Apple’s new MacBook Pro is so hot that it is throttling performance
Apple’s recently released new MacBook Pro 15-inch models with the powerful Intel Core i9 processor has ran into trouble, as customers are returning their new MacBook Pro due to heating issues. The issue has been specifically observed in the i9 models that cost users $2,800.
The new 15-inch Mac Book Pro that Apple advertises as “the fastest and most powerful notebook we’ve ever made” comes with Core i9-8950HK (“Core i9”) processor and has a base speed of 2.9GHz with turbo boost up to 4.8GHz, 12MB of cache, and an integrated UHD Graphics 630 component.
Apparently, the new Mac Book Pro is having problems meeting its 2.9GHz base clock speeds. It is reported that when the Core i9 processor gets too hot, the processor starts to slow down its performance and can even go lower than the normal operating clock speed if required to prevent heat damage to the chip, which is also called as “thermal throttling.” The reason behind this is primarily due to the laptop’s built-in cooling system that cannot match the intense heat that the Core i9 produces.
The problem was first reported by YouTuber Dave Lee of the Dave2D YouTube channel who noticed the overheating of his i9 model led to throttled speeds just after a few seconds of rendering in Adobe Premiere. On the other hand, Lee compared the new MacBook Pro to an Aero 15X laptop which ran the same application with an Intel i7 with a base clock speed of 2.2GHz. The Windows laptop had an average clock speed of 3.1GHz.
“The i9 in this laptop can’t even maintain the base clock speed. Forget about turbos and all that stuff. It can’t even the 2.9GHz base clock. Which is absurd,” Lee said.
On a lighter note, Lee put his 2018 MacBook Pro with a Core i9 processor inside a freezer to cool the machine and get better performance out of the new MacBook. On doing this, Adobe Premiere rendering time was reduced to 27 minutes from the initial 40 mins.
“This degree of thermal throttling is not acceptable”, Lee added. “This isn’t something Apple should put out on the market and just blindly sell to people because people that purchase this device will never know their laptop is throttling to this degree. This type of thermal throttling affects the end user.”
Users took to Reddit to complain and warn other users about the insane heating issue. While Redditor IDoHaveWorkToDo said, “I returned my i9 2018 MBP today. It never once hit its advertised turbo speed–not even for a fraction of a second. It failed to maintain base clock,” another Reddit user jonlb87 said “Was supposed to pick up my i9 tonight. Looks like I’ll be canceling it.”
Although, it is common for any computer to throttle performance when the internal temperature hits a certain point, in this case it looks like Apple slapped a Core i9 into a MacBook Pro design without changing the thermal design, which is not enough to support such power and heat.
Redditor bogey-spades said, “What blows my mind is that somehow either Apple was ignorant of this issue, or Apple knew it and released it anyways. It’s either ignorance or belligerence, and neither are good.”
Source: Business Insider
