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2020 Macbook Pro Getting Very Hot Especially on right side of keyboard

I just got a 4 port MacBook Pro, (the base one with 512 ssd and 16 gb RAM) and I noticed it runs pretty hot. I always use it on a flat surface desk. Today is day 5. When it heats up I notice the right side of the keyboard is much hotter than the left specifically around the h j k t b u y I n keys. Is this normal? What is under those keys to make it so hot and not the left side. The whole keyboard has gotten hot one time to the point where it is extremely uncomfortable to even type at all and my fingers had bright red spots even after a while looked like when you touch a hot pan or something but don’t get a actual burn. And I woke up the next day with a lingering feeling on my right hand finger tips. I will check in with the Genius Bar if it doesn’t get better soon and to just make sure everything is good. But it just felt really strange to me as its brand new and I don’t run anything intensive most of the time I’m using safari and iTunes and notes app at most. I checked the activity monitor and there aren’t any other processes taking up a high percentage of cpu. I downloaded Mac fan control to just see my temperatures and the fan speeds. It seems that the laptop waits a while until its very hot to the touch but normal for cpu temps to start up the fans and run them around 1250-1350 rpm. Do the 2020 MacBooks all do this, wait until its hot to go up from 0rpm because while its at 0rpm I can still feel the heat radiating strongly off the keyboard. I charged from the left side the first time and then read about how that can possibly heat it up even more and switched to the right side. My temperatures are pretty normal I think. Right now I’m typing on the notes app with iTunes playing music and the keyboard is getting very very very warm on the right side, it does not feel like a average keyboard warmth to me. Temps of the cpu are about 55 C, fans at 0 rpm. I used a older MacBook Pro earlier this year and did not experience this at all. I’ve also done a SMC reset. Is anyone else experiencing this or have any suggestions. I asked my friends with other “less powerful” models of the 2020 MBP with 1 fan and they said theirs barely get hot so I’m finding this strange. When I do anything like streaming a episode from Netflix too, wow wow very hot.  

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Aug 18, 2020 4:16 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 18, 2020 6:43 PM

My recommendation is that your 2020 MacBook Air is still under Apple's 1YR Limited Warranty. Take advantage of it and let Apple get you a solution. I know you mentioned the Genius Bar and that is the best idea at this point. If the Apple Store is closed then please contact ➔ Apple Support.


Axel F.

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5 replies

Sep 26, 2020 7:56 AM in response to Greg1987c

I ended up bringing it into the apple store genius bar within the 14 day period (i think with covid the days are extended though)and getting a replacement and the difference is very apparent. They ran tests on my first one when i went in but nothing really came up so i’m not sure what was up with it. Maybe some of the products were assembled a bit different i don’t know. But my new one does not heat up like crazy just warm sometimes and even with streaming videos too it stays cool as long as its on a flat surface. very strange experience.

Sep 26, 2020 2:05 PM in response to Jennifer548

Thank you Jennifer!! That is really helpful. I wound up calling Apple support(again) and Apple assigned a case specialist and is promising a New replacement should they not be able to resolve the issue. I couldn’t even touch the machine anymore, it was burning my hands!! I had to buy a magic keyboard just to be able to complete assignments. I am so disappointed as I went with the top of the line options and waited so long for this computer (literally months) and this is what I received and the first “technician” Apple sent me to was a complete scam artist who did nothing! Hoping this time Apple can fix this mistake. Not at all the product or experience I was made to believe I was purchasing.

2020 Macbook Pro Getting Very Hot Especially on right side of keyboard

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