iStat

[athinamj]

I installed it yesterday and it's a very useful program. I got a bit worried about the temperatures and I want to ask you if the temperatures it displays are normal. I was playing WoW and I have Firefox opened as well. My CPU temp reached 68 and my HDD 63. Are the temperatures normal or should I be worried? Right now I have Firefox and Skype opened and my CPU is 38oC and my HDD 56oC.

 

[TrapOx]

Only 154*f? Thats not even warm yet.

 

[MacAgent84]

The newer Intel CPUs can handle temperatures up to 100C or 212F. And most hard drive manufacturers list their max temp limits between 55 and 60C, or 122-140F. So, your temperatures seem ok. I hope this helps!

 

[nusynergy]

The newer Intel CPUs can handle temperatures up to 100C or 212F. And most hard drive manufacturers list their max temp limits between 55 and 60C, or 122-140F. So, your temperatures seem ok. I hope this helps!

My old Pc used to shutdown and reboot automatically when it got to hot. Do Mac's do the same, or do they just die in a steaming pile of melted glossy plastics and aluminium on the floor?

 

[bozz2006]

They just die in a steaming pile of melted glossy plastics and aluminium on the floor.

no. if it gets too hot, it will shut down.

 

[nusynergy]

Glad to hear that

 

[Annngel]

Usually my airport card gets the hottest that's normal? Since i'm using wifi? It's now.. 66 degree celsius

 

[Hestian]

I'm going to jump in---My Airport Card, running at 5 ghz generally runs between 61c and as high as 66c---running to Time Capsule then cabled to a modem. When I download files(700mb) the temperature does start to climb closer to 66c.

 

[zPolarBear]

Hot...

Idling and typing (FireFox only app really running) iStat says:
HD: 57C
CPU(s): 42
AirPort:63 (I'm wireless 30' from Access Point).
Ambient: 25
GPU diode: 59
...
Pwr Supply: 75

Your HardDrive will last longer if it is cooler. Better temps would be 50 and below. I suspect the Intel CPU spec is the temp of the burried Floating Point processor where much of the heat is. External temp to achieve 100C at that point may be as low as 80C; I would target 80C as the firewall.
Better temps for CPU/GPU are in the low 60s; 65C or less with 68C pushing it.

When chips get hot, the metal inside literally moves. It is called Electron Migration. This is possibly the leading cause of chip failure over time. All chips have *some* electron migration. Intel designed the 386 with a 40 year life based on electron migration at normal operation, to guarantee a *10* year lifespan. Heat things up and you'll be lucky to get 5. Yes, the chip has been surpassed by then, but just try and replace your iMac CPU or GPU and I don't think many people would do it... My wife's MacPro lasted 6 years. Would have lasted longer had it stayed cooler; the South is Hot. I give my iMac 3 years tops if I don't speed up the fans.

(fans idling at 600, 1200, 1200 as always... I think I saw 1900RPM, once.)
Who knows, maybe my controller is bad? However, the fans do pickup, but only when the CPU gets very hot. It seems to ignore GPU and PS and AP...