MacBook Pro Retina closed & connected to TB Display - Constant fan - Anyone else?

[ethana]

Hi, I have a new 2012 MBP Retina (2.7GHz model) and I connect it (aka dock it) at home with my 27'' Thunderbolt Display. I always close the lid to my MBP and just use the display standalone.

I am getting a constant fan running on the MBP even when just browsing the web and doing normal non-CPU intensive tasks. It's quiet, but noticeable. The fan turns off when the display goes to sleep.

My previous model was the mid-2011 MBP with TB and when it was connected to the TB display, I NEVER got fan noise from doing normal activity, only when playing games or other CPU intensive work.

Anyone else have this issue?

Thanks,

Ethan

 

[HighEndMac]

So..

Not to stray off topic, but having the rMBP and using it in clam-mode kinda defeats the purpose of the upgraded screen. Why did you opt for it?

 

[Aksta]

Do you have the same problem when it's not in clamshell mode and attached to the external monitor?

To the post above me we don't always use our laptops at our desks hence why we buy laptops.

 

[HighEndMac]

To the post above me we don't always use our laptops at our desks hence why we buy laptops.

Really, i'm pretty sure you can only use rMBP at a desk between the hours of 9 - 6, but hey i could be wrong....

Come on guy, i was just playfully asking a question, no need to bust balls.

 

[TennisandMusic]

Really, i'm pretty sure you can only use rMBP at a desk between the hours of 9 - 6, but hey i could be wrong....

Come on guy, i was just playfully asking a question, no need to bust balls.

No need to bust your balls because you busted someone else's?

To answer the OP, I don't think Mac laptops are great in clamshell mode, I haven't had good experiences with that in years...

 

[ethana]

Not to stray off topic, but having the rMBP and using it in clam-mode kinda defeats the purpose of the upgraded screen. Why did you opt for it?

Because I use it as a laptop when it's not connected to the Thunderbolt display. Which is when I am traveling or not in the same room as the TB display.

----------

Do you have the same problem when it's not in clamshell mode and attached to the external monitor?

To the post above me we don't always use our laptops at our desks hence why we buy laptops.

Yes, it happens even when the clamshell is open. But I need to have it closed because of space reasons anyway.

I want to reiterate that this did NOT happen with my mid-2011 MBP's.

Ethan

 

[HighEndMac]

Because I use it as a laptop when it's not connected to the Thunderbolt display. Which is when I am traveling or not in the same room as the TB display.

----------



Yes, it happens even when the clamshell is open. But I need to have it closed because of space reasons anyway.

I want to reiterate that this did NOT happen with my mid-2011 MBP's.

Ethan

Clearly, I'm going into read-only mode now.

 

[Asherpotter]

I always close the lid to my MBP and just use the display standalone.

Hahahahahahahahaha

 

[astrorider]

Not to stray off topic, but having the rMBP and using it in clam-mode kinda defeats the purpose of the upgraded screen. Why did you opt for it?

I'm considering one so I can run 2 or maybe 3 low cost 1920x1200 monitors off the 2 thunderbolt and 1 hdmi ports. It's my understanding the standard Macbook Pro and the Macbook Air can only run one of these external non-thunderbolt monitors, unless you want to get into using low performance USB monitor solutions. Having the high res screen will be nice when away from the desk, too.

 

[Aksta]

Yes, it happens even when the clamshell is open. But I need to have it closed because of space reasons anyway.

I want to reiterate that this did NOT happen with my mid-2011 MBP's.

Ethan

If it happens when open then it could be a problem with the laptop. I've never had this problem with my mba which should be worse. Under normal circumstances with the lid closed i don't hear my fans. However under a little strain the fans will kick in when in clamshell mode. Check your temperatures using something like istat pro and report back.

 

[Vctr]

Also, don't the Macbook Pro's intake air through the keyboard? If so, by closing the lid, you're probably hampering the cooling system.

This might not be the case for the Macbook Pro Retina since it has a revamped cooling system, but I'm pretty sure older Macbook Pro's had this air intake system.

 

[jtap]

I have hooked up both my old 2011 13in MBP as well as my 11in MBA to a Thunderbolt Display with no fan issues (only kicking on when doing CPU-intensive tasks). This will be a major bummer if my new rMBP has fan issues with this setup as I would say about 80% of the time it will be in clamshell mode hooked up to a TB... I guess I will just have to wait and see.

 

[Tibits]

I have no fan issues with my rMBP connected to the Thunderbolt display in clam shell mode for extended periods of time.

In fact, I have hardly heard the fan at all, which is pleasant improvement over my 2011 MBP (also the high res anti glare display on that machine looks terrible next to the retina)!

 

[Phazer]

Couldn't it just be the dedicated GPU fan turning on while using an external monitor?

 

[XandeR803]

I'm interested in knowing if this is common with the rMBP or is it a problem with the OP's as this is my main usage mode for my early 2011 MBP. It's usually silent if I'm doing simple things (word processing, web, email), but any sort of more taxing work (parallels, fcpx, aperture, etc) causes the fans to spin up.

 

[snaky69]

Also, don't the Macbook Pro's intake air through the keyboard? If so, by closing the lid, you're probably hampering the cooling system.

This might not be the case for the Macbook Pro Retina since it has a revamped cooling system, but I'm pretty sure older Macbook Pro's had this air intake system.

No macbook pro ever took air in from the keyboard, that's a common misconception.

OP, my guess is that with that much power, cramped even further by the new, thinner design, your rMBP is simply generating too much heat to keep the fans on idle when plugged into your external screen.

 

[Nostromo]

I have no fan issues with my rMBP connected to the Thunderbolt display in clam shell mode for extended periods of time.

In fact, I have hardly heard the fan at all, which is pleasant improvement over my 2011 MBP (also the high res anti glare display on that machine looks terrible next to the retina)!

Here we have a poster who is using the same set-up as the OP, and he has no fan issues.

Could the OP's rMBP have a problem?

many use a laptop with an external display, so this is in important issue.

 

[ethana]

Attached is a picture of my iStat with the computer sitting Idle connected to the Tunderbolt Display with clamshell closed.

GPU is almost 70C degrees!

Anyone else seeing the same stats or different?

 

[Tibits]

OK, I installed iStat. Those numbers look normal for this machine. Editing photos in Aperture with the rMPB currently undocked from the Thunderbolt and using the retina display, may GPU is at 63 degrees and the diode at 68 degrees. Fans are running about 3,2000rpm, but at that speed I can barely hear them. They could be kicking in more significantly in clamshell/docked, but I really haven't noticed. Maybe it is just because this machine is SO much quieter than the 2011. Have you installed all updates?

 

[ethana]

OK, I installed iStat. Those numbers look normal for this machine. Editing photos in Aperture with the rMPB currently undocked from the Thunderbolt and using the retina display, may GPU is at 63 degrees and the diode at 68 degrees. Fans are running about 3,2000rpm, but at that speed I can barely hear them. They could be kicking in more significantly in clamshell/docked, but I really haven't noticed. Maybe it is just because this machine is SO much quieter than the 2011. Have you installed all updates?

Yep. And like I said, the fans are quiet, it's just once they past 4000rpm they become noticeable, and they are constantly at that speed connected to a TB display.

I'd like to see someone else's stats when connected to a TB display as well.

The ONLY reason I bring this issue up is because my 2011-MBP was more silent at idle than this thing is when connected to the TB Display. It's slightly a step backward in that sense.

 

[mattonthemoon]

Hi, I have a new 2012 MBP Retina (2.7GHz model) and I connect it (aka dock it) at home with my 27'' Thunderbolt Display. I always close the lid to my MBP and just use the display standalone.

I am getting a constant fan running on the MBP even when just browsing the web and doing normal non-CPU intensive tasks. It's quiet, but noticeable. The fan turns off when the display goes to sleep.

My previous model was the mid-2011 MBP with TB and when it was connected to the TB display, I NEVER got fan noise from doing normal activity, only when playing games or other CPU intensive work.

Anyone else have this issue?

Thanks,

Ethan

I have a rMBP, and Thunderbolt display in my office, i don't hear fans, unless ia am playing a game.

 

[Lvivske]

I have a rMBP, and Thunderbolt display in my office, i don't hear fans, unless ia am playing a game.

good to hear. i plan on doing the same combo and this thread scared me.

 

[mackmgg]

What are you doing to get it that hot? Idling my laptop's GPU is at 40-50°C, and rendering a 1080p video in After Effects barely got it above 60°C. By any chance are the vents on the sides covered? Also, what's the ambient temperature in the room?

 

[ethana]

What are you doing to get it that hot? Idling my laptop's GPU is at 40-50°C, and rendering a 1080p video in After Effects barely got it above 60°C. By any chance are the vents on the sides covered? Also, what's the ambient temperature in the room?

Do you guys all have the 2.7GHz model? Are you connected to a TB display with the clamshell closed?

I'm not doing anything but browsing the web. No the vents aren't covered. Temp in the room is 71F.

 

[ladeer]

Hi, those of you who have the 27 inch TB display, I have a question for you.

You know when you run any program on rMBP you are taxing the CPU a lot just for rendering the screen at such high resolution. If you change the resolution to 1680x1050, it will toll your system even worse.

So, I always wonder, if you connect it to your TB display and close the lid, will your rMBP behave like a truly powerful machine? In other words, do you notice a dramatic performance improvement over using it on the retina screen?

I am talking about noticeable less lag time in graphic intensive website, and much higher fps in games, etc?

Currently I am connecting it to a regular 27 inch monitor via HDMI. I don't like using the Apple wireless keyboard or trackpad, so I basically just use my laptop as a keyboard and mouse, and turn the brightness of my retina screen to 0% and just look at my 27 inch LED in front of me as my monitor. I think this will give me very bad performance though because the retina screen, even when dark, is still rendering everything in 1920x1080 (my external display resolution that it mirrors).

If you guys actually get a better performance by decoupling the retina display, maybe I will get the 27inch TB display too. But I hate how I need to buy a trackpad/keyboard. Plus, Apple doesn't sell a bigger wireless keyboard