So got a M4 Mini 6 months ago. Under load (game) it can get pretty hot. Now that it is broiling outside, it’s almost too hot not to have something melt. Have long used Macs Fan Control, just found out it will work with my machine. Ran it, seems the fan was spinning around 1400 (out of something like 4900). Looking at the measured temps, I see about 60° being the top end. Oddly enough, on my 5,1 I ran the app to keep my Northbridge in the low 60s, while many others said low 70s was fine. I do want the fans to kick higher than that but am unsure which sensors to target for custom control. Auto seems wrong, seems it should run higher than 1400. I lack a look at the temps when my room was in the 70s as opposed to the 90s in there now, so need some advice from the good folks here.
There’s a bug listed GitHub concerning carry over settings when migrating from an older Mac that you might want to be aware of.
Apple’s goal is to keep the chips within their normal operating temperature, which might still be pretty hot to you and me. I don’t know what Apple’s target temperatures are, but I know that PCs are often configured for a maximum temperature of 95-100ºC at key measurement points (CPU core, GPU core, SSDs, etc.).
I suspect Apple configures their temperature thresholds such that the chips don’t thermal-throttle to below their nominal clock speeds (which is likely lower than the maximum clock speed), in order to strike a balance between system performance and fan noise.
Running the fans at a higher speed (and therefore making more noise) might be a good idea if you do a lot of performance computing (including gaming), because it should be able to keep the temperature low enough that it can spend more time at clock speeds that are above nominal.
Sounds like there may be an issue with what the app’s data accuracy. I thought I had ran max and it said something over 5k… I’ll try that again.
David, I spent loads of time when I was running my 5,1 on fan speeds etc. With some investigation I got my Northbridge to ~70° without any real fan noise. I would be curious what the fruit may have to say on their thresholds. I did catch something about the fan taking a long time to ramp up its RPM. It’s kind disconcerting that the case seems so hot, then again, it ain’t got that much metal to soak the heat! Oh, I’m also curious how much difference the pro chip has… thinking of swapping to that machine (the demanding stuff I o is gaming).
Found some interesting further information (mirroring what David said) thanks to Gemini:
Apple does not officially publish specific, detailed temperature thresholds for its M4 chips. However, based on user reports, Apple’s general operating requirements, and observed behavior of M-series Macs, we can establish some general expectations for the M4 Mac mini:
General Operating Temperature Range (Ambient):
- Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C) - This refers to the environment the Mac mini should operate in, not the internal chip temperature.
Observed Internal Chip Temperatures and Throttling: - Normal/Typical Load: Users frequently report M4 chips (including in the Mac mini) operating in the 60-85°C range under regular or moderately heavy workloads.
- Heavy/Sustained Load (Thermal Limits):
- It’s common to see M4 chips, particularly the M4 Pro and Max versions, reach temperatures of 100-107°C during very intensive, sustained tasks like video transcoding, 3D rendering, or heavy gaming.
- Many reports indicate that thermal throttling begins around 100-107°C. At these temperatures, the system will increase fan speeds (if applicable, like in the Mac mini) and reduce clock speeds to lower the temperature and prevent damage.
- Some users have observed CPU core temperatures occasionally hitting 109°C before significant throttling or fan ramp-up.
- Protection/Shutdown: If temperatures go “badly out of range” (significantly above the throttling point and sustained), the Mac mini is designed to perform a hard shutdown to protect the components from damage.
Important Considerations: - Chip Design: Apple’s M-series chips are designed to run efficiently and can handle higher temperatures than some users might expect from traditional Intel-based CPUs. They are designed to operate within these ranges, and sustained temperatures up to 100°C are often considered “safe” by Apple’s internal logic, as the system will manage them.
- Cooling Solution: The Mac mini has active cooling (a fan), which helps it sustain performance better than fanless devices like the MacBook Air. However, under extremely heavy and prolonged loads, even the Mac mini can experience throttling.
- Third-Party Monitoring Apps: While third-party utilities can display chip temperatures, Apple does not officially endorse or guarantee the accuracy of these readings, nor do they publish the exact thermal profiles or sensor definitions. However, they can still provide a general idea of what’s happening.
- Long-Term Effects: While Apple designs its chips to operate safely within these ranges, some users express concerns about the long-term effects of consistently running at very high temperatures (e.g., 100°C+), particularly on nearby components like capacitors. However, Apple’s engineering is generally robust in this regard.
In summary, while there isn’t a single, published “threshold” number, the Apple M4 in the Mac mini is designed to operate effectively with core temperatures that can reach or even briefly exceed 100°C under heavy load, at which point the system will employ thermal management (fan speed increase, clock speed reduction) to maintain stability and prevent damage.
I use a program called TP Pro that I got for my MacBook Pro 2012 when I installed an SSD (with no temperature sensor which the Apple drive did have). TP Pro can ramp up the fans at steps in temperature. I don’t do that with this computer, but it helped on the MacBook Pro. Attached are the numbers that I get in my M1 MacStudio:
