Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

spykerxx · Aug 25, 2006, 02:16 PM

Before some of you flame me, let me just tell you...I love Macs. I currently dont have one but I want the MBP badly. Only problem that gets to me is the heat on it. I love everything else about it. Heat is what is bugging me. I am ready to pull the trigger on it anytime except that heat issue is still annoying me. Any solutions or ideas you guys have? I was thinking about gettin the new MBP in september, the merom, but I need a comp ASAP acutally. Just hoping that merom will be a lot cooler. Any ideas you guys can give me ? Thanks!

Brazuca · Aug 25, 2006, 02:59 PM

If you *need* it, then get one now. If you *can* wait, then wait as long as possible.

Not that complicated, really. The danger is when we buy things based on "lust".

spykerxx · Aug 25, 2006, 03:06 PM

anyone have NO heat problems?

sray · Aug 25, 2006, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by spykerxx

Just hoping that merom will be a lot cooler.

Sadly, that's just not going to happen. The thermal profile of Merom is just about the same as Yonah, give or take a bit, and as long as Apple insists on making slim laptops with metal exteriors, heat is going to be continuing issue.

I guess in the end it just comes down to how you use your laptop. If you really use it on your lap, then it can be quite uncomfortable.

We routinely deploy MBP and Dells in our company. Since most of our employees use laptops on desks, heat as never been a complaint.

I dare say that at first glance the Dell Latitudes run a bit cooler. However, they do have large exhaust fans in the back and are quite a bit thicker than the MBP. The plastic shell ends up with dings and dents when we get them back after 3 years of abuse from our employees. The screen hinges on the latitudes are also a fair bit flimsier.

So all in all, the MBP are among the best notebooks out there today. Most of us have just learned to live with the heat.

SierraDragon · Aug 25, 2006, 08:31 PM

High powered laptops have always been hot. It is not rocket science; the engineers just put in as much power/heat as they calculate is tolerable using the chips and other components du jour. If you want a cooler laptop buy an underpowered one or just run your box at lowered performance. IIRC the top G3s were the hottest Apples (I have owned every generation of Apple laptops since the Duos).

milhous · Aug 25, 2006, 09:40 PM

a general comment that's not directed to anyone in specific.

i don't get what the expectation is here. some people want the convenience of having a full-featured portable computer with one of the smallest form factors in the industry, but are unwilling to accept the fact that these things (and densely packaged electronics in general) will generate heat.

i'm amazed by how people have sensationalized the heat issue claiming that they've been "burned" by their laptop. i sympathize with those who have actually been hurt by a laptop that required medical care or some form of first aid because that is clearly unsafe and out-of-spec. i've been using laptops for many years now.

yes, they do get hot, yes they get uncomfortable at times when you have it on your lap. yes, the keyboard and the top of the laptop can get quite warm when using it. but realistically, what do people expect?

if people are THAT concerned about heat generated in laptops, than they shouldn't buy them at all, period.

wancothesane · Aug 26, 2006, 01:23 AM

only reason why i wouldn't get the MBP is the price. for basic student needs (web, documents, watching media, music, occasional photoshopping) the macbooks FTW.

regarding the heat issue, just don't place the laptop on blankets and stuff for a long time. and as long as you have a desk, i think it should be all good.

Originally Posted by milhous

i sympathize with those who have actually been hurt by a laptop that required medical care or some form of first aid because that is clearly unsafe and out-of-spec. i've been using laptops for many years now.

stupid me, i was working on a term paper, and i fell asleep on my bed. i put my toshiba satellite craptop next to my knee, with the exhaust vent facing towards the skin. 5 hours later, i woke up with blisters and pain from burns

spykerxx · Aug 26, 2006, 12:59 PM

mmm thanks for the feedback. I think the MBP is an amazing computer, use my friends all the time. The part where the attenna is gets pretty hot. On the old powerbooks, the attenna was on the side of the screen i believe, did that ever get hot?

Cadaver · Aug 26, 2006, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by spykerxx

mmm thanks for the feedback. I think the MBP is an amazing computer, use my friends all the time. The part where the attenna is gets pretty hot. On the old powerbooks, the attenna was on the side of the screen i believe, did that ever get hot?

Its not the antenna itself that gets hot, but the antenna on the MacBook Pro just happens to be above the heatpipe and the main three chips (CPU, GPU and the northbridge).

My machine gets pretty warm using it on my lap - not too hot to use, but uncomfortable if I'm wearing shorts. It only gets really hot if I'm using it while I charge a near-empty battery at the same time. For the heat, I have one of those cushioned wood lap-desks, which I find very comfortable, actually.

Mooga2 · Aug 26, 2006, 09:02 PM

MacBook Pro is a beauty, but definitely wait if you can. The over-heat issue is just annoying, electronics should not feel this hot. I turn on my xBox 360 and my Macbook Pro, and it seems like a race to see which one will burn up quicker.

n8236 · Aug 26, 2006, 09:18 PM

Mbp = machine of precision.

After my main logic board replacement, heat has decreased from an idle of 65*C to 54*C (on avg). At 100% load, the temp never reaches above 80*C for more than a few seconds. The whine is nearly eliminated unless you're in a pure silent room w/ ur ear a couple inches away. I've been very happy w/ the repair.

Since the mbp is such an expensive machine, utmost care is vital. It's perhaps one of the most pieces of gadgetry that I regularly clean and maintain. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I've had my share of issues w/ my current mbp, and still comptemplating w/ some minor issues if I should get it looked at or not.

It's only less than a week away before the new Core2Duos are out. Those macahines should no have issues like those of the early mbps.

Javizun · Aug 27, 2006, 04:21 AM

Originally Posted by n8236

Mbp = machine of precision.

After my main logic board replacement, heat has decreased from an idle of 65*C to 54*C (on avg). At 100% load, the temp never reaches above 80*C for more than a few seconds. The whine is nearly eliminated unless you're in a pure silent room w/ ur ear a couple inches away. I've been very happy w/ the repair.

Since the mbp is such an expensive machine, utmost care is vital. It's perhaps one of the most pieces of gadgetry that I regularly clean and maintain. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I've had my share of issues w/ my current mbp, and still comptemplating w/ some minor issues if I should get it looked at or not.

It's only less than a week away before the new Core2Duos are out. Those macahines should no have issues like those of the early mbps.

if history proves 1 thing, is that history repeat itselfs, Unfortunetly statements accross the internet by professionals and geeks state that the merom will have the same issues + there might be new ones as well. Its been proven that the heat issue will still exist. The only noticeable diffrence will be the 20% performance increase and who will really see the diffrence? but of course apple and intel will call it the fastest mac notebok ever even though they claim the same title fir every release.

monkeybutler · Aug 27, 2006, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by milhous

yes, they do get hot, yes they get uncomfortable at times when you have it on your lap. yes, the keyboard and the top of the laptop can get quite warm when using it. but realistically, what do people expect?

Um. maybe people expect that when they spend a fortune on something then it should perform at an acceptable level? This isnt some cheap-o no-name product where they tossed a desktop cpu into a laptop to cut costs. This is a high end machine that you pay a premium to own. So expecting it to work comfortably isn't as crazy as you're making it out to be.

Originally Posted by milhous

if people are THAT concerned about heat generated in laptops, than they shouldn't buy them at all, period.

People like you make mac users look like idiots. Always proclaiming macs are better at everything, but when it comes to a glaring fault then they toss out their innacurate blanket statements to "rescue" their hero. People shouldnt buy laptops if they're concerned about heat? Give me a break. There are a ton of PC notebooks that don't average 60-100 celsius out there. My centrino system that im upgrading from is whisper quiet and stays at 42degrees. So dont pretend people are asking for the impossible here. Apple CAN make a laptop that can be used on a lap. They just haven't done it yet.

SierraDragon · Aug 28, 2006, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by wancothesane

...stupid me, i was working on a term paper, and i fell asleep on my bed. i put my toshiba satellite craptop next to my knee, with the exhaust vent facing towards the skin. 5 hours later, i woke up with blisters and pain from burns

Setting the computer to "sleep" after a period of time unused will resolve that issue with most laptops.

-Allen Wicks

SierraDragon · Aug 28, 2006, 12:16 AM

Originally Posted by monkeybutler

Um. maybe people expect that when they spend a fortune on something then it should perform at an acceptable level? This isnt some cheap-o no-name product where they tossed a desktop cpu into a laptop to cut costs. This is a high end machine that you pay a premium to own. So expecting it to work comfortably isn't as crazy as you're making it out to be.

...So dont pretend people are asking for the impossible here. Apple CAN make a laptop that can be used on a lap. They just haven't done it yet.

I posted this earlier but perhaps you did not read the post:

High powered laptops have always been hot. It is not rocket science; the engineers just put in as much power/heat as they calculate is tolerable using the chips and other components du jour. If you want a cooler laptop buy an underpowered one or just run your box at lowered performance. IIRC the top G3s were the hottest Apples (I have owned every generation of Apple laptops since the Duos).

Personally I run heavy apps (Adobe Suite, Aperture) that need all the power they can get and I will tolerate maximum heat to get maximum power. I can always reduce performance if I am worried about my knees (I am not).

-Allen Wicks

spykerxx · Aug 29, 2006, 04:27 PM

hmmm interesting

spykerxx · Aug 31, 2006, 09:40 PM

woot sep 12th pretty close! hopefully something new?!

Etnier · Sep 6, 2006, 02:06 PM

SierraDragon we hear you, but I can tell you this:

I run a late-model 1.5GHz PowerBook and it's in my lap 90% of the time. Gets uncomfortably warm after hours of use: never hot. That's how I use my laptop. I don't have an unrealistic expectation for my laptop: I use it in my lap.

Apple had to delete "in your lap" references in the promotional materials for the Macbook series shortly after their introduction. Apparently they are too hot to use except on a desk. So I will be babying my PowerBook (I already do LOL) until Apple figures out how to make a truly portable computer again.

spykerxx · Sep 7, 2006, 02:11 AM

thats sweet

hatim · Sep 7, 2006, 05:58 AM

Turn one core off. You hardly ever "need" 2 cores.

Pao|o · Sep 7, 2006, 06:03 AM

it'll be updated in a few days so getting one would be a sad experience

wuzup101 · Sep 7, 2006, 11:00 AM

My 1.5ghz Al book gets fairly warm on the bottom, but never hot enough to burn my knees if I'm wearing shorts. The big question is... what kind of power program are you using while the notebook is on your lap? I'd venture to guess most people don't do heavy photshop work, mathematica computing, etc... for hours on end while sitting on a sofa with their MBP on their lap. The machines don't get that hot if you're just running normal apps (maybe typing, IM, web browsing, etc...) wiht your machine on your lap. It's when you start playing warcraft, doing huge movie renders, etc... where the machine is running 100% at max settings for a long time that causes extreme heat.

The bottom line is if you don't like the heat then don't buy the notebook. I too would love to see a new cooler running MBP, because cooler running would be an improvement. However, I'd much rather see it be both cooler running with a better case design. Perhaps something like carbom fiber that isn't dented so easily. I baby my powerbook, and it still has some small dings and dents from everyday travel (and it's "double bagged" so to speak in both a padded slip case and a padded backpack). Paint also comes off and such... meeh... it's still beautiful

zerroeffect · Sep 7, 2006, 11:22 AM

The only other thing (besides heat) I find extremely annoying about the MBP is that the paint on the bezel near the keyboard (spacebar and lower keys) flakes. It's happened twice to me so far. This is a problem that hasn't been corrected going back several generations of pro notebooks from Apple. Why is this piece made differently from the rest of the top case?

Heat is not really an issue, though. Get over it. Fast computers get hot. You could wait forever and not get anything done if you think that way.

spykerxx · Sep 7, 2006, 09:29 PM

few more days!!! ahh hope something will be released!!!

Moderator · Sep 7, 2006, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by hatim

Turn one core off. You hardly ever "need" 2 cores.

I used a single core Mac mini and>>>>it totally sucked. Forget Rosetta...just forget it.

spykerxx · Sep 11, 2006, 10:04 PM

ahh hopefully i get some good news tomorrow!!! been waiting for sometime just based on these rumors!!! EEE EEE!!!

zerostar · Sep 11, 2006, 10:42 PM

I too am waiting for the next incarnation, I would like a 512 graphics card as I do a lot of windows gaming, the x1600 is a bit lacking and would like a x1800 or the NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT like the iMacs have now.

Pretty much a better gfx card and a core 2 duo at 2.0 or 2.3 would get my money right now.

skyline1986 · Sep 12, 2006, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by zerostar

I too am waiting for the next incarnation, I would like a 512 graphics card as I do a lot of windows gaming, the x1600 is a bit lacking and would like a x1800 or the NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT like the iMacs have now.

Pretty much a better gfx card and a core 2 duo at 2.0 or 2.3 would get my money right now.

your right, i would go with the better gfx card and core 2 duo 2.0

zerostar · Sep 12, 2006, 10:01 AM

I have a feeling nothing today

but when is the next event? I imagine a case redesign is in order or else they would have just done a silent update like the mini/iMac?

dandare123 · Sep 14, 2006, 10:48 AM

My general reason for not gettig one is manufacturing quality. I have a 12 inch G3 and a 15 inch G4 alongside a 15 inch early MBP and a 13 inch MacBook; while the 15 inch MBP can still halfways stand up to the G4 (I just needed to get that one replaced once due to a falling off space key) the MacBook had been source of trouble. I ended up having 2 replaced, one for a mechanicaally broken keyboard, the other one for a firmware issue with the keyboard. I am sitting in Japan (and our keyboards here are phisically different from US models) - that might be the reason for my bad experiences. But overall, both my G3 IBook as well as the G4 Powerbook feel like well made Volvos compared to Fiats when I switch to the new Intel based ones...

CincyGamer · Sep 18, 2006, 01:43 PM

My MBP is starting to pit on the left side where I rest my hand. It sucks. I dont know if Apple will fix it or not. From my experience with the laptop, the CPU speed is not the bottleneck. The video card is. I have rarely if ever actually got both cores to max out.
I am however waiting on some patches for Doom3 and currently just playing Diablo II and WoW which does not max out settings. Diablo II actually runs MUCH better than on old PB 1.67 GHZ. If you are holding out just to get the new C2 Duo then I'd say its not wortht eh wait, but worth waiting for the new video card. Even that, Glenda from Aspyr has announced multi-threaded GL engine, so even the video card doesnt matter as much..

SpaceMonkey · Sep 18, 2006, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by CincyGamer

My MBP is starting to pit on the left side where I rest my hand. It sucks. I dont know if Apple will fix it or not.

This is because your sweat is corrosive. It's not an "issue" for Apple to fix, per se.

houstonmacbro · Sep 19, 2006, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by spykerxx

ahh hopefully i get some good news tomorrow!!! been waiting for sometime just based on these rumors!!! EEE EEE!!!

i'm hearing new ones slated for photinka next week.

buddy1065 · Sep 21, 2006, 08:38 AM

Though it may be taken for granted Apple will not improve the ventilation system I hope they will with the new revision, or even a new model; I'm sure they know the stregnths and weaknesses on the MPB's and MB's by now and have hopefully done something about it.

Personally I would buy a 1.2" thick Macbook like laptop if it had a dedicated GPU and more efficient cooling. They need more than 3 laptops to choose from anyway. Hopefully they will come up with a new model also.

Big Mac · Sep 21, 2006, 09:05 AM

Unfortunately, with the release of the MacBook Apple said the line was complete.