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Macbook Pro 16 inch (2019 model) Overheating

Hi all, my Macbook Pro 16 inch (2019 model) keeps overheating with simple tasks like a Teams meeting (with or without an external monitor) and sometimes when doing nothing at all. I contacted Apple and after many phone calls and having it checked at the Apple store, Apple says it is expected behavior of the Macbook. But my my old Macbook from 2015 doesn't have the same problem when using the same apps?


As my user name indicates, I am a Macbook user since 1999 and never had any issues with the ventilator overheating. I have used heavier apps like video editing (Finalcut and Premiere) on my previous Macs and never had a problem. And now I have problems with using Teams, Lightroom, iMovie and an external monitor with a newer and "better" Macbook?


Apple sticks with their opinion that it is expected behavior, despite my experience with previous Macbooks and despite many other users having the same problem. See here on Apple discussions and on other places like Macrumors. I am greatly disappointed in Apple!


What to do?

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 11.2

Posted on Apr 20, 2021 2:59 AM

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Posted on May 18, 2021 7:28 AM

Thanks again for your time. You make it sound my Macbook is performing normal. The thing is, I did not have any issue with heating and fan noise when using my 2015 MBP and using the same apps. Even my older MB Air could easily run Lightroom with a large library without any over heating and fan noise.


The issue with this MBP16 2019 model is clear to me and to many other users. Google it and read 'MacBook 16-inch Fan Noise' here on discussions.


This week I had a meeting with an other MBP16 user and she had exactly the same issues and not with her older MBP.


Apple needs to acknowledge their MBP16 doesn't meet the requirements and expectations of its clients.

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May 18, 2021 7:28 AM in response to rcosta887

Thanks again for your time. You make it sound my Macbook is performing normal. The thing is, I did not have any issue with heating and fan noise when using my 2015 MBP and using the same apps. Even my older MB Air could easily run Lightroom with a large library without any over heating and fan noise.


The issue with this MBP16 2019 model is clear to me and to many other users. Google it and read 'MacBook 16-inch Fan Noise' here on discussions.


This week I had a meeting with an other MBP16 user and she had exactly the same issues and not with her older MBP.


Apple needs to acknowledge their MBP16 doesn't meet the requirements and expectations of its clients.

Apr 24, 2021 8:15 PM in response to MacUserSince1999

That 95%+ tells me that you have no junk loading in the background, so the issue definitely is not there.


The Google Chrome browser is great for so many things, but it absolutely will use significantly more CPU and especially RAM than using Safari, especially if you have a lot of Chrome windows and tabs open at once (often it will be using 500MB of ram per tab). If your Chrome usage is pretty light (like 6 tabs or less), and you installed the latest version (not an older version imported via Time Machine) then Chrome probably isn't the issue.


As I said, Microsoft Teams is pretty well known for being a huge performance killer. Most people usually do notice a very big difference in disabling the GPU hardware acceleration though. There is a big thread on this on Microsoft's community forum site:

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams/why-teams-is-slowing-down-my-mac/m-p/1334064


In addition to checking the CPU in Activity Monitor, you should also check out the memory usage. Lightroom is also a pretty famous resource user, especially if you have a huge library. And Zoom can also be a bit piggy as well. iMovie aside, Teams, Chrome, and Lightroom (in that order) are literally the 3 most common resource hungry apps you can run on a Mac. If you check the Memory tab in Activity Monitor ideally you should be running with a good 3 to 4GB of free physical RAM (i.e. the difference between memory used, and physical memory ideally should show several gigabytes free.


All that being said (keeping your Chrome tab usage under a half dozen, turning of GPU acceleration in Teams, and being mindful these individually...let alone in combination...are the three hungriest apps) you probably should just go ahead and purchase an external active CPU cooler stand as that will make a dramatic difference. Obviously the apps you run are the apps you need to run, and short of discovering you maybe needed to have purchased a Mac with more RAM (if you only have an 8GB model, for example) there isn't too much more that can be done short of the better cooling. It will make a huge difference.


A good laptop cooling stand with a metal surface will help a lot and costs between $30-$60, although you may or may not be able to use your existing Twelve South High-rise with it. Getting one with adjustable speed and a temperature readout is also a good idea.


Keeping your MacBook Pro cool (externally) will increase the battery lifespan, reduce stress on the CPU and internal fan, and other components, and reduce the noise from the built-in fan from your particularly demanding apps. Based on your particular apps usage though (and not knowing the RAM situation) most likely there isn't a serviceable problem with the built-in fan or heatsink that could be "repaired" and an external cooling stand will be able to do more cooling at a lower/quieter RPM than the built-in fan. This will also give you better performance as the thermal throttling won't have to kick in nearly as much due to the high temperature.


I do think that this is a great example why the new M1 chips are a much bitter fit for Apple's design mentality in trying to keep things really thin physically in terms of power users needing the more demanding CPU apps.

Apr 20, 2021 1:08 PM in response to MacUserSince1999

I would definitely consider that stand helpful.


What is your typical CPU Idle % according to the graph in the Activity Monitor App?

https://support.apple.com/guide/activity-monitor/welcome/mac


Like when you first turn on your Mac before you open any of apps are you getting 90-95%+ idle? If not, there may be an opportunity to eliminate some of the background items that you have running before you even open any of your actual apps.


Did your Mac used to run cooler and only recently started overheating, or has it always been overheating?

Apr 20, 2021 3:08 AM in response to MacUserSince1999

The MacBook does most of it's cooling directly through the chassis. Are you using anything that is making contact with the chassis such as a case/cover? Or using the MacBook on a soft surface? (like sitting on a cushion or sitting on a soft case)


For maximum heat reduction it needs to be used directly over a hard surface with only air in between.


Also, Microsoft Teams is notorious as a CPU and GPU hog. You can make it less piggy by doing the following:

  1. Click on your profile photo and then click on Settings
  2. Under application select Disable GPU hardware acceleration (requires restarting Teams)


Apr 20, 2021 4:20 AM in response to rcosta887

Thanks rcosta887!


  • I am using a Macbook stand: the Highrise from Twelve South, so it has a lot of free air flow;
  • Thanks for your advice regarding Teams. I will adjust it;
  • But I also have the overheating issue when doing nothing serious. CPU temperature is around 60 degrees Celsius (140 Fahrenheit) when doing nothing serious and goes up to 100 degrees (212 Fahrenheit) when using Teams, Lightroom or when connecting an external monitor . Never had this issue on my Macbook Pro from 2015. Any ideas?


Apr 22, 2021 8:51 AM in response to rcosta887

Thanks rcosta887!


CPU Idle at the moment is 96,93%, only app using this moment is Firefox.


After re-starting the Mac the CPU Idle is about 95%, when not using any apps yet.


I already did a full clean re-install, with erasing the data and without putting the Timemachine backup back, and tested the Mac after and the overheating was still there. The easiest way to reproduce the overheating is exporting a movie from iMovie or export photos from Lightroom, then it happens every time. It doesn't on my older Macbook.


BTW I disabled GPU hardware acceleration in Teams but doesn't make a difference.


I just installed Google Chrome and the fans starting again because CPU was going up to 90 degrees Celsius. Do you think that is normal behavior? I never noticed this on my 2015 Macbook Pro.


The overheating got worse over time, but the first months I only used Office apps. I first started to notice it when using Teams and Zoom, and later Lightroom and iMovie. I wish I tested all the apps I wanted to use in the first week, so I could have returned this Macbook and ask for an other. But not sure if that would have helped because I read many people have the same issues with the 16-inch.


I reported the issue, but Apple sticks with their opinion this is normal behavior. They refused to put that in writing though, only wanted to say it on the phone. My love for Apple products is decreasing as we speak...

Macbook Pro 16 inch (2019 model) Overheating

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