MacBook 16-inch Fan Noise

Da-trev wrote:

You don't even bother to read the messages, the machine that he mentioned HAS THE SAME CPU and a GPU that is as powerful as the one on the 16-inch, the 5500 is only 9% more powerful and it's probably as powerful as the 5300 so as usual YOU ARE WRONG AGAIN.

The older GPU is about 20% less powerful than the 5500M, but if we're talking the Vega 20 it might be a little more powerful than the 5300M.

But once again you can't directly compare them as the Vega 20 used HBM2 VRAM compared to the GDDR6 VRAM of the 5300M.

So you are comparing different technologies.

If this is like an external graphic card over USB - which leaves the internal AMD Radeon 5500 stayed untouched. However, defect in concept require to have a separate external device to the work without unacceptable noise.

It’s not an external GPU, it’s a choice as to how to connect to an external monitor as an alternative to a USB-C to HDMI adapter.

You need an adapter of some type to connect an MBP 16 to an external monitor, and I prefer MDP as only one of my external monitors has an HDMI input but both have MDP.

There is also some evidence that VRAM speeds can be lower for MDP as compared to HDMI, but that’s not why I got it.

I just wanted to share here that I recently bought a dell docking station (d6000), and since then the fan noise issue disappeared. I'm using 2 external 27inch monitors (1080p), and I also experienced the fan issue while using 2 display-to-usbc cables. I'll try and test it with a 4K monitor soon, but I expect it to work just fine as well.

It is not a cable problem at all. Interesting fact: If you switch side and attach power to right and displays to left side then it seems the heat problem is gone...strange. Give it a try, I did and it worked.

Same issue here.

As far as I can see, issue is related to dGPU overheating and being activated when you connect an external display.

Tried all I could find on the web (stop turbo boost, play with the right and left USB-C connectors for power vs HDMI, ...) - and there are thousands if not tenth of thousands posts (not counting the video) on this matter without any clear answer.

For a machine that expansive, we could expect that running with an external monitor is a basic option - the sound of the machine is great, but it is a pity to see it wasted by the fan noise.

Sad to see that Apple seems not to have given any answer for this issue that was identified back in previous decade !

Are you working on it? What is the plan? With Big Sur? can you at least give some information? roadmap?

Thanks !

A

Adxyal wrote:

Sad to see that Apple seems not to have given any answer for this issue that was identified back in previous decade !

Are you working on it? What is the plan? With Big Sur? can you at least give some information? roadmap?

This is a user to user forum and as such, Apple is not here.

Further, Apple doesn't announce plans or what they are or aren't working on.

Sure, you use displaylink which is built in d6000. That is a separate external graphic card over USB. Your Radeon 5500 has nothing to do and remains without power consumption. I do the same. But it is possible with built in as well - but Apple does not provide. 13 inch MacBook has not the issues while delivering over Intel graphic card. Same which is built in MacBook 16 inch...

Just want to add my voice to this and note that this has been a problem for me from more-or-less day one after buying this machine at the end of 2019. (16" 2019 Macbook Pro, stock 16GB/1 TB/5500M 4GB configuration, running 10.15.6.) It's been worse over the summer to the point where my Macbook often throttles to the point of unusability during Zoom calls. I've reluctantly tried Windows this week but it doesn't seem to be much better.

The primary culprit seems to be the WindowServer process, which like many others is much worse with a monitor plugged in (HDMI connecting a Dell UD2518D via a USB-C hub); I'm also seeing many "surface is not detached, CoreDisplay is detached" messages per second when I log the process. It is not good without the monitor either - still have performance issues, and the battery drains to 40% after a one hour Zoom call despite reporting 7673 mAH max capacity on 114 lifetime cycles.

Really regretting that I splurged on this machine after having been happy with my 2015 Macbook Pro for so many years.

silvann wrote:

I have the same issues on my 16-inch MBP when using an external display.

I didn’t have any heat issues with my 10 year old 15-inch MBP and that exact display.

Why would you think an ancient machine that is much slower and less capable can be directly compared to a modern top of the line product?

Because the modern top of the line product isn't doing what the ancient one did well? Would seem a pretty obvious reason. If an ancient one can connect to an external display without being noisy, we expect the modern one would too. Please William, why can't you accept that is natural. Why do you continue to try and justify this just because yours is working? Please, just feel happy that yours is and leave the others in this thread to try and work out how to fix our problem and discuss it. You have made your point many times - don't continue to do so. We've heard you, thank you. No more please.

because we are compare not megahertz, gigabytes or teraflops but user experience!!

in my everyday workloads not need discret gpu but i cannot disable it and work with external display.I have to put up with the noise, periodically turn off the monitor for the computer stopped slowing down, etc.

i paid for gpu which I don't need and it doesn't let me use my laptop as want.

and yes it ridiculous!

eindaj wrote:

Because the modern top of the line product isn't doing what the ancient one did well?

Now try editing multiple 4K streams in real time with your 2015; if it can do it it won't happen in real time.

It depends upon what you want from a machine; if it's pure silence from the fans at all time, perhaps the MBP 16 in this configuration isn't the right choice for you.

However, if you need the functionality of its high speed cores and high end GPU, it's a great tool for the job.

mamahtehok wrote:

in my everyday workloads not need discret gpu but i cannot disable it and work with external display.I have to put up with the noise, periodically turn off the monitor for the computer stopped slowing down, etc.

Then why didn't you buy a MBP 13 or a MacBook Air? Neither has a discrete GPU.

i paid for gpu which I don't need and it doesn't let me use my laptop as want.

That was your choice as a consumer.

You can trade in your MBP 16 for an MBP 13 and not have to worry about a dGPU again and chalk up the price difference to a lesson learned.

William Kucharski wrote:

silvann wrote:

I have the same issues on my 16-inch MBP when using an external display.

I didn’t have any heat issues with my 10 year old 15-inch MBP and that exact display.

Why would you think an ancient machine that is much slower and less capable can be directly compared to a modern top of the line product?

I thought you were joking when this landed in my email inbox. But apparently you are not.

If faster clock speeds and higher capability were inseparable linked to more heat and noise my laptop should sound like a booster rocket compared to my first 16 MHz desktop computer.

I am happy with the performance of my new MBP. Everything got better while keeping a long battery life and making the package smaller. But hearing fan noise and the machine heating up is not what I expect only by connecting an external average-resolution display. It’s either a malfunction or bad design.

Edit: I forgot—of course worse than the noise and heat is having the CPU throttled under load.