MacBook 16-inch Fan Noise

I’ve owned there machines since 2006 and they don’t behave like this when connected to an external monitor.

Apple has already acknowledged there is a problem by ordering a logic board for some users. It’s a real problem my friend.

From what I can see the issue seems to be about the dGPU misbehaving somehow when connected with an external monitor thus causing additional heat. Fan speed and noise is just a symptom of this.

I think overheating is related, some users here have experienced machines die after getting hot and other shutdowns or graphic glitches when pushing the machine and connected to an external monitor. I've seen my own MacBook pro CPU PECI go above above 90c when hardly under load. I dare not run any heavy processes when connected to an external monitor - 1) I don't want the machine to die. 2) I don't want to reduce the lifespan of any of the components.

My 16 inch Macbook has issues with reduced h264 encoding speed vs my 2015, but fan noise...mine tries to stay silent until it is basically at the T junction, then it slowely ramps up. I have been doing a LOT of FCPX exports and Compressor transcodes in testing with Apple Care for my h264 issue, so I am working the CPU and generating high temps frequently, and high fan speeds at low temps is not something my weird Macbook is doing.

Catalina 10.15.3 since new if that matters.

Paul

My fans are going wild running Logic Pro X without an external monitor 🙈

I took it to the apple store and they told me everything tested good.

Couldn't hear the fans because its so loud at the store.

2.4 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9

32 GB 2667 MHz DDR4

So besides everyone here discussing recommending the 16" or not to others. Is there any solution for this ? it's clear that for some people, including me that the fan noise is not acceptable. And people should by one and try it out themselves. Because it's relative to people if it acceptable or not. But i would recommend people who doesn't find this acceptable to return it if the laptop is not essential for them. Because sticking with it and finding out that the issue would not be resolved then you will be stuck with a device that you're not satisfied with. I will be following this thread and sadly maybe wait for the updated 16"....

"My fans are going wild running Logic Pro X without an external monitor "

Well then it's something to do with your setup and the types of software or plugins you have installed that is causing that. I do very extensive audio editing in Logic Pro X on my 16" and the fans are barely audible in a quiet room with no monitor connected. In fact Logic Pro X doesn't even activate the dGPU so it's definitely something in your own setup that's causing that.

**** it ***** solutions seem to revolve around downspeccing. Though some people had better resultss with different cables? Crazy.

Although someone pointed out the pro display xdr connected wasn't causing issues on a demo macbook which makes me beieve this is an issue affecting a sizable number of macbook pros but not all.

Just waiting on the backorder from Apple on the replacement logic board (there's probably a huge backlog of orders from people experiencing issues), hopefully that resolves the issue I'm having.

Has anyone else here found any success with a replacement logic board?

dcristof wrote:

Apple has already acknowledged there is a problem by ordering a logic board for some users.

That’s not accurate.

Techs often order repair parts “in case” it fixes the issue; I’m aware of no one who has had this situation resolved via a logic board replacement, and we have seen more than one user report the replacement board acts exactly the same way as the original.

the technician at the repair center i took my laptop to agreed it was abnormal and was able to replicate it.

lots of people who know their business agree there’s a problem, thankfully unlike some others he did not accuse me of costing Apple a sale and suggest I buy an iMac instead 😂

Is there anyone near an apple store that could go checkout a MBP16 connected to an XDR display and install a trial istat to see the watt usage on the radeon GPU? Or .. someone who actually have that setup ?

Hardware today is increasing performance with more core counts and faster GPU's. This produces more heat and needs better cooling solutions. I would caution anyone trying to reduce fan noise over keeping a notebook within a safe range of temperature. The tradeoff for silent running could be throttling or worse damaging the hardware. There is a common complaint with thinner high performance notebooks of excessive fan noise and running hotter. I think its a reflection of the limitations of design and cooling solutions for these notebooks. Other than external cooling solutions to aid internals I think the noise issue is one that comes with the territory.

"lots of people who know their business agree there’s a problem, thankfully unlike some others he did not accuse me of costing Apple a sale and suggest I buy an iMac instead 😂"

Lots of people? Such as how many? It's interesting, a forum with far under 100 different people complaining of this issue turns out to be "lots of people" when Apple no doubt has sold several thousands of these 16" MBP's by now. I just love how people are directing others to Macrumors discussing this. I've been on MR, 9 to 5 Mac, Reddit, Apple Insider for many years and most forums are made up of many of the same people giving off the impression there are more people with the same issue when it's really not in reality. The one thing some people here refuse to believe is that Apple does use their own computers so if this was such a serious problem then Apple should be experiencing it too right? Therefore if this is an issue that needs addressing Apple will take care of it.

Also you need to let it go about being accused of costing Apple a sale and being suggested to buy an iMac. You've said it enough times. SMH.

Thanks John - interesting. I think this machine is well designed for the thermal load, but there is an issue, be is hardware or software, that is causing the machine to heat up when plugging in an external monitor or hub with no load at all. If I leave my machine plugged in to my monitor at the end of the day, in a half hour the fans are running over 4500 - 5000.

Would you say this is expected behavior? I would not.

The thing is, this MacBook Pro 16 was mean't to have been designed with better thermals, it's larger than the previous. Also, the GPU is mean't to be more efficient than the previous. And these efficiencies and thermals do seem to be working fine when not connected to a monitor, it runs cool.

I think the point is not about reducing the fan noise, as that is a symptom, but working out why it makes so much heat when it is not under load. I think most people here expect the heat rise when the GPU and CPU are doing stuff just not when they aren't!

External cooling solutions mostly don't work from what I have seen.

axlroden wrote:

Is there anyone near an apple store that could go checkout a MBP16 connected to an XDR display and install a trial istat to see the watt usage on the radeon GPU? Or .. someone who actually have that setup ?

In general, Apple Store Macs don't allow the installation of apps.