Thinkpads Forum

Hi!

My X60's palmrest gets warm when I use the wifi.
Do you have this or is it only my problem?

pdudas wrote:Hi!

My X60's palmrest gets warm when I use the wifi.
Do you have this or is it only my problem?

Same here -- much worse if plugged in and recharging. But tolerable, overall, given everything else this machine does right!

Hmm... I haven't noticed this. I may just not be sensitive to palmrest temperature. I notice the warmness of the bottom side much more.

Just got my x60s and i totally agree. the rightside palm area of my laptop gets so hot i'm thinking of returning it, or looking for some kind of heat shield. could be a deal breaker for me.

I stand corrected -- came home and noticed this today. It seems to only become a problem if I leave the lid closed.

Could you write down the type of the wireless card in your thinkpad.(My computer, manage, device manager, network adapters,11 a/b/g Wireless LAN MINI PCI-Express adapter, general tab, manufacturer).

I have an atheros card.
Maybe the heat problem is with the atheros based cards.

I've got the intel card -- when I was tinkering in the palmrest, I noticed that it may be possible to use a heat-conducting gel to spread out the heat so it's less noticable.

Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG

If i'm using just the battery (ie not plugged in) it's not as warm, but still uncomfortable for me.

is there anyway to fix this?

c

It's a wide known issue with X60/s. People find the intel card hotter than the atheros. I can't imagine what it will be like when both WiFi and EV-DO are turned on (they are both located under the right palmrest).

Too bad, otherwise a perfect travel notebook.

I wouldn't consider it to be HOT. Hot is when I can't leave my hand on my laptop. It's noticably warm though.

Same problem here. While I don't think I could fry an egg on it, I'd call the area around my wifi card (to the right of mouse buttons) hot, particularly if I run it for an extended period.

Just curious: is the wifi adapter located differently on the X60 as on the X3x and X2x? I had an X22 previously (with built-in wifi) and am now using an X31: I've never noticed a heat problem on the palm rest area with neither model.

I got the same problem here
if the wireless getting very hot, my wireless will got diable.

I need to reboot or colddown the wireless card to use it again.

ninepoundjammer wrote:While I don't think I could fry an egg on it, I'd call the area around my wifi card (to the right of mouse buttons) hot, particularly if I run it for an extended period.

Which card do you have (Intel or Atheros)? Have you noticed a difference between the various modes (a/b/g) supported by the card? Would running it at 11 Mbps translate into lower temperature?

I've got the Atheros card which I run exclusively 80211.g.

I've seen claims that heat in this area is generated when the battery is charging, but I'm skeptical of that. Also seen claims that it gets worse when you leave the top closed. Of course, I only run wireless at home, where the machine is more likely to sit on my coffee table with the lid closed (to not obstruct the TV .

I just found the thermal zone info, so maybe I'll try to do some controlled experiments. Right now I'm using wireless with the lid open, it's only warm, and I get:

THM0
state: ok
temperature: 47 C
critical (S5): 127 C
THM1
state: ok
temperature: 49 C
critical (S5): 97 C

This issue may get pushed pretty low on my priority list as I'm seeing screen flicker accompanied by a high pitch whine when running off battery and I've had two system lock-ups this morning.

pdudas wrote:Hi!

My X60's palmrest gets warm when I use the wifi.
Do you have this or is it only my problem?

I have it as well, on my X60s 1704 (with the Intel card). Though my right hand side gets really hot whether or not I'm actually using the device. Nothing really helps. I tried disabling the device in Windows and in BIOS (both hiding it and shutting down the radio). The radio on/off button doesn't seem to do any difference as well.

As people have said, it seems as it is even worse while charging the battery. If I'm running on only the battery or from the power outlet the heat is almost bearable, but even then my hand sort of hurts after a an hour or so of work.

I thought it perhaps would help if I removed the wifi card all together, so I just did, but I'm not really sure it helped. My hand still gets really uncomfortable. I'm starting to think the heat problem (also?) lies with the Bluetooth device, which is situated just besides, if I'm not wrong. Perhaps it is a combination, perhaps it is not. One thing is for sure, I don't understand why.

As the BT card was secured by some more screws I didn't feel like playing with it right now; not sure if the warranty covers it.

Since this is my first Thinkpad ever, I'm a bit unused to the ThinkVantage system, but as far as I can tell I'm upgraded to all the current device drivers. Though I still haven´t tried manually removing the driver and the software, and then installing them again.

pdudas wrote:Hi!

My X60's palmrest gets warm when I use the wifi.
Do you have this or is it only my problem?

What is the model number of your machine? I’m researching this for a solution.

Thanks,
Archer

edbern wrote:

pdudas wrote:Hi!

My X60's palmrest gets warm when I use the wifi.
Do you have this or is it only my problem?

Same here -- much worse if plugged in and recharging. But tolerable, overall, given everything else this machine does right!

What is the model number of your machine? I’m researching this for a solution.

Thanks,
Archer

Blueblazer wrote:Just got my x60s and i totally agree. the rightside palm area of my laptop gets so hot i'm thinking of returning it, or looking for some kind of heat shield. could be a deal breaker for me.

What is the model number of your machine? I’m researching this for a solution.

Thanks,
Archer

pdudas wrote:Could you write down the type of the wireless card in your thinkpad.(My computer, manage, device manager, network adapters,11 a/b/g Wireless LAN MINI PCI-Express adapter, general tab, manufacturer).

I have an atheros card.
Maybe the heat problem is with the atheros based cards.

What is the model number of your machine? I’m researching this for a solution.

Thanks,
Archer

rjih wrote:

pdudas wrote:Hi!

My X60's palmrest gets warm when I use the wifi.
Do you have this or is it only my problem?

I have it as well, on my X60s 1704 (with the Intel card). Though my right hand side gets really hot whether or not I'm actually using the device. Nothing really helps. I tried disabling the device in Windows and in BIOS (both hiding it and shutting down the radio). The radio on/off button doesn't seem to do any difference as well.

As people have said, it seems as it is even worse while charging the battery. If I'm running on only the battery or from the power outlet the heat is almost bearable, but even then my hand sort of hurts after a an hour or so of work.

I thought it perhaps would help if I removed the wifi card all together, so I just did, but I'm not really sure it helped. My hand still gets really uncomfortable. I'm starting to think the heat problem (also?) lies with the Bluetooth device, which is situated just besides, if I'm not wrong. Perhaps it is a combination, perhaps it is not. One thing is for sure, I don't understand why.

As the BT card was secured by some more screws I didn't feel like playing with it right now; not sure if the warranty covers it.

Since this is my first Thinkpad ever, I'm a bit unused to the ThinkVantage system, but as far as I can tell I'm upgraded to all the current device drivers. Though I still haven´t tried manually removing the driver and the software, and then installing them again.

What is the model number of your machine? I’m researching this for a solution.

Thanks,
Archer

aceo07 wrote:I wouldn't consider it to be HOT. Hot is when I can't leave my hand on my laptop. It's noticably warm though.

What is the model number of your machine? I’m researching this for a solution.

Thanks,
Archer

archer6 wrote: What is the model number of your machine? I’m researching this for a solution.

Thanks,
Archer

X60s 1704-56G. (Guess I should've updated that signature. )

I forgot to mention in my earlier post here that my X60s does not get hot. The palm rest barely gets warm, and the bottom of the computer is just a bit warmer than the palmrest. I'm writing this on my X60s now and have been using the wireless connection for 4 hours now and there is no heat issue whatsoever.

I'm feeling lucky on that one as I have 3 friends that also purchased X60 & X60s models, which get quite hot. So we are looking at this.

archer6 wrote:I forgot to mention in my earlier post here that my X60s does not get hot. The palm rest barely gets warm, and the bottom of the computer is just a bit warmer than the palmrest. I'm writing this on my X60s now and have been using the wireless connection for 4 hours now and there is no heat issue whatsoever.

I'm feeling lucky on that one as I have 3 friends that also purchased X60 & X60s models, which get quite hot. So we are looking at this.

Have you personally felt those other "hot" machines, or are you going by what your friends say. Some people may not be sensitive to the problem. For example, I can tell it's warm but it doesn't bother me so I wouldn't call it "hot".

trentblase wrote: Have you personally felt those other "hot" machines, or are you going by what your friends say. Some people may not be sensitive to the problem. For example, I can tell it's warm but it doesn't bother me so I wouldn't call it "hot".

Let me state it like this: is the trackpoint supposed to start feeling sort of.. aaaaaaaalmooooost like it was about to start melting? Well, that's an exaggeration, but it is a similar feeling. Perhaps you could compare it to the softness of a lightly chewed bubblegum.

Just thought of checking Notebook Hardware Control and it reports a CPU temp of 45 (47) degrees Celcius.

Please check with TPFancontrol and post your APS temperatures when using WiFi. This has to be the temp of the area around the WiFi card cause it gets warmer when WiFi is enabled.
Mine is around 52°C after hours.

Is it only the X60s that gets hot or does the X60 too? sent my X60s back because it was just too hot...would consider an x60 if it did not have the problem.

trentblase wrote:

archer6 wrote:I forgot to mention in my earlier post here that my X60s does not get hot. The palm rest barely gets warm, and the bottom of the computer is just a bit warmer than the palmrest. I'm writing this on my X60s now and have been using the wireless connection for 4 hours now and there is no heat issue whatsoever.

I'm feeling lucky on that one as I have 3 friends that also purchased X60 & X60s models, which get quite hot. So we are looking at this.

Have you personally felt those other "hot" machines, or are you going by what your friends say.

The 3 that I refer to are all in my office. I have personally felt them and they indeed get hot....rather surprizing !

I have used mine today for a total time of 7 hours just to see if it would get hot. Nothing, just a little warm which to me is absolutely normal.

IMHO the X series is so thin that one is sure to feel some warmth. The heat must go somewhere. I would rather have it that way, than to be a big bulky laptop.

Archer, can you post the temperatures with TPFancontrol of all three X60s or is that not possible?
I think the "APS" temperature has to do with the WiFi card.