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iMac likes to run HOT...

ayeying

ayeying

macrumors 601
Original poster
Dec 5, 2007
4,547
13
Yay Area, CA
Hotter then my MacBook Air. I was not doing much, just surfing the net (non flash based sites too/minimal flash) and using iChat on my dad's iMac and I noticed the temps were a bit high then I'd thought it would be.

The Hard drive temp was stable at 60 deg C even though it wasn't be accessed, not sure if the HDD's sensor is broken or the drive is really at that temp. The bay is at 55 deg C also, so I'm guessing hte drive is really running at that temp.

CPU temps were 45-55 deg C, not too bad especially since its using the T7700 (A mobile CPU). GPU were in the upper 60s also, not sure if that has much to do with anything.

The power supply however, was hovering at 80 deg C.

The system gets so hot, that I cannot touch the casing for more than a second. I'd thought my MacBook Air burns my skin but the iMac burns it more.

Anyone got any suggestions? The hottest part is on the upper left corner.

Specs are:

2.4GHz Core 2 Duo T7700
6GB DDR2 PC2-5300 Ram
320GB Stock internal HDD
256MB ATi Radeon X2600XT video card
 
Those temps seem about right. This is why the iMac is a desktop. Not meant to be handled. :)
 
My new iMac does NOT run that hot, but its the newer model...

CPU: 37C
HD: 40C

This is actually the coolest running Mac I have ever had. My G5 idled in the 50s, and my MacBook is constantly in the 60s.
 
I honestly don't remember the iMac being hot enough that you cannot touch the casing with your bare skin. The most I'm worried about is the hard drive being at 60 deg C constantly. Aren't hard drives normally under 55 deg C operating temperature?
 
The temperatures are normal for the aluminium iMacs. They're also rather hot to the touch on top above the screen and near the rear vent.
 
Here's my 2.4ghz aluminum iMac under normal use just reading forums.

0b0b3eacd5c63a2050d4662502a9f094.png
 
Eidorian said:
The temperatures are normal for the aluminium iMacs. They're also rather hot to the touch on top above the screen and near the rear vent.
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TK2K said:
pretty much, you just don't touch your imac :p
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DavidR91 said:
The whole point of an aluminum case/exterior is to conduct heat away from the insides - so of course it's going to be hot!
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I don't know that this is true or if its true for the older models, but mine reads cool and is cool to the touch everywhere.
 

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I don't know that this is true or if its true for the older models, but mine reads cool and is cool to the touch everywhere.
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Put it under heavy load or play a game though, and it'll shoot up in temperature.

Good way to test this: Move lots of files (1000+) files to trash, and use "Securely empty". Normally that will make your core temperature and chassis temperature rocket (your fans will boost to compensate)
 
DavidR91 said:
Put it under heavy load or play a game though, and it'll shoot up in temperature.

Good way to test this: Move lots of files (1000+) files to trash, and use "Securely empty". Normally that will make your core temperature and chassis temperature rocket (your fans will boost to compensate)
Click to expand...

I played quake 4 for an hour just last night and it was still low 40s. :p
 
I played quake 4 for an hour just last night and it was still low 40s.
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Quake4 for Mac was released for PPC and Intel in 2006 (hence being scalable, and catering for much lesser hardware) - as such, it's hardly going to be pushing the limits of your GPU's capabilities (or the system's a whole). Q4 uses the Doom3 engine , so in the same way modern machines can push Doom3 along without breaking a sweat, the same probably applies for Q4

Use boot camp, and try Bioshock maxed out instead. That'll stress everything much better :) (in particular the "GPU diode" temperature)
 
DavidR91 said:
Quake4 for Mac was released for PPC and Intel in 2006 (hence being scalable, and catering for much lesser hardware) - as such, it's hardly going to be pushing the limits of your GPU's capabilities (or the system's a whole). Q4 uses the Doom3 engine , so in the same way modern machines can push Doom3 along without breaking a sweat, the same probably applies for Q4

Use boot camp, and try Bioshock maxed out instead. That'll stress everything much better :) (in particular the "GPU diode" temperature)
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Hardly push it? It can barely play it on high settings, let alone max. There is 0 chance of playing Bioshock on max with the 9400m and I am not willing to waste my time installing boot camp to play something thats installed on my gaming rig and my ps3.

Its been stressed, and on since I got it on Saturday. The thing just runs cool, and I am leaving it at that.
 
Oh, OK - well it's likely it just heats up differently being an integrated chip rather than a separated / dedicated chip (I've got an 8800GS, so that heats an awful lot under stress)
 
DavidR91 said:
Oh, OK - well it's likely it just heats up differently being an integrated chip rather than a separated / dedicated chip (I've got an 8800GS, so that heats an awful lot under stress)
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Oh ya, for sure the 8800 would run hotter. Much bigger GPU and has a much higher TDP. I had forgotten about that model my self, sorry man. Though, makes me glad that I cheap'd out, I much prefer a cooler iMac to a faster one (I didn't buy it to play games). :D
 
Hellhammer said:
Download SmcFanControl to speed up your fans
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We are using smcFanControl to cool the thing down. It took 20 minutes to cool entire casing down to the point of where we can touch now. Now we're running at slightly higher RPMs on default but still, idling makes the system hotter then my MacBook Air seems a little odd.
 
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