MacBook 16-inch Fan Noise

"If I can't use the monitor (because when I do, the computer noise is bad, and the heat is bad for the computer), then I'm looking down and not straight ahead at the monitor. "

"Apple support looks at these threads when making decisions. "

Looking down at laptops is how everyone uses a laptop by itself. I'm sorry that you're incorrect about Apple Support lurking these forums. They do not. It may appear that way since this is the "Apple Discussions" but it's not a place that Apple lurks to address issues and make decisions from. Please take a look at the forum rules and terms of use. https://discussions.apple.com/terms

Understand something. This forum is for discussing issues, posting opinions and recommending a solution. My recommended solution is to report your issue to Apple Support here➜ Contact - Official Apple Supportsupport.apple.com › contact

I'm following the forum rules listed in the terms and conditions here➜ https://discussions.apple.com/terms, not yours.

I'm returning mine.

Apple called me back to tell me that the only way to make their engineers aware is to either send a detailed report at www.apple.com/feedback or send the macbook for repair at an Apple autorised repair store (since Apple stores are still closed during the pandemic).

I explained that this is not a case-by-case issue, referring to this thread + the macrumors one. I pointed that some users already sent their devices to Apple not resolving anything, so the level-2 senior again suggested to just return it since they cannot promise a fix or even an acknowledgment.

I blatantly said that I could just re-buy one again and return it before 15 days again while returning this one, saying it would be simpler and more eco-responsible to just keep it while we all wait for Apple feedback. She agreed and honestly told me that Apple is more likely to take action if more people are returning their product. She just can't let me keep this one any longer if I want to return it when Apple eventually give us feedback.

The issue is present on ALL macbook pro 16". Connect it to an external display while keeping the lid open and its dGPU automatically consumes 18W+ on idle. This is half of the whole laptop wattage on idle. Unacceptable.

Despite the fact that Apple went out of their way to make you happy by refunding the purchase of all your machines, you still feel compelled to hang around here and complain about the same issues.

The bottom line is the heat and power issues are just the machine working in a way you would prefer it not.

I've stated several times, the machine is not reaching thermal shut down. The machine is not failing to operate. It's just running its fans at a level you find unacceptable but that was never specified in any way, anywhere.

The people who have graphics issues certainly have my empathy, and frankly that of Apple Support. Those who get upset because they spend their days obsessing over temperatures they believe are wrong and power consumption levels they don't like seem to be spending a lot of time they could otherwise be getting useful work done.

The exception of course is those who need the machine to be silent to do their work, and I don't know what to say to them other than the fact that any laptop made may spin up its fans to cool itself for whatever reason except for those specifically made to cool solely convectively.

So while I am sad that the machine isn't meeting your expectations, that doesn't mean much as I don't so much as even own a single share of AAPL and thus have no vested interest and have no more ability to address Apple engineering than you do, and that's this:

Contact - Official Apple Support

Feedback - MacBook Pro - Apple

That said, I have also stated that if Apple can fix the issue, they will, but no one will know if they can until and unless they do.

I did not misunderstood your posts. We are arguing if the heat/noise with external screens is an issue or not. I think it is. You don't and try to convince me it's just my problem, while others have the same issue trying to document and fix it.

Of course I would have preferred to keep the computer as I have no issues besides this one. I must use MacOS to compile iOS apps in my work, I also needed a new laptop and I'm used to work with 3 screens. When I saw in the product page that it supports up to two 6K displays with the open lid, my choice was made.

I didn't say complaining in the forums is the only reason Apple added the Escape key back, but it is still documented criticism that people can confirm while googling their issue. We all know Apple will take action if it has an impact on their sales. I personally wanted a 2019 15" last summer but decided not to buy because of the Escape key. It took them 4 years to address it, but eventually their product became better, because of voiced criticism.

We are "only" 6 months in with this one. As far I know, the only place on the internet confirming it is in these 2 threads and some Youtube videos. People who are not happy with the heat/noise with external screens should keep talking about it and write their concern here: https://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

ogmaxx wrote:

I agree , had mines for two weeks battery life is garbage

Have you left it charging all night long? The battery-life and other issues "fix" for its little brother is a convoluted process described in this article:

If your MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports) keeps shutting down - Apple Support

This process appears to adjust the "full point" upwards, allowing deeper charges, and longer battery life.

It's not surprising nothing has changed, as it's not listed in the release notes for 10.15.5 as a "fixed" item.

Apple is quiet, but they do announce when they've fixed something:

This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements:

• Fixes an issue that may prevent Reminders from sending notifications for recurring reminders

• Addresses an issue that may prevent password entry on the login screen

• Fixes an issue where System Preferences would continue to show a notification badge even after installing an update

• Resolves an issue where the built-in camera may not be detected when trying to use it after using a video conferencing app

• Addresses an issue for Mac computers with the Apple T2 Security Chip where internal speakers may not appear as a sound output device in Sound preferences

• Fixes a stability issue with uploading and downloading media files from iCloud Photo Library while your Mac is asleep

• Resolves a stability issue when transferring large amounts of data to RAID volumes

• Fixes an issue where the Reduced Motion Accessibility preference did not reduce the speed of animations in a Group FaceTime call

Enterprise content:

• Improves performance on certain Mac models when enabling hardware acceleration in GPU-intensive apps such as those used for video conferencing

• Addresses an issue where Microsoft Exchange accounts were unable to sign in during account setup when using Conditional Access

• Apple Push Notification Service traffic now uses a web proxy when specified in a PAC file via the Proxies payload

• Resolves an issue that prevented some displays connected to MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) from waking from sleep when the Mac wakes

• Major new releases of macOS are no longer hidden when using the softwareupdate(8) command with the --ignore flag

What's new in the updates for macOS Catalina - Apple Support

William Kucharski wrote:

Incorrect on microphones:

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/9d8a44b6-0a6d-4f6a-9f73-f1bee10f2c13

I would assume someone doing professional sound work would be using something like a Shure SM58 to provide a cardoid pattern pickup in association with a good preamp like a Focusrite Scarlett Solo, or even a USB Mic like the Blue Microphones Yeti which provides a cardoid pickup setting.

That's also a huge assumption for your part on the latter; good luck finding a computer that complies, as PC laptops have fans, too, as you will find out if your purchase one with a GPU as powerful as the Radeon Pro 5000m series in it.

Well, I can just smile on these arguments with this microphone etc. :) (just for your information, this is a cheap dynamic microphone for live performance, not for for any studio recording where condenser etc. microphones in completely different level are used ... I am a studio professional for the last 20 years, so I know a bit about these things and how they behave :)

For example Asus ZenDuo is so much more quiet than MBP. Unfortunately, after learning and using FCP a lot, I don't feel like learning a new video software any more ... and I also don't like Windows ... this is the reason I still use MBP, but it somehow disappoints me with every new release ...

jc_9 wrote:

The most productive thing you can do to make the engineers notice is to report your setup / temp / wattage / fan speed over here: https://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

I've done that and others for this and other kind of problems.. Till now, I got no usefull reponse..

For instance if you boot into MacOS and than Windows, Airpods Pro becomes unreachable to Windows.. You have to remove and add back the device.. First gen Airpods do not have this problem.. What was the reponse: "It's Windows babe!".. All the other Windows laptops do not have this problem, but they still blaim Windows.. etc. etc..

denizcan wrote:

For instance if you boot into MacOS and than Windows, Airpods Pro becomes unreachable to Windows.. You have to remove and add back the device..

This is normal, even though the bluetooth chip shares the same MAC address accross Windows and MacOS, a different link key is stored on the OS during pairing. You can either follow the steps of the last post in this thread or use this tool or this one.

In my opinion (I have no Insider information) Apple has made all the Engineering changes they are going to make.

Their response to noise complaints appears to be summarized in this article dated 30 Jan 2020:

About fans and fan noise in your Apple product - Apple Support

.

I absolutely cannot say that's what Apple intended, but that's what I would want.

In the US where the Toyota RAV4, Honda Civic and Toyota Camry are the most popular vehicles with some even choosing hybrids and electric vehicles, some people still prefer to buy high end sports cars that get 8 MPG even if all they do is commute on city streets.

It's like the complaints about the pricing of the new Mac Pro tower; if it's too expensive for you, you likely aren't its target market - it's aimed at people for whom $50K for a high end graphics workstation is a steal (and there are those customers) as well as those for whom the higher prices can easily be amortized in increased customer billings due to time saved.

I hold no animosity if you decide to purchase something else; once again I don't work for Apple, and you obviously have specific needs for which the MacBook Pro may no longer be an appropriate choice.

Thankfully, for many thousands of others, it's the best MacBook Pro ever made.

As always, if you feel differently, complaining here is not the right venue, this is:

Feedback - MacBook Pro - Apple

Those of us who have been around the Apple Support Community for years have been told time and time again that comments made there hold far more import than anything said here.

sebastian-jopen wrote:

Thanks JohnZonie for your input not to use it in clamshell mode. That absolutely make sense.

I cannot find your answer in the forum.

That may be because it was misleading and incorrect information.

Apple has no restrictions against running in clamshell mode or they wouldn't allow it let alone tell you how to do it:

Use your Mac notebook computer in closed-display mode with an external display - Apple Support

Thanks :-) If I'd get a 16" MBP I'd want to run it with ext display most of the time. So I'll just wait a little and see how this story develops.

For my children it's another story, they will hook their unit up to an ext display only once in a while.

So the 10th gen chips get hot you say. Maybe that explains why the lower end 2020 MacBook Pro 13" that I am currently testing doesn't spike up the watts when connected to a 30" Apple Cinema Display. See image.

I was actually contemplating on sending this one back and ordering 3 new 2020 higher end models for my children. Specs:

• 10th gen chips
• dual fans
• 2.0 GHz processor
• 4 TB3 ports vs 2

But now I am puzzled. Maybe by getting the 10th gen chips I could be buying a hair dryer....

People seem to think that this forum is "censored" but posts are only removed for violating the Terms of Use you, I and everyone else here agreed to when creating an account.

You can re-read them at the link below, if you like:

Apple Support Communities Use Agreement - Apple Community

Violations of those terms is the only reason posts are ever removed, and posts are only removed by moderators, who are Apple employees, not by myself or other contributors here.

I'm not new to laptops, either, but nowhere in Apple's advertising does it claim MacBook Pros will operate silently; no laptop that I am aware of does.

iOS devices do operate silently, because they don't have fans, but that's another topic.

I get that you would prefer the fans not run at the level they do, and that's fine. If it's within 14 days of purchase, or if you purchased your laptop at an Apple retail store within 14 days of their closure due to COVID, you will be able to return the unit for your money back.

(If purchased at an Apple retail store, you will have 14 days after Apple Stores reopen for general customer traffic to return your product; many are open now but just for Genius Bar appointments and for curbside delivery of product, not for general customer shopping or returns.)

Apple sells an awful lot of computer hardware for not being a computer company anymore.

It's not just me, many thousands of people around the world are absolutely thrilled with their MBP 16s, but as I've said from the beginning, not everyone will be thrilled with every product.