User profile for user: PukkaPunk
PukkaPunk Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Overheating after lots of summer outdoor use.

Over the summer, I spent a lot of time outdoors working on a 3-4 year old MacBook Pro. Often the fan would come on.


There is a lot of space on my drive. Ram is fairly big, I always get more than I need.


I noticed that my computer has excessive lag now. Closing a browser window takes a lot of time. opening even longer. Apps just don't pop up like they used to. Everything is on slow-mo. It feels like the early internet days.


It could be the battery having been overheated too much, graphics cards overworked in the heat, etc...


These are just conclusions without proof.


Does anyone have a solid idea, because they have experienced the idea?

Posted on Oct 1, 2023 8:25 AM

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User profile for user: Allan Jones
Allan Jones
User level: Level 9
79,838 points

Posted on Oct 1, 2023 11:03 AM

What is you macBook Pro sub-model and display size? (From "About this Mac...") Ventilation issues are different for the 13-inch models.


Software can cause overheating without the sun's help. Anti-virus and so-called "cleaning" apps will increase the workload and run up temps. So can client-side VPNs. Using the computer with an external monitor also works the fiddly bits hard and creates heat, more if you have the computer in "clamshell mode" (display closed while on external monitor). Some browsers (Chrome) work the bits harder as well.


Gaming, watching streaming video, and video conferencing can run up temps even indoors.


See if an SMC reset helps with the slowness. The SMC manages a lot of functions but some are temperature-related.


Reset the SMC of your Mac - Apple Support


Note there are THREE instruction sets that depend on your sub-model, which we do know know. One SMC function is to clock back the processors under high heat but that should be temporary. Still an SMC reset is free and non-destructive.


Obviously, all venting Apple provides must be respected. Anything that blocks the hinge area will stop expulsion of hot air, cousing rapid heating.

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User profile for user: Allan Jones
Allan Jones
User level: Level 9
79,838 points

Oct 1, 2023 11:03 AM in response to PukkaPunk

What is you macBook Pro sub-model and display size? (From "About this Mac...") Ventilation issues are different for the 13-inch models.


Software can cause overheating without the sun's help. Anti-virus and so-called "cleaning" apps will increase the workload and run up temps. So can client-side VPNs. Using the computer with an external monitor also works the fiddly bits hard and creates heat, more if you have the computer in "clamshell mode" (display closed while on external monitor). Some browsers (Chrome) work the bits harder as well.


Gaming, watching streaming video, and video conferencing can run up temps even indoors.


See if an SMC reset helps with the slowness. The SMC manages a lot of functions but some are temperature-related.


Reset the SMC of your Mac - Apple Support


Note there are THREE instruction sets that depend on your sub-model, which we do know know. One SMC function is to clock back the processors under high heat but that should be temporary. Still an SMC reset is free and non-destructive.


Obviously, all venting Apple provides must be respected. Anything that blocks the hinge area will stop expulsion of hot air, cousing rapid heating.

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Overheating after lots of summer outdoor use.

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