MacBook 16-inch Fan Noise

I have the same issue with Apple Thunderbolt Display (non 4K). From various observations and info I came to thought that this might be somehow related to Thunderbolt ports or some controllers, which are dedicated to connecting external devices. I have the Satechi hub, which itself gets super hot when connecting just extrenal HD or music gear. MAYBE - the issue with monitor will improve if connecting the monitor through the Dock or a HUB that has it's own power supply? Can anyone try this (I do not have such hub). I remember reading someone is this thread stating that with CalDigit dock there problem is not noticeable.

So for you it's ok to have such a powerful computer like you mentioned with such a powerful GPU and to use 100% processor power just by watching a video on a website? (Oh and my monitor is not 4K, in fact I just checked and the Retina display has a better resolution than my external monitor).

Just a couple points:

1) The GPU’s load is being reported by a third-party utility which may or may not be reading the specs the chip provides correctly.

2) The AMD Radeon Pro 5500M has a published TDP (maximum power consumption) of 85 watts (65 watts for the 5300M), making a draw of 15 watts minimal for it.

FWIW the GPU in the previous generation MBP 15 had a TDP or 100 watts, so the new GPUs are indeed more efficient, but Apple was much more aggressive about throttling the CPU for thermal reasons with the MBP 15.

You didn’t answer my question, for you it's ok to have such a powerful computer like you mentioned with such a powerful GPU and to use 100% processor power just by watching a video on a website? (Oh and my monitor is not 4K, in fact I just checked and the Retina display has a better resolution than my external monitor).

And you keep avoiding my question, I don't have a problem if the GPU is drawing 20 watts if it's working properly, but my question is (again), it's ok to have such a powerful computer like you mentioned with such a powerful GPU and to use 100% processor power just by watching a video on a website? (Oh and my monitor is not 4K, in fact I just checked and the Retina display has a better resolution than my external monitor) and a bonus question for you, do you think it's ok for a Pro machine to get that hot (including the power adaptor), and the fans to run from 3000 to 4500 RPM (60 to 80% speed capacity) just for browsing the web??

When people report that apples new XDR display runs at 5-8watt idle, then a 1440p monitor should not be running at 18watts.

Driving a 4k display takes NO effort for a gpu like this, and the XDR is in fact 6k, plus it uses 2x thunderbolt lanes to drive itself.

Regarding the guy mentioning powered docks making a difference nope, i have a caldigit dock and same behavior with or without it.

[Edited by Moderator]

axlroden wrote:

When people report that apples new XDR display runs at 5-8watt idle, then a 1440p monitor should not be running at 18watts.

Driving a 4k display takes NO effort for a gpu like this, and the XDR is in fact 6k, plus it uses 2x thunderbolt lanes to drive itself.

If you have proof of what it should or shouldn’t take using the same GPU running in another machine or the MBP under Windows, I’d like to see it and be proven wrong.

All I am saying is that for a GPU that maxes out at 50w or 85w, depending upon your source, 15-20w is a nit.

We already had corporate fan noise issues with the earlier models and we all run 3rd party fan control software - if the 2016s are even worse, this would be a show stopper. Already looking into active cooling mats, but sounds like this won't be enough for th 2016s. Bummer. Maybe the next OS after Catalina will be more efficient again?

fmorga wrote:

This is a hardware issue, not a software issue.

Soneone already stated that running Windows inside the Mac has the same problem.

Looking for Apple to exchange the hardware.

Although there appear to be some users with samples that have Hardware issues, many of these complaints may be unintended consequences of REMOVING Throttling in these Macs, while allowing many different heat-generating activities to proceed unfettered, all at the same time.

The Trade Press has suggested that MAYBE throttling will be re-instated, with the User-option to unbind your machine (and endure the noise) as a user preference.

[Link Edited by Moderator]

Thanks so much - that is VERY heartening news! :) . It means as soon as 10.15.3 we might see this remedied...

But it still brings up the question of value: Is it better to have 4 cores and a low end GPU running at full speed, or 8 cores and a high end GPU running at half speed to prevent overheating?

Grant Bennet-Alder

This does not suggest that throttling will be re-instated, this is actually saying there will be a mode that will do the opposite of that. I have 10.15.3 and do not see the option.

People here are not having issues regarding the need for throttling of the CPU as these problems are not occurring under any heavy CPU load. If a CPU is idling at around 95% then it should not need to be throttled yes?

I did answer your questions - it is perfectly reasonable for the machine to be running exactly as it is.

You don’t think so and I get that but you are also making wild assumptions as you have no other experience with this processor and this GPU in a computer with this form factor.

As I’ve said, prove me wrong by showing there are no heat issues with the same GPU used elsewhere.

I have a lot of experience with mbp, for 12 years about 60h/week,always with external display, I don't remember having these kind of temperatures ever,this is my 5th mbp now, I am not an expert, but i am able to observe. If you think it's reasonable to have heat issues while almost idling, that's up to you.

It's a fact for me that computer works deferently than expected from experience and as advertised. I also haven't heard fans at all for first 10 days, I was thinking woe it's so quiet. Then i saw max cpu temp reached 100c, without fans giving a ****,and not doing much.

That's how I got alert about cpu temp in the first place. Computer is really nice otherways, but it fails in main reason what I buy and stayed with Mac - reliability.

MBPs with different processors and different GPUs.

It’s like saying a 1993 Corvette and a 2020 Corvette should behave the same way.

Stop worrying about what temperature your computer is unless you get a warning about thermal shutdown.

Dude, you’re completely justified. Apple’s laptops have poor thermal designs. Or more specifically, they seem to be designed around the lowest end configurations. Steve jobs hated fan noise so much many of his desktops were fanless. He would never have found this acceptable. And I can’t deal with the volume of mbp fan noise either.

That’s what proper engineering is all about: making an acceptable product. Don’t let anyone try to tell you otherwise. And Apple knows we’re upset because they touted the 5% increase in thermal tolerance as a key feature.