High CPU Usage by kernel_task on Powerful MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

Hello everyone,

I have been facing a persistent issue with my powerful MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) for quite some time now, and I am seeking assistance from the Apple community. My MacBook Pro is equipped with an i9-9980HK processor, 32GB RAM, and an AMD Radeon Pro 5600M graphics card.

The problem I am encountering is related to the kernel_task process, which consistently exhibits extremely high CPU usage, often reaching up to 1000% utilization. This issue occurs regardless of whether I am connected to my Elgato Thunderbolt 3 Dock with two external displays or using my MacBook alone on a table.

I want to mention that I am a Computer Science and Engineering student and consider myself a "power user." Therefore, I am willing and capable of performing advanced software operations if necessary, without any concerns.

While researching possible causes for this high CPU usage, I have thoroughly checked for any malicious kernel extensions. However, I only found the extension associated with my Elgato Thunderbolt 3 Dock in the /Library/Extensions directory, along with the default extensions installed by Apple.

Additionally, I often have multiple software applications running simultaneously, but previous monitoring with iStatMenus (and Sensei in the past) has shown that my hardware is more than capable of handling these applications efficiently. Typically, my user CPU usage remains well below 20%, even with multiple applications running simultaneously.

During my investigation, I came across information suggesting that Backblaze, a backup software that runs scheduled backups, could potentially contribute to this issue. It was mentioned that Backblaze's "bzfilelist" sub-process indexes changing files once per hour, and unfortunately, this process cannot be disabled. I suspect that this indexing operation might be causing the high CPU usage.

Considering the severity of the problem, there are two scenarios I would like to mention. Firstly, when the system usage spikes too much, my Mac becomes unusable. Sometimes it even goes black, as if entering a forced sleep mode, when the CPU temperature reaches 100 degrees Celsius. However, it is worth noting that this high CPU usage by the kernel_task process can also occur when I am not performing any heavy tasks, leading to system lag without the Mac going completely black or becoming excessively hot.

Given the circumstances, I would like to inquire whether it would be advisable to perform a Hardware Check at an Apple Store. I appreciate any insights, suggestions, or experiences the community can share to help resolve this issue and restore optimal performance to my MacBook Pro.

Thank you all for your kind assistance!

Best regards,

Mattia Colombo