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(2019) 16" is HOT & NOISY with an external monitor! :(
- Thread starter Appledoesnotlisten
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Just purchased a new MacBook Pro 16" (2.4GHz i9, 64GB RAM, Radeon 5500 8GB) and connected the new Dell U2720Q 27-inch (3840 x 2160, 60Hz). Charging is done through the same USB-C from the monitor (no separate charger).
Open lid = ~20W, closed lid = ~5W. Temperature is noticeably higher. I will be running it in clamshell mode (I would anyway), but I will have to open it for webcam meetings. I also noticed I can leave a little gap and not close this lid completely, the speakers have a better sound then. There is also a bigger issue for me in clamshell mode - the microphone is switched off and I have to open the lid even for audio calls. That's bad. I wish I could just turn off the display while the lid is open (can I? I could do that on Linux and Windows. Setting the brightness to zero will not turn it off).
I see this definitely as a defect. How can it be able to run a 4K display (or even two) with 5W, but then the power consumption shoots to 20W+ with internal display?
Open lid = ~20W, closed lid = ~5W. Temperature is noticeably higher. I will be running it in clamshell mode (I would anyway), but I will have to open it for webcam meetings. I also noticed I can leave a little gap and not close this lid completely, the speakers have a better sound then. There is also a bigger issue for me in clamshell mode - the microphone is switched off and I have to open the lid even for audio calls. That's bad. I wish I could just turn off the display while the lid is open (can I? I could do that on Linux and Windows. Setting the brightness to zero will not turn it off).
I see this definitely as a defect. How can it be able to run a 4K display (or even two) with 5W, but then the power consumption shoots to 20W+ with internal display?
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With older MBPs you could have used a magnet to indicate the hall sensor that the lid is closed. But with the new MBP 16" Apple uses a new angle-sensor, so I don't think that there is any other way than actually closing the lid (https://www.macrumors.com/2019/11/19/16-inch-macbook-pro-lid-angle-sensor/)
but that is just my assumption, maybe someone has some kind of workaround.
Came across this interesting tidbit of news https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/why-you-shouldnt-charge-macbook-pro-left-side/
So... I recently saw something interesting. I regular boot into Bootcamp for some CAD software and to play Forza Horizon 4, and the other day my MacBook suddenly throttled very badly. CPU couldn't get past 1.7GHz and GPU would not get above 400MHz at all. Not even in Mac OS. Fans were audible all the time. Found out the culprit was my custom fan profile in Macs Fan Control messing up with the Mac OS side, and it persisted between each soft restart (switching from Bootcamp back to Mac). Eventually, the profile seemed to get "stuck" or something and fans were on full blast even when reported CPU temp was as low as 45 degrees Celsius.
I had to reset SMC 4 times before the fans stopped revving up to max at bootup.
Incidentally, that also seemed to have fixed many other issues... including weird battery health report and also the left side charging port getting uncomfortably hot. It's now about the same temperature as my CPU almost all the time.
And fans rev up to max properly when I'm rendering models in CAD or playing Forza Horizon 4, but then they die down to almost inaudible levels afterwards.
My ambient room temp is 26 Celsius right now, which is to say... not that cool, but CPU is reporting 52 Celsius, left Thunderbolt plugged into my display at 63 Celsius, and fans stay at around 1800RPM.
Even having the lid open and forcing 18W on Radeon High Side doesn't seem to make fans go up by that much, nor does it make the MacBook uncomfortably hot and loud like before.
So try resetting your SMC multiple times and see if that helps.
Also, I'd be wary of Macs Fan Control and ThrottleStop under Bootcamp now. They don't seem to offer anything more than what Apple has already done for the 16" MacBook, and I find that Bootcamp performance is perfectly acceptable for what I need it for.
I had to reset SMC 4 times before the fans stopped revving up to max at bootup.
Incidentally, that also seemed to have fixed many other issues... including weird battery health report and also the left side charging port getting uncomfortably hot. It's now about the same temperature as my CPU almost all the time.
And fans rev up to max properly when I'm rendering models in CAD or playing Forza Horizon 4, but then they die down to almost inaudible levels afterwards.
My ambient room temp is 26 Celsius right now, which is to say... not that cool, but CPU is reporting 52 Celsius, left Thunderbolt plugged into my display at 63 Celsius, and fans stay at around 1800RPM.
Even having the lid open and forcing 18W on Radeon High Side doesn't seem to make fans go up by that much, nor does it make the MacBook uncomfortably hot and loud like before.
So try resetting your SMC multiple times and see if that helps.
Also, I'd be wary of Macs Fan Control and ThrottleStop under Bootcamp now. They don't seem to offer anything more than what Apple has already done for the 16" MacBook, and I find that Bootcamp performance is perfectly acceptable for what I need it for.
For those of you using Bootcamp Windows on regular basis:
I noticed that amd gpu draws 14watts idle with the max (default) resolution of 3072x1920, scaled or not.
If you lower the resolution to 2048 x 1280, the powerdraw goes down to 3watts idle.
This Makes the temps almost as „good“ as in MacOS.
While connected to an external 4k screen 3840x2160 60Hz, powerdraw is also 3watts if i disable the internal screen(or clamshell).
Latest official driver provided by amd for the 16“ is 5 months old..
At this point i believe that the problem lies with amd and apple is also waiting on a new driver version for the 5300m and 5500m.
I noticed that amd gpu draws 14watts idle with the max (default) resolution of 3072x1920, scaled or not.
If you lower the resolution to 2048 x 1280, the powerdraw goes down to 3watts idle.
This Makes the temps almost as „good“ as in MacOS.
While connected to an external 4k screen 3840x2160 60Hz, powerdraw is also 3watts if i disable the internal screen(or clamshell).
Latest official driver provided by amd for the 16“ is 5 months old..
At this point i believe that the problem lies with amd and apple is also waiting on a new driver version for the 5300m and 5500m.
Does the 16” have that same problem with the LG UltraFine 4K display that Apple sells? I want to pick that one up but if there are still issues with that setup then I don’t want to spend $700.
What specifically did you change? The external only or the internal only?
Did nothing on my external LG 38", although SwitchResX now randomly 'blanks' the screen like it's changing resolution, then it's back (sub-second). Used SwitchResX on the prior MBP without issues, but seeing zero difference this time around, including disabling SIP, letting it do it's thing, then re0enabling of SIP.
Prior res was 3840 x 1600 @ 59.83Hz, changed it to exactly 60Hz, zero change on Power consumption.
I tried it myself with the screen open and saw no noticeable change with lid open + external monitor.
So just to confirm, this is only for clamshell mode? There's no difference otherwise?
Yes, so far users report this issue for both 4k and 5k UltraFines in non-clamshell mode, clamshell mode works ok.
I wonder whether it's got something to do with the GFX memory maxing out. I'm seeing a correlation between the graphics memory maxing out in iStat with the fans spinning up. Anyone else seeing the same?
Super annoying issue given that my old 13" MBP Early 2016 was able to handle a 4k screen with its integrated graphics card with no problems at all.
Super annoying issue given that my old 13" MBP Early 2016 was able to handle a 4k screen with its integrated graphics card with no problems at all.
Try running gfxCardStatus v2.3
Its free and allows you to use your integrated graphics
The utility is stable and I have not run into any incompatibilities.
Obv not great if you want to run games
I am not associated with the developer. Just a user.
Its free and allows you to use your integrated graphics
The utility is stable and I have not run into any incompatibilities.
Obv not great if you want to run games
I am not associated with the developer. Just a user.
You can't change GPU w/ external display connected, as any output is wired directly to dGPU.
Hi guys.
after countless hours reading post to fix this, I decided to make one new post.
I have a macbook pro 2018, video card Radeon Pro Vega 20.
I recently bought an external monitor to work from home, and I'm very disappointed by the result.
LG 32'' 4K monitor, 60hz. here:
https://www.lg.com/uk/monitors/lg-32UK550
The screen is laggy. This is visible clearly by moving the mouse around, which is nowhere close to be smooth as on main mac screen.
The screen is not in 4K. as "default for display" it reads it in 1080 HD. on a 32'' screen, the text is overmagnified. I have to manually go to the monitor setting and set it up on "Scaled, more text", to actually see it in a higher resolution.
and here is the 3rd trouble. the mac is hardly managing the screen. If I pump up the screen resolution, the mac start boiling, vents start pushing harder and harder. Gaming experience (and I'm not talking about crazy 3D game, but simple 2D games) starts lag and have slow framerate, to the point is barely playable.
What I'm doing wrong?
I'm currently using an HDMI to USB-c 60Hz cable.
I'm thinking to send this screen back, and buy something which will response better on a mac.
Do you think connection plays a major role in this?
would be a USB-C screen have better impact?
(thunderbolt 3 monitors is out of the question, way too much budget).
Should I reduce size and/or resolution, to have a guaranteed seamless monitor?
thanks
after countless hours reading post to fix this, I decided to make one new post.
I have a macbook pro 2018, video card Radeon Pro Vega 20.
I recently bought an external monitor to work from home, and I'm very disappointed by the result.
LG 32'' 4K monitor, 60hz. here:
https://www.lg.com/uk/monitors/lg-32UK550
The screen is laggy. This is visible clearly by moving the mouse around, which is nowhere close to be smooth as on main mac screen.
The screen is not in 4K. as "default for display" it reads it in 1080 HD. on a 32'' screen, the text is overmagnified. I have to manually go to the monitor setting and set it up on "Scaled, more text", to actually see it in a higher resolution.
and here is the 3rd trouble. the mac is hardly managing the screen. If I pump up the screen resolution, the mac start boiling, vents start pushing harder and harder. Gaming experience (and I'm not talking about crazy 3D game, but simple 2D games) starts lag and have slow framerate, to the point is barely playable.
What I'm doing wrong?
I'm currently using an HDMI to USB-c 60Hz cable.
I'm thinking to send this screen back, and buy something which will response better on a mac.
Do you think connection plays a major role in this?
would be a USB-C screen have better impact?
(thunderbolt 3 monitors is out of the question, way too much budget).
Should I reduce size and/or resolution, to have a guaranteed seamless monitor?
thanks
Does this heating issue also persist when you pair the 16" Macbook Pro with an external GPU / eGPU? Could someone confirm?
I have done the following:
- Disconnected one of two external monitors I am using
- Downscaled my 2K monitor to 1080p
- Disabled hardware acceleration on Firefox.
However, even with all of those, my internal GPU is still running at max after looking at the Energy tab on Activity Monitor.
Surprising that Apple has not addressed this yet. It's been months.
- Disconnected one of two external monitors I am using
- Downscaled my 2K monitor to 1080p
- Disabled hardware acceleration on Firefox.
However, even with all of those, my internal GPU is still running at max after looking at the Energy tab on Activity Monitor.
Surprising that Apple has not addressed this yet. It's been months.
At the advice of a YouTuber, I installed TG Pro fan control and temperatures dropped from a blistering 90C to a more reasonable 65-75C with these fan curve settings. Fans don't go into overdrive anymore. Barely audible unless I'm doing some compiling.
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As long as you are using an external monitor, your MacBook will always use the "high performance" aka dGPU. It is not possible to run an external display using the integrated GPU. This limitation is hardware-based .... and it has been for years so this is not a problem of the 16" MBP.