Mac Studio M2 Ultra and kernel_task constantly between 25-30% CPU usage after the computer has gone to sleep on Ventura

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Level 1

17 points

Mac Studio M2 Ultra and kernel_task constantly between 25-30% CPU usage after the computer has gone to sleep on Ventura

Good morning, I am disturbing you out of curiosity and evetually asking those who own a Mac Studio M2 Ultra if they experience the same thing.

Basically, I've noticed that the kernel_task process, which when the system is idle takes up about 5-10% of the CPU, after waking up from sleep takes up 25-30% consistently. Nothing dramatic, but I am interested to know if a value of 25-30% in idle can still be considered normal.

The computer is a Mac Studio M2 Ultra 60 core/64GB (the basic Ultra model, in short).

macOS 13.14.1

I also have a MacBook Pro M2 Max with exactly the same software installed, but this problem does not happen. I have tried with two monitors (standard configuration), with only one. Attaching it to both the Mac Studio and the MacBook but precisely the thing happens only on the Mac Stdio.

With kernel_task at 25-30% I seem to detect an average CPU temperature 2 degrees celsius higher.

If instead of letting the computer go to sleep, I only activate the screensaver even for an hour kernel_task stays at 5-10%.

I have already tried booting the computer in Safe Mode and the problem occurs here as well.

I unplugged all peripherals worked only with a monitor, trying to connect it with HDMI or USB-C. Nothing changes. The problem, if it is a problem, recurs after each sleep.

Thanks for any answers and best regards.

Mac Studio, macOS 13.4

Posted on Jul 4, 2023 12:01 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

bubeli Author

Level 1

17 points

Jul 24, 2023 11:04 PM in response to bubeli

Good morning,

small update on the topic.

Apple, after keeping my Max Studio in service for over 12 days, wanted to return the computer to me, saying they found no hardware defects, but not even reassuring me that the problem would be fixed with a subsequent firmware/software update. In short, they saw the problem, but not knowing how to fix it they wanted to leave me with a computer that essentially could not go to sleep.

At my insistence, they then replaced my Mac Studio just in case. The new one also has the same problem.

The Mac enriched last Friday--and the knocking thing is that yesterday's Ventura update seems to have fixed the problem. So the technicians knew about the problem and also that it would be fixed.

Now, I am happy that Apple was very resilient, replacing the Mac Studio for me, even though the legal time for the right of return had expired a few weeks ago.

But what I wonder: couldn't the technicians/engineers have passed the communication on to the service center or to whoever answers Customer Service on the phone? It would have saved us all a lot of time, because knowing that they were working on the problem I would obviously have waited. Whereas so, faced with an initial unwillingness to resolve the quetion, I persisted and asked for a replacement, even though I knew that 99% of the time I would still have the problem. But it was worth a try, given the cost of the device.

I will conduct further tests this evening, but it appears precisely that the problem has been solved.

Greetings.

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

251,435 points

Jul 6, 2023 7:06 AM in response to bubeli

We need to see what all is running & machine specs, a report from this will not display any personal info...

EtreCheck is a FREE simple little diagnostic tool to display the important details of your system configuration and allow you to copy that information to the Clipboard. It is meant to be used with Apple Support Communities to help people help you with your Mac. It will not display any personal info.

https://www.etrecheck.com/

Pastebin is a good place to paste the whole report if you capture the URL while there…

Workable but harder for me to work with...the Note tool on the bottom of this editor's toolbar, as shown in the image, to copy and paste the output from EtreCheck. In a Reply before you click post, look for this to add longer texts...

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Answer 3

den.thed

Level 10

96,884 points

Jul 6, 2023 9:27 AM in response to bubeli

Computer sleep is no longer necessary with the newer Mac's. Plus macOS has had an issue with automatic computer sleep and some background processes for several years now.

As a test:

Enable "Prevent automatically sleeping computer when display is off" and only allow the display to turn off after 10 or 15 minutes. The Screensaver is optional eye candy, but keep in mind that it consumes a lot more power, then just allowing the display to turn off.

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Answer 4

bubeli Author

Level 1

17 points

Jul 6, 2023 11:39 AM in response to BDAqua

Hi,

thank you for your reply.

In the meantime, manifesting a bit too much impatience but in the search for a solution, I did a clean install of macOS Ventura, deleting the Macintosh HD volume and then reinstalling the system, downloading it from the internet, via Ricovery. The procedure, in short, also reported by Apple.

Unfortunately, the problem recurred.

I attach the report from EtreCheck immediately after the clean installation.

EtreCheckPro Report

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Answer 5

bubeli Author

Level 1

17 points

Jul 6, 2023 11:43 AM in response to BDAqua

Thank you for the suggestion about turning off the automatic stop. That is actually the solution I was adopting. But I'm interested to know if mine is a software or hardware problem, because since it's a new computer I might have it replaced.

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