Will keeping my fans running constantly at low to mid speeds help (a) chip life (keeping heat down) and (b) battery?

[izzy0242mr]

Basically title. Wondering if keeping my fans going frequently, or even setting them to kick in at lower CPU temperatures, will improve my 14" MBP's overall life (since more heat = faster degradation for battery, CPU, etc), and if it'll help my battery life improve at all?

I think the downside is "fans running more = fans may break faster."

Thoughts?

 

[Apple_Robert]

My thought is to use your Mac normally without the fans running all the time. If after 3 - 4 years the battery life gets below 80%, have Apple replace the battery. Keep things simple.

 

[izzy0242mr]

My thought is to use your Mac normally without the fans running all the time. If after 3 - 4 years the battery life gets below 80%, have Apple replace the battery. Keep things simple.

Battery is a secondary concern honestly. I'm thinking more about chip temps long term. I can replace a battery for sure. I can't replace a chip without basically getting a new computer.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Battery is a secondary concern honestly. I'm thinking more about chip temps long term. I can replace a battery for sure. I can't replace a chip without basically getting a new computer.

If the temp starts to get too hot, the Mac will automatically throttle to prevent damage and allow the system to cool down. I don't think you need to be so overly focused.

 

[Pakaku]

If you're worried about heat (and even if you aren't,) open it up and clean the fans out once in a while with an air blower. Fans are good at collecting dust, and dust is bad for cooling computers efficiently.

They're also a moving part which can wear out over the long term, so you might get something out of lowering how fast they need to spin, but it's not really worth worrying about

 

[Snørrbjørg]

The fans in your MBP is already running constantly in at least low speed, 1500-1700 rpm. Thats how it has been done for decades with Mac’s. You have to do nothing.

 

[astorre]

on my 10 year old laptop I used to play league of legends and CPU temps were 100°C +- for hours, that laptop still works to this day, CPU is the last thing to fail unless you tinker with it, dont overthink stuff

 

[izzy0242mr]

The fans in your MBP is already running constantly in at least low speed, 1500-1700 rpm. Thats how it has been done for decades with Mac’s. You have to do nothing.

This isn't true actually. At least not on my M1 Pro MBP. When I use Mac Fans Controll app, it shows that normally the fans aren't on at all.

 

[moka]

I used to control my fan speed on my old 2009 MacBook Pro for years as with certain usage the temps would reach 100-109 Celsius and overall the bottom of the laptop would get uncomfortably hot, only downside I have experienced is the fact that the fans ended up prematurely dying and needed to be replaced. Had to do it twice already. Did not mind it at all since it’s so easy to do.

 

[izzy0242mr]

I used to control my fan speed on my old 2009 MacBook Pro for years as with certain usage the temps would reach 100-109 Celsius and overall the bottom of the laptop would get uncomfortably hot, only downside I have experienced is the fact that the fans ended up prematurely dying and needed to be replaced. Had to do it twice already. Did not mind it at all since it’s so easy to do.

It was way easier on the old Macs. Looks like from ifixit on the 14" you have to remove the whole logic board just to get to the fans

 

[6916494]

Snørrbjørg is right: the fans are always running at a minimum speed of 1500 to 1700 rpm. If that is not the case you can try to reset PRAM and/or SMC. Or you have changed the standard behaviour with your fan control app.

 

[izzy0242mr]

Snørrbjørg is right: the fans are always running at a minimum speed of 1500 to 1700 rpm. If that is not the case you can try to reset PRAM and/or SMC. Or you have changed the standard behaviour with your fan control app.

Apple disagrees. I think your data is based on old Intel Macs. "While the new thermal design is greatly improved, the efficiency of the new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips mean that for most customers, the "fans never turn on" for tasks done daily, according to Apple." - https://www.macrumors.com/2021/10/20/macbook-pro-improved-thermal-system/

This is confirmed by the fan control app - without changing any settings - which shows the fans are at "0.“ and when I force them to turn on, the minimum is 1100-1200.

On the M1 Pro/Max MBPs, fans are *not* always on.

 

[jav6454]

Basically title. Wondering if keeping my fans going frequently, or even setting them to kick in at lower CPU temperatures, will improve my 14" MBP's overall life (since more heat = faster degradation for battery, CPU, etc), and if it'll help my battery life improve at all?

I think the downside is "fans running more = fans may break faster."

Thoughts?

Don't over think stuff and just use your Mac. The software is intelligent enough to ramp up as needed.

 

[Rkuda]

Snørrbjørg is right: the fans are always running at a minimum speed of 1500 to 1700 rpm. If that is not the case you can try to reset PRAM and/or SMC. Or you have changed the standard behaviour with your fan control app.

By the way, there is no more SMC on Apple Silicon Macs, and the old reset PRAM stuff work either. There is a `nvram` terminal command that you can use to manipulate nvram variables, but that's all there is.

In regards to the OP, I agree will everyone else and just leave things alone, the system is smart enough to do the right thing and Apple Silicon chips run much cooler than the Intel chips so there isn't much point in stressing about it.