How good is the cooling when the lid is closed?

Question

How good is the cooling when the lid is closed?

Howdy. Hopefully somebody can help me, I'm interested in the cooling systems of the MacBook Pro and whether or not the cooling can handle high CPU stress (gaming) when the lid is closed and its sat on a desk. I have my early 2011 hooked up to a Thunderbolt Display and I can afford to buy a BookArc Pro it'll be sat on my desk.

I have no need for the MacBook display while I have my Thundebolt monitor so ideally I want it disabled which I would do by closing the lid. If its sat on my desk with the lid closed will the cooling systems he as good as if it was open?

Posted on Apr 11, 2012 4:49 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Shootist007

Level 6

16,709 points

Apr 11, 2012 4:53 AM in response to Oliver Barker

It is basically the same as when it is open. The only thing you are missing with it closed is the small amount of heat that May radiate out of the palm rest and keyboard areas. But then that heat would transfer to the screen enclosure and radiate out from there.

The Mac is cooled by the vents in the screen hinge area and as long as you don't block those it will cool the same way, lid open or closed.

Reply

Answer 2

Shootist007

Level 6

16,709 points

Apr 11, 2012 4:57 AM in response to Oliver Barker

Do a google search for this. There is a way to do that but it is not included by Apple. It takes a certain add on to do it.

There is actually a post about it on this forum and links to what you need to do.

Reply

Answer 3

Apr 11, 2012 4:55 AM in response to Shootist007

Great thanks. Do you know of a way to run it with the internal display off but the screen open? I had a old White MacBook and that overheated when closed so I'm a little paranoid 🙂

Reply