Mac Pro, 2x3GHz Core 2 Duo thingies. I notice that in ‘normal’ use, with a bit of Safari, Mail, Illustrator and that, the temp is around 35-40º. But if I do any vidioey type stuff, or use my USB TV tuner or something, the temp can rise to 50º and higher. I use SMC FAn Control to ramp up the fans to cool things down, as I don’t want them getting too hot. Ambient temp is 24º apparently.

Should I be overly concerned about processor temps, or is this normal? What sort of temps can things get up to, before there’s a need to worry? Will the Mac speed the fans up itself anyway, if things do get too hot? How does this all work, I have no understanding of it.

Anyone?

and as an aside, is there any problem with ambient temp in a pc cupboard getting up to 30degs?

Ive used a datalogger in mine for the last few weeks and the cupboard air temp at the top floats around 26-29 degrees.

But if I do any vidioey type stuff

Hardcore pron does this. it’s the frantic movement on screen, you see……

EDIT

Err, ummm so I was told by my friend…..

24 degrees ?! – even my Mrs would describe that as adequate 😯

I reckon it’ll be fine at that. CPU intensive work will (naturally) cause the CPU temp to rise. Just make sure it’s well ventilated if it’s a lappy – use a stand if you can.

and as an aside, is there any problem with ambient temp in a pc cupboard getting up to 30degs?

Actually a good point, Stoner; as I’m considering putting this beast in a cupboard to act as a server.

When it’s doing video stuffs, Activity Monitor shows the processors working extra (they never really get much above 25% all of them), and playing games can get things a bit warm.

See I don’t understand stuff like this, except that you’re sposed to keep things as cool as poss, no?

50 to 60 degrees under load is perfectly normal. I wouldn’t worry unless it was regularly exceeding 70.

If it’s a Mac Pro, they’re not Core2Duo – they’re Xeons (which is better)

The fan control built into OS X will happily keep them cool enough – there’s no need for anything on top of that.

The processor in this MacBook Pro is currently 57 degrees if that helps?

Rachel

They’ll throttle themselves if they get too hot, and shutdown if the temp is really too high. Don’t worry about it.

Max temp for a core 2 based Xeon’s about 90c or so. 50 or 60 under load is warm but not unreasonable.

Think about it, you’re interfering with the workings of the fans yourself, despite admitting you’re no “computer bod”. Computer bods designed your mac, they knew what they were doing.

Oh and yes, the mac will control the fan speeds itself, Have you never noticed it doing that when you beast the CPUs?

I thought macs ran at sub zero temps cos they is like well nang?

Those temps sound fine to me. Under Ubuntu (for some reason it doesn’t happen as badly in Windows) my CPU cores idle at around 52 degrees C and get upto around 75 under load. My laptop turns itself off at around 82 anyway.

Keep it clean, both software, avoid too many add ons making the processor work harder and getting hotter, and hardware, blow the dust off the heat sinks, fans and circuit boards regulalry, it can help keeping the PC on the desktop rather than the floor to avoid sucking too much dust up.

Other than that its not something to worry about unless you want a silent PC in which case there are plenty of coolers weighing 1kg+ with 120mm+ fans that will enable it to run <30deg and make no noise whatsoever!

I thought macs ran at sub zero temps cos they is like well nang?

‘Well Nang’. 😀

I like that. I’m going to use it in future.

Thanks for the advice. So I needn’t worry, basically?

It’s at 41º atm, running the TV thingy.

It is on the floor however; it’s cooler there, no? I do clean it out inside with spray air from time to time, but it don’t get too dusty really. The exhaust fan sucks the dust out quite effectively.

Computer bods designed your mac, they knew what they were doing.

Seems so!