How To Keep Your Macbook Pro From Overheating

The Macbook Pro Overheating Problem

The Macbook Pro (MBP) is an impeccable machine. Apple has managed to cram the power of a desktop computer within the small aluminum frame of a fifteen inch screen notebook pc. With great power comes great responsibility, however!! The Macbook Pro generates a lot of heat, and I mean a lot. Mine frequently gets hot enough to cook an egg!!!

A hot Macbook Pro is a sad Macbook Pro. Though the Intel Core 2 Duos are rated to be able to withstand these temperatures, the heat can shorten the life of other components including the battery and hard drives. In fact, my battery lasts a paltry ten minutes!!! But that's beside the point.

There are generally two ways to go about remedying this problem. You can either purchase a laptop cooling device or force your Macbook Pro's fans to spin faster than their standard 2000 rpm.

Where To Buy A Macbook Pro Cooler

Most laptop coolers will work with the Macbook Pro, but you'll want to take note of a few key features.

1. You will want a metal cooler, as this metal will help transfer some of the heat away from the MBP's aluminum body. With a plastic laptop you can get by with a plastic laptop cooler just fine, but with the Macbook Pro you'll definitely want a metal device.
2. When choosing a cooler it's important to take note of the fan speed. A higher rpm will cool your laptop more efficiently, but it will also be more noisy. So it's important to balance speed and noise when choosing a laptop cooler.
3. How is the notebook cooler powered? Does it use an AC adapter or is it powered through USB? A USB powered cooler is generally more convenient, but it does eat up one of your Macbook Pro's two USB slots. However, some devices (such as the Zalman ZM-NC 1000) incorporate a USB hub which will make up for the lost slot.