My MacBook Pro overheats when connect to external monitor

[Hos4m]

Hi,

I noticed that my MacBook Pro (13" base model retina display 2016) overheats when connected to any external monitor, I know that the GPU has to do more work to push pixels to displays but I think that it should not be to the limit that it is not comfortable to touch.

I checked the Activity Monitor to check if there is any suspicious process that is causing this but everything is normal.

What can I do? could it be something with the OS itself and I need to do a clean install? I don't know but could it help?

Thank you.

 

[smallcoffee]

Overheats how? Does it shut off? Just getting hot, even so hot that you don't want to touch it doesn't not mean that it is overheating. GPUs are designed to be pushed to extremely hot temperatures.

 

[BenTrovato]

You can run HW monitor and see how the temperatures are faring.

 

[ZapNZs]

Are you experiencing thermal shutdowns?
What temperatures are you seeing?
Do you use the system in clamshell mode?
Have you tested this with both higher and lower resolution monitors?
What are your top CPU processes when experiencing the high-heat?
What percentage does your CPU idle at?

 

[SlyBriFry]

I contacted Apple support over this. It seems to be a bug that was introduced in 10.12.4. It's driving me mad, I cannot work with this. Apple suggested either waiting for 10.12.6 coming out soon (and hope it contains a fix), or downgrade to 10.11.

Lameting over having to downgrade. Here it goes...

 

[dev.zakhariy]

I contacted Apple support over this. It seems to be a bug that was introduced in 10.12.4. It's driving me mad, I cannot work with this. Apple suggested either waiting for 10.12.6 coming out soon (and hope it contains a fix), or downgrade to 10.11.

Lameting over having to downgrade. Here it goes...

Now is 2018, and i have same issue, opened just browser and skype, version 10.13.6 (17G65), MacBook Pro 15" Space Gray (MLH32) 2016, connected via HDMI
temperature 55-65℃

 

[maflynn]

temperature 55-65℃

That's not over-heating.

 

[uller6]

My late 2013 15” idles between 55-65 C when plugged into an external monitor in clamshell mode. With no external monitor, it idles from 33-35 C.

 

[jimchik]

That's not over-heating.

Same thing here: with an ext. monitor via HDMI, fans to max, and temps sky rocket (via iStat Pro). Whatever it’s called, it can’t be normal. Or worse, if it is, then a fix should be in the works.

 

[buran-energia]

Same thing here: with an ext. monitor via HDMI, fans to max, and temps sky rocket (via iStat Pro). Whatever it’s called, it can’t be normal. Or worse, if it is, then a fix should be in the works.

You bumped a year-old thread. Also different models will have different temperatures and fan noise. In case of recent 15 inch models, 55-65C is normal, because it turns on the dGPU once an external monitor is used. Then it might depend on OS version (drivers), whether it has Vega, etc.

 

[JPamplin]

Try a thermal paste replacement - I just did it and it works wonders:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/howto-replace-thermal-paste-late-2013-retina-15-dg.2188168/

 

[jimchik]

You bumped a year-old thread. Also different models will have different temperatures and fan noise. In case of recent 15 inch models, 55-65C is normal, because it turns on the dGPU once an external monitor is used. Then it might depend on OS version (drivers), whether it has Vega, etc.

So... the fact that the temps and fans kick up predictably when I use the ext. monitor is normal...? Sorry, I can’t buy that. As for the thermal paste replacement, I’ve seen that suggested elsewhere and it bears some merit.

 

[chabig]

So... the fact that the temps and fans kick up predictably when I use the ext. monitor is normal

Of course it's normal. All machines generate heat when they perform work--your automobile for example. Haven't you noticed that the engine gets warm when you drive. It's a different type of machine, but the principle is the same.