Question about the MacBook Pro's cooling System

[Benjamindaines]

I've noticed that there are not vents (other than the back) on the MacBook Pro like there were on the PowerBooks. I know that the 2 fans are located on the left and right most sides of the back vent so does the air just get sucked in the middle, ran over a cooling pipe and the blow back out the outer parts of the vent rather than getting pulled through the whole case as it was withe the PowerBooks?

--Cheers

 

[yellow]

Hot air comes out of the back vents on the right and left for me. Not sure where the air is being sucked in from...

 

[Vegeta-san]

Rest assured, as a mechanical engineering senior who just got a Macbook Pro 4 weeks ago, these things are wonders of Heat Transfer engineering. Kudos to Apple's engineers.

 

[Bunsen Burner]

Kudos to Apple's engineers.

And the many who helped show the way to Apple on the first iteration ...

BB

 

[kraftzwerg]

Unexplored cooling options?

Rest assured, as a mechanical engineering senior who just got a Macbook Pro 4 weeks ago, these things are wonders of Heat Transfer engineering. Kudos to Apple's engineers.

I am also impressed by the design of these notebooks. But, as always, it seems there is room for improvement. For example I am thinking it should theoretically be possible to use the back of the screen (note: which is made out of metal) as a giant heat radiator. There should be a way to transfer some of the heat to the screen ... but mine stays completely cool, so I think there is some potential.

Of course other options include trying to convert some of the heat back into power. I think this has been recently discussed in the forums (some new chip that could do the trick).

 

[sycho]

Hot air comes out of the back vents on the right and left for me. Not sure where the air is being sucked in from...

Speaker grills and all the ports on the sides.

 

[HibyPrime]

There are holes under the keyboard for air intake, you can see them in this picture.

You can also somewhat see them on a non-dissasembled MBP, just look under the keys.

 

[dr427]

That's a good idea kraftzwerg.

Mine gets quite hot on my lap at times. Surfing the web isn't a big deal, but making an imovie gets it uncomfortably hot.