Is it a metal case and does the base get hot? If so maybe even something as simple as a kitchen cooling rack may help so that air can dissipate from underneath?
Yes, it is metal case and it does get hot. I had it on my desk yesterday and generally don't plan to do retouching holding it on my lap (I still need space to put my tablet next to it), but that is the least I can do, ie lift it off the desk a bit. This has already reduced the temps by 10C yesterday when I lifted it a bit off the desk. However, it still was 90-92, so way too hot data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 I think I need to do a test in a different location. Maybe it is something to do with my desk, the location, or lack of air circulation. I'll do some more testing later today.
I think a lot of modern laptops do just get that hot when processing heavily tbh (which LR and PS seem to do). We're pushing silicon chips to the extreme and when you actually look at the processing they're doing when you're pushing them up to 300-400% and above it's no wonder they're getting hot. Until we move away from silicon chips I don't think we're going to avoid it tbh.
That being said, the fans on my latest MBP don't sound like a jet engine taking off like they did on my old MBP, but I think that's because it's been configured that way out the box. With my old one I put in an SSD and then kept increasing the RAM, it was after the RAM increase that it sounded like a jet engine. Even just importing photos into LR (and building 1:1 previews in the process) would send the fans into overdrive so maybe the CPU's that were in that couldn't truly cope with an SSD and the extra RAM, and maybe that's what's happening in yours? Which i7 CPU's do you have?
If I'm honest, I am a little surprised. Maybe it is because I have never truly owned a laptop before (always desktops) and have little knowledge when it comes to laptop hardware. I know we are cramming all of that hardware into tiny space, trying to make it light and slim, but this is just Photoshop we are talking about. It is not gaming. I wasn't even doing any heavy processing, like blurring for example. I was just using healing brush, clone brush and painting with light. Granted, I am pretty quick doing it all, so the processes build quickly. It is a lot of small strokes, one after another in quick succession... but a 100C?
The specs are bellow, processor is in bold:
Inspiron 15 - 7570 Windows 10 Home
LCD Back Cover : Platinum Silver UHD Touch Screen with HD camera
Primary 4-cell 56W/HR Integrated Battery
Intel 7265AC BT4.2
16GB (1x16GB) 2400MHz DDR4 Non-ECC
15.6 4K Ultra HD (3840x2160) IPS Truelife LED-Backlit Narrow Border Touch Display
65W AC Adapter
512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe Class 40 Solid State Drive
Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-8550U (Quad Core, up to 4.00 GHz, 8MB Cache, 15W)
Windows 10 Home (64bit)
Power Cord : 250V
Internal UK/Irish Qwerty Backlit Keyboard
4GB NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
I have been browsing around a bit while working (not a great idea) and have come across an intriguing thought, but I can't read it all until I finish working. Someone suggested that undervolting is the solution. Thinking about it, it makes sense, but I need to read more when I finish.
I would be concerned about it hitting 100c if it is for other than short cpu spikes as that is the absolute max temp rating for that cpu at the chip die - suggest you contact dell in first instance and also maybe Intel support data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Thanks Jim, it has crossed my mind to contact Dell (and am still considering it), but from what I read online, is that they take the laptop away, and when it comes back it is exactly the same as before. I think I will try that undervolting thing first and see what difference does it make.
I'm on the phone to Dell now data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
OK, so it has taken around 90 min. I got Premium support for a year with this laptop (which I didn't know about). So technician connected to the laptop and worked on it for over an hour. Updated some drivers, uninstalled some stuff, installed some other and I'm to repeat my work session to check if the things improved, which I will do later.
OK, so I've done some testing and no real improvement. I hit 96C. He suggested to check what's the allowed temps for this CPU and it's 100C. So something doesn't seem right.
Also I've noticed one crazy design fault. I have two exhausts at the back of the laptop. From one extremely hot air comes out. Presumably that is the main exhaust for the fan. However, when I tilt the screen back, more than 90 degrees, the bottom of the sceen covers half of the back exhausts. Crazy
Not good data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7