-
MacBook Overheating After SSD Instalation
I recently installed a SSD into my 2012 MacBook Pro and I just noticed that it may have issues with overheating (the temperature is often around 38 degrees celsius, mid-day after heavy use, according to some monitoring software that I have, and is hot to the touch).
I know that the SSD is Mac-compatible. But I’m wondering: 1) is this a potential problem. 2) is there a way to install a fan or somehow dissipate the heat flow inside my computer?
-
4 Replies
-
38 degrees Celcius is a little high, but not necessarily bad per se. That equates to about 100 degrees Farenheit, which is only slightly higher than the high end of the temperature range generally considered to be safe for laptops. Software-based fan control can easily lower those temps to the safe range.
Does your monitoring software include manual fan control? If not, consider purchasing Tunabelly Software’s TG Pro (on sale for $10 right now):
https://www.tunabellysoftware.com/tgpro/
TG Pro also monitors temps and it allows for manual fan control so you can override system defaults. You can use it to ramp up the fan RPMs a little and bring temperatures down. (Note that this may increase audible fan noise, proportionate to how much RPMs are increased.)
Consider also that SSDs typically have very, very low power requirements, and less electricity = less heat. So under normal circumstances the use of an SSD should make computer operation more efficient overall because SSDs use less power than traditional spinning hard drives. Because of this, I wonder if it wasn’t the usage of the computer at that time (i.e. “heavy use” for about, what, half a day?) that caused the heat to rise. Laptops are notorious for their lack of efficiency in dissipating heat, due to the tight space inside the case. Some laptops handle heat dissipation better than others.
I’m inclined to think there’s not a problem with your system, but rather the issue lies with the nature of laptop thermal dynamics combined with heavy usage. Try the software fan control method and you’ll see the temperatures drop.
Also, there are laptop trays that have built-in fans to blow cool air up to the laptop from underneath. They are readily found online at any number of retailers.
-
Thanks for informing me about the software! It looks perfect!
Even if the temperature isn’t too high, it would be nice to reduce it some since my computer becomes hot to the touch.
Question: I checked out the link and saw a Download button next to a Pay button. What’s the difference between the two? Is the former a free trial whereas the latter is the full installation? The site is not clear about that…
-
I don’t know if it’s a trial version or not.
-
Hi Todd, I got an iMac Pro about 3 years ago and ordered it with an SSD. I haven’t done a reach around yet, but so far, so good.
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up