New 2011 MacBook Pro Heating Issue?

@Herb: Thank you for you tests! This sounds like normal behaviour and a much better temp. management than on the 2009 version of the 13" model.

Cheers...

**** it im so dissapointed!
i just ordered my first ever mac - 13inch mbp 2011...and i made the switch to mac mainly because my old HP laptop had crazy heat and fan is always on regardless of what im doing...So i basically bought the mac for the low fan noise and heat that all mac owners brag about...
I guess my question is (to those that got it)...is it that bad?
Also maybe its possible to go to the genius store and get that extra heat paste applied removed??
Cheers

Don't worry. I am waiting for mine to arrive too and it is not the best thing to realize that complaints already exist ....... Nevertheless, it is something that is easily "fixable".... not like the NVIDIA 9400M problem.....
So, we only have to wait and see.... (and pray....) 🙂

I re did the past on my 2.4 core 2 as it was a lot noisier and hotter than when I fist bought it. I even cleaned/oiled the fans.

There was NO noticeable change for me after doing all of this, currently my temps are 61 C just posting this page My fans are only 2000rpm but when the temps are this high it doesnt take much to make them spin up loud, a youtube video will do it everytime.

Im looking to upgrade to the 2011 and sure I want a little more power but heat/noise is just as big an issue, I live in Australia and in summer I just sweat intensely on a warmish day just surfing the net, so much so that the sweat has warn little pits into the aluminum where my left hand rests.

Im having major 2nd thoughts about getting the new model after reading all these heat reviews, I thought the 32nm architecture was supposed to make them less power hungry and therefore make less heat, Ive been waiting over a year for sandy bridge only to find that I might just end up with the same problems I currently have but have to pay $2500 for the privilege.

Im thinking its the cpu with a gpu directly on top of it that is a major factor in this issue. Especially when the clock speeds are lower across the range.

on board GPU = BOO

Just one further temperature observation about my 2011 15" MBP - right now I've got Safari open with six tabs open, Mail, Adium and the Citrix Online Plugin (for our office virtual desktop system - a hosted instance of WinXP running a couple of Win apps). I'm running on the battery as a test and my CPU temp is hovering between 38º - 40ºC. I'm also showing 88% battery free and over 7 hours left about about 50 minutes of usage. Needless to say, this is MUCH MUCH better than my late-2008 original unibody, even with the new battery I bought last fall.

Thanks for the update, Herb. As you noted earlier - and based upon what you've encountered - it does sound like this issue is restricted to the 13" line. Unfortunately, it's beginning to look like Apple's decision to remove the dedicated GPU from the 13" might not have been a good thing. On the upside, at least they felt that having a separate GPU on 15" and 17" was a good idea. 🙂

As for my 13-inchers: considering the 2.7 GHz i7 is only showing a modest performance improvement over my "old" 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo, but runs much, much hotter (and louder), I think I'll be taking the system back since I'm within the 14-day period.

I got mine on the first day, a MBP 15 with i7 2.0G. Huge heat issue. The CPU temperature ramped up to over 90C within minutes even though I am just installing some software. This is especially true if you use boot camp to install windows 7. With even windows 7 scheduled update will increase the CPU temperature to alarm high of 85C.

I am thinking the new model is using the same thermal dissipation mechanism as previous MBP 15 model. While for the previous generation (Early 2010), the CPU is rated 35W, and now with no changes, the CPU becomes 45W, where does the extra heat generated go? While the fan remain essentially base rpm at 2000 under 90C, over 90C it will kick in to full speed.

I have big concern about the new mac's heat issue. I have returned my 15 inch new mac already to store. I am a big Apple fan and own several macs and ipad, ipods.... I am quite disappointed by the 2011 mac.

Message was edited by: apple pc

apple pc wrote:
I got mine on the first day, a MBP 15 with i7 2.0G. Huge heat issue. The CPU temperature ramped up to over 90C within minutes even though I am just installing some software. This is especially true if you use boot camp to install windows 7. With even windows 7 scheduled update will increase the CPU temperature to alarm high of 85C.

You have the same model as me but completely different behavior (see my posts above).

This isnt sounding good at all for my first mac experience lol
I bought the 13 with 128gb SSD though...hopefully that will help a bit...but ye i understand the problem of that rediculous intel graphics on the cpu would cause the extra heat...
Should i just cancel the order now and get the air? Any heat problems with the new air?
Thanks guys
ps. im from australia too...heats up real good down here

It seems that too much thermal paste was used on the heatsinks.
http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook-Pro-15-Inch-Unibody-Early-2011-Teardown/4 990/2
Perhaps this problem will be addressed in future units.

Despite that little oops, it's a great computer and blazingly fast.

Basic internet browsing makes the laptop overheat; within 15min it's hot to touch. I am disappointed, my previous generation MBP never had this issue 😟

Are these heating and fan issues restricted to both 13" models, or just the high-end, i7 13"?

Wow Herb, your report is much more like what I was expecting the new macs to perform like, just having my 2.4 core 2 on makes my temps 10 C higher than yours.

From what Ive read the problem isnt isolated to one particular model!

You have the 2.0ghz 15 inch on right?

Can you tell us if the dedicated GPU was on or off during your test?

Im going to speculate that it was on instead of the built in one being used which allows the heat to be distributed across the heat sync more evenly!

this would also explain why more 13 inch than 15/17 inch users are having the problem.

What Im wondering is if there is going to be a noticeable difference in heat/noise between the 2ghz and 2.2 ghz models. 200mghz isnt much but time that by 4 cores and then it begins to. Seeing I need a 7200 rpm drive its makes more sense money wise to get the 2.2ghz model as apple dont charge $130 to up grade to it, this makes only a $270 difference between the two for me to get a WAY faster graphics card and faster machine.

But id rather a quiet machine than a faster one for games by far.

Let us know what you find Herb and hopefully we can start to narrow down where the issue lies!

See if this article sheds more light on the fans - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4543?viewlocale=en_US

My normal usage flips back and forth between the integrated graphics (websurfing, email, etc) and the discrete GPU (the Steam/Portal test I reported earlier, browsing through my Aperture library, etc.). Right now running on AC power, just using Safari with six tab open, Mail and chatting a bit on Adium, my CPU temp is running at 39ºC.