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

[nilk]

Hi everyone, I know it's not a solution, but finally I sold my mbp 2016 and bought a new mbp 14.

First no more fan noise (even without external screen !!), better battery life, AND (!) I can finally have 120hz on my external monitor ! Really there is a lot to win to change to the newer model

I think most are aware of the improvements of the Apple Silicon Macs. In my case, not being able to run x86 Windows VMs locally on my laptop would be inconvenient for my work (porting Windows apps to web based apps currently), and I want at least a year or two more of that ability. And Apple Silicon isn't great for all types of work, e.g. I've heard some types of data science work does not run well.

I could get my employer to get me a 16" M1 Pro or Max. But I'm sticking with the x86 16" for now and using the Low Power Mode workaround -- it isn't the perfect solution and has its limitations but it works for my current setup. In a year or two the Windows apps will be ported and I can switch to Apple Silicon and I expect there will be even better options available.

 

[reljacupic]

Hello people, I hope that somebody can help me with this problem, my MBP is 16 2019 2.4 8core i9.
I bought a MI 34 inch (144hz, 3440 x 1440) monitor, when I connect it to MBP fans run louder and after 10 to 20 minutes my cpu runs insanely high, so the kernel task is running from 1000 to 1500 percent of my cpu (I can't barely move a mouse). When I pull out dp or hdmi cable everything cools down.
I have a problem when I connect it to a almost every second monitor. Tried everything from changing ports left and right (charger and monitor cable) I tried without my dock station, still the same problem...

Could anyone give me good advice, what should I do in 2022 and I cant use an external monitor with an expensive maschine ?

 

[elbert]

Hello people, I hope that somebody can help me with this problem, my MBP is 16 2019 2.4 8core i9.
I bought a MI 34 inch (144hz, 3440 x 1440) monitor, when I connect it to MBP fans run louder and after 10 to 20 minutes my cpu runs insanely high, so the kernel task is running from 1000 to 1500 percent of my cpu (I can't barely move a mouse). When I pull out dp or hdmi cable everything cools down.
I have a problem when I connect it to a almost every second monitor. Tried everything from changing ports left and right (charger and monitor cable) I tried without my dock station, still the same problem...

Could anyone give me good advice, what should I do in 2022 and I cant use an external monitor with an expensive maschine ?

May be easier to just sell and buy the 2021 16" M1 Pro

 

[GumaRodak]

In the latest osx monterey, there is option Low Power Mode, try to turn it on.

 

[Makisupa Policeman]

The 16” is fantastic from a design and performance standpoint, but little else. I just got one and I’m considering returning it ?

 

[reljacupic]

In the latest osx monterey, there is option Low Power Mode, try to turn it on.

In the latest osx monterey, there is option Low Power Mode, try to turn it on.

I try that and when I open Logic i have a same problem

 

[JosquinDesprez]

I try that and when I open Logic i have a same problem

Which version of Monterey are you using? And which version of Logic?

 

[reljacupic]

Which version of Monterey are you using? And which version of Logic?

Monterey 12.2 and Logic Pro 10.7.2

 

[JosquinDesprez]

I have Monterey 12.1 and Logic 10.7.2, and I don't have this problem... maybe is an issue with the latest Monterey? Did you use the previous version and notice the same problem?

 

[reljacupic]

I have Monterey 12.1 and Logic 10.7.2, and I don't have this problem... maybe is an issue with the latest Monterey? Did you use the previous version and notice the same problem?

No I juped from Catalina to the last version of Monterey

 

[JosquinDesprez]

Maybe this is the problem... try to look for instructions on how to downgrade, as far as I can see 12.1 works fairly well in low power mode

 

[JosepPont]

May be easier to just sell and buy the 2021 16" M1 Pro

Please can you all stop to provide that kind of NO solution? We com here to find a possible solution/workaround to mitigate that issue. Sell and buy another one is not what we want. Thanks.

 

[reljacupic]

Maybe this is the problem... try to look for instructions on how to downgrade, as far as I can see 12.1 works fairly well in low power mode

But I need its full performance when I work in Logic Pro. I dont think that Low power mode is solution for me?

 

[elbert]

Please can you all stop to provide that kind of NO solution? We com here to find a possible solution/workaround to mitigate that issue. Sell and buy another one is not what we want. Thanks.

It is actually a solution that few people consider.

2019 MBP 16" being hot & bothered when connecting to an external display is a known issue within the 1st 12 months of production.

Once the 2021 MBP 16" started selling that became a solution to the 2019.

Its a quicker solution to just whining to get likes.

 

[synicalx1]

Please can you all stop to provide that kind of NO solution? We com here to find a possible solution/workaround to mitigate that issue. Sell and buy another one is not what we want. Thanks.

I understand it's frustrating to hear over and over, but the reality is no one can magically improve the thermals of those MBP's - they're very thin devices with CPU/GPU configurations that are poorly suited to the form factor. If you put them under load they WILL get hot and noisy, and after a long enough period of time they will also start to throttle so you'll get worse performance as well. You can see almost the exact same thing in the higher end Dell XPS 15's, and some of the Thinkpad X1's.

The only company that can provide a solution is Apple. If your country has good enough consumer protection you might be able to argue they've sold you a device that isn't fit for it's advertised purpose, but for devices actually purchased in 2019 you may be too far out of your warranty period for this to matter.

If you want outrageous performance in an ultrabook form factor then the newer MacBooks are a genuine solution, and one that so far has very little real competition.

 

[reljacupic]

I understand it's frustrating to hear over and over, but the reality is no one can magically improve the thermals of those MBP's - they're very thin devices with CPU/GPU configurations that are poorly suited to the form factor. If you put them under load they WILL get hot and noisy, and after a long enough period of time they will also start to throttle so you'll get worse performance as well. You can see almost the exact same thing in the higher end Dell XPS 15's, and some of the Thinkpad X1's.

The only company that can provide a solution is Apple. If your country has good enough consumer protection you might be able to argue they've sold you a device that isn't fit for it's advertised purpose, but for devices actually purchased in 2019 you may be too far out of your warranty period for this to matter.

If you want outrageous performance in an ultrabook form factor then the newer MacBooks are a genuine solution, and one that so far has very little real competition.

I bought my Mac in august 2020 so I still have a warranty

 

[Jeo_cz]

Maybe this is the problem... try to look for instructions on how to downgrade, as far as I can see 12.1 works fairly well in low power mode

I don't think it's a problem with Monterey version, 12.1 an 12.2 work identical. In this case the problem could be that widescreen 144 Hz monitor. I think that Low Power Mode reduces Radeon High Side Wattage in 60 Hz only. Moreover, even with the LPM on wattage goes immediately up when you start doing some intensive work. So in this case probably the only solution is to change the Macbook for the M1.

 

[GumaRodak]

Another solution to overcome heating of the dgpu when connected to external monitor is to use egpu…even the cheapest card can do the trick. Or use the aplication switchres to alter the resolution, frequency of the monitor. How to do it is described in this thread few pages back

 

[mo5214]

Hello people, I hope that somebody can help me with this problem, my MBP is 16 2019 2.4 8core i9.
I bought a MI 34 inch (144hz, 3440 x 1440) monitor, when I connect it to MBP fans run louder and after 10 to 20 minutes my cpu runs insanely high, so the kernel task is running from 1000 to 1500 percent of my cpu (I can't barely move a mouse). When I pull out dp or hdmi cable everything cools down.
I have a problem when I connect it to a almost every second monitor. Tried everything from changing ports left and right (charger and monitor cable) I tried without my dock station, still the same problem...

Could anyone give me good advice, what should I do in 2022 and I cant use an external monitor with an expensive maschine ?

From my experience with the same hardware:
Combination of multitude of factors.

1. Bugged behavior affecting AMD GPUs (from r9M370X to 5500M) that clock its VRAM to max speed whenever GPU is driving more than 1 display. (Only 5600M and/or HBM-based AMD GPU aren’t affected)

This cause the GPU to consumes 17-18 W alone idle when plugged in to external display.

There might be a driver update to fix this (on linux there is a patch for driver I believe, dunno about windows)

2. Limited thermal envelope of the 2019 16” design
Nothing short of modding your thermals would fix this unfortunately.

3. Intel Turboboost and inability to undervolt
Apple’s Machine voltage are locked at the firmware level (possible mitigation against plundervolt?)
Unlike its pc counterpart. T2 Intels had its UEFI image part of its firmware that is loaded fresh at every boot.

Unless someone get creative with checkra1n exploit to patch this, it will stay locked.

Mitigations:
Low power mode / turn off turbo boost
Mod the thermals (I modded mine with vapor chamber and copper shims. Posted somewhere in thread edited: post 5659)

“Simple” solutions:
Ditch and buy M1 (or not depends on your usecase. I’m staying on intel for now, due to one machine run everything vision, eGPU capabilities, etc)

 

[reljacupic]

From my experience with the same hardware:
Combination of multitude of factors.

1. Bugged behavior affecting AMD GPUs (from r9M370X to 5500M) that clock its VRAM to max speed whenever GPU is driving more than 1 display. (Only 5600M and/or HBM-based AMD GPU aren’t affected)

This cause the GPU to consumes 17-18 W alone idle when plugged in to external display.

There might be a driver update to fix this (on linux there is a patch for driver I believe, dunno about windows)

2. Limited thermal envelope of the 2019 16” design
Nothing short of modding your thermals would fix this unfortunately.

3. Intel Turboboost and inability to undervolt
Apple’s Machine voltage are locked at the firmware level (possible mitigation against plundervolt?)
Unlike its pc counterpart. T2 Intels had its UEFI image part of its firmware that is loaded fresh at every boot.

Unless someone get creative with checkra1n exploit to patch this, it will stay locked.

Mitigations:
Low power mode / turn off turbo boost
Mod the thermals (I modded mine with vapor chamber and copper shims. Posted somewhere in thread edited: post 5659)

“Simple” solutions:
Ditch and buy M1 (or not depends on your usecase. I’m staying on intel for now, due to one machine run everything vision, eGPU capabilities, etc)

Thank you for your kind replay !
I still have a warranty I will check with apple what can I do.

 

[mo5214]

Thank you for your kind replay !
I still have a warranty I will check with apple what can I do.

Maybe have them check behavior from this post as well (its my documentation of the behavior):

post 5629

 

[nhkdarkevil]

Egpu will solve this…or close the lid and use only ext monitor..and if you need 2 monitors, just buy a second one for 100$ and close the lid.
And in recent osx update you can use so called Low power mode, which decrease the gpu power consumption

So if i use 1 ext monitor + LPM + USBC + close the lid then the heat will be alright ? i'm currently on MPB 15 2019 i9 and i believe that i have the same Hot& noisy prob with just the machine itself already lol

 

[GumaRodak]

If you closed thw lid you dont have to be in low power mode. But this is for the 16”, the 15” maybe just have dirty fans which needs to be cleaned

 

[nhkdarkevil]

If you closed thw lid you dont have to be in low power mode. But this is for the 16”, the 15” maybe just have dirty fans which needs to be cleaned

Yeah i know this theard is for 16". But my 15" i9 also very HOT for not doing much of things anyway. Stupid question, but can i ask why if closed the lid then you don't need to turn LPM on ? I though the MBP still running and still normally get hot?

 

[tinygoblin]

Hi everyone! Would somebody who owns SwitchResX app and 2019-2020 16-inch MacBook Pro kindly please post 2 screenshots of configurations 3072x1920 50 Hz & 3072x1920 48 Hz (with all values, i.e. front porch, etc.)? I found 3072x1920 50 Hz screenshot on the Internet but I'm not sure if it's correct (please use it as an example of what I'm asking for).