Laptop Temperature Question

[Gone To Texas]

I have a Dell Latitude D630. Last week I was watching a DVD and it got very hot on the bottom, so I turned it off. I downloaded a couple of programs to measure temperatures, and this is what I'm getting:

GPU ranges from 55C at startup up to 82C when I'm running a lot of programs, but typically it is in the 65-70 range. The fan goes to high speed when the temp gets over 80.

CPU Core temperature is about 50C when idling, up to the mid 60s.

Dell Tech Support told me the normal range is 0-35, and they want to replace the heat sink/fan assembly, but I'm not sure I believe them, and there's no reliable source of information about appropriate laptop temperatures online. Any advice from Hornfans techies? Am I going to fry my computer at these temps?

 

[Uninformed]

great question. I have a tx 1000 series HP tablet. It runs so hot that you can't use it on your lap. Plus, it is loud. I have always wondered whether I could purchase an improved laptop fan that would cool it better and run more quietly.

Sorry, I don't know the answer to your question about what temperature your Dell should be running. However, if a laptop runs too hot, parts can be damaged. Sounds like Dell is most concerned about the CPU. However, parts could also go out on your motherboard.

 

[jmatt]

If the fans are running, maybe you just need to open it up and see if it needs to be cleaned?

Desktops that sit in one place get bad enough, I would imagine a laptop that get used on couches, beds, outside, etc can't be any better.

 

[Gone To Texas]

Thanks for the replies.

I cracked it open and saw a few hairs, but it wasn't dusty or otherwise clogged underneath the keyboard. I cleaned whatever was in there with a vacuum. Now the GPU is running at 55C and the CPU in the 30s when idle and at about 40 under light loads (like browsing). These are about 15C lower than before. This is a nice improvement, so maybe the tiny bit of dust that was in there was responsible--who knows? In any case, cleaning out the inside seemed to be a low-cost solution, and a good place to start.

 

[HornBud]

Warmer than normal computers can also be a sign of malware/spyware running in the background.

 

[wherzwaldo]

To keep your computer from getting too hot you may try using this program to control your fans. It allows you to set your own custom thresholds for what temperatures the fan turns on and at what speeds. It was a must-have when I had an Inspiron 8000. The D630 is not listed as compatible but the D620 is.