PowerBook G4 12" Heat Problem

AJaX

Registered
You can fry eggs on this thing. I know there has been a lot of conversation going on around here about this issue, do you think apple will fix this anyway? Is there a fan in there that just does not turn on? You seriously can't even have this thing on your lap when you are charging it. Love the machine, this is the only issue so far! Thanks.

Alex
 
12" powerbook G4, 60 gig drive,CD-RW, 640 megs ram.

ripping MP3's, burning cd's, running photoshop, illustrator. it gets warm (warmer than my old 600mhz ibook) but it doesn't get hot. (and it really only gets warm when it's on the charger).
 
Inside the 12" there is no fan, so heat is the price you pay for silence ;). But one of Apples knowledge base documents says to keep the laptop on a flat, hard surface (generally not your lap) because then it vents properly. If I could get one of these I would probably set it on some king of insulator (plywood board?) if the heat got unbearable. Someone put a thermometer to it once, and I think they got 84 degrees, et c'est chaud.
 
well you guys are asking for hot laptops when you buy ti/alu books.

metal has a low spific heat meaning that it gets hot quick

(Just my view on this situation)
 
a low specific heat compared to what?!? It's conductor, and it has a lower specific heat than water ... you can't make computers out of water.

I think it is a concern, but here's my take. I had a bad processor in my Ti 667 laptop, and had it replaced under warranty. (yay Apple, like 3 days total without my computer) Anyway, it was crazy hot then, it's better now. I think the heat dissipation varies from machine to machine, chip to chip.

So you might have a hot one. I remember my Wallstreet G3 laptop would get up to about 160F before the fan would kick on. G3's are incredibly tolerant. G4's kick off more heat and aren't as tolerant, so they need the big heat sink / metal case. I have no doubt that a toastier chip could broil the family jewels.

I'd like to see Apple offer G3 and G4 motherboards on the same form factor, and let you choose case independent of processor. But that won't happen.
 
Wow. I'm glad I bought that iBook instead. Heat? Nothing compared to my old TiBook 500 (sold). And that was, afaik, still cooler than the 12"... Seems like Apple _has_ something to fix after all. A Rev. B version of the 12" PB could...

a) move it to a 1 GHz 7447 or 7457 PPC G4 processor
b) add the blue light from the 17"
c) add a second RAM slot and forget about on-board RAM.

That would be great.
 
agreed fryke,

Yeah I dunno, this thing heats up way too much, I might even have to send it in, hopefully they will release firmware to turn the fan on :p I'd rather have a little noise than heat!
 
The iBook's fan seems to turn on sometimes, and its sound is certainly louder than _not_ having it on, but I guess the architecture of the PB12 is quite similar, so maybe it'll only have to be on a more often... Then again, that _didn't_ help the TiBook 500 much. One big difference is that the outer shell of the iBook is plastic, which certainly doesn't heat up that much. Maybe Apple should consider moving back to something other than Alu or Titanium for the PowerBooks... But I guess we're more than a year away from Apple replacing Alu...
 
I've read numerous reports of people complaining about the heat, then others calling them overly sensitive.
So is there a difference between various 12" PBs or is it just a case of user bias?
I remember there were utilities that measured the processor temp that worked on my old PB 190cs. (which ran really hot btw, the bottom case actually cracked under the heat) Is there no longer such a sensor in the new processors?
I'd just like to see some figures backing up these heat claims. In the mean time I'll hold off buying a 12", it's not like I have any money left to get one now anyway, damn IRS :mad:
Mm.
 
a) move it to a 1 GHz 7447 or 7457 PPC G4 processor
b) add the blue light from the 17"
c) add a second RAM slot and forget about on-board RAM.

It's the base model Powerbook. If you want that stuff, they want you to dish out the $3000. :)
 
Well no, it's not a 'base level' PowerBook. Or at least it shouldn't be. The label 'Power' says that it's meant for the Pros rather than the Consumers, and so it should be a full-featured notebook computer. The fact that it's a bit crippled seems to stem from the fact that the basic design derived from the iBook. But I think a Pro user who _wants_ a 12" Apple notebook would rather have the option to have a faster processor and more RAM - and also pay a bit more.

I think Apple should move to a different price structure in the PowerBook segment. Modular. Choose a chassis: 12, 15 or 17 inch. Then choose a graphics card, an optical drive, a processor and RAM equipment. The price for the parts should be about the same across the chassis. Price difference is LCD panel.

The way it is now, you're right, it really seems like the 12" PowerBook is handled like a 'low power' PowerBook. But depending on _what_ your being 'professional' means, it could very well be that you want a high amount of RAM and good processor speed in a small package.

Nonetheless, I'm glad about the current (or soon to be with the 15.4 AluBook) setup and pricing.

And if this IS the year of the notebook for Apple, it will only get better.
 
what i would want is the ibook casing (plastic) a 1ghz g4 and all the options of the new power book, and fully replacable ram

i would be very happy :)

but as it is anyways, my ibook is just as fast as my g4 :eek:
 
ugh...

if you run the 12" on your lap, there is no way for air to circulate and dissipate the heat. therefore it does get hot mighty quick

on a benchtop running for 9 hours a day doing photoshop/dreamweaver etc, the fan _might_ come on once or twice. it is not as cool as an ibook, but certainly not as hot as the tibooks used to get.

AJaX: your fan should come on automatically - maybe get it checked out if it doesnt.

and fryke - I agree: TWO RAMS SLOTS!!!!

ta.
 
I thought the air outlets are on the sides and on the back, just like on the iBook?
 
All laptops also dissipate heat through their entire surface. The bottom always has LRF support to permit air circulation. If you put it on your legs, the bottom just does what it is designed to do: dissipate heat, meaning it transfers its excessive heat to your legs...
 
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