How can I save resources with a huge monitor

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Level 1

7 points

How can I save resources with a huge monitor

Hi!

I have this laptop:

I have bought a 32" 4K monitor and connected through DisplayPort.

Since then, I notice the CPU fan is always running and making noise, obviously, because the CPU (or the graphic card) are working more than before ;-)

I guess with a new Macbook (more powerful) this will be relief and it will work better (for example, the guy who recommended me this second monitor to work, he's working with no problems because he has a newer Macbook Pro).

But until I can buy another one ... I wonder if there's something I can do to work without "forcing" so much the CPU.

1) Is displayport better than HDMI ?

2) Is there any setting I can change to give more power to the graphic card or something?

I don't know... I'm just trying to figure out what I can do to improve performance of a 5 years old macbook pro with a huge monitor ;-)

Any help will be appreciated

Thank you !

Posted on Jul 18, 2019 3:03 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 18, 2019 6:35 PM in response to dantart

DisplayPort (a subset of ThunderBolt) is the best way to connect a display that has DisplayPort capability. DisplayPort sends only the changes, and when the display stops moving, the link goes nearly quiet.

DisplayPort is much more data-efficient, because it does not send the ENTIRE screen 60 times a second, even if the picture has not changed. DisplayPort It is by far the least heat-producing, compared to any "Legacy" connection {HDMI, DVI, Analog VGA} which all retain the "heartbeat" refresh required for CRT displays and older displays that do nor contain a display buffer.

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Use of an external display on a typical Dual-Graphics MacBook Pro uses the Discrete Graphics chip, which requires more power. Even when you are not doing anything especially challenging, the Discrete Graphics chip is used, because it is wired to the external displays.

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Answer 2

kaz-k

Level 9

51,132 points

Jul 18, 2019 4:28 AM in response to dantart

Hi,

Try to use thunderbolt capability, instead of mini display port of monitor side if it supports thunderbolt.

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Answer 3

dantart Author

Level 1

7 points

Jul 18, 2019 4:52 AM in response to kaz-k

(Thunderbolt = Mini Displayport, right?)

The monitor has 3 outputs: 2 HDMI and DisplayPort

And my Macbook has 3 inputs: 1 HDMI and 1 mini displayport

What I have right now is a cable from Displayport to Mini displayport

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Answer 4

dantart Author

Level 1

7 points

Jul 18, 2019 12:55 PM in response to dantart

I have this cable right now, because (I guess) is one of the two options to connect this monitor (the other is throught HDMI)

https://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B00YOQYQWY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Answer 5

dantart Author

Level 1

7 points

Jul 19, 2019 12:20 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

That's interesting, that's because I did this test:

1) restart computer

2) I just open Safari, and load "google.com"

3) I don't touch a key ... wait 10 minutes ... everything is ok

4) I plug the second monitor with thunderbolt

5) I don't touch a key ... wait 2 minutes ... cpu is running a lot, making a lot of sound and computer is now slow.

That's the reason I wonder if there's something to improve graphic performance, because obviously it has nothing to do with any other kind of use of the system

P.D. I have tested with just ONE APP open ... firefox, chrome, photoshop, word, pages ... ANY app that is open with the second monitor plugged, the computer starts to use a lot of cpu

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Answer 6

dantart Author

Level 1

7 points

Jul 18, 2019 10:05 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Ok, that's a very good explanation of how Displayport works, and I appreciate it.

But is there any way to improve my Macbook Pro performance? because, this new monitor makes hard to work ... laptop is almost always "blowing" and slow :-(

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Answer 7

Jul 19, 2019 7:13 AM in response to dantart

That is not a normal complaint of a setup like yours. Perhaps you are running something that is wasting your computers resources, making it difficult to accomplish everything you are asking it to do.

Download this "discovery" program, and set its preferences to "allow full disk Access". then run it and pot the report back here.

Using EtreCheck - Apple Community

.

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Answer 8

Jul 19, 2019 1:12 PM in response to dantart

Etrecheck is remarkable in its ability to show the cause of such problems. The free version is all you need for this.

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How can I save resources with a huge monitor

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