I just got a MBP 15" Touch Bar with sierra. I am using it for web development (Webstorm) and graphic design (Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer). When using the graphic design tools, my MBP can start getting hot… up to 88°C. Now this happens with within 30 minutes or more of using the software. I have to stop my work and wait for it to cool off.
I have even put my Mac to sleep and went to the store and when I came back my Mac was pretty hot. It seems like sleep mode did not work. Keyboard lite was on when I got back from the store. I put it to sleep again and the same behavior happened.
I also have a 2015 MacBook Pro 15" and it does not run as hot as the latest 2016 MBPs. Am I missing something? Is this normal for new MacBooks? I have checked the apple pages for temperatures but they only provide ENVIRONMENT temperatures and that is it.
Best Answer
The normal operating temperature range for silicon is much higher than is comfortable to the touch. The heatsinks & fans are directly below the top of the keyboard along the hinge opening. I too have found the upper edge of my MBP to be uncomfortable to touch -- typically when I'm debugging using the F() keys.
My recommendation would be to use a product that allows you to manually adjust the fan speed in order to run the fan at a higher-than-minimally-necessary speed to lower the temperatures accordingly.
I personally use iStat Menus. In that tool, under 'sensors' is a button to 'Edit Fan Rules'.
Incorporating feedback from the OP to create a more comprehensive answer:
Alternatively, if you believe you may have a hardware issue, a trip to the Apple store might be warranted. The OP had a hardware issue that, while mitigated by the iStatMenus approach, really required a hardware solution, including multiple trips to the Apple store, to ultimately resolve.