Is it safe to play games on a 2013 13' Macbook Pro?

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Is it safe to play games on a 2013 13' Macbook Pro?

I have a 13' (13 inch) Macbook Pro, that I got in September of this year. I have not really used it for any sort of gaming until recently, when I decided to try playing World of Warcraft with some friends. The game runs perfectly with no graphics problem; however, I have noticed that after extended gameplay, the laptop gets very hot underneath. The topside does not get hot, but the underside of it does, especially where the exhaust from the fans come out.

My question is whether or not I should play games on this laptop, due to the amount of generated heat? Or should I play with an external fan and/or some sort of fan managing program/app installed? Is the Macbook Pro built for this type of gaming and is it safe to use it this way?

Thanks

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Oct 21, 2013 3:40 PM

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Answer 1

poikkeus1

Level 4

2,474 points

Oct 21, 2013 4:26 PM in response to KyleGN

There's no reason why you shouldn't use your MBP the way you want. However, there's a potential threat (punk rock reference here) in keeping your unit at a high temperature for longer periods of time. A MBP is not a desktop computer. If possible, keep your temperature at 150F, and never exceed 170F at any time. If you notice the temperature creeping up, engage the fans, and remove the device from a hot zone like your lap.

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Answer 2

Network 23

Level 6

12,351 points

Oct 21, 2013 5:10 PM in response to KyleGN

It's probably OK, but you might want to aim a desk fan at it to help carry away heat around the case.

I've known many PC laptops that always ran their fans and blew hot air out the back when they weren't even doing very much work, so that in itself is not alarming. Games do tend to max out the CPU and graphics, and in such a thin case heat must be shed rapidly. Similar heat and fan activity also happen for manyusers doing professional video/photo/3D rendering on similar laptops.

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