Fire it Up!
Apple's new MacBook Pro notebooks aren't really different in looks compared to say, the first Unibody version, but it's their internals that warrant mention. We'll be covering the upgrades in a separate review later, but for now we're actually taking a look at the reported high temperatures of up to 100 degrees Celsius to see if this is true. We've managed to get our hands on the latest 15-inch Intel Core i7 Apple MacBook Pro and also on an older 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro running on Intel's Core 2 Duo processor.
We'll be running a CPU intensive rendering benchmarking program, Cinebench 11.5, which basically uses all the availabe cores of the CPU (whether actual cores or the HyperThreaded ones). While forcing the CPU to work at full load, we measured operating temperatures using a software that taps on to the onboard sensors. This should give us a pretty good idea on how hot a notebook we'll be handling and whether we should get the frying pan and eggs out.
Now, with the high operating temperatures of the newer MacBook Pro (MBP) being the talk of town, you're probably wondering why we've decided to add an older MBP to the mix. Well, we're not totally sure if the problem can be attributed to a design issue, that is, whether the aluminum and unibody design while pretty, acts as a heat trap instead of cooling the notebook properly. Also, the fan vent is actually located below the screen, and while there's space for the hot air to escape, it isn't exactly blowing straight out. As such, we hope to check on all possibilities in this article. Here's a quick photo shot at the Apple MacBook Pro's vent that's pretty hard to spot if you don't know where to look for it.
We've washed the image out by quite a bit so you can see the vents located right next to the hinge, just above the keyboard.
Heat Test
As iterated earlier, to ensure we get the CPU cranked up the max and to record its probable worst operating temperatures, we got both an the older MacBook Pro (MBP) and newer MBP looping Cinebench 11.5 and used smcFancontrol to monitor the processor's core temperatures and fan speed. It took about three to four loops before we noticed the temperatures plateaued and the fan revving up its RPM. Once that was achieved, we noted the highest temperature and current fan speed.
To keep things in perspective, we've also tested an Intel Core i7-620M equipped Acer Aspire Timeline X 4820TG, which is the same processor that the newer MBP uses. This should give us a pretty decent comparison of how the new and old MBPs fare as opposed to similarly equipped thin and light notebook such as the Acer Timeline X.
As you will see, the results are pretty interesting. The older MBP running Intel's Core 2 Duo processor had a lower maximum operating temperature than the newer MBP, though it's still quite high. Fan speed was also pretty average, peaking at 2800RPM mark, where the usual default speed is just 2000RPM. The newer MBP however recorded a much higher fan speed of 4800RPM at peak operating temperature, which was also higher at close to 100 degrees Celsius. This left us a tad worried, especially when the Acer notebook experienced a high of 71 degrees Celsius.
However, we did note the Acer notebook's fan speed noise at maximum loading was pretty loud. The newer MacBook Pro was noticeably quieter even at the 5000RPM range. Unfortunately we weren't able to get any data of Acer's fan speed as the sensor wasn't detected by the various utilities we've tried. As for the difference in temperatures between the Acer notebook and the Apple MBPs, we're guessing the better (and noisier) fan of the Timeline X and its direct exhaust system allows for better overall cooling compared to the MBPs, which had to work around the design aspects (the hidden fan exhaust and perhaps even quiet operation which could have been another design parameter).
Thankfully, the high temperatures of the notebooks do not impede or degrade the processor performance, as both the Intel Core i7 and Intel Core 2 Duo processors have a high temperature threshold, which means that even at 100 degrees Celsius, the notebook will function just fine. Whether or not you end up with a toasty lap or burnt table however, is another matter all together. More on this aspect on the next page.
Too Hot to Handle?
When pushed to the limits, apart from the CPU operating temperature that we've seen, there are certain areas of the MacBook exterior that get quite 'toasty', so to speak. While the notebook may feel hot on our fingers, are we able to cook those eggs? We don't expect the notebook chassis to be anywhere near as hot as the CPU of course. To find out accurately, we've identified three hot spots on the chassis and have busted out our non-contact infra red thermometer to check out these spots.
Just above the keyboard.
The wrist rest.
At the base of the unit.
The results seem to indicate pretty similar external temperatures on both MBP machines despite having vastly different CPU temperatures. Generally speaking, you won't be too worried if your MacBook Pro is on the table as you won't be in contact with the warmer areas. However if you're using it on your lap, it can get quite uncomfortable as we've found. Then again, we can't quite think of a scenario where you would want to make your computer run at full load while leaving it on your lap, so this point may be moot. Casual usage will probably not leave you with a roasted lap.
So is it Really Hot?
Based on our tests so far, it would seem that the reports of the new MacBook Pro notebooks running hot at close to 100 degrees Celsius are correct, but we've yet to see it break the 100 mark in our test lab. That said, despite it running at close to 100 degrees Celsius, the notebook still performs fine, and the CPU has yet to reach the limit of its maximum specified operating temperature. On the exterior, while it was hot to the touch, it was no where near searing levels of worry.
This means to say, while the MacBook Pro notebooks (especially the new Intel Core i7 based 15-inch model) can get a little uncomfortably hot, it's still within tolerable levels. Apple obviously knows what it is doing when it comes to managing heat - though we do think the units can and should run cooler. Given that design aesthetics matter very much for Apple, there has to be a compromise somewhere.
So if you're worried that the next MacBook Pro you will buy will end up overheating and dying, we're pretty sure at this point of time that it's not going to happen as yet. You would however, like most other notebooks, have to come to terms that there's a level of threshold for operating the system on your lap before having to use your desk. Bear in mind however, our tests were done in an air conditioned lab, and not outdoors where temperatures would definitely be hotter and honestly speaking, it's definitely not a good idea to force your system to run extremely strenuous workloads outdoors in the tropical heat. Unless of course if you want a toasted MacBook Pro (or any other notebook for that matter).
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