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I've noticed that my 2018 MacBook Pro 15" with an i7 frequently hits 82°C while using Google Chrome and 98°C while playing video games. As an example, while running Minecraft with maybe 12 mods, Activity Monitor shows it using ~99% CPU with an energy impact of ~1000.

I got this MacBook in July and the issue started immediately. I contacted Apple Support who was quite unhelpful, telling me to reboot my computer and that they were "unable to find the safe temperatures" for my MacBook.

I haven't run into the MacBook throttling at all or shutting itself down, which leads me to believe something might be wrong with the firmware, or maybe the SMC. I haven't tried resetting the SMC yet, mostly due to concern over what specifically it will reset.

Since I'm not sure if these are extreme, should I be concerned for my MacBook Pro?

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I'm assuming you have the Mid 2018 15" MacBook Pro with the Intel i7-8850H CPU. This CPU has a maximum junction temperature of 100°C.

That means that hitting 82°C while browsing or 98°C while gaming isn't a problem in itself. You're within the limits in the specification.

So unless you're actually experiencing some other kind of related problem besides that you think it is a high number, then there's really no issue at all - nothing to be worried about.

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  • Thanks! I actually have the i7-8750H but I found the T-Junction on ark.intel.com and it was also 100°C.
    – Michael Pfaff
    Commented Dec 28, 2019 at 1:40
  • I'm using Macs Fan Control to check the temperature, and the temperature I was going off of was the CPU PECI. I looked at the individual core temps while a game was running and saw them spike at exactly 100°C and then immediately go down to ~97°C, so I guess my MacBook might be throttling at the last second.
    – Michael Pfaff
    Commented Dec 28, 2019 at 1:43
  • There’s nothing extreme running right up to 100°C under load - especially if the other sensors are 40-60°range
    – bmike ♦
    Commented Dec 28, 2019 at 1:54
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    I own this exact model. It thermal throttles hard. You're correct about the distinction between peak and sustained loads, but saying "it is natural that some throttling takes place to keep the CPU temperature" is completely foolish. Apart from the 13" 6 core Dell offering, and a limit number of other models, Apple is one of the only manufacturers who makes machines that intentionally prioritize quieter fans over sustained boost clocks. Throttling isn't normal. Especially on "Pro" models.
    – Alexander
    Commented Dec 28, 2019 at 16:09
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    @MichaelP. Does that hit the GPU and CPU at the same time? That's when I notice the throttling. I don't think I've seen in in CPU-only or GPU-only loads. When you say "with no noticeable throttling", do you mean noticable as far as an end user might observe, or have you looked at the CPU clock-speeds during operation, and still couldn't see the diff?
    – Alexander
    Commented Dec 28, 2019 at 18:30

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