How hot does a Notebook PC run?

[Phalanx-Imawano 0]

Just concerned about something. I recently bought a Notebook PC (Neo Q-Note Endura 350SL, Celeron 1.3GHz, 256MB RAM, Sis M661MX + SiS 963L Chipset, 40GB Hard Disk), and after just a few days of use, it runs quite hot. Using Speedfan, it reports the CPU to be a scorching 63C during idle (no programs running), and as high as 68C when running a program like Windows Media Player and viewing a movie. To be safe I also bought a Notebook PC cooling pad (a pad placed under the Notebook PC, and has a fan blowing upwards at the Notebook's underside), though it's still that hot.

 

Is this cause for alarm? Should I use my Notebook PC in say an airconditioned room?

[sqwer 0]

hey. =) I'm thinking of buying the same model. how's it worked so far? i'd really appreciate hearing your feedbach.

[jmmijo 1]

Probably not in that you have to understand that notebooks have even less free air space then slimline's do so there is less ambient air to help cool things down.

 

Even on an older Celeron/Socket 370 notebook like yours the cooling method is still most likely aluminum as the cooling block instead of copper like most of todays machines. This helps to save weight however it also ins't as good a heat transfer material as copper is.

 

68c is still well within the manufacturers specs, which I think is 90c on on the socket 370 cpu's

 

You could however check with the manufacturer of the notebook and find out if they offered a copper cooling solution for that model or not.

 

Another option is to remove the CPU cover and see if the heatsink is removable and check out the thermal paste, it maybe that is has dried up and needs to be cleaned off and a fresh layer of paste added again. You will be surprised at how well even the basic thermal paste does to help the heat transfer to the cooling device

[Phalanx-Imawano 0]

Um, it's not a Celeron Socket370. It's a Celeron-M (Socket-479).

 

Anyway I've not had any serious problems yet (as in no BOSD yet), considering I sometimes let it run 24/7 (eg when downloading large files).

 

 

 

 

[lostcoders 0]

I think the best way is to have the computer sleep when you are not using it that should turn the fans off, too. Also, if you do have the computer sleep, say after an hour of being idle and you are worried about the wear and tear on your hard drive, in Energy Saver, uncheck the put hard disks to sleep. This will keep your hard disk from spinning up, then down, then back up. If you have the computer sleep after a certain amount of time, that will also put the hard drive to sleep. Set the processor speed to 'Automatic' or 'Reduced' as this will keep it running cooler and prevent the fans from spinning as fast or as much; it also uses less power. If you don't use your computer for long periods at a time, then just turn it off if you are so worried about it. The display will wear out over time (It won't completely stop working, but it will get dimmer over the years). Have the display sleep soon instead of using a screen saver. On my iBook (after using batteries for many years), I know that the three components that use the most power are the display, processor, and the drives (especially the optical drive). Try not to leave CD's or DVD's in your computer. If you do, your computer may spin the drive up every so often to check on them (using power and putting wear and tear on the drive itself). In my experience, the optical drives are the first to go on an old computer. I hope this helps.

 

So to just to sum up...

Best policy for most computers.

1. Leave powered on all the time.

2. Put display to sleep, no screen saver.

3. Don't spin-down drive/put hard drive to sleep.

4. Turn processor cycling on to further save one energy costs or heat expediture.

5. Get a good UPS (spend more than 80 bucks or wait for the Thanksgiving holidays and buy on sale), surge suppressors are for the weak minded.

6. Dust, Heat and sudden shifts in anything (space (i.e. dropping/moving your cpu), temperature, current, airflow, etc.) should be avoided at all costs.

You want to maintain a clean, cool, dry, well controlled/circulated and stable environment for your computer. (i.e Computers are similair to people because change is bad!)

7. Resist the urge to feed your computer Fruit smoothies or Café Mocha Latté's to cool them down or give them pep."

[LivnLarge 0]

Originally posted by jmmijo:

Quote:

Another option is to remove the CPU cover and see if the heatsink is removable and check out the thermal paste, it maybe that is has dried up and needs to be cleaned off and a fresh layer of paste added again. You will be surprised at how well even the basic thermal paste does to help the heat transfer to the cooling device

 

I am no expert with computers, but one day while shopping for my 200GB Seagate external drive; I ran into this guy who was a computer junky with like this super system he made, and he told me to first dont buy the external drive to buy the internal and then go to newegg.com which i have never heard of at the time... and to buy an enclosure case to make it an external... which i did and happy that i did.

 

Anyways, i have a Compaq Presario notebook and it too heats up. My brother has a Dell which heats up even worst because Dell made some notebooks that all do this. So expext your notebook to heat up.

 

But what im getting to is what the guy told me... the heatsing thermal oil. That the factory puts very little on when you get it and that adding more oil to it will cause it to stop overheating. I yet have to do this because im too lazy too... and dont know what im doing. So chances are I would screw it up.

 

p.s. my bro bought probably the same cooling pad with fans blowing up into the notebook.. Has two fans, grooves thru the pad and connects to your laptop via usb? So far it works great, but notthe best.