How to talk to AppleCare about temperature issue?

[milky23]

Having paid around 3000 USD for my nice new 17" SR MBP, I was disheartened to see it running at such high temperatures (peak at 97 degrees Celcius, 'till fans bring it down to around 85). This being the case, I worry that the lifespan of my MBP will be significantly lessened because of the excessive heat. While the machine still works, I feel it is more of a principle---who would knowingly buy a new car that was known to overheat under normal usage? Flawed analogy, perhaps, but it leads me to my question:

How do I talk to AppleCare about this? They seem focused only on the fact that the machine still runs. I feel like I'm constantly on the defensive, and that Apple isn't trying to work with me but is rather out to simply prove me wrong. For instance, yesterday on the phone, I was told by an Apple product specialist that the 97 degree reading on the CPU temperature sensor that iStat was gathering was simply "wrong", that it was "impossible" - though I used three different temperature gathering applications, all yielding similar temperatures.

I am within the 14 days of being able to return this sucker... why won't AppleCare simply acknowledge that and either exchange or give me a refund?

edit: I should mention that I live 7 hours from the nearest Apple Retail store (where I bought the machine) and it is thus impossible for me to return it in store. I bought the machine on vacation, and I really can't afford the time or money to drive back.

 

[Arkanok]

Having paid around 3000 USD for my nice new 17" SR MBP, I was disheartened to see it running at such high temperatures (peak at 97 degrees Celcius, 'till fans bring it down to around 85). This being the case, I worry that the lifespan of my MBP will be significantly lessened because of the excessive heat. While the machine still works, I feel it is more of a principle---who would knowingly buy a new car that was known to overheat under normal usage? Flawed analogy, perhaps, but it leads me to my question:

How do I talk to AppleCare about this? They seem focused only on the fact that the machine still runs. I feel like I'm constantly on the defensive, and that Apple isn't trying to work with me but is rather out to simply prove me wrong. For instance, yesterday on the phone, I was told by an Apple product specialist that the 97 degree reading on the CPU temperature sensor that iStat was gathering was simply "wrong", that it was "impossible" - though I used three different temperature gathering applications, all yielding similar temperatures.

I am within the 14 days of being able to return this sucker... why won't AppleCare simply acknowledge that and either exchange or give me a refund?

edit: I should mention that I live 7 hours from the nearest Apple Retail store (where I bought the machine) and it is thus impossible for me to return it in store. I bought the machine on vacation, and I really can't afford the time or money to drive back.

What are you doing on your computer when it gets up to 97c? If thats just doing basic stuff thats really high. Mind idles around 40 - 45 if im doing next to nothing but goes to about 65 if doing something like compressing a movie in iMovie, but World of warcraft, the sucker goes up to about 86c, then the fans bring it down to about 77, then once it gets there, goes back up again because the fans slow down lol. Personally i use smc fancontrol to keep it down if im playing a game or something, although i feel that i shouldnt have to install extra software to keep the temps down. I mean, if i blast the fans to 6000 rpm, ill probably never go above 75 during world of warcraft, possibly even 70. I looked through a few files while i was at home, and found that the fans dont really start up till about 80c, and at 90 even faster. It just seems that apple feels the fans shouldnt come on until the temps get really high. That being the case, maybe its not such a big deal... I dont know for sure since i'm not a technician but its just a hunch.

However, i personally called applecare today, and the guy on the phone didnt give much help, all he really said was "If you feel its an issue, you'll need to get an apple certified technician to take a look at it" and he then gave me a number for a place only 2.2 km from my house, which is really good. Its a shame you live so far from an apple store, but maybe you can find an apple certified place closer by? I'd call them and ask them if they can find the nearest for you.