Macbook Pro on Stand

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Macbook Pro on Stand

Greetings,

I have a 13" Macbook Pro 5.5, Mid-09 and I'm very happy with it. I've been using it as a really on the go notebook, carrying it arround with me, etc. Novadays, I'm required to sit on a table and work for long hours, so I'm thinking about getting a laptop stand. I have two issues concerning me, HDD and ventilation.

-If I buy a vertical stand, does my HDD can get damged from working vertical all the time?

-Does running MBP in clamshell mode, with the lid closed, for extended periods create heating problems? I'm worried closing the lid can limit air intake.

To conclude, which kind of stand is better for a MBP, vertical or horizontal? I won't need to use MBP's screen or keyboarnce

Thanks in advance. 🙂

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Jul 1, 2013 6:58 AM

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Answer 1

Allan Jones

Level 9

77,912 points

Jul 1, 2013 7:42 AM in response to BravoAlpha

nt

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Answer 2

BravoAlpha Author

Level 1

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Jul 1, 2013 8:38 AM in response to Allan Jones

😕

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Answer 3

Allan Jones

Level 9

77,912 points

Jul 1, 2013 9:54 AM in response to BravoAlpha

Postus Interruptus!

What I was starting to say when called away from the computer was that pre-Unibody MBPs could overheat in clamshell mode if the tasks were stresing the computer. They got some of their intake air through the keyboard, and clamshelling blocked that intake.

I just got my first Unibody MBP last week and, in checking it, I don't think the design allows use of the KB area as an air intake. I think they both pull in air and exhaust it through the hinge area. My new 13-inch non-Retina has only one fan; my Late 2007 MBP had two.

Were it me, I'd do a clamshell test first. Get Temperature Monitor:

http://www.bresink.com/osx/TemperatureMonitor.html

It puts a temp display in the menu bar †:

Other methods like iStatPro display in DashBoard and are, IMHO, not as convenient.

Once TM is installed, attach an external monitor and do the type of work you anticipate in the new setting with the lid OPEN. Then go into clamshell mode and see how much, if any, the temps go up. If in t 5-10F range, I think you are OK.

Then you can make a more informed decision on what type of stand to use.

† -- example is from a quad-core i7 iMac so your readins would look the same.

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Answer 4

BravoAlpha Author

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Jul 1, 2013 10:11 AM in response to Allan Jones

Mine is a 13" Macbook Pro, the first Intel Unibody model, C2D proccessor, etc. As far as know, it does not pull or push air through keyboard, it takes below and exhausts upside of hinge.

I'm using SMC Fan Control currently, shows temp and allows to adjust fan speed on menu bar. Thanks for advice though, I'll try TM and observe temp for a while.

Do you know anything about HDD, can it get damaged working vertical?

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Answer 5

Allan Jones

Level 9

77,912 points

Jul 1, 2013 10:41 AM in response to BravoAlpha

I agree--after looking at my new one I don't see any way to get enough intake air through the keyboard to do any good.

If cooling now all though the hinge area, then it's time to make sure any vertical stand does not obstruct that area. If a stand has a continuous trough that hold the computer vertical, then putting the MBP in it hinge down would create a blockage.

Do you know anything about HDD, can it get damaged working vertical?

Not a lot. I've had computers at home since 1983 (before hard drives 😮 ) and the early drives were subject to abnormal wear if you ran them horrizontal for a while and then switched to vertical. I have to believe technology has advanced beyond that stage but, sadly, I have no fact-based answer.

You might try searching the HD sites' Knowledge Bases (Western Digital, Seagate, Toshiba, etc) and see if that issue comes up.

What I like: when an extenal monitor is attached to one of our notebooks, I like to keep the lid up to have access to the built-in display. Programs that have a lot of palettes like PhotoShop are, for me, much easier to use when I can drag their palettes to the smaller display for quick access.

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