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semistandard

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 19, 2018
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47
I have a few days old MBP 16 with M1. I turned it off and left it to charge with lid closed. When I have opened it - I noticed that it was uncomfortably warm. It got sort of normal after I've opened the lid and turned it on. Is this normal behavior?
 

G5isAlive

Contributor
Aug 28, 2003
2,832
4,869
I run my MBP 16 M1 MAX all the time in clamshell mode and can rarely get the fans to even run... its never been uncomfortably warm. was the battery charging from zero?
 
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semistandard

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 19, 2018
96
47
I run my MBP 16 M1 MAX all the time in clamshell mode and can rarely get the fans to even run... its never been uncomfortably warm. was the battery charging from zero?
Almost… something like 15%. When I turned it on, the problem went away
 

forrestwhite

macrumors member
Oct 22, 2012
42
20
Canada
I always charge my M1P MacBook Pro 16" in clamshell, and often have used it in clamshell w/ an external display, and never had heating issues (let alone the fans even come on).

I'd check out the "Activity Monitor" app as a starting point to monitor what apps, if any, might be kicking into overdrive when in clamshell mode.

If all else fails, get an app like "Etrecheck" to see if you can diagnose any hardware issues.
 

semistandard

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 19, 2018
96
47
As I’ve written - it got hot when it was turned off - “it is not clamshell mode” - because it’s turned off.… and it is hard to check “Activity Monitor” when it is turned off. When I turned it on - the temps got back to usual (I am not sure whether it has something to do with fans working or the lid not being closed).

As g5 suggested, may be low battery has something to do with it, but I am not sure, that’s why I am asking… I do not have any other issues(thank God!) with it right now. And it only happened just once, until now.
 

Sanpete

macrumors 68040
Nov 17, 2016
3,695
1,665
Utah
It's normal for it to warm up while charging, but it shouldn't get hot.

Does turned off mean shut down from the Apple menu, or just sleeping from closing the lid? If the latter, it may still be doing stuff, including indexing, that would add heat. (There's a 12-hour column available under Energy in Activity Monitor that will report earlier activity that might happen while "sleeping.")
 

Realityck

macrumors G4
Nov 9, 2015
11,297
17,085
Silicon Valley, CA
It's normal for it to warm up while charging, but it shouldn't get hot.

Does turned off mean shut down from the Apple menu, or just sleeping from closing the lid? If the latter, it may still be doing stuff, including indexing, that would add heat. (There's a 12-hour column available under Energy in Activity Monitor that will report earlier activity that might happen while "sleeping.")
Mines never felt hot charging, but then again I don't let it go as low as 15% which is what the OP did.

I was wondering if the reason the 16 MBP got actually hot was the OP placed it where there is lack of space around the laptop for air circulation?
 

semistandard

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 19, 2018
96
47
Nope. Temps went to normal when I turned it on. Air circulation is kinda irrelevant if the laptop is turned off (shut down from the menu, not sleeping), as fans are not working anyway.
 

semistandard

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 19, 2018
96
47
It's normal for it to warm up while charging, but it shouldn't get hot.

Does turned off mean shut down from the Apple menu, or just sleeping from closing the lid? If the latter, it may still be doing stuff, including indexing, that would add heat. (There's a 12-hour column available under Energy in Activity Monitor that will report earlier activity that might happen while "sleeping.")
It is not like I've got burns, but the laptop was much hotter than I've got used to it after working with it for a few days (included plugged in), which really surprised me.
 

Realityck

macrumors G4
Nov 9, 2015
11,297
17,085
Silicon Valley, CA
Nope. Temps went to normal when I turned it on. Air circulation is kinda irrelevant if the laptop is turned off (shut down from the menu, not sleeping), as fans are not working anyway.
Its pretty obvious on the way the MBP works that its not totally off when you put it in a off state. You lift the lid it immediately turns on. Use free version of Mac Fans Control 1.5.11 to see what the various temp sensors show after waking up laptop after fast charging. Do you normally use it on battery power for extended periods compared to it plugged in to charger? Are you using macOS 12.3.1 yet?
 

semistandard

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 19, 2018
96
47
I am not sure you are correct - if you lift the lid it turns off - but it does go through the regular boot process. I doubt fans can turn themself on when it is turned on.
I am on 12.3.1. As for "normally" - I had it for few days - I do you use it on battery often, however.

BTW: How does it affect the battery longevity? Should it be plugged on when possible, or not? Or it doesn't matter? What do usually people do?
 

Realityck

macrumors G4
Nov 9, 2015
11,297
17,085
Silicon Valley, CA
I am not sure you are correct - if you lift the lid it turns off - but it does go through the regular boot process. I doubt fans can turn themself on when it is turned on.
I am on 12.3.1. As for "normally" - I had it for few days - I do you use it on battery often, however.

BTW: How does it affect the battery longevity? Should it be plugged on when possible, or not? Or it doesn't matter? What do usually people do?
The MBP has Optimised Battery Charging see the following


 
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