CPU Ray Trace on Laptops – Beware of Battery Heat

[scottharris]

 

I have both a Mac and PC laptop that I have damaged the batteries by CPU ray tracing overnight.  Typically, I would setup the scene and then ray trace at a higher pixel count overnight.  My first experience was when the Mac was very, very hot one morning.  Later I found the case was warped and the battery was the cause.  The PC laptop seemed to manage the heat better, so I continued (?).  Recently its battery stopped taking a charge and I ordered a new one.  In replacing it, the battery had mushroomed (see photo).  It should be flat.  I’m sharing the story to perhaps save you a battery replacement or possibly worse.  CPU ray trace on laptops in short periods, and/or reduce the CPU utilization, or use a desktop, or use real-time GPU ray tracing.

Happy New Year!