How to test MBP 2018 for possible heat, noisy fan and thermal throttling issues? Let's make tables.

[hajime]

I read that Windows laptops with 8gen cpu have these issues. Is there a list of tests that I can perform to test the new machine when I get it?

 

[Schranke]

Just run cinebench 5 to 10 times in a row and you will reach a high temperature and be able to see how performance adjust to that.
https://www.maxon.net/en/products/cinebench/

Heaven could also be an option if you are interested in GPU performance
https://benchmark.unigine.com/heaven

 

[hallux]

And to avoid confusion in the future, you don't have a 2018 MBP if you have already ordered a computer and are waiting on its arrival, as those have not yet been announced. You likely have a 2017, they are named based on when they are released.

 

[Schranke]

And to avoid confusion in the future, you don't have a 2018 MBP if you have already ordered a computer and are waiting on its arrival, as those have not yet been announced. You likely have a 2017, they are named based on when they are released.

I think that @hajime already announced that he will be getting one in another thread here, not sure he order it yet though. But glad we have some who jumps in both legs first

 

[hallux]

I think that @hajime already announced that he will be getting one in another thread here, not sure he order it yet though. But glad we have some who jumps in both legs first

Forgive me, I didn't realize they had been announced...

 

[Schranke]

Forgive me, I didn't realize they had been announced...

You are hereby forgiven
The forum will be interesting for the next weeks as we will se a lot of new threads and not just the same old keyboard complaints (I expect we will still see them, just not for the new MBP)

 

[hajime]

At 5:40, there is a photo of the thermal generation of the 15" MBP 2018 with 43c on it. Is this bad?

[doublepost=1531621898][/doublepost]At 7:21, they measured the temperature of the 2018 MBP as 45.5c which is hotter than the 2017 MBP.

 

[hajime]

I see many posts asking about possible heat, noisy fan and thermal throttling of various CPU on the new MBP 2018. How come we don't get the answers from reviews? Is it that difficult to test?

 

[M.Rizk]

All

I see many posts asking about possible heat, noisy fan and thermal throttling of various CPU on the new MBP 2018. How come we don't get the answers from reviews? Is it that difficult to test?

I keep checking YouTube once every 3 to 4 hours and all videos are unboxing. The only one with thermal test was by Austin Evans where the Mac keyboard warmed up to 43 degrees (Celsius). He didn’t mention if any throttling happened or not.

We need Dave2D for this or Linus.

 

[Naimfan]

The new 15" mid-level runs hotter and the fans are louder than those of the mid-level 15". That's in a side by side comparison.

The 2018 can also turn in lower CPU scores on Cinebench when it's heated up relative to the 2017.

 

[hajime]

The new 15" mid-level runs hotter and the fans are louder than those of the mid-level 15". That's in a side by side comparison.

The 2018 can also turn in lower CPU scores on Cinebench when it's heated up relative to the 2017.

Which CPU?
[doublepost=1531670101][/doublepost]

All


I keep checking YouTube once every 3 to 4 hours and all videos are unboxing. The only one with thermal test was by Austin Evans where the Mac keyboard warmed up to 43 degrees (Celsius). He didn’t mention if any throttling happened or not.

We need Dave2D for this or Linus.

Usually when do they and Lisa of MobileTech announce the results?

 

[hajime]

I may be dreaming but is it possible for existing users help to collect data to make the following tables? Any proposal for common measuring software and tools? Does this forum support entries in table format?

1. Effect of CPU on heat of both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Mac OS.
2. Effect of CPU on fan noise of both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Mac OS.
3. Effect of thermal throttling on both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Mac OS.
4. Effect of CPU on battery life of both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Mac OS.

5. Effect of CPU on heat of both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Windows 7.
6. Effect of CPU on fan noise of both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Windows 7.
7. Effect of thermal throttling on both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Windows 7.
8. Effect of CPU on battery life of both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Windows 7.

9. Effect of CPU on heat of both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Windows 10.
10. Effect of CPU on fan noise of both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Windows 10.
11. Effect of thermal throttling on both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Windows 10.
12. Effect of CPU on battery life of both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Windows 10.

13. Effect of CPU on heat of both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Ubuntu Linux 18.
14. Effect of CPU on fan noise of both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Ubuntu Linux 18.
15. Effect of thermal throttling on both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Ubuntu Linux 18.
16. Effect of CPU on battery life of both 13" and 15" MBP 2018 under Ubuntu Linux 18.

 

[SBruv]

The new 15" mid-level runs hotter and the fans are louder than those of the mid-level 15". That's in a side by side comparison.

The 2018 can also turn in lower CPU scores on Cinebench when it's heated up relative to the 2017.

Where's this info coming from?

 

[Naimfan]

Where's this info coming from?

My side by side comparisons.

 

[SBruv]

My side by side comparisons.

Ah! Good answer.

 

[ddarko]

Cnet's review has a Cinebench R15 CPU benchmark comparing the 2018 15" i9-8950HK vs the 2017 15" i7-7820HQ. It's an interesting comparison because both CPUs have the same base frequency of 2.9GHz. The 2018 model scores 942 vs 2017's score of 764. While the 2018 model is faster, it looks like it's due to the 2 additional cores. The score seems to indicate the i9-8950HK wasn't boosting above its base frequency in the benchmark.

https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-macbook-pro-with-touch-bar-15-inch-2018/preview/

 

[jinnyman]

You can run cinebench or handbrake encoding or anything that taxes the cpu. All you gotta do is monitor CPU frequency using intel's power gadget app available for mac which shows real time cpu frequency and temp. graph

 

[Queen6]

I read that Windows laptops with 8gen cpu have these issues. Is there a list of tests that I can perform to test the new machine when I get it?

Inaccurate not all Windows notebooks throttle, only those with inadequate cooling, such as the XPS 15. The 2018 MBP like many preceding models performance will be thermally by limited by the design.

My own Primary W10 notebook scores 1273CB on Cinebench R15 with the 8750H CPU, 2018 with i9 best score I've seen to date is 973CB. The i9 CPU in a good chassis I would expect in the region of 1400CB.

Irrespective of thermal and or power throttling the 2018 MBP is the fastest Mac notebook to be ever produced. You either accept the thermal limitations of the design or pass on it for a larger more performant notebook...

Smart money is on waiting for the benchmarks of all the CPU's as with Apple bigger numbers do not always translate into better performance.

Q-6
[doublepost=1531727477][/doublepost]

The new 15" mid-level runs hotter and the fans are louder than those of the mid-level 15". That's in a side by side comparison.

The 2018 can also turn in lower CPU scores on Cinebench when it's heated up relative to the 2017.

If this is the case one word "disappointing" if the CPU is going to roll back performance to sub 2017 levels what's the point, bragging rights?

All the 8th Gen CPU's will Turbo up massively on the PL-2 limit, equally system should hold solid on the PL-1 limit, and say holding easily above 3GHz on all core's

Q-6

 

[Lennyvalentin]

If this is the case one word "disappointing" if the CPU is going to roll back performance to sub 2017 levels what's the point, bragging rights?

It's a 1.5cm thick laptop. You can't expect miracles from such constraints to the cooling solution. If heavy duty CPU performance is important, maybe get a desktop computer instead. (Or a thicker laptop with a more powerful cooling system built in...)

 

[maflynn]

I read that Windows laptops with 8gen cpu have these issues. Is there a list of tests that I can perform to test the new machine when I get it?

I was running the Razer blade, in a stress test and it did not throttle, yes it got a little toasty but the cooling system did the job. Not all Coffee Lake laptops have issues.

 

[Queen6]

It's a 1.5cm thick laptop. You can't expect miracles from such constraints to the cooling solution. If heavy duty CPU performance is important, maybe get a desktop computer instead. (Or a thicker laptop with a more powerful cooling system built in...)

I already have a more performant Windows notebook (if you looked) , equally it would be nice to see the MBP hold up a little better.

Ultimately it's far too early to make a call, as there are very few meaningful benchmark results available. I want to see the performance under heavy load not a 10 second test designed for bragging rights.

Reputable reviews should be out soon accompanied by our own members comment so we will know soon enough...

Q-6

 

[maflynn]

At 5:40, there is a photo of the thermal generation of the 15" MBP 2018 with 43c on it. Is this bad?

I just don't get that video, it makes no sense to me at all. Why is he comparing a two 2016 laptops against the 2018 MBP? Its not an apples to apples comparison, on so many levels. I basically stopped watching, because its useless.

 

[Lennyvalentin]

Why is he comparing a two 2016 laptops against the 2018 MBP? Its not an apples to apples comparison, on so many levels.

Not sure why you feel it doesn't make sense to compare different model year laptops with each other?

 

[hajime]

After horrible loud crazy fan, very hot experience with my MBP 2010 17", I try to avoid a laptop with these issues. For productivity tasks, Matlab and SolidWorks, even my rMBP 2014 15" could do the tasks well. If I do AI/ML stuff, I would need more powerful machine, 32GB RAM and Nvidia GPU.

So, my goal is to find a CPU that provides max performance and have the best battery life but do not lead to heat and noisy fan nor thermal throttling. So far, I have heard the i7 in MBP 2018 13" "runs hot faster". I don't know how hot it is. The 15" have more power CPU so they might have issues I mentioned above but they might have better cooling system due to larger case and possibly double fans as happened in 2017 models. Anybody knows how the cooling system is different between the 13" and 15" models of the MBP 2018?

With my goal in mind, any suggestion on the CPU? Should I wait for more reviews and test results?
[doublepost=1531739748][/doublepost]

I just don't get that video, it makes no sense to me at all. Why is he comparing a two 2016 laptops against the 2018 MBP? Its not an apples to apples comparison, on so many levels. I basically stopped watching, because its useless.

I just looked at that photo and it seems the heat spread a lot even to the lower half of the screen.

 

[maflynn]

Not sure why you feel it doesn't make sense to compare different model year laptops with each other?

I think comparisons are good, but why compare a 2016 Lenovo to a 2018 MBP ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I think a better comparison is comparing the 2018 MBP with its counterparts, the 2018 Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, MSI, etc. Comparing the performacne of a 2 year old computer against a 6 core 2018 computer makes no sense to me.