Macbook is running over 74 C idle, this normal for Macs or can it be fixed?

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Wildside

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Hey there. Right now I am installing Diablo 3 on my gf's Macbook to try it out because I know it will work on it. However, I just discovered that the Sandy Bridge Core i5 CPU runs at around 74-85 C in idle form, some usage because of installation process. Now, my question is for you Macbook lovers out there...........is this normal? If not, then how can I try fixing this problem of hers?

P.S Another issue she has been having is stuttering, slow booting up problems from mostly restarting and sometimes waking up from sleep. No CPU hog usage either. She has a 1TB WD HDD in this and we think it might be the HDD. Any ideas?
UPDATE: running perhaps around 75% usage and temps sky rocketed to a bit over 90 C. Good thing the fans kick in. Anyway I can control them manually with a third-party software like for PC?
 
download SMC fancontrol. It's a free app and you can crank up the fans. It is normal that they run hot, mine runs about 90c+ under load. It's a design flaw. They really didn't do much to help air circulation because they're not meant for any kind of serious load like that.

It is normal, but that doesn't make it any better.
 
It is only my main concern to keep temps low as possible. Also, would the aluminum be helping keep temps from not going out of control?

UPDATE:

smcfancontrol doesn't seem to be opening up for me and I already installed it. Is there another one I can try?
 
when it's on it's up at the top by the battery and stuff. It doesn't really open open it just starts. If that doesn't work I'll get another for you, but I know it works on the latest version of lion.

As far as the aluminum goes, I don't think it really helps, it helps a bit more than if the case were made of 2x4's, but not that much. It does help however if you raise it up a bit off a surface because the fan outlet is behind the hinge cover, so if you can get some air circulation under there it helps a bit.
 
Them macs don't use actual aluminum, they use a composite with an aluminum coating at best.

The new ones are actually machined aluminum but even that won't make up for poor engineering.

If you want a laptop that runs cool get a Thinkpad, Apple's laptop have had cooling issues for a while now.
 
Maybe since 2009, the last one I looked at that claimed to be all aluminum was in 08, was just a plastic composite with metal coating.
 
They will always say something like that but is it really? Open one up and examine it to see. Truth always gets stretched these days.
 
How old is the unit? It could be a matter of dust built up in its heat sink.

Them macs don't use actual aluminum, they use a composite with an aluminum coating at best.

Actually they do, my mid 2010 model is made out of real aluminum.

The new ones are actually machined aluminum but even that won't make up for poor engineering.

If you want a laptop that runs cool get a Thinkpad, Apple's laptop have had cooling issues for a while now.

That's a great solution to his problem by the way: go buy a new laptop because of heat issue. The ignorant things people say when they're trying to find a way bash apple products is too funny sometimes.
 
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