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Old 06-22-2019, 07:04 AM
sepulchra sepulchra is offline
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Default 2018 MBP GPU Tornado

Hello Folks,

I have late 2018 MBP (2.9 GHz Intel Core i9, 32 GB RAM, Radeon Pro Vega 20 Video Card. I am running 2019.5 on Mojave.)

When I run Pro Tools with an external display pro tools completely slams the GPU and as a result the laptop fan turns into a fan party. No other application causes this. As soon as I quit pro tools the machine is dead silent. I am mixing radio shows that are at most 30 tracks wide. The CPU usage in pro tools barely tickles 35%. This is specifically a GPU issue. This happens whether I am driving a 1080p display that is 10 years old or a fancy 4k display. This is not only a noise concern but a heat issue since the video card is getting slammed.

I tested a session on a new mac mini with the built in intel graphics and it was not even a thing. GPU usage was not an issue.

Any thoughts?



Thanks,
Michael
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Old 06-22-2019, 04:07 PM
Ray JB Ray JB is offline
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Default Re: 2018 MBP GPU Tornado

I know this is going to sound weird but are you sure it's not a thermal issue with the CPU/GPU in your MBP? A few years ago I had exactly the same fan revving issues with my Retina MBP and ProTools, and ended up taking it in for service. Apple ended up replacing the entire motherboard, citing thermal issues on the CPU as the reason for overheating and fans going ballistic.

As you say, I had other machines that barely raised a sweat with the same sessions, but my flash new MBP was racing like a tornado.

After the service, all was as normal. It might pay to get it checked if you still have warranty available.

Just my 2c
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Old 06-23-2019, 03:57 AM
musicman691 musicman691 is offline
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Default Re: 2018 MBP GPU Tornado

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Originally Posted by Ray JB View Post
I know this is going to sound weird but are you sure it's not a thermal issue with the CPU/GPU in your MBP? A few years ago I had exactly the same fan revving issues with my Retina MBP and ProTools, and ended up taking it in for service. Apple ended up replacing the entire motherboard, citing thermal issues on the CPU as the reason for overheating and fans going ballistic.

As you say, I had other machines that barely raised a sweat with the same sessions, but my flash new MBP was racing like a tornado.

After the service, all was as normal. It might pay to get it checked if you still have warranty available.

Just my 2c
Here's one even weirder - are you sure it's not the battery that's overheating? Apple is once again recalling certain MBP's because of battery overheating issues.
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Old 06-26-2019, 07:03 AM
sepulchra sepulchra is offline
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Default Re: 2018 MBP GPU Tornado

These are all good thoughts but the fans only go crazy when running Pro Tools. No other application causes the GPU the behave like this.
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Old 06-26-2019, 10:32 AM
musicman691 musicman691 is offline
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Default Re: 2018 MBP GPU Tornado

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Originally Posted by sepulchra View Post
These are all good thoughts but the fans only go crazy when running Pro Tools. No other application causes the GPU the behave like this.
Try running some long YouTube videos and see what happens to the fans.
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Old 11-03-2019, 04:04 AM
moleif moleif is offline
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Default Re: 2018 MBP GPU Tornado

Have you tried opening PT in "low resolution" mode?
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Old 11-04-2019, 09:43 AM
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BCnSTL BCnSTL is offline
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Default Re: 2018 MBP GPU Tornado

I have the same machine. I hook it up to a 38" widescreen at my desk and it doesn't do that. I do keep the MBP closed - maybe having both screens active trips the fans?
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Old 11-04-2019, 11:11 AM
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Default Re: 2018 MBP GPU Tornado

Don't know about that model, but late 2013 had the option to turn off the dediated GPU which made the windtunnel effect less of an issue. But sure, a dedicated GPU is one of the reasons you buy a powerful laptop, so good as a workaround but not a fix
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Old 11-04-2019, 11:22 AM
Meads Meads is offline
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Default Re: 2018 MBP GPU Tornado

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Don't know about that model, but late 2013 had the option to turn off the dediated GPU which made the windtunnel effect less of an issue. But sure, a dedicated GPU is one of the reasons you buy a powerful laptop, so good as a workaround but not a fix
AFAIK the 2016 and up 15" models always use the dedicated GPU for any external display. No option to turn that off.
I wanted to get a maxed out MBP as well, so I don't have to maintain three different rigs. But I need to hook up several external displays, and the noise that this would result in has always kept me from doing just that.
Maybe the anticipated 2020 redesign of the MBP does something about that. I mean, Apple are well aware of this issue.
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Old 11-04-2019, 01:09 PM
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Default Re: 2018 MBP GPU Tornado

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AFAIK the 2016 and up 15" models always use the dedicated GPU for any external display. No option to turn that off.
bummer
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