Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
(2019) 16" is HOT & NOISY with an external monitor! :(
- Thread starter Appledoesnotlisten
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I think it has to do with the resolution the monitor is capable of over each cable. Can you run this command with HDMI/DP?
Code:
% system_profiler SPDisplaysDataType | grep -C1 Resolution
S32D850:
Resolution: 5120 x 2880 (5K/UHD+)
UI Looks like: 2560 x 1440 @ 60.00Hz
I'm actually using one of these: https://tweakers.net/pricewatch/125...-c-4k60hz-hdmi-en-mini-displayport-zwart.html
It goes USB-C to DP. If I want HDMI, I plug in a DP-to-HDMI adapter. So it's actually the same exact cable with an extra converter that takes less power. Go figure.
If I have time, I'll run the system profiler command you gave me tomorrow.
Thx, but as I said before: I would never use my 1440p monitor in native 2560x1440 in MacOS anyway because everything looks like sh** that way. HiDPI is the way to go and on top the power draw is only 5W in clamshell mode without having to apply any workaround.
Because my monitor is a 24" QHD monitor and it's unusable in MacOS in native resolution. 125% scaled is perfect.
5120x2160
Default is too big.
Sorta leaning on a eGPU at this point. Fans just scream even in clamshell
It is a "Solution" for those who are currently using their macbook in clamshell mode and having problem to reduce the Radeon High Side power to around 5 Watt. I never said I solved the heating issue altogther using this method. You may read my original post as well. Clearly i mentioned for Clamshell mode.
With respect, sir, it depends on your perspective to interpret. But, don't force anyone to follow your perspective. Instead, you should broaden your view. Don't limit your view because because it will limit your knowledge as well.
Last edited:
TLDR: My 2019 Macbook Pro 16" 5300M gets hot and noisy when connected to a 2560x1440p60 monitor, even when idle and the lid is closed. This post outlines a partial solution that enables silent operation.
The 2019 MacBook Pro 16" with base 5300M GPU has a problem.
If you connect models with this specific GPU to an external monitor with an extremely specific (but common) resolution, many users report that their MacBook gets really hot and the fans spin up really loudly, even if they close the screen lid.
Specifically, many users report extremely loud fans when connected to 2560x1440p60 monitors. The problem is with this specific resolution and 5300M GPU combination. Tons of users report no problems when using 1080p or 4K monitors or with the upgraded 5600M GPUs.
The solution to this problem, however, is just force enabling HiDPI mode for the monitor (instructions later). Unfortunately though, this solution requires the MacBook lid to be closed. I haven’t found any solution that fixes the problem while also keeping the lid open.
DISCLAIMER: This article only considers a 2019 MacBook Pro 16" on Big Sur 11.5.1 with 5300M graphics connected to a single external 32 inch 2560x1440p60 display. If you have a different setup, no guarantee this will work, since this issue might be a bug with exactly this GPU/resolution combination. I’ve seen many reports of no issues on the 5600M.
***
Before, when connected to a 32 inch 1440p monitor, my MacBook Pro 16 inch reports 18–20W of power draw from the GPU. This is regardless of whether or not the Macbook lid is closed.
I switched to “Scaled” for demonstration purposes, but I typically just use “Default for Display”.
When I look at the GPU power draw, I see:
Source screenshot from the free Stats app was 2560x1440. The equivalent statistic on iStat Menus is Radeon High Side.
This is insane power draw for a laptop at idle. It doesn’t take long for all this extra power to heat up the laptop and cause the fans to start roaring, even with nothing running, just idle.
Moreover, I noticed that after 50 battery cycles my battery health is already at 90%.
Rocketing fans at nearly 100%
***
But if you force enable HiDPI mode (instructions later) for your external monitor while the lid is closed, this is what happens:
For demonstration purposes, when you look at “Scaled”, you get HiDPI options. When I actually use it, I use “Default for Display”
Now when I look at the GPU power draw, I see:
Source screenshot was 5120x2880, due to HiDPI.
What exactly is HiDPI mode? Well, it’s basically forcing macOS to internally render at 2x resolution. So in the case of a 2560x1440p monitor, macOS is internally rendering at 5120x2880p. (Which happens to be the resolution of the 27" iMac). You can tell, since the new screenshots are twice as sharp.
Now the MacBook is drawing a much more reasonable 6W and stays silent during normal operation, as it should! Now it feels like a Pro machine!
Seeing as how it makes no sense that rendering at 2x resolution cause 1/3 of the power draw, this is most likely a GPU driver bug on Apple or AMD’s end, and a temporary solution could be force enabling HiDPI mode for 1440p monitors in the next release of macOS.
Note, these power draw settings only work if you keep the MacBook lid closed.
Moreover, I noticed that my battery health stayed the same after 50 more cycles with this fix applied.
Basically silent fans
***
You can force enable HiDPI mode yourself. You'll need to use a 3rd party tool. The one I used (one-key-hidpi) looked like:
Please note, MacBooks can get pretty loud after restarting when plugged into monitors. Just wait a few minutes for the fans to ramp down. And once again, this fix only works when the MacBook lid is closed.
Footnote: in the first example, before running the script, selecting 1080p also reduces GPU usage to ~6W, but 1080p on a 1440p display looks terrible.
The 2019 MacBook Pro 16" with base 5300M GPU has a problem.
If you connect models with this specific GPU to an external monitor with an extremely specific (but common) resolution, many users report that their MacBook gets really hot and the fans spin up really loudly, even if they close the screen lid.
Specifically, many users report extremely loud fans when connected to 2560x1440p60 monitors. The problem is with this specific resolution and 5300M GPU combination. Tons of users report no problems when using 1080p or 4K monitors or with the upgraded 5600M GPUs.
The solution to this problem, however, is just force enabling HiDPI mode for the monitor (instructions later). Unfortunately though, this solution requires the MacBook lid to be closed. I haven’t found any solution that fixes the problem while also keeping the lid open.
DISCLAIMER: This article only considers a 2019 MacBook Pro 16" on Big Sur 11.5.1 with 5300M graphics connected to a single external 32 inch 2560x1440p60 display. If you have a different setup, no guarantee this will work, since this issue might be a bug with exactly this GPU/resolution combination. I’ve seen many reports of no issues on the 5600M.
***
Before, when connected to a 32 inch 1440p monitor, my MacBook Pro 16 inch reports 18–20W of power draw from the GPU. This is regardless of whether or not the Macbook lid is closed.
Code:
% system_profiler SPDisplaysDataType | grep -C1 Resolution
S32D850:
Resolution: 2560 x 1440 (QHD/WQHD)
UI Looks like: 2560 x 1440 @ 60.00HzI switched to “Scaled” for demonstration purposes, but I typically just use “Default for Display”.
When I look at the GPU power draw, I see:
Source screenshot from the free Stats app was 2560x1440. The equivalent statistic on iStat Menus is Radeon High Side.
This is insane power draw for a laptop at idle. It doesn’t take long for all this extra power to heat up the laptop and cause the fans to start roaring, even with nothing running, just idle.
Moreover, I noticed that after 50 battery cycles my battery health is already at 90%.
Rocketing fans at nearly 100%
***
But if you force enable HiDPI mode (instructions later) for your external monitor while the lid is closed, this is what happens:
For demonstration purposes, when you look at “Scaled”, you get HiDPI options. When I actually use it, I use “Default for Display”
Code:
% system_profiler SPDisplaysDataType | grep -C1 Resolution
S32D850:
Resolution: 5120 x 2880 (5K/UHD+)
UI Looks like: 2560 x 1440 @ 60.00HzNow when I look at the GPU power draw, I see:
Source screenshot was 5120x2880, due to HiDPI.
What exactly is HiDPI mode? Well, it’s basically forcing macOS to internally render at 2x resolution. So in the case of a 2560x1440p monitor, macOS is internally rendering at 5120x2880p. (Which happens to be the resolution of the 27" iMac). You can tell, since the new screenshots are twice as sharp.
Now the MacBook is drawing a much more reasonable 6W and stays silent during normal operation, as it should! Now it feels like a Pro machine!
Seeing as how it makes no sense that rendering at 2x resolution cause 1/3 of the power draw, this is most likely a GPU driver bug on Apple or AMD’s end, and a temporary solution could be force enabling HiDPI mode for 1440p monitors in the next release of macOS.
Note, these power draw settings only work if you keep the MacBook lid closed.
Moreover, I noticed that my battery health stayed the same after 50 more cycles with this fix applied.
Basically silent fans
***
You can force enable HiDPI mode yourself. You'll need to use a 3rd party tool. The one I used (one-key-hidpi) looked like:
Code:
_ _ _____ _____ _____ _____
| | | | |_ _| | __ \ | __ \ |_ _|
| |__| | | | | | | | | |__) | | |
| __ | | | | | | | | ___/ | |
| | | | _| |_ | |__| | | | _| |_
|_| |_| |_____| |_____/ |_| |_____|
============================================
(1) Enable HIDPI
(2) Enable HIDPI (with EDID)
(3) Disable HIDPI
Enter your choice [1~3]: 1
-------------------------------------
|********** Display Icon ***********|
-------------------------------------
(1) iMac
(2) MacBook
(3) MacBook Pro
(4) LG Display
(5) Pro Display XDR
(6) Do not change
Enter your choice [1~6]: 6
------------------------------------------
|********** resolution config ***********|
------------------------------------------
(1) 1920x1080 Display
(2) 1920x1080 Display (use 1424x802, fix underscaled after sleep)
(3) 1920x1200 Display
(4) 2560x1440 Display
(5) 3000x2000 Display
(6) Manual input resolution
Enter your choice: 4
Enabled, please reboot.
Rebooting the logo for the first time will become huge, then it will not bePlease note, MacBooks can get pretty loud after restarting when plugged into monitors. Just wait a few minutes for the fans to ramp down. And once again, this fix only works when the MacBook lid is closed.
Also, don’t forget to set the resolution to “Default for display” in settings.
So welcome to having a silent MacBook when plugged into a monitor now! As it should be!Footnote: in the first example, before running the script, selecting 1080p also reduces GPU usage to ~6W, but 1080p on a 1440p display looks terrible.
Last edited:
That's exactly what I mentioned a few comments before. HiDPI does the trick.TLDR: My 2019 Macbook Pro 16" 5300M gets hot and noisy when connected to a 2560x1440p60 monitor, even when idle and the lid is closed. This post outlines a partial solution that enables silent operation.
The 2019 MacBook Pro 16" with base 5300M GPU has a problem.
If you connect models with this specific GPU to an external monitor with an extremely specific (but common) resolution, many users report that their MacBook gets really hot and the fans spin up really loudly, even if they close the screen lid.
Specifically, many users report extremely loud fans when connected to 2560x1440p60 monitors. The problem is with this specific resolution and 5300M GPU combination. Tons of users report no problems when using 1080p or 4K monitors or with the upgraded 5600M GPUs.
The solution to this problem, however, is just force enabling HiDPI mode for the monitor (instructions later). Unfortunately though, this solution requires the MacBook lid to be closed. I haven’t found any solution that fixes the problem while also keeping the lid open.
DISCLAIMER: This article only considers a 2019 MacBook Pro 16" on Big Sur 11.5.1 with 5300M graphics connected to a single external 32 inch 2560x1440p60 display. If you have a different setup, no guarantee this will work, since this issue might be a bug with exactly this GPU/resolution combination. I’ve seen many reports of no issues on the 5600M.
***
Before, when connected to a 32 inch 1440p monitor, my MacBook Pro 16 inch reports 18–20W of power draw from the GPU. This is regardless of whether or not the Macbook lid is closed.
Code:% system_profiler SPDisplaysDataType | grep -C1 Resolution S32D850: Resolution: 2560 x 1440 (QHD/WQHD) UI Looks like: 2560 x 1440 @ 60.00Hz
I switched to “Scaled” for demonstration purposes, but I typically just use “Default for Display”.
When I look at the GPU power draw, I see:
Source screenshot from the free Stats app was 2560x1440. The equivalent statistic on iStat Menus is Radeon High Side.
This is insane power draw for a laptop at idle. It doesn’t take long for all this extra power to heat up the laptop and cause the fans to start roaring, even with nothing running, just idle.
Moreover, I noticed that after 50 battery cycles my battery health is already at 90%.
Rocketing fans at nearly 100%
***
But if you force enable HiDPI mode (instructions later) for your external monitor while the lid is closed, this is what happens:
For demonstration purposes, when you look at “Scaled”, you get HiDPI options. When I actually use it, I use “Default for Display”
Code:% system_profiler SPDisplaysDataType | grep -C1 Resolution S32D850: Resolution: 5120 x 2880 (5K/UHD+) UI Looks like: 2560 x 1440 @ 60.00Hz
Now when I look at the GPU power draw, I see:
Source screenshot was 5120x2880, due to HiDPI.
What exactly is HiDPI mode? Well, it’s basically forcing macOS to internally render at 2x resolution. So in the case of a 2560x1440p monitor, macOS is internally rendering at 5120x2880p. (Which happens to be the resolution of the 27" iMac). You can tell, since the new screenshots are twice as sharp.
Now the MacBook is drawing a much more reasonable 6W and stays silent during normal operation, as it should! Now it feels like a Pro machine!
Seeing as how it makes no sense that rendering at 2x resolution cause 1/3 of the power draw, this is most likely a GPU driver bug on Apple or AMD’s end, and a temporary solution could be force enabling HiDPI mode for 1440p monitors in the next release of macOS.
Note, these power draw settings only work if you keep the MacBook lid closed.
Moreover, I noticed that my battery health stayed the same after 50 more cycles with this fix applied.
Basically silent fans
***
You can force enable HiDPI mode yourself. You'll need to use a 3rd party tool. The one I used (one-key-hidpi) looked like:
Code:_ _ _____ _____ _____ _____ | | | | |_ _| | __ \ | __ \ |_ _| | |__| | | | | | | | | |__) | | | | __ | | | | | | | | ___/ | | | | | | _| |_ | |__| | | | _| |_ |_| |_| |_____| |_____/ |_| |_____| ============================================ (1) Enable HIDPI (2) Enable HIDPI (with EDID) (3) Disable HIDPI Enter your choice [1~3]: 1 ------------------------------------- |********** Display Icon ***********| ------------------------------------- (1) iMac (2) MacBook (3) MacBook Pro (4) LG Display (5) Pro Display XDR (6) Do not change Enter your choice [1~6]: 6 ------------------------------------------ |********** resolution config ***********| ------------------------------------------ (1) 1920x1080 Display (2) 1920x1080 Display (use 1424x802, fix underscaled after sleep) (3) 1920x1200 Display (4) 2560x1440 Display (5) 3000x2000 Display (6) Manual input resolution Enter your choice: 4 Enabled, please reboot. Rebooting the logo for the first time will become huge, then it will not be
Please note, MacBooks can get pretty loud after restarting when plugged into monitors. Just wait a few minutes for the fans to ramp down. And once again, this fix only works when the MacBook lid is closed.
Also, don’t forget to set the resolution to “Default for display” in settings.
So welcome to having a silent MacBook when plugged into a monitor now! As it should be!
Footnote: in the first example, before running the script, selecting 1080p also reduces GPU usage to ~6W, but 1080p on a 1440p display looks terrible.
BTW: It's not only the 5300m. The 5500m is equally affected.
Am I reading this right.....as I consider a EFPU for my MBP
EGPU support is only for Intel ?
support.apple.com
So my next (M) chip MBP - the eGPU is a brick - depending on the next upgrade.
I am 80% there on getting a eGPU for this 16"
EGPU support is only for Intel ?
Use an external graphics processor with your Mac - Apple Support
Learn how to access additional graphics performance by connecting to an external graphics processor.
So my next (M) chip MBP - the eGPU is a brick - depending on the next upgrade.
I am 80% there on getting a eGPU for this 16"
Last edited:
I love this Mantiz eGPU. Even has a 2.5" SSD slot. Sometimes I even get Windows Bootcamp to work. hahaAm I reading this right.....as I consider a EFPU for my MBP
EGPU support is only for Intel ?
Use an external graphics processor with your Mac - Apple Support
Learn how to access additional graphics performance by connecting to an external graphics processor.
So my next (M) chip MBP - the eGPU is a brick - depending on the next upgrade.
I am 80% there on getting a eGPU for this 16"
I have an AMD RX 5700XT in the eGPU and set that as the preferred GPU for most applications.
I have a MBP 16 w/ 5500m (maxed out i9 and 64GB RAM) and it's a piece of crap... even freshly booted and with nothing running plugging in a 1440 monitor causes the temp to skyrocket and the fans to go full speed.
Then there's the teams issue... when running (even with video off and screen sharing) kernel task ends up taking all the CPU to cool down and the whole machine is unusable. Now really this is MS Team's fault (and they're working on a rewrite), but the problem is far worse on my 2019 16 than my colleagues that have MBP15s or Win machines (no idea on later MBP 16s)
Interesting:
This person claims that in his specific case the fan noise with an external monitor was gone when he disabled True Tone and Automatic Graphic Switching.
This person claims that in his specific case the fan noise with an external monitor was gone when he disabled True Tone and Automatic Graphic Switching.
That won't solve anything. Automatic GPU switching has no effect if yout connect an external monitor as the dGPU is always on.
TrueTone is also not used for external screens (maybe for a few "Apple supported" displays).
He probably had a different problem that got solved by this. I tried that stuff multiple times and it won't change a single thing. And I'm sure a lot of people tried that, too.
These are the solutions (well... workarounds. The solution would be that Apples gets their **** together.):
1) Buy the 5600M to reduce the problem
2) use an eGPU to offload the GPU work to a better cooled, external device.
3) VRM mod + Clamshell mode
4) Disable turboboost (maybe together with point 3).
Possible, true solution:
Yeet the 16" and buy something better. Which is quite expensive and not feasable for everyone.
TrueTone is also not used for external screens (maybe for a few "Apple supported" displays).
He probably had a different problem that got solved by this. I tried that stuff multiple times and it won't change a single thing. And I'm sure a lot of people tried that, too.
These are the solutions (well... workarounds. The solution would be that Apples gets their **** together.):
1) Buy the 5600M to reduce the problem
2) use an eGPU to offload the GPU work to a better cooled, external device.
3) VRM mod + Clamshell mode
4) Disable turboboost (maybe together with point 3).
Possible, true solution:
Yeet the 16" and buy something better. Which is quite expensive and not feasable for everyone.
Not addressing the original topic, but I thought I share.
There are many people here like me who ran their MBP16 for 1 year+ with fans at full blast almost constantly.
Yesterday, I paid 50$ to have someone open mine (8Core 2.4Ghz, 5500). It was worth it. FYI, I bought it in Nov 2019 and it ran almost permanently the entire time with egpu and 3 monitors.
Lots of dirt and 'cotton-candy' build-up removed AND they helped me apply the VRM mod for free. I am glad, as backplate removal and reapplication are quite tricky.
Result: It runs at almost double speed now. Fans are now noiceably lower. At full blast the vented air stream also feels now really strong.
My biggest problem were the complex scenes I run with OBS that even with eGPU would get my MBP to throttle.
Now, there is no throttling at all, and it runs under high load at above 3Ghz most of the time. I am impressed!
The last thing I am going to experiment with is to get a Kraken X water-cooled plate that I will press directly against the hottest spot at the backplate, where the VRM mods are. This should help to dissipate the heat even faster an better.
I also have to be a more careful in general now, as the thermal pads created a slight bulge and a few mm of an opening behind, where I can actually see the thermal pads. It's now even more dangerous to get it anywhere near water.
So, if you had your MBP16 for more than a year and it runs full fans most of the time, consider getting it cleaned at least. It likely looks like mine inside (most sides similar, btw).
There are many people here like me who ran their MBP16 for 1 year+ with fans at full blast almost constantly.
Yesterday, I paid 50$ to have someone open mine (8Core 2.4Ghz, 5500). It was worth it. FYI, I bought it in Nov 2019 and it ran almost permanently the entire time with egpu and 3 monitors.
Lots of dirt and 'cotton-candy' build-up removed AND they helped me apply the VRM mod for free. I am glad, as backplate removal and reapplication are quite tricky.
Result: It runs at almost double speed now. Fans are now noiceably lower. At full blast the vented air stream also feels now really strong.
My biggest problem were the complex scenes I run with OBS that even with eGPU would get my MBP to throttle.
Now, there is no throttling at all, and it runs under high load at above 3Ghz most of the time. I am impressed!
The last thing I am going to experiment with is to get a Kraken X water-cooled plate that I will press directly against the hottest spot at the backplate, where the VRM mods are. This should help to dissipate the heat even faster an better.
I also have to be a more careful in general now, as the thermal pads created a slight bulge and a few mm of an opening behind, where I can actually see the thermal pads. It's now even more dangerous to get it anywhere near water.
So, if you had your MBP16 for more than a year and it runs full fans most of the time, consider getting it cleaned at least. It likely looks like mine inside (most sides similar, btw).
Last edited:
TLDR: My 2019 Macbook Pro 16" 5300M gets hot and noisy when connected to a 2560x1440p60 monitor, even when idle and the lid is closed. This post outlines a partial solution that enables silent operation.
The 2019 MacBook Pro 16" with base 5300M GPU has a problem.
If you connect models with this specific GPU to an external monitor with an extremely specific (but common) resolution, many users report that their MacBook gets really hot and the fans spin up really loudly, even if they close the screen lid.
Specifically, many users report extremely loud fans when connected to 2560x1440p60 monitors. The problem is with this specific resolution and 5300M GPU combination. Tons of users report no problems when using 1080p or 4K monitors or with the upgraded 5600M GPUs.
The solution to this problem, however, is just force enabling HiDPI mode for the monitor (instructions later). Unfortunately though, this solution requires the MacBook lid to be closed. I haven’t found any solution that fixes the problem while also keeping the lid open.
DISCLAIMER: This article only considers a 2019 MacBook Pro 16" on Big Sur 11.5.1 with 5300M graphics connected to a single external 32 inch 2560x1440p60 display. If you have a different setup, no guarantee this will work, since this issue might be a bug with exactly this GPU/resolution combination. I’ve seen many reports of no issues on the 5600M.
***
Before, when connected to a 32 inch 1440p monitor, my MacBook Pro 16 inch reports 18–20W of power draw from the GPU. This is regardless of whether or not the Macbook lid is closed.
Code:% system_profiler SPDisplaysDataType | grep -C1 Resolution S32D850: Resolution: 2560 x 1440 (QHD/WQHD) UI Looks like: 2560 x 1440 @ 60.00Hz
I switched to “Scaled” for demonstration purposes, but I typically just use “Default for Display”.
When I look at the GPU power draw, I see:
Source screenshot from the free Stats app was 2560x1440. The equivalent statistic on iStat Menus is Radeon High Side.
This is insane power draw for a laptop at idle. It doesn’t take long for all this extra power to heat up the laptop and cause the fans to start roaring, even with nothing running, just idle.
Moreover, I noticed that after 50 battery cycles my battery health is already at 90%.
Rocketing fans at nearly 100%
***
But if you force enable HiDPI mode (instructions later) for your external monitor while the lid is closed, this is what happens:
For demonstration purposes, when you look at “Scaled”, you get HiDPI options. When I actually use it, I use “Default for Display”
Code:% system_profiler SPDisplaysDataType | grep -C1 Resolution S32D850: Resolution: 5120 x 2880 (5K/UHD+) UI Looks like: 2560 x 1440 @ 60.00Hz
Now when I look at the GPU power draw, I see:
Source screenshot was 5120x2880, due to HiDPI.
What exactly is HiDPI mode? Well, it’s basically forcing macOS to internally render at 2x resolution. So in the case of a 2560x1440p monitor, macOS is internally rendering at 5120x2880p. (Which happens to be the resolution of the 27" iMac). You can tell, since the new screenshots are twice as sharp.
Now the MacBook is drawing a much more reasonable 6W and stays silent during normal operation, as it should! Now it feels like a Pro machine!
Seeing as how it makes no sense that rendering at 2x resolution cause 1/3 of the power draw, this is most likely a GPU driver bug on Apple or AMD’s end, and a temporary solution could be force enabling HiDPI mode for 1440p monitors in the next release of macOS.
Note, these power draw settings only work if you keep the MacBook lid closed.
Moreover, I noticed that my battery health stayed the same after 50 more cycles with this fix applied.
Basically silent fans
***
You can force enable HiDPI mode yourself. You'll need to use a 3rd party tool. The one I used (one-key-hidpi) looked like:
Code:_ _ _____ _____ _____ _____ | | | | |_ _| | __ \ | __ \ |_ _| | |__| | | | | | | | | |__) | | | | __ | | | | | | | | ___/ | | | | | | _| |_ | |__| | | | _| |_ |_| |_| |_____| |_____/ |_| |_____| ============================================ (1) Enable HIDPI (2) Enable HIDPI (with EDID) (3) Disable HIDPI Enter your choice [1~3]: 1 ------------------------------------- |********** Display Icon ***********| ------------------------------------- (1) iMac (2) MacBook (3) MacBook Pro (4) LG Display (5) Pro Display XDR (6) Do not change Enter your choice [1~6]: 6 ------------------------------------------ |********** resolution config ***********| ------------------------------------------ (1) 1920x1080 Display (2) 1920x1080 Display (use 1424x802, fix underscaled after sleep) (3) 1920x1200 Display (4) 2560x1440 Display (5) 3000x2000 Display (6) Manual input resolution Enter your choice: 4 Enabled, please reboot. Rebooting the logo for the first time will become huge, then it will not be
Please note, MacBooks can get pretty loud after restarting when plugged into monitors. Just wait a few minutes for the fans to ramp down. And once again, this fix only works when the MacBook lid is closed.
Also, don’t forget to set the resolution to “Default for display” in settings.
So welcome to having a silent MacBook when plugged into a monitor now! As it should be!
Footnote: in the first example, before running the script, selecting 1080p also reduces GPU usage to ~6W, but 1080p on a 1440p display looks terrible.
Tried this after ~6 months of using a DisplayLink enabled Dock to run a 2K external display. I'm so amazed that it works, it's really an awesome fix and it made me realize how slow the second screen was using DisplayLink. I still feel like selling this 16", but at least now it feels more responsive and quiet while using an external monitor.
Thanks for that detailed breakdown... indeed I haven't had an issue when using the MBP in lid closed/ext. monitor... however I consider it a *major* defect that the system can't adequately deal with an external monitor (and I would say potentially legally actionable one... but that may be a bit of a stretch... certainly it's one Apple should be ashamed of if not admitting and doing something about). This has been on-going for many months and still I don't know of a peep from Apple about it.
Plus I can run the Mac at almost the same resolution (and my eyes are fine with it) so basically I'm getting very little value in having only the external monitor... I *need* 2 monitors for the workflows I have. My mistake for assuming Apple would either have that working, or come up with a fix within a year. (/s)
As a result I'm no longer an early adopter of Apple's products... spent a few decades being a day one purchaser (including original Mac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, Watch)... this 5K Eur burn (and Apple's soviet style silence) has cured my blinding fanboy-ism.
axu2s's suggestion actually worked for me.
I am getting 64C on clamshell mode with an ultrawide T34w-20 monitor with HiDPI enabled:
```
LEN T34w-20:
Resolution: 6880 x 2880
UI Looks like: 3440 x 1440 @ 60.00Hz
```
The script works like a charm. There was just a bit of turbulence when I started my Macbook, as already mentioned.
64c on 3500RPMs @ IDLE compared to 90C on 5000RPMS @ IDLE before the fix.
I am getting 64C on clamshell mode with an ultrawide T34w-20 monitor with HiDPI enabled:
```
LEN T34w-20:
Resolution: 6880 x 2880
UI Looks like: 3440 x 1440 @ 60.00Hz
```
The script works like a charm. There was just a bit of turbulence when I started my Macbook, as already mentioned.
64c on 3500RPMs @ IDLE compared to 90C on 5000RPMS @ IDLE before the fix.
Now down to 2K rpms on idle with the `one-key-hidpi` script. So relaxing...