Filed under: Humor, Bad Apple, Macbook Pro, MacBook
Cook breakfast with your MacBook
Everyone knows that Apple's Intel powered portable lineup gets hot, but this is insane! An enterprising fellow figured out that it would be possible to actually fry an egg on the bottom of his black MacBook. Granted, it probably took something like 3 times as long than if he had used a stove, but thats obviously not the point. For bonus points, keep your coffee warm by placing it on top of your MacBook power adapter. While obviously a stab at Apple for releasing such hot machines, I think its important to understand the fact that Apple has no control over how hots Intel's processors run. I'm sure the engineers in Cupertino do their best to make the machines run as cool as possible, but there are some things that even Ive and his team can't do.
Just as a bit of an update, since this piece has been picked up all over the net: This isnt really serious. Although it is theoretically possible to get egg protiens to congeal from the heat of a MacBook, the guy posted the story as a joke. That is all.
[via UneasySilence]
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
GadgetGav said 9:56PM on 7-13-2006
And I bet he'll be asking Apple to replace it when there's 'discolorations' on the bottom of the case...
Reply
Silviu said 10:03PM on 7-13-2006
I don't see what is so difficult on Apple's part when it comes to simply MAKING THE FAN WORK. It's ridiculous how the fan on my macbook turns on at 67 degrees. 67 is way too hot for ANY processor. Not to mention my lap.
I've seen other core-duo notebooks running way cooler. Yonah is one of the coolest processors Intel has made. Apple is in large part to blame for this.
Reply
Josh said 10:08PM on 7-13-2006
Well, you could make your MacBook stay as cool as a Dell by adding an aditional fan to the bottom and running it from USB power but, then it is going to be as thick and heavy as a Dell. These machines feel hot becasue they are small. Apple could keep it cool and make them thick, but they don't
Reply
Ross said 10:10PM on 7-13-2006
Ive's team amy not be able to do the impossible, but considering almost all of the windows Core Duo laptops we've seen don't have this problem, and considering one of the selling points of this processor and of the switch in general, was that Intel's processors were cooler than IBMs, I think the blame may fall squarely in Apple's hands, or at the very least the manufacturer.
Reply
RaVeNouS said 10:10PM on 7-13-2006
Very interesting - we should all group our macbooks and open a Mac-Donalds.
Reply
ben said 10:11PM on 7-13-2006
I remember back when some of the original socketed Athlons came out, I saw a video on the interweb of a dude cooking an egg on it. Newer processors always run hot and, if you're believe what you see on the internets, they can always cook breakfast for you.
Reply
PUL said 10:20PM on 7-13-2006
Here's the thing. The Apple notebooks are designed with a tradeoff in mind - they could run the fans all the time, which would keep the temperature quite low, but instead, they keep their notebooks hot and quiet. I'm not sure that's a great idea; I think that the best idea would be to have a slider bar in system preferences with a "Cool & Loud Hot & Quiet" type heading. One can dream, I guess.
Reply
Patrick Haney said 10:24PM on 7-13-2006
Oh, that's nothing. Try cooking up some bacon on a MacBook Pro!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/splat/177826218/
Reply
nick said 10:50PM on 7-13-2006
i dont think it gets that hot, i had my black macbook on my lap for about 2 hours today watching a movie and it really doesnt get that crazy hot like everyone blows it up to be.
Reply
faux facsimile said 10:54PM on 7-13-2006
This is not a Core Duo problem. This is an Apple problem. Just try using a Lenovo Thinkpad X60. Not only is it only 3.5 pounds, but it's a heck of a lot cooler-running than the MacBook (or MBP). It's also not that much louder.
Reply
Silviu said 11:06PM on 7-13-2006
@9
Maybe yours does not. There is some variation. But just because yours doesn't does not mean that this is not an issue.
I can't keep my macbook on my lap for more than 2 minutes without screaming in pain. If I wear thicker pants, maybe longer. But there are some macbooks out there that run really hot.
I don't see what is so freakin' difficult! All they have to do is give you a choice: Loud and cool OR Hot and Quiet. Or something in-between. Not everyone wants the same thing. This is simply a matter of a firmware update that Apple is not willing to do. I think it is most definitely Apple's fault.
Reply
Josh B. said 11:24PM on 7-13-2006
Yeah after being on for a half-hour my Macbook Pro's temp. readings hit about 120-130 Farenheit... you could definitely cook something on one.
Reply
Jon H said 11:28PM on 7-13-2006
"considering one of the selling points of this processor and of the switch in general, was that Intel's processors were cooler than IBMs, I think the blame may fall squarely in Apple's hands, or at the very least the manufacturer."
How hot do you think a G5 Powerbook would have run, if Apple's Core Duo laptops are this hot?
Reply
Chad Poirier said 11:30PM on 7-13-2006
I'm getting nothing when I go to the link. Did Apple force them to remove it or something, or do I just suck?
Reply
John from Buffalo said 11:32PM on 7-13-2006
Big motherfucking suprise here, people. Powerbooks on 1gen were the same damn way. Doesn't excuse the fact, but honestly .... where the hell do you go from here if Apple has NO control over the Intel processor heat issues? Well, can't exactly strike up the IBM talks anymore now CAN we?! *cough* *cough* ... Intel suffers the same damn problem that IBM does, the big fat mofo dye-size (sorry if I spelled that wr0ng). Honestly, I purchased a SLOWER machine and a FASTER hard drive with the 1.83 white MacBook w/ 100gb 7200 rpm 2.5" drive from NewEgg.com. I was willing to take the oh... 5% hit in CPU to get 35% speed up in app load. Eh... I have yellow stains on my MacBook, but I can't exactly cook an egg on this one.
I've owned THREE MacBooks - two which were Black were returned because of both HEAT issues AND graphics crap. Shameless self promotion, because it was a $1700 mistake to buy the first MacBook. Lucky me busted out the 950$ white one based on the fact of educational discount and the free 'pod + printer deals, which I turned around and sold on ebay, promptly.
Screw Intel, screw Apple. It's the same damn game trying to be the coolest, quickest computer to market ... unfortunately testing requires time, and no one is willing to spend time/resources to make it, because the demand of the Fortune 100 + Wall Street need happy investors, right? eh..
Reply
Spaceball said 11:54PM on 7-13-2006
If it isn't Apple's fault how come users report huge temp decreases when they go back and apply thermal grease properly? Apple needs to work this out for the next models. I'd buy another one if they promised it ran cooler. Sweaty palm typing is no fun.
Reply
Jacqui said 12:10AM on 7-14-2006
I am deciding whether or not to buy a macbook or a macbook pro.
I'll be using it for writing my PhD...thinking about screen size etc.........and whether I'll get over the glossy screen.....I need some help deciding.....then reading all the stories about heat etc.....should I wait and see what else comes out??
Appreciate some feedback
Jacqui
Reply
Jon H said 12:11AM on 7-14-2006
"Well, you could make your MacBook stay as cool as a Dell by adding an aditional fan to the bottom and running it from USB power but, then it is going to be as thick and heavy as a Dell."
I do this, but it's thicker and less efficient than it could be, I suspect, because it's made of plastic. (It is light weight, however).
An aluminum version, made to maximize contact with the bottom surface of the laptop, might work even better and be lighter.
But I would prefer if Apple let you select your own balance between fan noise and heat. Someone who uses an external keyboard at home might opt for quiet. When that person uses the laptop's keyboard at the office, they could opt for fan noise and a cooler machine, because their work environment is noisy enough that the fan won't be an issue.
Reply
BS said 12:24AM on 7-14-2006
They do their best to make the machines run as cool as possible??? Hell no they don't, or they would have put a fan or some fins in there. They don't care about your skin, they want their pretty little gimmick to look nice and thin for the advertising beauty shots.
How come no other machines with the same processors run that hot? I don't think they know what the hell they're doing when it comes to functionality, they're too consumed with design.
Reply
Nick said 12:25AM on 7-14-2006
@11
never said it wasn't an issue i just think people are blowing this up, People also forget that the MacBook is new product, also using new hardware. Its not some G4 ghz upgrade....
Also by the way playing UT2K4 on my macbook right, which is on my lap.
Reply