16" MacBook Pro seems to run slow with 4k monitor, or to overheat

[Policar]

I am trying to use this computer for work but sometimes with processor-intensive applications (Creative Cloud) it gets unusually slow. It is maxed out except for the SSD. Nice computer but I sometimes need it to be faster.

Are there any bits of advice you have to work around this? Unplugging it from a monitor while working? Any cooling pads or EGPU solutions? I have a 4K UltraFine LG screen attached. Would disconnecting this display and instead buying some sort of stand so I can use the main display for work improve performance? Thanks, any little bit of help would be appreciated. Nice computer otherwise, but frustrating to spend so much and still have this issue.

 

[jlocker]

Make sure you have plenty of air flow going under and over the top of MacBook Pro 16. I have 2 USB fans on each side of the laptop case pushing cool air under and over the case. This helps a lot and helps the internal fans cool the inside of the laptop. So the laptop will not throttle the processors to try to keep the system cool. Use Fanny program to check the temp of the processor and see what the internal fans are doing. And of course make sure every couple of months you used compressed air to clean the intake slots on the bottom of the case to keep dust from heating up the computer.

 

[Policar]

Make sure you have plenty of air flow going under and over the top of MacBook Pro 16. I have 2 USB fans on each side of the laptop case pushing cool air under and over the case. This helps a lot and helps the internal fans cool the inside of the laptop. So the laptop will not throttle the processors to try to keep the system cool. Use Fanny program to check the temp of the processor and see what the internal fans are doing. And of course make sure every couple of months you used compressed air to clean the intake slots on the bottom of the case to keep dust from heating up the computer.

Thanks so much. It's on my desk and I don't.

I'm using the computer for long days and it seems to slow down as the day goes on. I have a 4k UltraFine display hooked up to it. I was thinking of getting something like this:

Thermaltake Massive TM Notebook fan with 2 port USB hub 120 mm black - Office Depot

Temperature sensor. Adjustable temperature sensor monitoring up to four different areas pin point the hottest part of your notebook. Elegance of aluminum. Brushed aluminum panel for added elegance. The hexagon shaped mesh allows the best airflow rate to aid cooling. Extreme ventilation. Dual 120...

www.officedepot.com

Or this:

OMOTON Laptop Stand, Detachable Laptop Mount, Aluminum Laptop Holder Stand for Desk, Compatible with MacBook Air/Pro, Dell, HP, Lenovo and All Laptops (11-16 inch), Silver

Stand laptop pro air for desk holder riser mount computer adjustable height portable ergonomic lap top table

www.amazon.com

And I've heard unplugging the display can help, too?

That's sort of a last resort thing since I mostly use this display and not the built in screen. Money's not a big issue here, but I'm hesitant to buy for instance an external graphics card. Most of my work is CPU-bound but I would love to speed things up as much as possible. And thanks I will do this, I have not used compressed air but will pick some up.

The CPU temp (62 degrees now) is not turning up that high but the fans are constantly at max.

 

[A Happening in Hades]

I had a similar problem. Your setup will run faster and much cooler with MacBook Pro 16" in clamshell mode. Using both MacBook screen and LG Monitor heats the Pro up beyond healthy levels. Of course it runs much cooler on its own not attached to anything. The onboard GPU uses much less power than the discrete graphic and gives off much less heat. Compare the power usage for the Radeon for MacBook in clamshell, with both monitors; with the intel gpu with nothing attached - on an app like iStat Menus.

 

[Policar]

I had a similar problem. Your setup will run faster and much cooler with MacBook Pro 16" in clamshell mode. Using both MacBook screen and LG Monitor heats the Pro up beyond healthy levels. Of course it runs much cooler on its own not attached to anything. The onboard GPU uses much less power than the discrete graphic and gives off much less heat. Compare the power usage for the Radeon for MacBook in clamshell, with both monitors; with the intel gpu with nothing attached - on an app like iStat Menus.

Thanks, this is helpful. I'm mostly using after effects and photoshop but with long render times.

If I get that weird thermal take cooler, clean out the intake slots, and just use my external (4096X2304 or something) monitor should things be smoother for me? I don't make much use of the laptop's screen when using both.

 

[A Happening in Hades]

Thanks, this is helpful. I'm mostly using after effects and photoshop but with long render times.

If I get that weird thermal take cooler, clean out the intake slots, and just use my external (4096X2304 or something) monitor should things be smoother for me? I don't make much use of the laptop's screen when using both.

I think it best to use in clamshell mode if you want to use the monitor. There is a huge (198 pp) forum discussion on this issue with no solution. The MacBook Pro 16" runs beautifully without a monitor, pretty well with a monitor in clamshell mode, and hot as with the screen on and a monitor attached.

 

[Policar]

I think it best to use in clamshell mode if you want to use the monitor. There is a huge (198 pp) forum discussion on this issue with no solution. The MacBook Pro 16" runs beautifully without a monitor, pretty well with a monitor in clamshell mode, and hot as with the screen on and a monitor attached.

I assume this would have an effect on render times/performance, too?

Clamshell mode is probably fine with me, just need to find an external keyboard to hook up. Guess I'll be getting that cooling pad, too, just in case.

Also, the monitor I think provides only 60w of power. Would using the 96w? power adapter be better/

 

[A Happening in Hades]

I charge my baby via the monitor and it stays at 100% charge. I don't do 3D rendering or the like just standard stuff but I multitask and when working on writing have many docs open and any number of tabs in Safari and Firefox. if you need the large screen clamshell it. It would be great if you could use both screens without these issues but it is what it is. Still, it is a beautiful machine and apart from this one flaw runs fast and cool.

 

[Policar]

Thanks again, my fans are basically constantly at maximum, except when I first wake the computer up or turn it on in the morning, during which time it feels dramatically faster.

Anyway I have canned air and a fan stand and an external wireless/bluetooth Apple keyboard all arriving this week and am hopeful it speeds things up. It is a nice computer but I bought it was a desktop replacement and perhaps that was foolish.

CPU temp got up to 87º earlier, which seems high.