How hot should a laptop get?

meld51 · 10-07-2004, 05:00

I have a Toshiba laptop which fouled up in a big way recently. To cut a long story short it failed to the tune of a new main board, a new DVD drive and a new soundcard

. Luckily it was still in guarantee but it made me realise how hot these things get. So, now that I have it back I stuck some temperature sensitive labels onto the base, just to see how hot it got.

I spent the evening doing things on my laptop and I made sure it was kept on a flat uncluttered surface all the time while the labels registered the temperature

Well the hottest place registered a minimum temperature of 54oC. Is that good? The thing I bother about is the temperature of the bits inside. If it gets that hot on the outside, how hot are the bits inside I wonder

Does anyone know anything about this subject?

10-07-2004, 06:32

If I place my laptop on my knees for more than an hour, the temperature underneath the laptop can get unbearable on my legs and I have to place the laptop on a cushion. So, for me, 54oC seems quite normal.

paulyoung666 · 10-07-2004, 09:22

how about something like motherboard monitor , maybe that will help

bopdude · 10-07-2004, 09:37

you could always buy a cooler that your lappy sits on powered buy a usb port, more info on one here hope it helps

**Jefferson T** · 10-07-2004, 09:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macca371

If I place my laptop on my knees for more than an hour, the temperature underneath the laptop can get unbearable on my legs and I have to place the laptop on a cushion. So, for me, 54oC seems quite normal.

I hope your laptop doesn't have vent holes on the bottom then - if it does by sitting it on a cushion it'll block them - this is bad

My laptop does get quite warm underneath - but not too hot to sit on me legs.

Meld51 - I suppose it could depend on the manufacturor. Is your internal fan going ok? What speed is the laptop (Mines a 2.8ghz and the fan only really speeds up when I've been playing a game for a while). My dad has a Toshiba laptop and his doesn't even get as warm underneath as my Dell one does.

bopdude · 10-07-2004, 09:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

I hope your laptop doesn't have vent holes on the bottom then - if it does by sitting it on a cushion it'll block them - this is bad

More than likely, oops can see the smoke from here .... lol, I remember a mates lappy used to get overwarm to have on his knee's comfortably, not a nice thing if your planning on some serious gameing over a network, doing little dances sporadically tends to get you shot....

**Jefferson T** · 10-07-2004, 09:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by bopdude

More than likely, oops can see the smoke from here .... lol, I remember a mates lappy used to get overwarm to have on his knee's comfortably, not a nice thing if your planning on some serious gameing over a network, doing little dances sporadically tends to get you shot....

I have a nice black bit of mdf that I put my laptop on before I sit it anywhere

- it keeps the bottom clear of the surface and avoids any 'heating of important areas' issues

bopdude · 10-07-2004, 09:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

I have a nice black bit of mdf that I put my laptop on before I sit it anywhere

LOL... do have vent holes drilled in it

Quote:

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

it keeps the bottom clear of the surface and avoids any 'heating of important areas' issues

A little heat never did any harm.......

10-07-2004, 10:21

The processor gets arounds 60C on mine, leaving my hand on it long anough can burn it, my hard drive stays around 40C aswell. I got an AMD AthlonXP 1900+ in mine though, and Iv'e heard AMD's get hot quickly (which I have found out in this one)

**Paul M** · 10-07-2004, 10:32

Mine can get quite warm - i remember once leaving a box of malteasers on it for half an hour - you can imagine what they looked like ....

10-07-2004, 10:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pem

Mine can get quite warm - i remember once leaving a box of malteasers on it for half an hour - you can imagine what they looked like ....

Like putting them in a microwave for 30 seconds

meld51 · 10-07-2004, 11:46

I opened the hottest compartment up and put a temperature sensitive label in there. It happened to be the place where the ram goes so that's a bit worrying....

I'll report the temperature later when I get chance to open it and have a look.

Interesting the RAM chips have a thick mylar covered copper circuit board resting on top of them. Obviously put there to conduct heat away.....

meld51 · 10-07-2004, 11:52

I don't like the idea of a usb powered cooler. These laptops should do the job without that. I don't want to carry some other clutter around with me as well. I have enough already. Anyhoo....it's the innards I'm worried about.

BTW Dilli 'important heated areas'...the laptop or you

**Jefferson T** · 10-07-2004, 11:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by meld51

BTW Dilli 'important heated areas'...the laptop or you

um.... er.....

Alan Waddington · 10-07-2004, 11:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

I have a nice black bit of mdf that I put my laptop on before I sit it anywhere

- it keeps the bottom clear of the surface and avoids any 'heating of important areas' issues

This reminded me of a story a couple of years back on El Reg. A quick search later and voila.

My laptop gets very hot, particularly if on the mains and the battery charger hasn't figured out that the battery has achieved full charge. Can't do much for the reliability.

Alan