16" Macbook Pro i9 Upgrade and thermals

[BadGoldEagle]

Hi all

I had bought a 2019 15" MBP with the i9-9980HK (@2.4Ghz) but had to send it back because of the keyboard. Kinda glad I did because the new 16" model came out about 20 days after...

In my short ownership (less than a day), I noticed that the 15" with the 9980HK overheated a lot, especially during the Catalina upgrade but also during normal web browsing, which wasn't very promising... To the members that have this CPU with the new 16", have you experienced any overheating? The thermals are supposedly better but how good are they really?

I'm asking this because I might stick with the 'standard' i9 MBP config with the 9880H if it stays cooler.
It's not so much a question of cost here (the upgrade isn't that costly). So I might still go with the high end unit and use Volta in case I have issues with it.

Can Volta really help with the thermals if say, I lower the 9980HK's TDP to 9880H specs?

Thanks!

 

[BadGoldEagle]

Well, I ordered the Macbook anyway.

The 9880H has two official TDPs, one of 35W in low power mode and the other of 45W (I guess normal mode?). The high end 9980HK doesn't apparently have the low power mode so in case it overheats, I'll use Volta to lower it down to 40W, which should still do fine.

 

[leman]

In my short ownership (less than a day), I noticed that the 15" with the 9980HK overheated a lot, especially during the Catalina upgrade but also during normal web browsing, which wasn't very promising...

What do you mean "overheated"? Getting warm to touch and cranking the fans up is not overheating, it is normal laptop operation.

The 9880H has two official TDPs, one of 35W in low power mode and the other of 45W (I guess normal mode?). The high end 9980HK doesn't apparently have the low power mode so in case it overheats, I'll use Volta to lower it down to 40W, which should still do fine.

Apple does not limit the CPUs by TDP, Apple temperature-throttles them. What this means is that it lets the CPU draw as much power as it can until it reaches the maximal safe temperature threshold (approx 100C). So better cooling on a MBP does not translate to cooler laptop, it simply means that CPU can draw more power and therefore deliver more performance at same temperature and noise levels.

Limiting TDP using Volta would indeed work, if you feel like neutering your laptop. I find it difficult to understand why you would order an expensive machine like that and then disable its performance mode. Why not just get the base CPU if you intend to do that and save a good amount of $$$?

 

[BadGoldEagle]

After two weeks of use, I am happy to report that there are no overheating issues on the 16" MBP. The 15" is a lot worse. Also, replying to leman's question... The fans were running at 80+% and the temperatures were still in the 80+C range while casually browsing the web/Youtube. That's why I said it 'overheated'.