(2019) 16" is HOT & NOISY with an external monitor! :(

[Peptide]

MBP16" 5500M 4 GB clamshell with Ultrafine 5K (TB3) very much has this issue. iStat Menus reports 20+ Watts of constant power use from Radeon High Side.

Fans run at a minimum of 2800 RPM when the computer is hands-off idle, and 4000-5500 RPM, if watching a video, using any apps or having a telco with Teams/Webex. The same happens with the latest Big Sur beta. Luckily I'm not a podcaster or a voiceover artist, because even a potato microphone would pick up the noise.

The 20W baseline consumption means that any CPU load over 10% makes the fans run at 4000 RPM or more. I can't concentrate to work without closed or in-ear headphones with this Mac. It's not the end of the world, but I would have stuck with the 2014 maxed out iMac if I had know about this "feature" last November. Finance-wise I could exchange this setup to the new iMac without loss, but those 2013 bezels are just too much to look at for 4 more years

When the external monitor is disconnected, fans slow down to 1800 RPM very quickly and stay below 3000 RPM most of the day.

Do you know if the 5300m does the same?

 

[petterihiisila]

Do you know if the 5300m does the same?

I don't have one, but the posts in this thread indicate that it behaves similarly.

 

[K3it4r0]

Do you know if the 5300m does the same?

I have a MBP 16 5300 and:

• with LG 5k connected with usb-c and lid closed: no problem (do not remember exactly the watt
• widescreen monitor (LG) connected with HDMI + apple adapter, with lid closed: more than 18W

With Lid open and external monitor always more than 18W.

The guy at the apple genius bar in Netherlands told me that if I have this problem probably the best way to resolve it is to sell it on the second hand market and buy the one with the 5600 -_-

 

[randomshelf11]

And how is the throttling? The same, or does kick in earlier when using your LG 5K?

Obviously it gets hotter more easily: this is ~ 5000 x 3000 pixels we're talking about. I've never had any thermal throttling issues, and I've seen some people say that they have fixed the problem that some people were having with the 15" models as regards thermal throttling. Whether this remains true when you add the UF 5K to the equation, I do not know.

 

[randomshelf11]

MBP16" 5500M 4 GB clamshell with Ultrafine 5K (TB3) very much has this issue. iStat Menus reports 20+ Watts of constant power use from Radeon High Side.

Fans run at a minimum of 2800 RPM when the computer is hands-off idle, and 4000-5500 RPM, if watching a video, using any apps or having a telco with Teams/Webex. The same happens with the latest Big Sur beta. Luckily I'm not a podcaster or a voiceover artist, because even a potato microphone would pick up the noise.

The 20W baseline consumption means that any CPU load over 10% makes the fans run at 4000 RPM or more. I can't concentrate to work without closed or in-ear headphones with this Mac. It's not the end of the world, but I would have stuck with the 2014 maxed out iMac if I had know about this "feature" last November. Finance-wise I could exchange this setup to the new iMac without loss, but those 2013 bezels are just too much to look at for 4 more years

When the external monitor is disconnected, fans slow down to 1800 RPM very quickly and stay below 3000 RPM most of the day.

I am surprised by this. At idle, I have no issues. No fan speed increase. I'm not sure why you have that problem and I don't. To reiterate, this is when the lid is closed; I have the heat/fan noise issue when I open the lid.

 

[Outwith]

Hi All - I have been reading this thread with great interest over the last couple of weeks as I had a 16" MBP i9, 32gb, 5500 4gb on order. I used an external 4k monitor about 70% of the time with my previous 2016 Touch Bar MBP so was very concerned when reading these reports. The fans hardly ever spun up to noticeable levels with my old MBP and I use Logic for music production so was pushing it quite hard a lot of the time.

I received my new MBP today and hooked it up via USB-C to Displayport to my Dell P2415Q monitor and prepared for the worst. However, with normal low CPU intensive use I am hearing fairly minimal fan noise at about 2k rpm on both sides. Radeon High Side is just over 19w like others have seen, but the fans are not kicking in to max like others have seen with basic usage. When I use Logic the fans do kick in a bit more up to 3.5k on both sides.

 

[richpjr]

I received my new MBP today and hooked it up via USB-C to Displayport to my Dell P2415Q monitor and prepared for the worst. However, with normal low CPU intensive use I am hearing fairly minimal fan noise at about 2k rpm on both sides. Radeon High Side is just over 19w like others have seen, but the fans are not kicking in to max like others have seen with basic usage. When I use Logic the fans do kick in a bit more up to 3.5k on both sides.

This is my experience as well. I really notice the fans when I fire up Windows in a VM, but aside from that if I hadn't read this thread I would not have even been aware of it (this is using the various MS Office apps and Edge for most of the day).

 

[fixthedamnmac]

Hi All - I have been reading this thread with great interest over the last couple of weeks as I had a 16" MBP i9, 32gb, 5500 4gb on order. I used an external 4k monitor about 70% of the time with my previous 2016 Touch Bar MBP so was very concerned when reading these reports. The fans hardly ever spun up to noticeable levels with my old MBP and I use Logic for music production so was pushing it quite hard a lot of the time.

I received my new MBP today and hooked it up via USB-C to Displayport to my Dell P2415Q monitor and prepared for the worst. However, with normal low CPU intensive use I am hearing fairly minimal fan noise at about 2k rpm on both sides. Radeon High Side is just over 19w like others have seen, but the fans are not kicking in to max like others have seen with basic usage. When I use Logic the fans do kick in a bit more up to 3.5k on both sides.

View attachment 940868

Play one video in full screen.

 

[Outwith]

Play one video in full screen.

Just tried a 4k video full screen on Youtube and the fans were constant at 1842 and 1701 all the way through. Would Youtube be different? I'm more on the music side rather than video so not sure if that is the best use case...

 

[Hessel89]

The guy at the apple genius bar in Netherlands told me that if I have this problem probably the best way to resolve it is to sell it on the second hand market and buy the one with the 5600 -_-

Seriously???? Sounds like they want to get rid of you as a customer.. All the 16 inchers are still well within warranty..

 

[petterihiisila]

I am surprised by this. At idle, I have no issues. No fan speed increase. I'm not sure why you have that problem and I don't. To reiterate, this is when the lid is closed; I have the heat/fan noise issue when I open the lid.

Fan noise and whether it's too loud, that is somewhat subjective, so the interesting factoid would be, if 5300 + LG 5K consumes less than 18 W in clamshell mode, idle, monitor on. iStat Menus, Radeon High Side. I'd be surprised, if there was a wattage difference between 5300 and 5500.

 

[Grohowiak]

Hi All - I have been reading this thread with great interest over the last couple of weeks as I had a 16" MBP i9, 32gb, 5500 4gb on order. I used an external 4k monitor about 70% of the time with my previous 2016 Touch Bar MBP so was very concerned when reading these reports. The fans hardly ever spun up to noticeable levels with my old MBP and I use Logic for music production so was pushing it quite hard a lot of the time.

I received my new MBP today and hooked it up via USB-C to Displayport to my Dell P2415Q monitor and prepared for the worst. However, with normal low CPU intensive use I am hearing fairly minimal fan noise at about 2k rpm on both sides. Radeon High Side is just over 19w like others have seen, but the fans are not kicking in to max like others have seen with basic usage. When I use Logic the fans do kick in a bit more up to 3.5k on both sides.

View attachment 940868

You are at 60 Celsius on idle.
Nothing about this is good.

 

[fixthedamnmac]

Just tried a 4k video full screen on Youtube and the fans were constant at 1842 and 1701 all the way through. Would Youtube be different? I'm more on the music side rather than video so not sure if that is the best use case...

View attachment 940915

Wuh. Your fan speeds are lower with a 4k video than with normal usage? Maybe things fixed with the newest batch? Doesn’t make sense though, cause wattage basically equals automatic heat by definition. Did you let the video run for awhile? Or was that at the beginning of the video. No fan manual adjustment?

 

[David58117]

Play one video in full screen.

mine (i9 5500m) is also fine with full screen video, in Clamshell mode and one 4K monitor. As in the fans aren’t noticeably coming on. They did for my 2015 15“ though.

I ended up just deleting istat menu and using the laptop as normal.

 

[Outwith]

Wuh. Your fan speeds are lower with a 4k video than with normal usage? Maybe things fixed with the newest batch? Doesn’t make sense though, cause wattage basically equals automatic heat by definition. Did you let the video run for awhile? Or was that at the beginning of the video. No fan manual adjustment?

It was about halfway through that video, but I had tried others before it. Just tried again there and could play full screen 4k with the fans around 2k rpm. I've not made any adjustments to the fans at all.

I am noticing the fans more on this MBP compared to my last when using Logic Pro, but they are only around 3k. In normal use the fans are fairly quiet.

 

[fixthedamnmac]

It was about halfway through that video, but I had tried others before it. Just tried again there and could play full screen 4k with the fans around 2k rpm. I've not made any adjustments to the fans at all.

I am noticing the fans more on this MBP compared to my last when using Logic Pro, but they are only around 3k. In normal use the fans are fairly quiet.

You're definitely an outlier. I run those measurements in clamshell.

 

[Peptide]

You're definitely an outlier. I run those measurements in clamshell.

Out of curiosity, is there any way to trace this issue down to a specific part? I know people have been pointing at the GPU drivers. Is there a way to report, for example, the driver version so that we can pinpoint the problem more accurately? From my reading, most of the evidence has been in the form of anecdotes and pictures of fan speed/temperature. But, if we can posts of driver versions, then maybe we'll have stronger evidence. For example if the 5300 and 5500 have the same drivers compared to the 5600, i feel like that would further support the claims that the issues are 'fixed' for the 5600.

 

[Kung gu]

this is mine. I have 5300M, I have driver version 01.01.190

 

[Kung gu]

uh no. no one’s yelling. If you read the thread there’s actually new development as well as more reconfirmation of the problem. check Kunggu’s post. Its important that people know it’s not just their device. Apple doesn’t help,so threads like this offer people at least some general peace of mind. If it doesnt bother you, good on you. there’s better stuff worth your time.



What email address did you message to get to the Apple engineer? I’ll hit them up as well. Thanks for your efforts

I first email Tim Cook and then an Executive Relations Liaison replied back.

This is the email address: sherwin_sampaga@apple.com
Then I got a call back from Apple Technical, with reference from sherwin

 

[kaans]

Last 2 days for me to buy an AppleCare+ - I paid $2800 for the device, AppleCare+ is ~$380 - so ~%14 for my purchase price

I know from experience at least the batteries don't last 2 years, and with this heat issue, and some people getting their logic boards replaced because of kernel panics etc. - I can't decide whether to plunge the $380 or not

If I sell this device within a year, I know I won't get the $380 back, maybe $200 value from it at most

Basically I hope they produce one last Intel model with mini-LED screens, and I'd probably sell mine second hand and buy that model when it arrives

Anyway, I'm just blabbering, but with these both issues, I guess it's a must to buy the $380 Apple Care for the 3 year total warranty isn't it, because I suspect a majority of these devices will fail from heats with regular usage, while I baby mine and disconnect it / let it sleep free every day - I still think it will fail

What did you guys do, bought the Apple Care+ even for base models?

 

[David58117]

Last 2 days for me to buy an AppleCare+ - I paid $2800 for the device, AppleCare+ is ~$380 - so ~%14 for my purchase price

I know from experience at least the batteries don't last 2 years, and with this heat issue, and some people getting their logic boards replaced because of kernel panics etc. - I can't decide whether to plunge the $380 or not

If I sell this device within a year, I know I won't get the $380 back, maybe $200 value from it at most

Basically I hope they produce one last Intel model with mini-LED screens, and I'd probably sell mine second hand and buy that model when it arrives

Anyway, I'm just blabbering, but with these both issues, I guess it's a must to buy the $380 Apple Care for the 3 year total warranty isn't it, because I suspect a majority of these devices will fail from heats with regular usage, while I baby mine and disconnect it / let it sleep free every day - I still think it will fail

What did you guys do, bought the Apple Care+ even for base models?

Always buy AppleCare+.

 

[Mity]

I have a MBP 16 5300 and:

• with LG 5k connected with usb-c and lid closed: no problem (do not remember exactly the watt
• widescreen monitor (LG) connected with HDMI + apple adapter, with lid closed: more than 18W

With Lid open and external monitor always more than 18W.

The guy at the apple genius bar in Netherlands told me that if I have this problem probably the best way to resolve it is to sell it on the second hand market and buy the one with the 5600 -_-

Would an eGPU be a temporary solution? Or do the fans still come on with the lid open + monitor with the 5300 or 5500?

 

[apr]

I always buy AppleCare (3years warranty), AppleCare+ is not available in my country.
(However from the next year AppleCare scam by Apple will be pointless in my country, because the warranty period will be based on the sell price. Mb pro/iphones/ipads/etc all will fall in 3 years category... )

 

[DeejayDannyJ]

I have a 16" with the i9 and 5500 4gb and also notice how hot it got when an external monitor is connected, this happened while connected for even the most basic of tasks. This I do not think is right. hopefully a driver could remedy this in future.

I also think the Turbo boost routine is not ideal on these or the 15" machines with i7's and i9's - temps are a little higher than they need be. I see mid to low 40's with TB disabled. and low to mid 50's to 60 when it is enabled running basic tasks.

I think Apple and intel could make a smarter TB routing that likes to see a maximum sustained load for a period of time before TB kicks in on the 15"'s and 16"'s this would help keep temps down a while short spikes in cpu usage are seen when doing basic tasks.


All that being said I cannot hate the machine, All of my previous MacBook Pro have scorched my bollox. It is the price you pay for owning a MacBook Pro.

 

[Akrapovic]

I have a 16" MBP with a 5300M.

I have an external 4K and an external WQHD hooked up, as well as the MBP open too. So triple screens. It's currently sitting at 65-70 degC, but I can't hear the fan. However certain applications do push it over into warm and loud. Chrome can do it (I use Edge). Any time Google Meet/Hangout is open it really spins up the fans. Xcodes iOS Simulator does it too.

But other than that, I don't tend to hear the fans and don't see the temp change that much.