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

[gsbabil]

We've just picked up a second MBP, base model and have been using it for the past day with a 4K LG screen and no issues yet, same as with our other 16". ?

Hi @ascender,

Could you please share the following with us:

1. Resolutions and refresh-rate used in MBP-2019 and on the LG screen
   You can share screenshots like here.
   
   
2. Dongle you are using to connect the MBP-2019 and the LG screen.
   For example, I'm using an Apple official AV adapter like below with DELL P2415Q 4K monitor, and I still have the heating issue.

Thanks a lot.

 

[yangw]

Hi, gsbabil

I encountered the same issue before. From my own experience, when connected to P2415Q with lid open the GPU consumes around 20W, however, when you close the lid, the GPU only consumes 6-10W when surfing the internet and do some Microsoft works. You can have a try.
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Hi @ascender,

Could you please share the following with us:

1. Resolutions and refresh-rate used in MBP-2019 and on the LG screen
   You can share screenshots like here.
   
   
2. Dongle you are using to connect the MBP-2019 and the LG screen.
   For example, I'm using an Apple official AV adapter like below with DELL P2415Q 4K monitor, and I still have the heating issue.

Thanks a lot.

View attachment 896530
View attachment 896531
View attachment 896529

Hi, @gsbabil

I encountered the same issue before. From my own experience, when connected to P2415Q with lid open the GPU consumes around 20W, however, when you close the lid, the GPU only consumes 6-10W when surfing the internet and do some Microsoft works. You can have a try.

 

[ascender]

Are you using it in clamshell mode or with the laptop screen open?

On mine I'm using it with the screen open, but as per the other post, I can share details over the weekend about the details.

Actually, I can give you the answers now....

• Monitor is an LG 27UD88-W
• Connection is via a single usb-c cable which came with the screen, so no dongles
• Both MBPs are 16" base models
• Looks like my colleague is also using his with the screen open
• Scaled, middle setting

 

[buran-energia]

We've just picked up a second MBP, base model and have been using it for the past day with a 4K LG screen and no issues yet, same as with our other 16". ?

What is the Radeon's power consumption when connected to the monitor and the lid open? If it's around 20W, that is the issue.

 

[dmartuszewski]

I'm another person that has this issue.

My goal was to connect two external 4k displays. Unfortunately work with such a setup is impossible due to hot and noise caused by Radeon.

Observations (low pressure: browser, some finder windows):

1. Laptop screen + LG 4k + LG 4k => Radeon High Side ~20 W
2. Laptop screen + LG 4k => Radeon High Side ~20 W
3. LG 4k + LG 4k => Radeon High Side ~20 W
4. LG 4k => Radeon High Side 6-7 W

Generally, everything above one display at a time cause Radeon to use ~20W

 

[spinnn]

What is the Radeon's power consumption when connected to the monitor and the lid open? If it's around 20W, that is the issue.

Agreed. Around 20W is what I get (on iStat app). Not normal.

 

[joelhinch]

I'm another person that has this issue.

My goal was to connect two external 4k displays. Unfortunately work with such a setup is impossible due to hot and noise caused by Radeon.

Observations (low pressure: browser, some finder windows):

1. Laptop screen + LG 4k + LG 4k => Radeon High Side ~20 W
2. Laptop screen + LG 4k => Radeon High Side ~20 W
3. LG 4k + LG 4k => Radeon High Side ~20 W
4. LG 4k => Radeon High Side 6-7 W

Generally, everything above one display at a time cause Radeon to use ~20W

I can run 2x 4K at 7-10w in clamshell mode. Both connected via DisplayPort. I did connect 1 with DP and 1 HDMI and it blew out to 21w in clamshell mode.

 

[boomspot]

I'm having this same issue with dGPU showing 20w. Can anyone confirm if running an eGPU resolves the issue? My machine fans are so loud with two monitors connected it's unusable in a quiet room.

Thanks,

B

 

[AJTC]

Probably a stupid question but is this something that can be resolved with a future software update? I'm looking into buying a 16" but don't want to buy something that will have loud fans connected to my external monitor.

 

[gilesw]

Amazing I thought I was the only person who had this problem. I have a spare radeon x580 so I think I'm going to build a egpu with a razor core X. I might even build another for my other space using a more high end card. Is anyone running this setup?

 

[subjonas]

Has anybody tried SideCar with iPad or another tablet? Does it heat as much as with an external monitor?

Did anybody answer this? I’m curious about this as well.

 

[buran-energia]

I can run 2x 4K at 7-10w in clamshell mode. Both connected via DisplayPort. I did connect 1 with DP and 1 HDMI and it blew out to 21w in clamshell mode.

How many watts do you get if you use your laptop's display together with one 4k monitor connected via DP?

 

[kemo]

I'm having exactly the same problems as many of you in this thread, in addition here is an example of GPU time of the WindowServer process after just 2 days (and one night of sleep):

This is not even funny - Laptop is on battery and temps go over 60 celsius on GPU by just idling even with GPU switching enabled. (I suppose iGPU should be on instead of dGPU).

 

[richinaus]

Amazing I thought I was the only person who had this problem. I have a spare radeon x580 so I think I'm going to build a egpu with a razor core X. I might even build another for my other space using a more high end card. Is anyone running this setup?

yep, no issues when connected with an egpu. I have the core x and an amd w5700 connected to the lg 24” 4K [via Usb c]. I like the way it takes the loads off my laptop and also gives me the extra power when needed as I use a lot of 3D software and gpu rendering. I really love my set up.

 

[joelhinch]

How many watts do you get if you use your laptop's display together with one 4k monitor connected via DP?

20w

 

[gilesw]

yep, no issues when connected with an egpu. I have the core x and an amd w5700 connected to the lg 24” 4K [via Usb c]. I like the way it takes the loads off my laptop and also gives me the extra power when needed as I use a lot of 3D software and gpu rendering. I really love my set up.

What brand / model of 5700 are you using? I'm hoping to get a card that rarely kicks on it's fans if possible during normal usage, i.e youtube and browsing

 

[silvetti]

Has anybody tried SideCar with iPad or another tablet? Does it heat as much as with an external monitor?

Did anybody answer this? I’m curious about this as well.

No heating up or huge wattage usage increase with Sidecar. Also from what I can tell it Sidecar runs on Intel's GPU, not on dGPU.
Just tested it, here is the wattage "report":

 

[axlrod]

No heating up or huge wattage usage increase with Sidecar. Also from what I can tell it Sidecar runs on Intel's GPU, not on dGPU.
Just tested it, here is the wattage "report":
View attachment 897011

Well yea.. sidecar doesn't need physical connection to the radeon gpu, so it can run over the Intel.

 

[decipherkl]

I know this forum potentially would only interest people who may have this issue. Would be of interest to know what percentage of units are affected with this issue - 1%, 20%, 90%? Or are the bulk of owners just oblivious of this problem (perhaps just using it without connecting to an external monitor). Anyway to do a survey?

 

[CMMChris]

Looks like you haven't understood what the issue is. The Navi GPU draws excessive power when two monitors are connected to it. This is the case if you attach one external monitor because one monitor (the internal screen) already is connected. So anyone using an external monitor is affected and 100% of all devices have the issue.

On my Hackintosh I can reproduce this as often as I want with my RX 5700 XT. With one monitor total system power draw in idle is 92 watts. After attaching a second monitor the power draw is increased to 130 watts. With my Radeon VII the power draw in idle is 92 watts no matter if one or two screens are attached.

 

[Appledoesnotlisten]

Well yea.. sidecar doesn't need physical connection to the radeon gpu, so it can run over the Intel.

Even if I connect Sidecar via cable, without wifi?

 

[CMMChris]

Sidecar is just a HEVC encoded video stream and not a physical monitor connection via HDMI or DP. It doesn't matter if you transport the video stream via USB or WiFi - it's still the same. So no, it does not trigger the issue.

 

[decipherkl]

Looks like you haven't understood what the issue is. The Navi GPU draws excessive power when two monitors are connected to it. This is the case if you attach one external monitor because one monitor (the internal screen) already is connected. So anyone using an external monitor is affected and 100% of all devices have the issue.

On my Hackintosh I can reproduce this as often as I want with my RX 5700 XT. With one monitor total system power draw in idle is 92 watts. After attaching a second monitor the power draw is increased to 130 watts. With my Radeon VII the power draw in idle is 92 watts no matter if one or two screens are attached.

I more or less concluded the same, i.e., the power draw of the Navi GPU is high. For me, in clamshell mode, my 1440p monitor draws ~18W at full native resolution when idle but draws ~4W at 1080p.

Wonder if there's still hope that it's a bug or driver issue that can still be resolved. It would seem that this is highly sub-optimal having to waste so much energy for doing almost nothing.

 

[CMMChris]

It is a driver thing. On Windows the power consumption did not change with more than one monitors plugged in prior to the Adrenalin 2020 drivers. Unfortunately with the upgrade to Adrenalin 2020 the same is now happening on Windows as well. So it might really be intended behavior as Apple says though I personally don't get the purpose of this. On Linux power consumption is normal up until today.

 

[silvetti]

I have submitted a radar on the issue. Suggest everyone does the same, the more we annoy them the more they might actually do something about it.