Macbook Pro 16''i9 - terribly noisy even without external monitor

[Micka88]

After quite few months of using this "flagship" Macbook Pro 16'' i9 8 Core for $4000, reading all the other people's experiences, trying everything available to reduce the fan noise nuisance (resets, turbo boost off, fan controls etc.), I must say that this laptop is a complete BS and Apple people should be deeply ashamed. How can they think that a "professional" creative work can be made sitting at some "hair dryer" machine making a constant terrible noise at your head whenever a professional application is used (FCP, audio software etc.). ? I don't use any external monitor

Big theatre show at their presentations, big words when advertising this and the result - overpriced noisy crappy laptop, making bigger noise than some Acer or Lenovo for $1000. It is really a shame and Apple should take all these laptops back and replace with a real quality professional machine. Or return the money and start producing some air conditioning or hair dryers.

I have a friend who also bought this for audio work and he is quite desperate - he can't record anything or work with it, since it constantly produces this terrible noise ...

We must be however happy that it does not also produce same smelly smoke, spreading some liquids around etc. as well ... Maybe the next one ?

 

[maplingstorie]

These are laptops. MacBooks have always been known for the loud fans. Same goes for other laptops. Get a Mac Pro 2013 or 2019 if you really want peace.

 

[Hjupter Cerrud]

I just got my MBP 16 and I have to say its quite and cooler compared to my Asus Scar Strix (~73db almost all the time vs 30-50db from my MBP) which is a very powerful laptop you can't compare this with a $1k laptop they just don't have the high performance hardware to cool down like this MBP.

My fans are around 1700 rpm when idle when I work with unity and play it they goes up to like 3500 rpm, tbh that's nothing compared to all my previous windows laptop. I could throw some eggs at my previous windows laptop and make me a breakfast.

You can only compare this MBP with other pro windows computers and I bet they make more noise.

 

[Micka88]

I had MBP 2013 and 2016 and this one is 2019, the same noisy. I always hoped it will become more civilised ... and it does not ... How is it possible that with todays technologies and 2020 it is no possible to make a computer without stupid noisy fans ? Processors that are not getting hot ?? Old stone age ?

 

[Hjupter Cerrud]

I had MBP 2013 and 2016 and this one is 2019, the same noisy. I always hoped it will become more civilised ... and it does not ... How is it possible that with todays technologies and 2020 it is no possible to make a computer without stupid noisy fans ? Processors that are not getting hot ?? Old stone age ?

That’s probably one of the reasons why Apple is going to make MacBooks with custom arm based chips instead

 

[sakagura]

After quite few months of using this "flagship" Macbook Pro 16'' i9 8 Core for $4000, reading all the other people's experiences, trying everything available to reduce the fan noise nuisance (resets, turbo boost off, fan controls etc.), I must say that this laptop is a complete BS and Apple people should be deeply ashamed. How can they think that a "professional" creative work can be made sitting at some "hair dryer" machine making a constant terrible noise at your head whenever a professional application is used (FCP, audio software etc.). ? I don't use any external monitor

Big theatre show at their presentations, big words when advertising this and the result - overpriced noisy crappy laptop, making bigger noise than some Acer or Lenovo for $1000. It is really a shame and Apple should take all these laptops back and replace with a real quality professional machine. Or return the money and start producing some air conditioning or hair dryers.

I have a friend who also bought this for audio work and he is quite desperate - he can't record anything or work with it, since it constantly produces this terrible noise ...

We must be however happy that it does not also produce same smelly smoke, spreading some liquids around etc. as well ... Maybe the next one ?

The thermals are still not suitable for i9 8 core. They weren't even good back when it was i7 4 core in late 2016.

Dell is using a vapor chamber in their new XPs 17. Razer Blade 17 has a more advanced cooling system too. These are 17" laptops with about the same footprint as the MBP 16.

It helps that Windows graphics drivers are closer to the metal with less overhead than macOS graphics drivers. This allows Windows laptops to connect to displays without as much sacrificing GUI performance as macOS. You see people on youtube connecting their XPS and Blades to 2 or 3 displays and their laptops don't get as loud or jerky as a MacBook Pro.

We need a redesign that converts PC users like Steve Jobs used to do back in the day. We can't rely on brainwashed sheep users or reviews from iJustine and Jonathan Morrison. They don't bring new Mac users and are embarrassing. We need the real users who want power on tap and all the goodies that Windows laptops are getting.

Upgradable RAM
Dual M2 slots
Vapor chamber cooling
Better graphics drivers that match Windows performance in all apps not just 'Apple apps'
Screens with fast response time
Keyboards that don't fall apart after a year

 

[sdp77]

Not all units are the same. I have returned one two weeks ago because the fans were very noisy, they would start running even at simple web browsing. Knock on wood, the one I have now is dead quiet.

 

[Steve121178]

The i9 was the wrong choice. There’s been so many reviews proving the thermal issues with the i9 processor in a machine as thin as the MacBook.
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The thermals are still not suitable for i9 8 core. They weren't even good back when it was i7 4 core in late 2016.

Dell is using a vapor chamber in their new XPs 17. Razer Blade 17 has a more advanced cooling system too. These are 17" laptops with about the same footprint as the MBP 16.

It helps that Windows graphics drivers are closer to the metal with less overhead than macOS graphics drivers. This allows Windows laptops to connect to displays without as much sacrificing GUI performance as macOS. You see people on youtube connecting their XPS and Blades to 2 or 3 displays and their laptops don't get as loud or jerky as a MacBook Pro.

We need a redesign that converts PC users like Steve Jobs used to do back in the day. We can't rely on brainwashed sheep users or reviews from iJustine and Jonathan Morrison. They don't bring new Mac users and are embarrassing. We need the real users who want power on tap and all the goodies that Windows laptops are getting.

Upgradable RAM
Dual M2 slots
Vapor chamber cooling
Better graphics drivers that match Windows performance in all apps not just 'Apple apps'
Screens with fast response time
Keyboards that don't fall apart after a year

If people want a workhorse then the only option is a PC. The Mac hasn’t been a viable option for sometime now, especially for those who want/require the vastly superior NVIDIA GPU’s.

The high end workstation options from the likes of Dell & Lenovo have a wide range of configurable options, plus they are user-upgradable too for things like storage, RAM & even the internal batteries.

 

[magbarn]

Macbooks have never been known for their cooling prowess. Even the thin Windows laptops will still get loud under load. You're producing over 100 watts of heat if you're pegging the CPU/GPU at the same time. If you want something quiet under load, get a used 2015-2017 Macbook 12 with low power, or get a >6 lbs gaming laptop or a desktop.

My i9 does get a bit loud under load when processing photos, but it's nice and quiet when idling or light load.

 

[malkovich87]

After quite few months of using this "flagship" Macbook Pro 16'' i9 8 Core for $4000, reading all the other people's experiences, trying everything available to reduce the fan noise nuisance (resets, turbo boost off, fan controls etc.), I must say that this laptop is a complete BS and Apple people should be deeply ashamed. How can they think that a "professional" creative work can be made sitting at some "hair dryer" machine making a constant terrible noise at your head whenever a professional application is used (FCP, audio software etc.). ? I don't use any external monitor

Big theatre show at their presentations, big words when advertising this and the result - overpriced noisy crappy laptop, making bigger noise than some Acer or Lenovo for $1000. It is really a shame and Apple should take all these laptops back and replace with a real quality professional machine. Or return the money and start producing some air conditioning or hair dryers.

I have a friend who also bought this for audio work and he is quite desperate - he can't record anything or work with it, since it constantly produces this terrible noise ...

We must be however happy that it does not also produce same smelly smoke, spreading some liquids around etc. as well ... Maybe the next one ?

There’s something wrong with your unit. I have the base i9 model and it’s dead quiet unless I transfer several gigabytes of data or do batch processing in Lightroom. That goes for when I have an external 4K monitor attached to it in clamshell mode as well.

 

[lǝʍɐd]

(2019) 16" is HOT & NOISY with an external monitor! :(

BTW, PROTIP if you're dealing with this issue AND using the Microsoft RDP client, disabling HW acceleration in the RDP client makes a HUGE difference in dGPU power consumption. I have two external 4K displays (posted details earlier) with RDP full screen on both displays for hours at a time...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[Alex W.]

Core 6 zero issues with fan noise, figured less is more in a laptop cup and you wise

 

[fokmik]

I had MBP 2013 and 2016 and this one is 2019, the same noisy. I always hoped it will become more civilised ... and it does not ... How is it possible that with todays technologies and 2020 it is no possible to make a computer without stupid noisy fans ? Processors that are not getting hot ?? Old stone age ?

sadly this is the truth...compared to my windows Precision Dell this mbp is noisier , because, i think they dont have room to placed proper fans and cooling..its thin, its nice, but you cannot have it all, some compromises has to be made
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(2019) 16" is HOT & NOISY with an external monitor! :(

BTW, PROTIP if you're dealing with this issue AND using the Microsoft RDP client, disabling HW acceleration in the RDP client makes a HUGE difference in dGPU power consumption. I have two external 4K displays (posted details earlier) with RDP full screen on both displays for hours at a time...

forums.macrumors.com

why you link that? since the OP said that he has a noisy MBP even without external display!? so, he knows about that topic

 

[iRun26.2]

I had MBP 2013 and 2016 and this one is 2019, the same noisy. I always hoped it will become more civilised ... and it does not ... How is it possible that with todays technologies and 2020 it is no possible to make a computer without stupid noisy fans ? Processors that are not getting hot ?? Old stone age ?

I bought a MacBook to use as my primary computer back in 2015. It didn't have a fan...but, boy is it slow!

 

[interbear]

My MacBook Pro 16 is ridiculously noisy in less than extreme circumstances. My usage is pretty simple. It's connected and powered via USB-C to a Philips 346B widescreen monitor. I have a Samsung T5 SSD connected for Time Machine back up. Apps wise I use Office for Mac (usually Word, Powerpoint and Excel all open), Chrome browser typically with approx 10 tabs open (have to use Chrome for certain work related websites that are not Safari friendly), Monday app for task management, Microsoft Teams for video calls / collaboration and usually Apple Music streaming to a nearby HomePod.

On Microsoft Teams calls if I use the onboard MacBook Pro mics, people think I'm outside in the wind or someone is using a hairdryer close by. I switched to using a Shure MV88+ mic which helps a lot with that, but the fan noise still bothers me greatly. It can't be right.

 

[CibbySF]

Core 6 zero issues with fan noise, figured less is more in a laptop cup and you wise

Have you ever shared your heat, watt and fan stats? I’ve got an i9 5500 and in laptop only mode fans never come on for me. Where I have issues is lid open w a usb c monitor. After 10.15.5 the fan profile seems less and it’s been mid 2000 rpms mostly however if I run parallels they kick up to low 3000s. I’ve wondered if the i7 w 5300 or 5500 might be just a smidge quieter or less heat. From the few data points on these forums I am not sure there is any meaningful difference.

 

[interbear]

Can I ask how are people getting stats on fan speed? Is that a Mac utility somewhere?

 

[Alex W.]

Well I bought both the i7 5300m and the i9 5500m

i ran a looped 3D stress test with prime 95 in windows to test, then a looped video for battery.


I didn’t measure the wattage or heat, as there was a noticeable difference in fan speed and case temp by hand alone. Also in battery life was large that the overall system I feel that is superior is the i7 and 5300m with 32gb ram and 2tb ssd.

i think the system was optimized for this layout, without sacrificing much performance for overall quality of life.

I feel like the system is thermally ideal with the i7 and 5300m, in the case of max temps when stressed, but additionally the speakers are tuned perfectly that they actually cancel out the fan noise when playing a game or music, not the case with the i9. I rarely hear my fan noise, but that wasn’t the case with the i9.

ill take the minor performance difference for a better thermally engineered product.

 

[YYD20]

Can I ask how are people getting stats on fan speed? Is that a Mac utility somewhere?

We have been using iStats Menus to gather these metrics

 

[interbear]

We have been using iStats Menus to gather these metrics

Thanks. I downloaded Turbo Boost switcher Pro yesterday, it has fan speed info too. Keen to see if disabling turbo boost helps with heat / fan noise, while also being very annoyed that I have to do this to have my expensive MBP play nicely. Having paid a premium for the laptop it’s not acceptable to have to find workarounds to have it operate without sounding like a jet engine / hairdryer.

 

[jaduffy007]

These are laptops. MacBooks have always been known for the loud fans. Same goes for other laptops. Get a Mac Pro 2013 or 2019 if you really want peace.

You should work for Apple...and no, that's not a compliment.
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My MacBook Pro 16 is ridiculously noisy in less than extreme circumstances. My usage is pretty simple. It's connected and powered via USB-C to a Philips 346B widescreen monitor. I have a Samsung T5 SSD connected for Time Machine back up. Apps wise I use Office for Mac (usually Word, Powerpoint and Excel all open), Chrome browser typically with approx 10 tabs open (have to use Chrome for certain work related websites that are not Safari friendly), Monday app for task management, Microsoft Teams for video calls / collaboration and usually Apple Music streaming to a nearby HomePod.

On Microsoft Teams calls if I use the onboard MacBook Pro mics, people think I'm outside in the wind or someone is using a hairdryer close by. I switched to using a Shure MV88+ mic which helps a lot with that, but the fan noise still bothers me greatly. It can't be right.

It appears that any external monitor running at a refresh rate of 60hz will trigger 18W even without a "load". A very poor design, especially considering the vast majority of external monitors run at...wait for it...60hz.

 

[hungryghosty]

Do we think this is something which could be fixed in a refreshed 16" Macbook Pro with a new CPU/GPU or is it unavoidable in a laptop with a discrete GPU?

 

[Alex W.]

I haven’t ran into it with the 5300m, only 5500m

 

[appltech]

After quite few months of using this "flagship" Macbook Pro 16'' i9 8 Core for $4000, reading all the other people's experiences, trying everything available to reduce the fan noise nuisance (resets, turbo boost off, fan controls etc.), I must say that this laptop is a complete BS and Apple people should be deeply ashamed. How can they think that a "professional" creative work can be made sitting at some "hair dryer" machine making a constant terrible noise at your head whenever a professional application is used (FCP, audio software etc.). ? I don't use any external monitor

Big theatre show at their presentations, big words when advertising this and the result - overpriced noisy crappy laptop, making bigger noise than some Acer or Lenovo for $1000. It is really a shame and Apple should take all these laptops back and replace with a real quality professional machine. Or return the money and start producing some air conditioning or hair dryers.

I have a friend who also bought this for audio work and he is quite desperate - he can't record anything or work with it, since it constantly produces this terrible noise ...

We must be however happy that it does not also produce same smelly smoke, spreading some liquids around etc. as well ... Maybe the next one ?

I have a 2014 13” Pro. I used to struggle with the same thing, I understand your frustration. I remember once sitting in a packed 300 student lecture theatre and the only sound disrupting complete silence was my Mac’s cooling fan - very embarrassing. I’ve had it checked out and cleaned by a professional and since then it’s been good. It occasionally starts playing up when I don’t restart it for too long or run multiple CPU-heavy apps in the background. I also clean it with compressed air regularly.
Another thing you could do to deal with your issue would be to run Apple Diagnostics to check if there is a hardware problem with the fans. Here’s a step-by-step for your model:

1. Disconnect your Mac from all external devices. Make sure it’s connected to a power source;
2. Put it on a hard and flat surface - not your bed or your lap;
3. Shut it down completely and then turn it back on;
4. Immediately after it starts booting press and hold the D key;
5. Hold the key until you see a screen with different languages. Choose your preferred language;
6. This should start the process of diagnostics, you’ll see a progress bar;
7. When the test is complete, you might see a bunch of reference codes indicating specific hardware problems on your Mac. For cooling fan impairments, look for codes starting with PPF. If you see one of those, go to a service centre.

 

[robinp]

I had a 13" 2018 model which was plagued with problems. Eventually it was returned and got a 16" instead. In the intervening period, I used an old 2012 15" for a few days. Now THAT is a loud machine. Just sitting idle doing background tasks I could hear it on the other side of the house. My 16" is wonderfully peaceful in comparison. Such a relief from having a headache all week.

Just my take on it and I've not really taxed it much yet so perhaps my view will change once I've put it through its paces. But right now it is incredible how much quieter it is compared to the old 15" one.