Overclocking notebook CPU on Apple

Square_Head

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I have a question regarding the intel CPUs on the new apple MacBooks. I just bought a new mac laptops *gasp* because of the ability to run windows and OSX on the same machine. Is there a way to overclock the CPU? What are some of the standard mac options that people use to tweak their system. I'm completely new to this apple idea so I could use all the help. Are there any websites that are awesome and have tips and tricks? I know Tom's Hardware is awesome for Windows users, but how aobut the mac people? Or the mac people running windows? Those are the people that I want to get in contact with the most. Thanks for you help.
 

WR

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In general, notebook and server motherboards do not permit overclocking without physically modifying the board connections. The reason notebooks don't allow this is that an overheating CPU can damage so many other system components.
 

3lfk1ng

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Hello Square_Head, great question.

First of all....
Badnews: My gf has the 13" 2.0ghz Intel core duo Macbook and has had nothing but troubles with it (we will discuss more on this in a littel bit).

Also...
Unfortunately no matter how much I have tried to like Mac's over the course of the last year....I can't, so I'll attempt to be as unbiased as possible but still provide you with what I have experienced in the last 6 months with Apple.

Some of this stuff you may not wanna read if you refuse to belive that your new mac may have issues. I'm just providing some education (or bringing some light onto the subject) on the brief history of mac issues that I have experienced in the last 6 months

Here is the story of our history with the Macbook....
She bought it when it first came out and like many new products it has its flaws(but even after replacing the mobo 2 times, and then 1 time to a revised more current version it still has its issues).

The issues....
We have replaced the motherboard 3 times already, replaced the battery twice, replaced the cd rom drive once and the biggest issue is that the thing generates a ton of heat to cook itself from within the white plastic shell...because doesn't have adequet airflow.
The Macbook occasionally has sound issues in games and ever since replacing the mobo for the 3rd time the graphics card is now having it's issues and isn't able to run the game like it used to be able to and the CD rom drive fails to install Full legit programs (especially CS2) 1/3 of the time.

The heat stays trapt on the inside of the plastic sheel and stays hot for about an hour even after shutdown. We have talked to the guys at the local Mac Mechanic and apparently they have been having many issues with the Mac books motherboards....or "Logic boards" as the wierdos at the Mac Mechanic place like to call them because they arent handling heat very well.

No overclocking without proper ventalation and serious modding...
Apple doesn't allow overclocking and after the information I have just presented to you I seriously wouldn't recommend attempting any overclocking on a Macbook.

Apple computers are typically for people who don't care how a computer works and don't ever want to know, but it fits their specific job to par.

Even without any overclocking you may experience heat issues if you plan on using it for more than 2 hours in a session especially if you decide to play 1 of the 10 available Mac games (only 3 of them are good anywayz).

If you want to overclock...get a PC. However even most PC notebooks do not support overclocking but some desktops do.

My advice to you...
-Make sure to consistantly monitor your Macbooks temperature from underneath it (it gets extremely hot), or keep it slighly elevated with small books or something.
-Don't use it for more than 1.5hours in a single session.
-Dont play games on your Macbook it will just die prematurely
-Get the Apple Protection plan if you don't already have it.
-Don't even consider modding or overclocking


Goodnews: My gf has the new 24" 2.16ghz Intel core 2 duo (It's the Memrom mobile processor used in some PC notebooks and not the Conroe unfortunately because Apple was warried about heat issues) iMac and she has had no issues with it so far (besides the 64bit application compatibility issues with 2 older programs) It runs extremely fast, the screen is beautiful and the built in speakers sound surprisingly wonderful.

So far it has done really really well...so I'll give Apple a little bit of credit.

However when playing games like "World of Warcraft" her Nvidia 7300gt in her brand new system cannot compete with my ATI x850xt in my slightly upgraded 4 year old rig, which leads me to conclude that Apple could have done better. We plan on upgrading her video card for christmas at the same time I complete my new machine, hopefully that will increase her performance a little bit.

In other news....also unpleasant, but this time reguarding her friends
My gf is the only one who decided to put up with her Macbook only because her work requires it 100%. She doesn't really have a choice for all the many types of freelance that she does because the many programs are mac specific. But she has admitted that Mac's quality seems be be sliding downhill fast and she may have to move to a PC laptop instead of a Macbook next time around.
However the story isn't the same for her friends...one of them is going to have me build a pc for her because she is having a bunch of issues with her old iMac and her Macbook pro and she cant deal with the unreliability in her work.
Her old friend from work just decided to buy an Alienware (he doesnt even play games) because his macmini is a "joke" and he too is having issues with his old iMac. He absolutely loved bootcamp because of the dual os....and he soon became a full believer in Windows Xp pro because he hasn't used a pc in ages.

Of course I could be telling you all of this information and you may not experience a single issue with you new Macbook and you may just live happily ever after...
...but I'm the kind of guy that tells it like it is;
If I see a lot of issues (like Apple computers) I will let people know.

Best of luck Square_Head
~3lfk1ng
 

apt403

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The issues....
We have replaced the motherboard 3 times already, replaced the battery twice, replaced the cd rom drive once and the biggest issue is that the thing generates a ton of heat to cook itself from within the white plastic shell...because doesn't have adequet airflow.
The Macbook occasionally has sound issues in games and ever since replacing the mobo for the 3rd time the graphics card is now having it's issues and isn't able to run the game like it used to be able to and the CD rom drive fails to install Full legit programs (especially CS2) 1/3 of the time.

The heat stays trapt on the inside of the plastic sheel and stays hot for about an hour even after shutdown. We have talked to the guys at the local Mac Mechanic and apparently they have been having many issues with the Mac books motherboards....or "Logic boards" as the wierdos at the Mac Mechanic place like to call them because they arent handling heat very well.

i also have a macbook, im writing this post with it, a 2.0ghz black one and it has been perfect in every way, no overheating (well compared to desktop procs. this thing should have already died) no random shutdowns, cd drive is perfect, ect. i was probably just incredable lucky and yes alot of macbooks have MAJOR problems, but some of them are great! and yeah, overclocking is out, i just had to write this post to prove not every macbook is bad. oh and i use a laptop cooler when im running the macbook from the bed, couch ect. under load i get temps of around 58-60 C and idle there around 40-46ish C. i think ive gotten it up to about 75 C before but that was when i just put it on my bed without anything under it.

EDIT
Don't use it for more than 1.5hours in a single session.
-Dont play games on your Macbook it will just die prematurely

alright i call BS on that, while games i might be able to see if your running it without proper cooling, 1.5 hours?! ive been useing my 'book constanly for weeks, the only time i turn it off is when i have to take it somewhere or i install an update that requires me to restart. and a good program i use all the time to monitor my temps is Core duo temp right now its reporting a temp of 56 C, and ive got a game running in windowed mode behind my browser window.

edit 2
Apple computers are typically for people who don't care how a computer works and don't ever want to know, but it fits their specific job to par.

alright suppressing rage..... :x alright under control, or a wide range of applications mac are great for, photo editing, various scientific applications, sound mixing, 3d rendering (to an extent) but thats more focused on the pro market who would be buying $3000+ mac pros for work, but still i think thats too much of a broad generalization of mac users.
 

mesarectifier

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Apple computers are typically for people who don't care how a computer works and don't ever want to know, but it fits their specific job to par.

You're full of shit.

Anyway, you haven't been able to OC any Apple computer since the B&W G3 as far as I know.

It's an interesting idea, but Apple won't be using any typically overclockable CPUs (i.e. Conroe rather than Merom) in any typically overclockable scenarios (i.e. in something like the Mac Pro, perhaps) because they only need one 'normal' computer in the range and it's using server/workstation CPUs. The rest of the range is laptops and iMac.
 

apt403

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Apple computers are typically for people who don't care how a computer works and don't ever want to know, but it fits their specific job to par.

You're full of ****.


i guess you could put it that way too.

Anyway, you haven't been able to OC any Apple computer since the B&W G3 as far as I know.

you can OC some after market G4 replacments, a couple even come factory overclocked, might be able to OC even the stock G4's as well but im not sure.
 

Doughbuy

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We should start an Apple forum so I know where the hell to stay away from...

In answer to the topic at hand, I have never heard of an OC'ed laptop... which would make plenty of sense considering how hot they already get and the danger they pose to your future children, grand-children, and rest of your genetic line... Don't know why anyone would want to go there...

And I use the Antec Notebook cooler. I had a Targus before, but the Antec looks much better... and trust me, they help a lot (But I do everything on my laptop... got maybe 50 min battery life, but it can still run most things)
 

mesarectifier

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i guess you could put it that way too.

Well I realise that was a bit harsh, but people always complain about preachy Apple types who generalise PC users as idiots or boring people (as per the Apple adverts) and then do pretty much the same thing to Apple users.

As you said, some of the G3 and G4 upgrade cards could be overclocked, however the G3 B&W is (afaik) the only one you can do a motherboard overclock on.
 

Doughbuy

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Also there are not a lot of overclockable products from computer makers such as Apple, Dell, HP, Gateway, whatever... I know they're just beginning to offer them, but even then those are their gaming lines, which Apple does not have nor probably will in a long time due to the fact no one games on Apple computers.
 

mesarectifier

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Also there are not a lot of overclockable products from computer makers such as Apple, Dell, HP, Gateway, whatever... I know they're just beginning to offer them, but even then those are their gaming lines, which Apple does not have nor probably will in a long time due to the fact no one games on Apple computers.

Hey, Raven Shield and Quake 3 are the only games you need anyway!!!
 

mesarectifier

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Well it's just people assume there are no games for Apple computers. Which is about 99% true, what I'm saying is that I'm lucky the only games I ever played on PC were Raven Shield & Quake III.
 
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Guest

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Yes you can if your want to burn your nuts... 8)

I found Mac Book Pro extremely hot in general, they seem to use the whole casing as a giant heat sink. Not that big of a deal since it keeps a nice form factor and generally a quiet computer but they do get hot!

Anyhow I was watching those Mac ads and felt like killing someone, genius marketing. But it does feel like disinformation at times. It re-inforce a hate feeling I use to have with Mac. Now they got nice hardware and my experiences with those machine have been really positive but I will never own one because of the whole Mac/general Mac crowd attitude towards PC industry, drives me nuts.

DaSickNinja can you post back that mac spoof: Mac doesn't have any viruses cuz nobody gives a f*ck...that was hilarious.
 

mesarectifier

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Now they got nice hardware and my experiences with those machine have been really positive but I will never own one because of the whole Mac/general Mac crowd attitude towards PC industry, drives me nuts.

You see other than the adverts themselves (and perhaps some other stuff coming from Apple) I haven't really seen any evidence for this.

I'm happy to be proved wrong here, but could you give me some linkage?
 

tool_462

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There is a hilarious one on YouTube. here

A friend of mine has a MacBook and has had nothing but problems with his. After the warranty replacement ran out and it finally died for good, he tossed it through the dorm room window screen and into the snow piles below his window. It was pretty funny.
 
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To tell the truth, there is no evidence of this, it's more of a general feeling I get. And again it's only that GENERAL...

Usually professional using MAC for video editing/image editing are really fine. I just don't like the fact that some of them think mac are better because to me Phoshop CS2 well it's photoshop CS2. They might like the environment better and yes maybe some application are better but the platform itself didn't feel better to me.

Also the fact that MAc was claiming G5 was teh ultimate machine, did a 180 spin and said: Finally putting PC hardware to good use that got me pissed.

I just always got the feeling, and again it's just a feeling, that some mac user always felt like they had to bring down PC crowd, no big deal a little fanboyism is fine. I just hate the fact that they state that they dont have virus because the platform is more secure. Sure it's more secure, heck it's based on UNIX, but that's not the reason they don't have any viruses and anybody knowledgeable knows that. Stuff like that.
I sometime get the same attitude from some Linux fanboys.

I blame Mac marketing department, they're doing a wonderful job but, just don't like the way they do it!

So as I said it's from personal experience and I might just have extra nerdy Mac user around me who knows...
But I do appreciate the innovative feature they bring on their OS and on their hardware implementation.
 

Doughbuy

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I see Mac users as the people who think they're above the other people, thinking their all smug in their nice white castles while PC users are all wallowing in the dirt outside...

I'm just waiting for the day some guy just goes and teach people Mac's aren't anything special... maybe write a virus that infects people through iTunes thus rendering all the music they bought inoperable...

It's not that Mac isin't really a bad computer, nor OS X a bad OS... its just when they think theirs is better than PC and Windows when I start wishing divine wrath on their heads...
 

angry_ducky

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Even if it was possible to overclock, I can't understand why one would want to. 99% of laptops aren't overclockable (I don't know about boutuque builders like F-NW and Voodoo); even if they were, it's a really bad idea to do so. Laptop cases are tiny; everything is jam packed. There's already enough heat as it is; overclocking means risking frying a component or five.

Not to mention what would happen to you if you used an overclocked laptop on your lap :wink:
 

3lfk1ng

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Mesa and Apt you guys can be haters all you want to be. I just want to let you know that there are a few exceptions to every rule.

Apple computers are typically for people who don't care how a computer works and don't ever want to know, but it fits their specific job to par.

Notice how I used the word "Typically" ...so you guys have no right to call BS. Just because you guys know a lot about your Macs doesnt mean that the other xx% of Apple users do. I never called Mac users stupid, I just pointed out that most of them just want a computer that works.
In my experience every single person I know that does Web developement ...uses a mac for there work. Whether it is web design, clothing design photoshop, sound editing, flash, etc etc etc they all use a mac because it does what they want it to do and it meets their applications specific needs. Now only 1 of the 16 people actually knows a lot about computers and that one person recently switched over to PC.

but still i think thats too much of a broad generalization of mac users.

It's not a generalization unless I say something like "All mac users know nothing about computers" I basically said "They are TYPICALLY for peeps who don't care how they work...but they do the job just fine."
You have no right to flame me over this because I didnt make any stereotypical generalizations. You got offended for not noticing the word "Typically"..and you know this is true because even the Mac commercials point this out (Some of them are true, and some are not)

PC's have there fair share of people who know nothing about computers as well...I used to work at Circuit City and believe me, I have met the most stupid PC users in the world....but you'll also notice that there are hundreds of websites with people like you and I that know quite a lot about computers.

On average I'll bet people that use pc's have a lower iq because Macs are typically used for people that have completed college and have jobs that rely on macs (ex:web developement). Pc are for people (old folks especially) just have a pc for solitare, msngr or email or games.

But again there are a few exceptions to that rule such as game developement. And probly over 75% of the people that are usual posters on the THGFZ actually know a vast amount about computers... ex:wusy is freakin brilliant

Don't use it for more than 1.5hours in a single session.
-Dont play games on your Macbook it will just die prematurely

You cannot call bs on that either because your playing old games like quake 3....which inn't nearly as graphically intense as World of Warcraft with almost max settings or UT2004 with low settings and lots of bots. Even Apple doesnt recommend playing a game for more than 2 hours on there notebooks (said the guy from Mac Mechanic)

When my gf played Wow for ~2hours the computer would randomly shut down due to heat issues. But even after the shutdown all the heat is trapt in the plastic shell and if you turn it on it shuts off 5min later so the notebook is then useless until it cools down(this is just my experience, the results may not be the same for all the other Macbooks out there). Like I have said we have had many issues with it.

Apt is one of the more fortunate Macbook users because even he is smart enough to realize that there are issues and he is lucky enough to have not experienced any of them.

All I did was simply point out my past experience with Macs and I even ended my original post with

Of course I could be telling you all of this information and you may not experience a single issue with you new Macbook and you may just live happily ever after...
...but I'm the kind of guy that tells it like it is;
If I see a lot of issues (like Apple computers) I will let people know.

Best of luck Square_Head
~3lfk1ng

Flame me only when I make fun of someone or something, but don't flame me until you have actually experienced it 1st hand like I have.

I'm not here to create enemies....I'm here to learn as well as educate, so let us all get along please.
 

mesarectifier

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Also the fact that MAc was claiming G5 was teh ultimate machine, did a 180 spin and said: Finally putting PC hardware to good use that got me pissed.

The G5 was teh shizzle when it came out, it's just the new x86 stuff is apparently better than the new PPC stuff.

Most of my friends are musicians and yes, you guessed it, we pretty much all use Macintosh computers (PowerBooks, PowerMac G4 + G5, PPC and Intel iMac and MacPro) for ProTools and Logic work. I haven't come across a single 'Mac evangelist'. I think perhaps it's a US-only thing.
 
You guys over the pond are cool Mac users. I mean, Douglas Adams (rest his soul) was a Mac lover. But not a macangelist. You are probably correct in your assertion that it might just be over here.
 

Doughbuy

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I got some friends there studying abroad at Oxford, they seem to like it...

I don't know about England, but Mac users here are dicks through and through...
 
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Then you are probably right and that would explain the kind of reply you got, BTW canada has MacEvangelist too!

I dont think the G5 was actually the shiznit compar to Opteron, it probably was much betteer then G4. My point being that if it was this good it they would still be with IBM wouln't they?

As far as Musician/graphist and so on being on mac, I think someone clever at mac decided to focus on these guys when they were loosing a lot of ground. Thats why they managed to keep 4% of the market. They probably listen to these guys need better then any other Pc/software vendor and gathered a good crowd. Then once you get enough people all running Mac for profesionnal video/audio/image , it kinda suck being incompatible with your PC so it became the norm.

Not trying to diss mac or anything. Just hate their marketing! and if it was'nt for iPod and now intel CPU. I think they would have recycled in making OS/software for PC but thats just my .02