Core i7 MacBook Pro Hits 100 Degrees Celsius in Benchmark Tests

Although some tests have shown an improvement in the cooling systems employed by Apple’s new MacBook Pro computers, one series of tests conducted by PC Authority has shown that the Core i7-equipped MacBook Pro can hit 100 degrees Celsius.

The writeup reveals that, “During our review of the new 17in Macbook Pro we noticed that the chassis became very hot.” When performing various benchmark tests with the laptop, the processor generated so much heat that they had to stand the MacBook Pro on its side, so that their testing could continue. “Further testing shows that the Core i7 CPU is hitting temperatures over 100 Degrees Celsius.” And this wasn’t only the case with Mac OS X, but with Microsoft’s Windows too.

According to PC Authority, the Dwarf Fortress graphics benchmark saw the 2.66 GHz Core i7 620M inside the laptop reaching 84 degrees, while the Cinebench 3D rendering benchmark made the CPU blazing hot – 100 degrees Celsius. However, Engadget’s own testing found that the new MacBook Pros actually ran cooler than previous models. These, however, were real world usage tests, and it does note that the laptops can get a bit hot at times, suggesting Apple should consider sacrificing the low noise output to cool down the system. A firmware update is all it takes, by the way.

Apple introduced its new line of MacBook Pro computers earlier this month. Updated with faster processors, powerful, next-generation NVIDIA graphics and an even longer battery life, the laptops are priced about the same and offer more performance than previous models.

It is worth mentioning that the 13-inch Pro was the only system not getting Intel’s Arandale architecture (Core i5 / Core i7). Stuck at Intel Core 2 Duo, the popular 13-inch MacBook Pro does add enhancements on the graphics front, featuring the new NVIDIA GeForce 320M, as well as on a power-management level – ten hours of wireless productivity, Apple says. The new 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models feature Intel’s Core i5 and i7 processors, which, combined with Apple’s new automatic graphics switching technology, drastically improve battery life.