How am I supposed to keep the environment temperature below 35 °C during the summer? Full backlight alone pushes screen temperature over 40 °C and it’s only February.
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iMac operating temperature
- Thread starter Gudi
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How am I supposed to keep the environment temperature below 35 °C during the summer? Full backlight alone pushes screen temperature over 40 °C and it’s only February.
The spec is for AMBIENT temperature, not the temperature of the screen. All of the components of the iMac, if it is turned on, will be above your ambient temperature.
If your inside air temp is often above 95 F, then you probably would want to consider AC or perhaps just directing a fan at the iMac. It is not intended for useage in a sauna.
If your inside air temp is often above 95 F, then you probably would want to consider AC or perhaps just directing a fan at the iMac. It is not intended for useage in a sauna.
I know it's shocking for Americans, but not the entire world uses air conditioning. And according to these numbers, air humidity is really not the problem. Also my iMac stands by the window, which means direct sunlight is hitting the dark back of the screen. So ambient temperature could easily go beyond 40 °C.
Not shocking to me. Unfortunately, not all things can be used everywhere. An electrical outlet does not guarantee compliance with other publicly-available published requirements.
Of course not, but 10° to 35°C seems to be a very narrow span to me. I can't be the only one occasionally outside of these conditions. I wonder how other people deal with this problem? And at which temperatures the screen might actually take damage? The internal fans don't seem to provide extra cooling for the display.
This is very bad practice for a lot of electronics, iMac or otherwise. Your iMac should not be getting direct sunlight on a hot day with no extra ventilation. For example, my iPhone will overheat if in direct sunlight in the car, even if ambient temperature in the car is 22°C. OTOH, if it's in the shade in the car, there is no problem.
A 35°C maximum is very reasonable and covers most (but not all) countries in the shade even in the summer. And you can always just run a fan on a hotter day... if it's not in direct sunlight that is.
BTW, it's the maximum temp rather than the minimum that's often the bigger concern for some electronics. The 802.11ac AirPort Extreme has an operating temperature spec of 0-35°C, but I ran it outside in Canadian winters no problem. Temps in the winter were often below -10°C, and occasionally below -20°C.
Have you heard about global warming? I'd say most countries get hotter than 35° during the summer.
Have you heard of a fan? Also, as mentioned, don't put it in direct sunlight as it will make things much worse.
I'll say again: For example, my iPhone will overheat if in direct sunlight in the car, even if ambient temperature in the car is 22°C. OTOH, if it's in the shade in the car, there is no problem.
I suppose this is the real question. I haven't seen operating limits.
I've seen recent LCD TV ambient temperature recommendations that were a little higher than 35C but different models are made differently and the screen itself might not be the weakest link in a TV or even a computer monitor.
You should keep that thing out of the sun, for sure. Get or make something that puts it in the shade.
For my case, I have done all of the below, before switching AC on. My wife is quite skeptical about our electric bill.
1. Change the working place. (move my desk away from the windows)
2. Open the windows to create airflow.
3. Curtain-up and switch to house lighting instead of natural lighting.
3. Use an electric fan (Mostly this is for me rather than the iMac, but it also helps with air venting.)
4. Turn-off the iMac once in a while.
Generally if the specs is 35-degree max, your computer can still operate normally in 50-degree environment. (Of course the human being will not)
I had an iMac display developing black spots at a day with 43°C during the last summer of a century (which now happen every decade in Germany). So far switching off Auto Brightness reduced screen temperature the most. I’ll shut the curtains anyway when it’s that hot again.
As I said, my previous 27" iMac display developed permanent black spots because of heat. Otherwise I wouldn't even think about it. Most hardware failures are a direct result of heat.
I have a 27-inch iMac (2017) and it has the same operating temperature requirements as the newest iMacs. I have used this iMac in a tropical climate for years and I only just recently got an air conditioning unit installed. It can easily reach 35 ℃ during the hottest months of the year, with heat indexes at levels that you simply don't want to know. Not once has the iMac overheated or developed black spots.
Over in Europe, they have a few days of hot weather each year and have to be so melodramatic about it.
Over in Europe, they have a few days of hot weather each year and have to be so melodramatic about it.