Sudden rMBP graphic performance issues

Question

Level 1

15 points

Sudden rMBP graphic performance issues

Hello,

I've a MacBook Pro with Retina display, running 10.8.2 and Win7 64-bit (via Bootcamp).

It's since a couple of days now, that I'm noticing a sharp drop in my rMBP's graphic performance. This is best observed in games, running both on OSX and Windows. For example, I've played a lot of Diablo 3 with this computer, under OSX, on standard resolution (not retina), and it played very well, and really smooth. When I ran it today, it lags really bad (i.e., running at very low FPS). It's unplayable. This shift occured overnight. One time it worked, then suddenly it doesn't.

I've observed this playing Borderlands 2, under Windows (Bootcamp). This game used to run just fine until this 'performance drop' occured.

Did some testing;

According to System Information, when I'm just browsing the internet, my machine is using the Intel HD 4000, and when I run Diablo 3, it then switches to the Geforce GT 650M. I get very poor performance. Then, while the game is running, I ran Activity Monitor only to see my system totally chilling. Had 93% CPU Idle, 10.5GB free RAM, hardly any disk activity @ peaks of 1MB/sec. I then ran atMonitor, which apparently monitors GPU load and temp. the GPU was at 99%, and I'm not sure about the temp. I assume it went up as well.

I'm not sure what exactly caused this shift. Is any familiar with this? Any bright ideas?

Thanks. All the best,

-w00fa

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Sep 29, 2012 8:36 PM

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Answer 1

Jaekae

Level 1

0 points

Nov 29, 2012 8:57 PM in response to w00fa

bump this thread so apple can see the problem, i also have this poor performance bug, its like the processor is running on to low speed, the whole comupter get slow, opening apps take longer, laggy UI and poor game performance, until i do SMC reset and it works for some days...... bulls*it to have a problem like this on a 2000 euro computer

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Answer 2

Bobomix

Level 1

0 points

Dec 6, 2012 3:17 PM in response to w00fa

Hello, I have been encountering the same issue under bootcamp running both Windows 7 and on Windows 8. The thing is, I don't even run graphic heavy games, only run League of Legends on occasion. Just recently I have noticed sharp drop in performance and I have to change the game setting on low for the game to even get a stable fps. I also have the MBP from 2010 and it can handle the game at high setting at 1440 resolution.

The SMC Reset has helped, but as many have suggested the issue returns after a couple reboot or wake from sleep. Hopefully this issue will be addressed and fixed. Here's to the best and bumps to the helpful thread!

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Answer 3

Em333

Level 1

0 points

Dec 11, 2012 1:37 PM in response to w00fa

Had the same issue, SMC reset worked, although it was scary cause the first time reset the fans ran on full power until I reset it again.

Bump, Apple should really recognize this problem.

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Answer 4

w00fa Author

Level 1

15 points

Dec 11, 2012 4:31 PM in response to Em333

A supplemantal update for 10.8.2 was made available a few days ago, and if I recall correctly, it included something about graphic performance, or overall performance. This aforementioned update might've addressed the matter at hand. Check it out.

I usually read through changelogs, but for some reason I just hit INSTALL this time.

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Answer 5

Bigze

Level 1

4 points

Dec 11, 2012 9:15 PM in response to w00fa

Apple please fix this issue. I am so disappointed to see this problem exist for 2 months. What a shame on you!

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Answer 6

Dec 12, 2012 2:45 PM in response to w00fa

Can we get an official response on this? This has been a major problem and known for a few months now. Does the most recent update address this issue?

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Answer 7

Dec 12, 2012 2:48 PM in response to poling253

The last update did not fix the issue.

I think the last update was mostly new drivers for the GPU.

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Answer 8

Dec 17, 2012 11:31 AM in response to w00fa

I want to chime in on this too, just in the hope that Apple will see and fix it. This problem has been going on for months now, and I'm done with resetting my SMC every time I want to play a game. (On OS X or Windows, doesn't matter...)

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Answer 9

Dec 19, 2012 11:00 AM in response to w00fa

This really ***** for a $3K laptop! I have to reset the SMC often now. I usually game on window 7 in boot camp. But you really notice the difference even in mountain lion when you use expose much. When you see it lagging you know that you are going to have to reset SMC. I just think that at least in boot camp when the game is lagging, the GPU is actually not engaged. When the discrete GPU is actually working full power the chasis around top left part of the keyboard gets so hot you cannot touch it. When the discrete GPU is not employed the heat is much more tolerable (but speed is awful).

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Answer 10

maxdee

Level 1

0 points

Dec 27, 2012 4:27 AM in response to w00fa

Here is my temporary fix to this problem

1. reset SMC

2. turn off Power Nap

3. change hibernate mode from 3 to 25 by opening terminal then type in the following command

sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 25

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Answer 11

Dec 27, 2012 4:29 AM in response to maxdee

and for how long this helps? does this work on bootcamp?

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Answer 12

Jan 2, 2013 6:24 AM in response to w00fa

hey hey , im hav the same issus.. juz bought 1 month ago ,..oktober 18 and problem came out on dec 5..and apple change the logic board for me ..and fix on dec 17 .. and now the problem came to same .. jan 2.. im playing diablo3 lagging with the 650MGT graphic..

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Answer 13

Jan 2, 2013 6:37 AM in response to charlesKL

i juz tryed.. to reset the SMC setting .. by shutdown .. adn how shift control option power .. diablo3 work perfect again .. thx....any1 knw will this things fix???

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Answer 14

gbreth

Level 1

0 points

Jan 5, 2013 2:42 AM in response to w00fa

I went with the performance issue to the Apple Store Genius Bar. We found out that one CPU sensor was reporting more than 100 C° and the Genius thought that this could cause the CPU to "step down" in perfromance. After the replacment of my logicboard I tried different games in Bootcamp and OS X. The replacement didn't help.

Two days ago a friend gave me a coolermaster cooling pad for notebooks and now I am able to play my games with full performance again. Maybe this can fix it - temporarly. But it's still strange that this cooling pad wasn't necessary before the last EFI Update.

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Answer 15

Bigze

Level 1

4 points

Jan 5, 2013 4:45 AM in response to gbreth

I also went to the genius bar however they found no hardware problem with my machine.

As far as I know, this problem is caused by the wake/sleep process with/without the power adapter. You can find that if your power adapter is connected all the time, you dont have this issue at all. Only if you switch between on battery and on power source during the sleeping time, will this problem be produced.

This is very very upsetting and I have no luck to figure out a way to avoid that.

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