pro, MacBook
Support doc: MacBook may run warm because rear vent is blocked
First Engadget reported it, and now there's an official Apple Support document explaining the issue: some MacBooks (and Pros) are apparently making it out of the factory with a thin piece of clear plastic
So if it looks like you're starting to get a tan from using your MacBook on your lap too often (which Apple doesn't recommend anyway), you might want to check that rear exhaust vent for any clear, plastic blockage.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
charles said 2:43PM on 6-05-2006
I've read this in several places already, I'm willing to bet that very very few people didn't dislodge this strip when opening their macBook the first time. Doesn't hurt to check.
What noone's talking about when this 'tip' is recycled is that the heat issue is a much more serious problem than apologists are making it out to be. My new macBook gets so hot so quickly (20min) that it becomes very uncomfortable to use even on a desktop. I'm so paranoid that it's going to melt/damage other components that I've gone back to using my 5 yr old PC for any processor intensive work. If there's some magical firmware fix being released to help with the situation I'll be pleased and will shuttup. Until then it's collecting dust on my desk.
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sat said 3:03PM on 6-05-2006
Checked. No plastic strip on my Mac Book Pro.
And I'm still reading 77 Degrees C on my processor, and the machine is still getting ridiculously hot.
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Reg said 9:04PM on 6-05-2006
charles, what sort of CPU usage are you seeing? I think you've got a faulty MacBook.
While just browsing TUAW and other through NetNewsWire, I'm getting a mild 41°C after the machine has been on for about an hour.
This is a maxed out black MacBook with 2GB RAM and a 7200 rpm drive.
The only time I've ever felt the left underside of the MacBook get warm is when running Parallels for an extended period after installing Ubuntu 6.06 from CD-ROM.
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charles said 9:29PM on 6-05-2006
If mine is fawlty then I'm in the majority and Apple has a customer service nightmare on their hands. 1 minute spent browsing Apple.com's forums show there's clearly widespread concern amongst macbook owners about overheating issues.
I'm just using delicious library and firefox. Nothing more. Afraid to buy/use Popcorn for fear encoding might cause spontaneous combustion.
No overheating? Lucky you.
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Andy Lee said 9:52PM on 6-05-2006
Firefox can be a major CPU hog, depending on the sites you go to and how many windows you have open. It's not unusual to see it taking 60-70% of my CPU.
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charles said 9:58PM on 6-05-2006
ok... so what, my 2ghz macbook with 1gig of ram shouldn't be expected to run Firefox with a few tabs open without generating the heat of 7 suns? That's crazy talk.
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Nabil Anwar said 11:25PM on 6-05-2006
I agree Charles, it IS "Crazy talk". Firefox is no excuse, Apple you have been a bad boy. I am holding off from getting a MacBook because i knew it would have the same issues as it's Pro brethren. Apple for Pete's sake , fix ur shit, and then advertise ur wonderfully designed products.
Btw, I am a firm believer in Apple and a proud owner of an iMac g5.
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bobics said 12:04AM on 6-06-2006
So I've read a lot of complaints about the heat. But I've not yet read any details on what the temperatures are in a similarly configured PC laptop, e.g. a Dell. Anyone? Links?
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charles said 12:58AM on 6-06-2006
bobics, that's apologist talk son. I've been using pc laptops long enough to know I can leave them on for hours at a time with minimal heat. I can't even shut this macBook off and close the lid as it will only sit there, stewing, hot as ever an hour later! Imagine if I was on a plane and turned it off, stuck it in a bag so it can cook.
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bobics said 5:57AM on 6-06-2006
My question is... what is normal operating temperature for a Intel Core Duo? I would think figuring that out first would make the most sense.
I have a Compaq laptop running an AMD chip. It gets hot. I would say it has "minimal heat". Some PC laptops have Intel desktop chips in them. They notoriously get hot. So I disagree with you on your PC laptop speculation.
I have a MacBook. It gets hot. Yes it is annoying. Is it overheating? How can I say if I don't know what the normal operating temperature is supposed to be?
Also I highly doubt your stewing example is dangerous to a MacBook unless you didn't put your MacBook to sleep. If I run the CoreDuoTemp app, I can see that the CPU temperature drops from ~80C to ~60C in about 10 seconds from peak to idle.
Yes it's hot. But speaking as an apologist, there are too many unknowlegeable alarmists out there.
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Andy Lee said 9:50AM on 6-06-2006
Charles,
Relax, I was merely pointing out that Firefox might increase the temperature.
This information could be useful to you. If someone says, "I don't know what your problem is, my MacBook never gets hot," you can say, "Well, you're just running TextEdit and Terminal. Try running Firefox -- a perfectly reasonable thing to ask any laptop to do -- and see how hot it gets."
It's about data, not crazy talk. Frankly, jumping down someone's throat for pointing out a fact seems crazier to me.
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gabethebabe said 5:21PM on 6-11-2006
Im pretty new to laptops and returning to Mac after a ten year hiatus. My macbook seems to run hot at odd times, wondering if screen saver may be an issue as Safari and Office apps run cooler than when Im waking it up after 10 minutes of idle. Office seems glitchy too, cant copy images from net right into doc without going thru some other program first?
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Wendy said 5:58PM on 6-12-2006
i've had my MAC for a week today & noticed that it got hot quickly, however today this MAC got extremely hot after turning it off, so much so I could feel the heat coming through the comptuter bag. There was an issue whether I was allowed to take the MAC on the plane this evening due to the MAC overheating so much. This could have been a problem with safety etc. It's a shame as this MAC looks impressive. I'm glad I'm not the only one who was slightly paronid about this heat that this machine generates
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ttam said 6:36AM on 6-13-2006
Some of you guys have to stop complaining, you obviosly never owned a powerbook before. Heat has always been an issue with apple laptops. Why do you think they didnt put out a G5 one? Charles, maybe you should take it to the store or send it in, support is one of the reasons you paid more for the thing, exercise your rights as a consumer in the store, rather then complaining on a message board that wont get you anywhere.
-bootcamp brings non apple people to apple, worst idea ever.
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Matthew Lee said 3:02PM on 7-04-2006
My macbook is also running stupidly hot. Im so angry that I am not able to put my LAPTOP on my LAP. I am going to send it into apple and see what happens.
After that ... I dont no what to do....its going to break if it keeps running at this temperature. Am i entitled to a refund?
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Nice Guy said 3:45AM on 7-29-2006
My duel core macbook runs so hot, I know there's gonna be a problem down the road. I'm not sure how hot everyone else's is, but at times I can barely touch the back with the palm of my hand. Can't use it on my lap, and if left on the desk, the heat makes the top hot also. Love this thing, but may have to return it if this is how it is.
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patrick said 8:27PM on 8-02-2006
ya i got a macbook about two months ago, adn it ran EXTREMELY hot for like the first two weeks, but now the tempereture is much less, i dont get it
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