2019 MBP Intel crashing. What's next?

[CrockAlley]

Sorry for my long ramble. I've bolded my important questions below, if you don't want to read it all, haha.

In 2020, I bought a 2019 16-inch 2019 MacBook Pro, Intel. It’s always run very hot. Four months ago, it started crashing on wake up. (GPU Panic, Failed Power Play Resume). This has been happening more frequently lately. Google searches tells me it’s probably a logic board problem, and that it’s an expensive repair. How expensive should I expect this to be?

I’m frustrated. I like Macs because they have always lasted me a long time. I used three Macs to cover 1994 to 2020. This 2019 MBP is the most disappointing. Six months after I bought it, I had to send it in for crashing. And now, four years later, it’s breaking down again.

I don’t know what to do next. I'm currently trying to not use it as much as possible, to slow the decay. I’ll probably take it into the Apple Store and have them diagnose it. But if I spend the money to get it repaired, won’t the same thing happen again, because the Intel chips run so hot?

I’m not in a position to afford an equivalent replacement MBP. Honestly, 90% of use is just internet browsing and watching videos. But I like to have the power under the hood for the 10% of the time I want to use the Adobe suite. Should I just pick up a basic MacBook until I can afford a good upgrade? Or just pay for the repair and squeeze as much life out of it as I can?

Thanks so much for any info or advice!

 

[Bigwaff]

I just recently learned about this software. Maybe it will help?

Turbo Boost Switcher for OSX / macOS

Turbo Boost Switcher for macOS. Save battery of your Mac, cool your CPU and reduce fans noise

tbswitcher.rugarciap.com

Supposedly it will help keep the system running cooler. You could also try the built-in "Low Power Mode" which does something similar.

 

[rovostrov]

I wouldn't spend any money getting it repaired. Maybe trade it in (while it still works) and get a 15" MacBook Air. The 2019 intels are terribly unreliable.

 

[BuffyzDead]

1) Make sure you are running Sonoma 14.3.1
2) Make sure you have a complete and up to date Time Machine backup
3) Erase the entire Macintosh HD and Install like new, Sonoma 14.3.1
4) Restore your files from your Time Machine backup

See how she runs after one week, as she settles, from the New Install.

 

[Basic75]

Can you verify that the fans are not broken?

 

[Basic75]

I’m not in a position to afford an equivalent replacement MBP. Honestly, 90% of use is just internet browsing and watching videos. But I like to have the power under the hood for the 10% of the time I want to use the Adobe suite. Should I just pick up a basic MacBook until I can afford a good upgrade?

While an Intel MacBook Pro is still completely usable today I wouldn't invest in repairing one in 2024.

The good news is that even a basic 4+4 core M1 has equal/more CPU horse power than the fastest 8-core Intel i9 MacBook Pro.

If you get an M1 or M2 MacBook Air with at least 16GB RAM you should be good to go for your use case. Ideally a 15" M2.

 

[Ruggy]

You say it's running hot?
It's always worth checking if the problem isn't simply dust and lint.
I don't know the model that well, I assume it has vents underneath?
It eventually gets into machines, the air ducts get blocked, they run hot then this either causes problems with one of the chips or it causes the power to shut down randomly.
I assume you can take the bottom off, have a look and see whether it's full of dust?
I've seen this so many times. I bought a second hand PC very cheaply which had random shutdowns. The heatsink looked like the inside of a hoover bag. People use them on beds and carpets and they just get full of stuff
Just blowing through the vents might produce a cloud of dust and fix the issue for a while- I've seen that too.
Maybe when they fixed it last time they just cleaned it out? It's been 4 years since
Anyway, I'd look at that considering age and that it runs hot.

 

[smirking]

Even the base model M3 Air is going to smoke a 2019 Intel MBP.

MacBook Pro (16-inch Late 2019) Benchmarks - Geekbench

MacBook Air (15-inch, 2023) Benchmarks - Geekbench

Even if all you can afford is the 8GB model, I don't think you'll be missing anything. They run much better than the Intel models do on low RAM. I had to live off of an 8GB loaner for a while and had no issues running the Adobe suite, Capture One Pro, Parallels, and a whole array of dev utilities.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"I don’t know what to do next. I'm currently trying to not use it as much as possible, to slow the decay. I’ll probably take it into the Apple Store and have them diagnose it. But if I spend the money to get it repaired, won’t the same thing happen again, because the Intel chips run so hot?"

You may not like this reply.

DON'T go spending "good money after bad".

The new m-series MacBook Pros run MUCH cooler. About the only time my MacBook Pro 14
even gets -warm- is when the charger is plugged into it.

The "best choices" I see are:
a. get a new MacBook Pro with an m3pro CPU
or
b. get an Apple refurbished MacBook Pro with an m2pro CPU.

Take whatever trade-in value you can get for what you have now.

There are some Macs that just never lived up to their promise.
I had one myself, long ago (PowerMac 6100).

One just has to grit one's teeth, and move on...

 

[Mega ST]

I have a used intel MBP 2018 (typing this on it) and it works well. No overheat or hiccups.

 

[CrockAlley]

Thanks so much for all your replies!

Can you verify that the fans are not broken?

How do I do this? Seems like a fan noise is happening when using processor-intense software.

You say it's running hot?
It's always worth checking if the problem isn't simply dust and lint.
...
I assume you can take the bottom off, have a look and see whether it's full of dust?
...

I've thought about it, but I hadn't looked at the bottom until you suggested it. I don't have the right kind of screwdriver.

Dust and fans are certainly worth checking, but it has always run very hot. Six months after I bought it, when I brought it to the Genius Bar, the tech said they all ran hot.

Even the base model M3 Air is going to smoke a 2019 Intel MBP.

MacBook Pro (16-inch Late 2019) Benchmarks - Geekbench

MacBook Air (15-inch, 2023) Benchmarks - Geekbench

Even if all you can afford is the 8GB model, I don't think you'll be missing anything. They run much better than the Intel models do on low RAM. I had to live off of an 8GB loaner for a while and had no issues running the Adobe suite, Capture One Pro, Parallels, and a whole array of dev utilities.

There's a few folks suggesting MBA. Thanks for pushing me to go back to Apple to check on that. It's a much more cost efficient option, and the specs look pretty good. Do you think I'll have to adjust my expectations "downgrading" from my current machine (64GB memory) to a 16 or 24GB M2 MBA? My primary concern is using Premier Pro and After Effects. I don't use them often, but 64GB was a very comfy pillow (but maybe too much?)

I really can't thank you all enough! These are some quality responses and I feel much better after receiving your guidance.

 

[Ilikecheese_91]

Just incase anyone else comes across and for OP.

Intel in the last several generations including the ones in 2019 MBPs. Have been known to run hot in comparison to older CPUs and AMDs. Especially the i9s which spike and immediately thermal throttle.

The unibody/TB MacBooks small chassis has always been terrible with proper cooling. Similar slim "power" laptops like the Dell XPS with the same CPU have similar issues.
I'm not surprised that boards are starting to fail more and more lately. Years of bad cooling eventually leads to CPU/GPU failures when old solder points finally start cracking. Or the constant excessive heat starts killing components around the CPU, mostly power rails, RAM, T2 etc.

My advice for those with still functioning 2019s. Download an app that lets you control the fan curve. And increase it so the fans kick on and run faster/longer compared to the default. You do however add to battery draw and increase fan wear/tear.

IF out of warranty and you accept the risk and are knowledgeable enough. Disassemble the laptop and clean/repaste the CPU/GPU while you're in there cleaning out dust. There's a thermal pad mod on the internet that lets you add some more ways to disperse heat.

I've always hated how hot my 2019 i9 would get before macOS would finally ramp up the fan speed. Even if just casually using safari with maybe three or four tabs. After repasting, adding thermal pad mod, and fan control. Mine now stays at 30deg C while sitting at work with the fans going no faster then 1800rpms. Granted my work space is HVAC'd to a constant 65deg F.

 

[Ilikecheese_91]

Thanks so much for all your replies!


How do I do this? Seems like a fan noise is happening when using processor-intense software.


I've thought about it, but I hadn't looked at the bottom until you suggested it. I don't have the right kind of screwdriver.

Dust and fans are certainly worth checking, but it has always run very hot. Six months after I bought it, when I brought it to the Genius Bar, the tech said they all ran hot.


There's a few folks suggesting MBA. Thanks for pushing me to go back to Apple to check on that. It's a much more cost efficient option, and the specs look pretty good. Do you think I'll have to adjust my expectations "downgrading" from my current machine (64GB memory) to a 16 or 24GB M2 MBA? My primary concern is using Premier Pro and After Effects. I don't use them often, but 64GB was a very comfy pillow (but maybe too much?)

I really can't thank you all enough! These are some quality responses and I feel much better after receiving your guidance.

Have you been able to check your ram usage during an active Premier Pro/After Effects?