LG Ultrafine 5K and MacBook Pro.
Credit: Apple
The MacBook M1 eliminates a major issue I had with Intel-based MacBooks before.
Problem: When paired with a 27-inch LG Ultrafine 5K display, previous Intel-based MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models struggled with heat.
Every MacBook Air I tested would eventually – after about 30 minutes of use – slow down to the point of unusability. MacBook Pros were better but fans were usually audible and, under heavier loads, they got hot too.
(This includes the 13-inch MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models I have tested from 2017 through 2020.)
Outdoor display problems run through the summer months. Yes, outdoor weather is different. If it’s a hot summer day in Southern California (90 degrees + a day is often where I live) the temperature inside my upstairs home office will quickly rise to around 80 degrees – even with the air on.
Under these conditions, the older MacBook Air models will be impossible. The latest 13-inch MacBook Pro (2020) based on Intel performs better in hot conditions but still struggles with fan heat and sound.
Problem Solving:
The M1 MacBook Pro is a very different beast. Paired with the LG Ultrafine external display under the same processing loads and conditions, the MacBook Pro M1 gets a little warm but that’s it. NOT hot. It won’t slow down. And I’ve never heard of the fans. They may have kicked but I never heard them. And I’ve tested it * in indoor hot conditions (80 degrees +).
Is it a Mac problem or an Intel problem?
Windows laptops that I tested connected to the LG Ultrafine 5K using similar or almost identical Intel processors do not have real heat or performance issues. That is to the extent described above. I tested high-end laptops from HP and Dell – the separate Specter and XPS lines – using Whiskey Lake (2018), Ice Lake (2019), and the latest 11th Gen Tiger Lake processors.
With Tiger Lake laptops, in particular, fan noise was rarely heard and heat had not been an issue.
Which makes me wonder what problem MacBook can say hard on Intel? Or is it more of an Apple platform issue with Intel processors.
I have asked Apple, Intel and PC manufacturers but either I just got a technical response (e.g., how to reduce processor loads) or no answer.
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NOTES:
* I have a stable of new Windows laptops to test, as well as MacBooks. My workloads are mainstream product applications like the Chrome browser with 15+ active tabs, Firefox with multiple tabs, social media, video (usually running in the background), conferences video, CMS, Word, Excel, Google Docs, photo apps, benchmark, and performance monitoring software.
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