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Macbook Pro's and overheating fix success
posted in Hardware
1
#1
9 Frags +

I've been on the fence about posting this because we all know Macs are not the most popular gaming computers, and this thread probably won't help that stigma. However, I wanted to post this success story in case any other players out there using Apple portables could benefit.

Please, please do not turn this thread into something where everyone just starts making fun of Apple.

So I've had my 2011 Macbook Pro for just over two years. In the first year of using it, I couldn't have been happier with its performance. I didn't buy this computer to game with. I've been using Mac portables since 2005, I've worked at Apple, and there are other reasons I chose to buy this computer, aside from gaming.

Note: I've always played tf2 on my Windows 7 partition, not osx.

Last year around August, my fps became lower on average. Every month, every tf2 update, my average fps became lower and lower and so on.

Since the start of 2013, tf2 has been barely playable. I'm talking about 60 fps max on a good day, but often 30 fps was normal. This was really bad.

About a month ago I began to benchmark my temps, and cpu performance, using hwmonitor and cpu-z respectively.

That's when I noticed my cpu throttling itself. Long story short, whenever tf2 was running, my cpu couldn't handle that load without overheating, so it would throttle itself down to the lowest multiplier (8/800mhz) and therefore my fps would be terrible.

What I did to fix it

1) I took the machine apart and cleaned out all the dust that had collected around the fans and vents.

2) But what really fixed everything, was replacing the factory thermal paste with my own application of Arctic mx-4.

My core temps are now 15-20 degrees celsius cooler. No joke

[TL;DR]Apple did a really bad job of applying the thermal paste on my 2011 Macbook Pro. So bad that the excess of paste around the diodes were causing overheating. I cleaned up their shitty job and put on Arctic Mx-4 and now my fps is higher than it ever was.

Here are pictures of what I found. This is embarrassing because it makes Apple look pretty bad.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43946806/2013-05-16%2017.11.14.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43946806/2013-05-16%2017.11.31.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43946806/2013-05-16%2017.11.44.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43946806/2013-05-16%2017.12.14.jpg

I've been on the fence about posting this because we all know Macs are not the most popular gaming computers, and this thread probably won't help that stigma. However, I wanted to post this success story in case any other players out there using Apple portables could benefit.

Please, [b]please[/b] do not turn this thread into something where everyone just starts making fun of Apple.

So I've had my 2011 Macbook Pro for just over two years. In the first year of using it, I couldn't have been happier with its performance. I didn't buy this computer to game with. I've been using Mac portables since 2005, I've worked at Apple, and there are other reasons I chose to buy this computer, aside from gaming.

[b]Note:[/b] I've always played tf2 on my Windows 7 partition, not osx.

Last year around August, my fps became lower on average. Every month, every tf2 update, my average fps became lower and lower and so on.

Since the start of 2013, tf2 has been barely playable. I'm talking about 60 fps max on a good day, but often 30 fps was normal. This was [b]really[/b] bad.

About a month ago I began to benchmark my temps, and cpu performance, using hwmonitor and cpu-z respectively.

That's when I noticed my cpu throttling itself. Long story short, whenever tf2 was running, my cpu couldn't handle that load without overheating, so it would throttle itself down to the lowest multiplier (8/800mhz) and therefore my fps would be terrible.

[b]What I did to fix it[/b]

1) I took the machine apart and cleaned out all the dust that had collected around the fans and vents.

2) But what really fixed everything, was replacing the factory thermal paste with my own application of Arctic mx-4.

[b]My core temps are now 15-20 degrees celsius cooler.[/b] No joke

[[b]TL;DR[/b]]Apple did a really bad job of applying the thermal paste on my 2011 Macbook Pro. So bad that the excess of paste around the diodes were causing overheating. I cleaned up their shitty job and put on Arctic Mx-4 and now my fps is higher than it ever was.

Here are pictures of what I found. This is embarrassing because it makes Apple look pretty bad.

[img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43946806/2013-05-16%2017.11.14.jpg[/img]

[img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43946806/2013-05-16%2017.11.31.jpg[/img]

[img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43946806/2013-05-16%2017.11.44.jpg[/img]

[img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43946806/2013-05-16%2017.12.14.jpg[/img]
2
#2
-9 Frags +
crespiPlease, please do not turn this thread into something where everyone just starts making fun of Apple.

.

[quote=crespi]
Please, [b]please[/b] do not turn this thread into something where everyone just starts making fun of Apple.
[/quote]

.
3
#3
3 Frags +
safrixcrespiPlease, please do not turn this thread into something where everyone just starts making fun of Apple.
Must resist the urge.

Hey man, make no mistake, this is a really simple, basic thing that Apple fucked up on and there is no excuse. Apple does make really great machines, but stuff like this is unacceptable.

[quote=safrix][quote=crespi]
Please, [b]please[/b] do not turn this thread into something where everyone just starts making fun of Apple.
[/quote]

Must resist the urge.[/quote]

Hey man, make no mistake, this is a [b]really[/b] simple, basic thing that Apple fucked up on and there is no excuse. Apple does make really great machines, but stuff like this is unacceptable.
4
#4
10 Frags +

extracrespi cpu's.

extracrespi cpu's.
5
#5
0 Frags +

The thermal paste solution makes sense. Usually, factory thermal paste blows. If you can still find it, pick up some OCZ Freeze; your temps will drop even more from the Arctic Silver (AS also has a long break-in period). Or, even better, pick up some diamond-based compound. http://www.amazon.com/Innovation-Cooling-Diamond-Thermal-Compound/dp/B0042IEVD8

I used OCZ freeze on my brother's Gateway FX-p7805u and fixed the overheating issues on the gpu and CPU because the default paste was so fucking terrible.

Good advice; a lot of people don't realize that thermal compound has terrible conductivity compared to metal-to-metal and that stock thermal compound is even worse.

The thermal paste solution makes sense. Usually, factory thermal paste blows. If you can still find it, pick up some OCZ Freeze; your temps will drop even more from the Arctic Silver (AS also has a long break-in period). Or, even better, pick up some diamond-based compound. http://www.amazon.com/Innovation-Cooling-Diamond-Thermal-Compound/dp/B0042IEVD8?tag=teamfortresst-20

I used OCZ freeze on my brother's Gateway FX-p7805u and fixed the overheating issues on the gpu and CPU because the default paste was so fucking terrible.

Good advice; a lot of people don't realize that thermal compound has terrible conductivity compared to metal-to-metal and that stock thermal compound is even worse.
6
#6
0 Frags +
Dave_The thermal paste solution makes sense. Usually, factory thermal paste blows. If you can still find it, pick up some OCZ Freeze; your temps will drop even more from the Arctic Silver (AS also has a long break-in period). Or, even better, pick up some diamond-based compound. http://www.amazon.com/Innovation-Cooling-Diamond-Thermal-Compound/dp/B0042IEVD8

I used OCZ freeze on my brother's Gateway FX-p7805u and fixed the overheating issues on the gpu and CPU because the default paste was so fucking terrible.

Good advice; a lot of people don't realize that thermal compound has terrible conductivity compared to metal-to-metal and that stock thermal compound is even worse.

I used Arctic MX-4 which is considerably better than Arctic Silver

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186038

Also, I'm sure the factory paste they used on mine wasn't great, but what is really concerning for this particular situation, is the terrible job they did applying my thermal paste.

Those pics show how I found my heat sink. Notice that the cores surface is shiny because there is hardly any paste on them; notice the copper on the heat sink, it's almost bare. Notice all the hard, crusty, excess and build-up around the copper on the heat sink and around the processor cores. It's like then just squirted a huge blob of paste on the cores, and then screwed the heatsink back on as tight as they could.

[quote=Dave_]The thermal paste solution makes sense. Usually, factory thermal paste blows. If you can still find it, pick up some OCZ Freeze; your temps will drop even more from the Arctic Silver (AS also has a long break-in period). Or, even better, pick up some diamond-based compound. http://www.amazon.com/Innovation-Cooling-Diamond-Thermal-Compound/dp/B0042IEVD8?tag=teamfortresst-20

I used OCZ freeze on my brother's Gateway FX-p7805u and fixed the overheating issues on the gpu and CPU because the default paste was so fucking terrible.

Good advice; a lot of people don't realize that thermal compound has terrible conductivity compared to metal-to-metal and that stock thermal compound is even worse.[/quote]

I used Arctic MX-4 which is considerably better than Arctic Silver

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186038

Also, I'm sure the factory paste they used on mine wasn't great, but what is really concerning for this particular situation, is the terrible job they did applying my thermal paste.

[b]Those pics show how I found my heat sink.[/b] Notice that the cores surface is shiny because there is hardly any paste on them; notice the copper on the heat sink, it's almost bare. Notice all the hard, crusty, excess and build-up around the copper on the heat sink and around the processor cores. It's like then just squirted a huge blob of paste on the cores, and then screwed the heatsink back on as tight as they could.
7
#7
serveme.tf
3 Frags +

You're a brave man, not because you took apart a $2000 machine, unscrewed the mainboard, the heatpipes and fans, but because you admit to play on a Mac.

The iFixit teardown of the 2011 model showed the same thing btw: http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook-Pro-15-Inch-Unibody-Early-2011-Teardown/4990/2

You're a brave man, not because you took apart a $2000 machine, unscrewed the mainboard, the heatpipes and fans, but because you admit to play on a Mac.

The iFixit teardown of the 2011 model showed the same thing btw: http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook-Pro-15-Inch-Unibody-Early-2011-Teardown/4990/2
8
#8
0 Frags +

I've been wanting to repaste my Asus G73 for a few months now, but honestly my biggest reservation is not knowing which thermal paste compound I should go with. They're all relatively cheap, but so many people recommend so many different brands that it gets a little confusing.

I've been wanting to repaste my Asus G73 for a few months now, but honestly my biggest reservation is not knowing which thermal paste compound I should go with. They're all relatively cheap, but so many people recommend so many different brands that it gets a little confusing.
9
#9
0 Frags +
YankeeI've been wanting to repaste my Asus G73 for a few months now, but honestly my biggest reservation is not knowing which thermal paste compound I should go with. They're all relatively cheap, but so many people recommend so many different brands that it gets a little confusing.

I highly recommend Arctic mx-4, check out the link in my post #6

[quote=Yankee]I've been wanting to repaste my Asus G73 for a few months now, but honestly my biggest reservation is not knowing which thermal paste compound I should go with. They're all relatively cheap, but so many people recommend so many different brands that it gets a little confusing.[/quote]

I highly recommend Arctic mx-4, check out the link in my post #6
10
#10
0 Frags +

Factory applied thermal paste is usually suspicious in nearly *all* mass manufactured brands. I owned a dell several years ago, and an HP that I got for college that all had similar liberal applications of the paste. I also met a guy that used to work in an alienware assembly plant that claimed most of the folks putting on the paste didn't even know what it was supposed to be doing lol.

Factory applied thermal paste is usually suspicious in nearly *all* mass manufactured brands. I owned a dell several years ago, and an HP that I got for college that all had similar liberal applications of the paste. I also met a guy that used to work in an alienware assembly plant that claimed most of the folks putting on the paste didn't even know what it was supposed to be doing lol.
11
#11
-3 Frags +

At least you fixed it. Coulda been worse... Like the old Apple III lol.

At least you fixed it. Coulda been worse... Like the old Apple III lol.
12
#12
-2 Frags +

60 fps? on my macbook pro i get like 250 easy...

60 fps? on my macbook pro i get like 250 easy...
13
#13
3 Frags +

Apple is really dumb with thermal paste.

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/7541/lol1qe.jpg

This is from an Apple service manual.

Apple is really dumb with thermal paste.

[img]http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/7541/lol1qe.jpg[/img]

This is from an Apple service manual.
14
#14
1 Frags +
Root_60 fps? on my macbook pro i get like 250 easy...

Did you read the thread?

brahApple is really dumb with thermal paste.

This is from an Apple service manual.

wowwwwwwwwwwww

[quote=Root_]60 fps? on my macbook pro i get like 250 easy...[/quote]

Did you read the thread?

[quote=brah]Apple is really dumb with thermal paste.

This is from an Apple service manual.[/quote]

wowwwwwwwwwwww
15
#15
0 Frags +
brahApple is really dumb with thermal paste.

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/7541/lol1qe.jpg

This is from an Apple service manual.

holy
fucking
shit

gj insulating your chips, crapple. But what can you expect; they call it a "logic board" l0l

[quote=brah]Apple is really dumb with thermal paste.

[img]http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/7541/lol1qe.jpg[/img]

This is from an Apple service manual.[/quote]

holy
fucking
shit

gj insulating your chips, crapple. But what can you expect; they call it a "logic board" l0l
16
#16
2 Frags +
crespiSo bad that the excess of paste around the diodes were causing overheating.

besides being ugly, the paste around the edges should have negligible effects; in fact, if anything, it would help, as thermal paste (~0.5-10 W/(m·K)) has a much higher thermal conductivity than air (0.024 W/(m·K)).

crespi Notice that the cores surface is shiny because there is hardly any paste on them; notice the copper on the heat sink, it's almost bare.

all you want for thermal paste is to fill in the air holes, you'd ideally like as much metal contact as possible because metal (390 W/(m·K)) conducts orders of magnitude better than paste.

blobbing too much down in the factory can be a mistake and sometimes prevent contact, but I see a lot of people who think spreading a layer over it is somehow better. however, unless it's a basically transparent super thin layer, you're doing it wrong, and it would be better just to leave a small blob, screw your heatsink down, and be done.

Dave_holy
fucking
shit

gj insulating your chips, crapple. But what can you expect; they call it a "logic board" l0l

you do realize these laptops are manufactured by Foxconn, not Apple, and that Foxconn manufactures an overwhelming majority of laptops and computer hardware, right? I have seen a similar situation on my friend's ASUS machine.

[quote=crespi]So bad that the excess of paste around the diodes were causing overheating.[/quote]

besides being ugly, the paste around the edges should have negligible effects; in fact, if anything, it would [i]help[/i], as thermal paste (~0.5-10 W/(m·K)) has a much higher thermal conductivity than air (0.024 W/(m·K)).

[quote=crespi] Notice that the cores surface is shiny because there is hardly any paste on them; notice the copper on the heat sink, it's almost bare.[/quote]

all you want for thermal paste is to fill in the air holes, you'd ideally like as much metal contact as possible because metal (390 W/(m·K)) conducts orders of magnitude better than paste.

blobbing too much down in the factory can be a mistake and sometimes prevent contact, but I see a lot of people who think spreading a layer over it is somehow better. however, unless it's a basically transparent super thin layer, you're doing it wrong, and it would be better just to leave a small blob, screw your heatsink down, and be done.

[quote=Dave_]holy
fucking
shit

gj insulating your chips, crapple. But what can you expect; they call it a "logic board" l0l[/quote]

you do realize these laptops are manufactured by Foxconn, not Apple, and that Foxconn manufactures an overwhelming majority of laptops and computer hardware, right? I have seen a similar situation on my friend's ASUS machine.
17
#17
0 Frags +

Pretty sure this is the same issue i've been having whenever i try to use my mac. It heats up to an extremely high temp and will burn your skin when you try to move it. I got like 20-40 fps at the most. I'll definitely have to try this fix if my pc breaks down for a month again.
Thanks

Pretty sure this is the same issue i've been having whenever i try to use my mac. It heats up to an extremely high temp and will burn your skin when you try to move it. I got like 20-40 fps at the most. I'll definitely have to try this fix if my pc breaks down for a month again.
Thanks
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