Persistent Hardware/Software Issues on MacBook Pro (M1 Pro, 16GB)

Hi everyone,

I’ve honestly been putting off writing this for years because it always felt like too much effort to submit a report. I kept thinking, “Maybe the next update will fix it.” But at this point, it’s getting worse and I can’t ignore it anymore.

Since I bought this MacBook Pro in 2021, I’ve had the crackling audio issue not only whenever there’s high CPU usage, but all the **** time. As soon as the system is under any sort of high or small load, the speakers start producing distorted, crackling sounds. I know I’m not the only one — this has been reported by many users for years. I perform a complete reset and clean setup annually (and sometimes semiannually), and as a Software Engineer, I’m meticulous about maintaining my machine.

On top of that, every single time I connect it to a TV or external display via HDMI, both the video and audio get messed up. The only way to fix it is to restart the computer. Every single time, no exceptions. It’s completely consistent and reproducible.

I paid a premium price for this device, and basic things like stable audio and working HDMI output shouldn’t be ongoing problems. For years I waited for macOS updates to solve it, assuming Apple would eventually address it. That hasn’t happened.

Is anyone else still dealing with this? Has anyone found a real fix that doesn’t involve restarting the machine every single time?