Heat concerns about the new Mac Pro's design

[Atomic Wanderer Chicken]

I am not an engineer but I have some concerns about the heat dissipation regarding the new Mac Pro's design. The heat is being circulated upwards  out of a cylinder like shape and, I think the fan may get loud over time in the Mac Pro trying to get rid of the heat. In a conventional square computer, heat is dissipated outwards and  away from the computer.  The Mac Pro's design is considerably small also, especially considering the amount of  intensive tasks it will perform like graphic design, video editing etc, and this will as a result will create a lot of heat within a small space.  What do you think?

 

[Boxster17]

I don't see it being an issue, the main core is essentially a massive heatsink (correct me if I'm mistaken).  Then you have whatever heat being produced rising up, so it makes sense to exhaust from the top as well.

[Atomic Wanderer Chicken]

I am just skeptical, that is all. Phil Schiller the video says the old Mac pro had 8 fans compared to this new one that has one big heat sink and fan.

[Liana]

Yeah, there is essentially a large triangle heatsink going through the unit. It looks like a really good design and maximizes airflow. I would be more worried about people covering the top of the unit by setting an object on it, or a little kid pouring something down into it.

[HawkMan]

Heat rises, sending it up is better than out back, and air circulation wise, the round shape, if they did it right inside, is better, if it is an open column in the middle and the hot electronics facing inwards and it sucks cold air in at the bottom, it's a very good design for head dissipation. Though a terrible design in any other way.

Also my computer sends most of the heat up. Most towers today have went sat the top with one or two big fans, more space and better to send the heat up. I also have the radiator for my closed loop water cooling system at the top so.

[#Michael]

Yeah, there is essentially a large triangle heatsink going through the unit. It looks like a really good design and maximizes airflow. I would be more worried about people covering the top of the unit by setting an object on it, or a little kid pouring something down into it.

 

This new macpro is meant as a professional workstation.  If someone pays out that kind of money and allows a kid anywhere near it then they deserve to have it ruined.  No way in hell would I allow anyone under 18 anywhere near it with any kind of open container of liquid.

[FiB3R]

Heat rises

/thread

[Timan Veteran]

One thing about apple, you rarely have to worry about a loud machine (pretend g5's didn't exist).

[Mr.XXIV]

This new macpro is meant as a professional workstation.  If someone pays out that kind of money and allows a kid anywhere near it then they deserve to have it ruined.  No way in hell would I allow anyone under 18 anywhere near it with any kind of open container of liquid.

 

We have kids who are pre-teens that can do better than 30 year olds. What does age of this range have anything to do with a cylinder Mac that's sitting on a desk peacefully?

[Tomoko]

Yeah I don't see any problem with cooling, as has been posted already heat rises so it's actually better than typical PCs.

 

I still think it's ugly though and I wouldn't want one.

 

[Atomic Wanderer Chicken]

If the heat isn't an issue the design is definitely flawed. I foresee people having to buy new mac pros because something spilled into the hole of it.

[game_over]

Concerns based on nothing! lol.

 

As already said, heat rises so it's logical solution that the air is pushed upwards then it will likely disperse more quickly.

 

The retina macbook pro is a good example of how efficient they are at releasing heat.. it effectively acts as an heatsink and never makes any noise unless i'm gaming, it can get really hot but thats normal behaviour, the up shot is it's completely silent for most tasks.

[game_over]

If the heat isn't an issue the design is definitely flawed. I foresee people having to buy new mac pros because something spilled into the hole of it.

 

Thats not a flaw of a design, thats a flaw of humans, we do stupid things.. If every company compensated for every possible scenario then we would have no progression, ever. Sounds to me like you are determined to pick at it for no real reason?

[Atomic Wanderer Chicken]

A valid concern (other than heat) would be for instance, you are holding a glass of soda and you knock into something causing the soda spill into the mac pro top hole. A $1.50 soda causing $3000 of damage. Hopefully the mac pros come with covers, which I'd imagine they do

[FiB3R]

I wouldn't call not making a desktop computer water proof, a design flaw.

 

You are just reaching now, having failed with your heat dissipation nonsense.

[Max Norris]

A valid concern (other than heat) would be for instance, you are holding a glass of soda and you knock into something causing the soda spill into the mac pro top hole. A $1.50 soda causing $3000 of damage. Hopefully the mac pros come with covers, which I'd imagine they do

[FiB3R]

LOL

[Dick Montage]

More absolutely unfounded nonsense.  Do you want to sue them?

[Atomic Wanderer Chicken]

I think the design of the Mac Pro is pretty cool, but I am just pointing out that a computer with an open hole for ventilation like this will be prone to foreign things like liquids and particulates. It is a perfectly valid and logical concern.

[Lord Method Man]

A valid concern (other than heat) would be for instance, you are holding a glass of soda and you knock into something causing the soda spill into the mac pro top hole. A $1.50 soda causing $3000 of damage. Hopefully the mac pros come with covers, which I'd imagine they do

 

You realize most other desktop enclosures have ventilation openings in the top of the case, too?

[Ironman273]

I guess you can go complain to all these people too:

https://www.google.com/search?q=desktop+cases+top+vents&safe=off&espv=210&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=owezUuWtL8fJsQT464CgDw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=598

[Astra.Xtreme]

I think the design of the Mac Pro is pretty cool, but I am just pointing out that a computer with an open hole for ventilation like this will be prone to foreign things like liquids and particulates. It is a perfectly valid and logical concern.

Most modern PC cases have air vents at the top.  Heat rises, so the most efficient means of cooling is to push the hot air up and out.  

My PC case has a giant mesh grate at the top, directly above the horizontally-mounted motherboard, where I can optionally mount some huge fans.

 

It's not really the manufacturer's concern for what spillage accidents could occur.  Those are user error.

This Mac Pro is supposed to be as quiet as a Mac Mini (which is pretty much inaudible), so I'd say they did a great job with the heat dissipation, especially considering the power they've packed into that thing.

[Max Norris]

You realize most other desktop enclosures have ventilation openings in the top of the case, too?

Yep, jokes aside my main desktop's chassis has a top fan that's near a foot wide.

[Atomic Wanderer Chicken]

Let me clear some things up, I have no agenda when I created this thread.

I think the design is quite interesting and neat, but I was just skeptical and had concerns. There isn't anything wrong with being critical of something.

I think perhaps Apple should have added a top that's lifted off an inch off of the hole for protection.

[Arceles]

Again, I don't like macs (in fact, I have a non apple product agenda from quite a while) but the design, at least from thermodynamics, it's excellent. Convection is the keyword here. Triangular heatsink however allows for little to no customization... but again, that's supposed to be a machine that you are so no going to upgrade. I wish PC form factors diverged from the original square design to produce something more three-dimensional, as apple has done.

 

P.D. Apple phones are a complete ripoff, same with their laptops.