Seems like some people on this thread report to not have issues at all..
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(2019) 16" is HOT & NOISY with an external monitor! :(
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Seems like some people on this thread report to not have issues at all..
? The 16” mbp is the master at being the largest, most powerful portable work station in apple’s lineup.
Right, the other laptops and desktops are more targeted than the MacBook Pro 16 is. MBP 16 seems to do just about everything well right now.
I don’t quite follow. Do you mean more targeted toward the masses? That may be, but I’m just really saying that the 16” mbp is the most ideal (Apple) solution for people with this particular need. It doesn’t do everything well—no device does—but it does this one thing very well.
Well what I mean is, each Mac has a target for the most part. Examples:
- Mac Pro: Creative Pros
- Mac Mini - General use
- MacBook Air: General use mobile
- iMac: Office, dev
- iMac Pro: Light/Medium Creative
- MacBook Pro: All of the above (except Mac Pro usage)
How sure are we this is hardware or software? I went to Catalina on my 15” MBP (2016) and I’ve been concerned by the constant heat/fans when using an external display. Admittedly I went to Catalina recently, about the same time I started using HDMI to connect to a second display a lot more (due to working remotely). Previously I used AirPlay which had no effect on heat/fans.
I would categorize them a little differently-
I‘d say the iMac Pro is also for creative pros. It’s probably equivalent to about a low to med-specced Mac Pro, but with a built in screen. There’s a lot of overlap in the two target audiences.
And the 27” iMac is very suitable for not-crazy-intensive creative pro usage as well, but it is also just a really nice general-use computer for a lot of people and businesses.
The 21” iMac is basically a Mac mini with a built in screen, both of those being targeted for general/office use.
MacBooks (air and pro) are just portable versions of the desktops, meaning they have the same target audiences, but just mobile versions.
The MacBook Air is basically a portable Mac mini.
The 13” MacBook Pro is probably comparable to a 21” iMac or a little higher.
The 16” MacBook Pro is basically a portable 27” iMac.
So I think the target audience of the 16” MacBook Pro is basically the same as that of the 27” iMac, but mobile. But it also adopts some of the target audiences of the iMac Pro and Mac Pro who need a portable version, and are able to settle for the weaker performance, since no better portable Mac option exists.
I have the 16'' MBP with 2.3GHz, 16GB RAM, Radeon 5500 4GB. My monitor is Dell U2518D. Trying out various refresh rates using SwitchResX, I have found that with monitor's native 2550x1440 resolution, 50Hz and 55Hz refresh rates result in acceptable 4-8W in clamshell mode. Any refresh rate I have tried in the range of 55Hz to 75Hz gives 17-19W. This only works in clamshell mode though, with lid open I get ~18W even on 50-55Hz. Using USB-C cable VS using USB-C -> Hama hub -> HDMI to HDMI cable does not seem to make a difference.
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I have the same U2518D monitor. The maximum refresh rate is 60Hz, how did you try it in 75Hz...
Officially yes, 60HZ is the max. However, using SwitchResX you can set the refresh rate higher. At 65Hz it runs w/o any visible glitches even. 75Hz is not usable as there are noticeable glitches but i decided to give it a try out of curiosity. Still, anything above 55Hz gives unacceptable ~18W
Got it. Are you able to change refresh rate without using SwitchResX? Mine seems to be locked at 60Hz refresh rate at 2550*1440 and won't let me click on the dropdown.Officially yes, 60HZ is the max. However, using SwitchResX you can set the refresh rate higher. At 65Hz it runs w/o any visible glitches even. 75Hz is not usable as there are noticeable glitches but i decided to give it a try out of curiosity. Still, anything above 55Hz gives unacceptable ~18W
No, I was not able to do this without SwitchResX. In macOS display settings my display was also locked at 60Hz. Same thing with EasyRes.
So you guys that are running clamshell mode like me, I noticed for example when I ran a CPU benchmark in clamshell. The fans seems to get stuck at certain RPMs. So in iStat menu I have to check the "medium" setting, then set it to system controlled and the fans return to base RPMs.
I have followed this thread since its inception... and I have been very afraid to get the 16" MacBook Pro because of the things said in this thread, but... just saying: I got the 16" MacBook. Just plugged it into my monitor, which has direct Thunderbolt 3. And...
...okay, so I guess I'm not afflicted by the problem. Time will tell if one day I'll plug/unplug the MacBook and then I'll be greeted with loud fan and insane heat, but for now, this works.
...okay, so I guess I'm not afflicted by the problem. Time will tell if one day I'll plug/unplug the MacBook and then I'll be greeted with loud fan and insane heat, but for now, this works.
This is in Clamshell mode or with lid open?I have followed this thread since its inception... and I have been very afraid to get the 16" MacBook Pro because of the things said in this thread, but... just saying: I got the 16" MacBook. Just plugged it into my monitor, which has direct Thunderbolt 3. And...
...okay, so I guess I'm not afflicted by the problem. Time will tell if one day I'll plug/unplug the MacBook and then I'll be greeted with loud fan and insane heat, but for now, this works.
Clamshell. I can try to open the lid and see what happens.
Edit: yeah, opening the lid bumps it up to 19W. So... from what I've read, this affects only the lid open scenario? I don't do lid open much because the ultrawide monitor is already wide enough for me, but I can see that this would be annoying for someone who does lid open very often.
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Can you share your specs ?I have followed this thread since its inception... and I have been very afraid to get the 16" MacBook Pro because of the things said in this thread, but... just saying: I got the 16" MacBook. Just plugged it into my monitor, which has direct Thunderbolt 3. And...
...okay, so I guess I'm not afflicted by the problem. Time will tell if one day I'll plug/unplug the MacBook and then I'll be greeted with loud fan and insane heat, but for now, this works.
Sure. It's 2.3 i9, 16GB, GPU as you can see, and 1TB SSD.
Honestly, compared to my 2018 13" MacBook Pro, this one is currently not significantly noisier or hotter driving this same display in clamshell mode.
I have a stand that props the computer up while it's in clamshell mode... if that makes a difference.
Thanks for this info. I wonder if you can help demonstrate how to set this in SwitchResX. I have not been able to successfully introduce a custom frequency at 1440p for my 2719dc. I was able to change frequency for other resolutions but not 1440p. Your help is much appreciated.
As of now, I'm only using 1080p @60Hz. This draws around 4-6W with temperature around 50C and fan at ~1800-1900rpm.
Thanks
Roughly like this:
1. Get SwitchRexX (I think this requires paid version but not 100% sure).
2. Disable SIP, detailed guide here: https://www.madrau.com/support/support/srx_1011.html
3. Open SwitchResX, select your monitor, open Custom resolutions.
4. Click plus (+) button to add a resolution.
5. In the appearing modal window, make sure you have Custom resolution selected in the dropdown and change Vertical scan rate to e.g. 55Hz or 50Hz. Press OK.
6. Go to File -> Save Settings (or just press cmd + S)
7. Restart your macBook.
8. Open SwitchResX, select your monitor, open Current Resolutions.
9. Change resolution to the one you created above (look for the 55Hz or 50HZ refresh rate).
10. You can now re-enable SIP.
Hope this helps, a bit more info with screenshots can be found in the manual https://www.madrau.com/srx_howtouseit/howtouseit.html
Strangely, I have the same U2715H monitor, only Product D065 and I don't have 55Hz.
