X220T i7, Extremely High Idle Temps??? [ Edited ]

[dansseki]

I've owned this i7 X220T for about 3-4 months now and even from the get-go it ran pretty hot (refused to go below 45C on idle when I was outside in 30F weather) but now the idle temps are getting to levels that border on unsafe!

I'm currently at 71-75C idle and all I have running on my computer is Firefox and Speccy.

Would contacting a Lenovo tech and getting him to replace the TIM help significantly??? I know these chips are known to run hot, but there is no way anything was ever designed to run at 70C idle...

I have thoroughly cleaned the exhaust ports on this unit (although at 3-4 months old it shouldn't have a dust problem anyway) and run it with the battery inserted + AC power on the "balanced" setting, meaning the chip isn't overclocking itself at all.

::edit::

Also, I forgot to mention that it is normally resting on my hardwood computer desk that is practically dust free and it has plenty of room for air to vent.

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

that is very high for idling temp, probably best to send it in.

Although did you update the bios firmware before this problem occurred.

And is the fan running properly?

[dansseki]

Yeah, the fan's definitely running and I can feel very warm air exhausting out, and the last BIOS update I ran was about a month ago so if a new revision came out it was only very recently.

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor · Accepted solution]

send the laptop in, your heatpipe maybe leaking the thermal fluid.

[dansseki]

I forgot to add that since posting I have turned off Hyper Threading and my idle temps are now down to a more satisfactory 43-45C, although I still feel that I shouldn't have to turn off key features just to maintain safe operating temperatures.

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

well switching off the HT should decrease the temp, but it sounds to me that there is some hardware problem.

Anyway, the warranty department should be able to sort out the problem.

[Chimuel]

Be careful when sending yours in... I sent my X220T for a fingerprint reader failure and they also determined my systemboard overheats so they replaced it too (how nice, yes?). The downside? They installed a systemboard with the wrong processor, I received an i5 (2520m) instead of an i7 (2640m)... and unfortunately, the CPU is soldered onto the board.

Currently on my third service request to have it rectified all in a month's time!

[ktech]

You should try to check the CPU usage too.  Sometime some scripts in Firefox does take CPU during idle.