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Ask HN: How is my MacBook temp getting misread?

5 points GWBullshit | 2 comments | 15 Jul 25 02:01 UTC | HN request time: 0.415s | source

Ever since the last MacOS update, my MacBook has been overheating very easily, very often. When this happened in the past, I would simply put it in the freezer for a few minutes and then pull it out and get back to work. Now something strange is happening: The MacBook itself will be ice-cold, but unlike before when it would just resume working wonderfully, now it "sort of" works, but not really. For example synching stops and says "It needs to wait until the temperature drops". I installed an app to see what's going on and it's reading the CPU at 190º+ F and the GPU at 200º+. Why? How could anything inside be that hot when the frame itself is ice cold?
1. _wire_ ◴[15 Jul 25 04:26 UTC] No.44567819[source]▶
A fissure in the thermal bonding compound between the chip and the heat spreader, or a loose heatspreader anchor screw causing the spreader to lose fit to the chip. Either can result from a fall or other shock, or a manufacturing defect.
replies(1): >>44579694 #
2. GWBullshit ◴[16 Jul 25 07:40 UTC] No.44579694[source]▶
Thank you for you reply, I'll make note of this if I go to a repair shop.

Just not sure how the processor definitely works very smooth, very fast, just like as if I restarted it whenever I take it out of the fridge, but the sensor is somehow reading ~200º.