Macbook pro 16 2019 freezes randomly and restarts

It seems like this is something else. All dynamic parts on the screen freeze on gpu switching. Just take the gfx.io, allow notifications and watch.. Do the freezes coincide with the graphics switching?

Mine "was" space grey also! There may be more to this than just the colour because they are most certainly produced on different productions line = if a bad batch of mainboards, RAM, etc. landed where the greys are being assembled, BINGO!!!

I'll be really interested to hear if anyone with silver is affected...

I bought a silver MacBook tonight. I launched several tests, I didn’t notice any problems (I really hope that I won’t notice at all). Graphics switches smoothly. I hope they will give me a working replacement for my "gray" one and I can sell it!

Of course, not all gray macbooks are defective, but so far, given the comments - problems with switching graphics, when the entire screen freezes - only for gray ones.

Having displays/devices plugged in and a crash during sleep is a Catalina issue and can be replicated on other machines. That usually results in a "BAD MAGIC!" error.

The issue certain faulty macbook 2019 16" units have been having is a complete freeze & force restart in the middle of using it, with nothing plugged in, usually triggered by an app that switches from intel to amd gpu. I don't have anything plugged in to my macbook 90% of the time, not even anything connected wirelessly.

I have noticed the crash you speak of and can replicate it on other T2 based machines with Catalina, not just this model.

Same! The first time it happened, a few weeks after I got my 16” MBP for work, the update to 10.15.1 bricked the laptop in the middle of a workday. The computer would freeze, fans would engage and the computer would shut down. It would then restart, try to finish the update and log in, freeze, fan spool, restart, ad infinitum. Resetting vram, SMC, etc, restarting in safe mode, nothing worked. At the apple store (since the majority of my work was halted by the laptop’s inability to login), I was greeted with a “Wow, they just came out with the 16”, what did you do to break it?”

No one had heard of the issue with the update, no one knew of the freezing+fan spool+restarting issue. They ran diagnostics on the hardware, said everything was fine, and they reinstalled the OS from scratch.

Now, while I can logon, every now and then the screen will freeze, and then a few seconds later either the same fan spool+restart will happen, or it’ll just freeze and I’ll have to force restart. Yesterday, it happened about 7 times in the space of an hour. In the middle of critical website coding. This is an insanely basic usability issue for a high-end, specced out “pro” laptop.

The first 16" I received (about 4 days after the model dropped) had that same issue where the 10.15.1 supplemental update would crash repeatedly and it was never resolved at the Apple Store. I wasn't accused of breaking it but everybody was sure they could resolve the problem so I was there for quite some time while different individuals tried unsuccessfully to reload the OS. They had just received their shipment of 16" units and ad the same config so I returned mine and took another after another hour in the store to be sure the update ran on it. That is the unit I have now. Since installing 10.15.3, it has panicked 8 times, yesterday 5 times in the span of 7 hours. It is currently freezing for about 60 seconds, rebooting and restarting followed by the fan spinning up. (Prior panics were freeze, fan spinning up, restarting and more fan after that.) I am not running anything processor intensive, just reading a web page or document. I have eliminated all external devices except a LG Ultrafine display and it has lasted 36 hours without crashing.

Yep indeed it is HW. I just escalated my case to the executive team because I was not getting any feedback for what they are waiting on. They finally got back to me and gave me more info.  They are waiting on a logic board.  I guess they are plumb out of them and they need to get it from China.  They confirmed the GPU failure is caused by the logic board and is indeed required to fix. They said part of the delay is when you have an upgraded GPU, memory, SSD, its configured as a customization and they need a matching logic board.

So for those hoping and waiting... don't hope for a software fix. This is a hardware problem and its confirmed by Apple.

Hey M0unt41nman, what did you do to get them to admit it was the logic board and a HW issue at the core? I'm not surprised if there's a delay in part replacement, but it's been frustrating having these repetitive issues when the simple diagnostic they run at the retail store says all the hardware checks out...

I sent an email to the VP of Applecare explaining that this case is nearly a month old and have been given the runaround by Applecare support. It went right to their executive team and I got a call back from them that evening (Cupertino). I told them that I wanted transparancy as I want to know what is broken and what am I waiting on. They agreed and called me back this morning with all the details, explaining everything wrong with it , what they are waiting on, and the delay. They said they will do everything to get this buttoned up and overnight-ed to me. I am supposed to go out of town and they even offered to ship it to where I am going. So they have been pretty decent about getting this to move. They agreed there is an issue and that Apple Support dropped the ball in a big way with my case.

I finally called Apple Support about this problem, having suffered the freezing and other GPU problems since the first day. After putting me on hold and checking with her supervisor, she did confirm this is a known problem with the MacBook Pro 16 Inch models. She did remote into my MacBook to verify the model and hardware configuration (specifically looking at the AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8 GB GPU). She created an appointment at my local Apple Store and I will be given a new computer (not refurb). I did ask if Apple has identified the specific problem, and she told they have and all new models have the issue resolved.

It seems this was/is a hardware problem (not software) and replacing the computer is the only solution.

I will be replacing my Space Gray MacBook Pro 16 Inch tomorrow at the Apple Store. I hope this will resolve the problem.

I suggest others contact Apple Support and get their computer replaced.

Good Luck…

My model config is…

Space Gray

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

2.4 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9

32 GB 2667 MHz DDR4

1TB Macintosh HD

AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8 GB

Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB

Update from my situation... the executive team asked to keep my computer and will be shipping me a brand new one with the same specs. It’s a confirmed hardware issue and they are aware of it. They also confirmed the delay on parts is due to Corona virus.

I did ask if Apple has identified the specific problem, and she told they have and all new models have the issue resolved.

Interesting and promising. But my MBP 16 is only about two weeks old. So how much newer are these models? Granted my problems are mostly limited to restart on wake from sleep (with standby on), and I don't have the random freezing YET, but the errors are still all GPU-related.

Gonna take it in anyway I guess. Just hoping it doesn't get worse on a new machine. Anyone here get theirs from Best Buy? I'm still in the return window, so wondering if I should go there to replace it instead.

Restart on wake is generally the GPU panic issue and is evidenced by a dialog box after reboot stating a problem has occurred and if you want to send it to Apple. If that is what you have it’s the bad problem and the freezing usually occurs before the panic issues. So I would assume you have the worst problem and it’s hardware related. You are recommended to get it to Apple and get it repaired.

ondrejc,

Even though you purchased two weeks ago, it is likely the model you have was part of the original shipment and sitting in inventory. There is no way to know for sure, but your best bet is to call Apple, get a support case and have it replaced (with a new computer, not refurb). Or you take it back for a refund/exchange if you are still within return period. But, I would be concerned if the store replaces it with an older (un-repaired unit).

I don't have a good answer for you. Call Apple and see what they say. No point exchanging for another defective unit.....

The GOOD NEWS IS...Apple is finally acknowledging the problem.....

No more guessing. It is a hardware problem with no software fix. You need to have it replaced with a FIXED unit.

Good luck and let us know what Apple is saying. I am curious is we are all being told the same thing.

Ahh thank you for this information!!

I have the AMD 5500M 8GB also. On my 3rd but hadn't spoken to Apple for almost a month with the 3rd the same as the first two. Hours on the phone and 1.5 weeks between each replacement was not the experience I have paid for.

My solution was to just pay the excess for 'accidental damage' under my Applecare and swap the late 2019 build for the early 2020 build. That's not really fair though, as it does wipe out 1 of my 2 accidental replacements under Applecare for 3 years.

With this information, I think I will now call them up and hopefully get a late 2019 model as I purchased that doesn't restart. I have endless videos of freezes and crash logs. Until Apple take these actions, it's left a lot of us in a loop getting a bad batch. Hopefully this is the end of this nightmare and I can move all my heavier work to the one machine and sell the other two as originally intended. Costly experience.