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Apple releases software fix for MacBook Pro slowdown

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Re: Apple releases software fix for MacBook Pro slowdown

#101
post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't part of the definition of a laptop that it should be able to be used comfortably resting on the user's lap?

That's why they're explicitly not referred to as laptops but notebook computers. It's the reason Apple calls them MacBooks only and not laptops.

Laptop is the same thing as notebook computer and Macbook is just a brand name while the actual device is laptop.

Re: Apple releases software fix for MacBook Pro slowdown

#102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would not trust any coverage of supposed issues with Apple hardware. There is a huge incentive for negative coverage. Remember Antenna-gate with the iPhone 4? They continued selling the iPhone 4, completely unmodified, for years after that whole debacle. That's how widespread the supposed issue was.

Apple settled a fairly large lawsuit related to Antennagate and was forced to send out a bumper case to affected users so they could hold the phone the "Jobs" way and get reception rather than the way you would normally hold...literally any other phone before, during, or since Antennagate, including newer iPhone models.

They settled for $15/phone or a free case (they had already offered a free case to customers of their own accord). They kept the iPhone 4 around for 2 years after it was no longer their marquee model. Surely if Antennagate was actually a problem for a significant portion of customers they would have stopped selling it as soon as possible (aka, upon release of the 4S). But they didn't.

Re: Apple releases software fix for MacBook Pro slowdown

#104
post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't part of the definition of a laptop that it should be able to be used comfortably resting on the user's lap?

If you look carefully, Apple (and probably other manufacturers) call their portable computers "notebooks" and not "laptops" because using a computer on your lap is bad both thermally and ergonomically.

Laptop and notebook is the same thing...

Re: Apple releases software fix for MacBook Pro slowdown

#105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That was an nvidia problem. All their laptop chips were affected that were in one family. Dell replaced my motherboard four times over it. If MacBooks are famous for it, so are all laptops with an nvidia gpu.

To be fair, most of those other laptops aren't made by a company that's famous for meticulously stressing details and restricting hardware configurations so that consumers won't need to research or worry about internals. The PC vs Mac hardware dichotomy is best summed up as, "Apple gives you less choice so that they can exercise more quality control."

That PC vs Mac dichotomy really doesn’t carry into pre-built PCs and definitely not into pre-built laptops and other portables. Both have a responsibility for quality control.

Re: Apple releases software fix for MacBook Pro slowdown

#106
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see how you can get more cooling with a firmware change when the fans are already going at full speed. Does that mean the whole unit will now run hotter before it starts to throttle? How is this going to impact some of those bad solder joints MacBooks are famous for?

> I don't see how you can get more cooling with a firmware change when the fans are already going at full speed It's not about what you do when the temperature if at its peaks and the fans are going at full speed, it's about how you avoid getting there. > How is this going to impact some of those bad solder joints MacBooks are famous for? When did MacBooks became famous for "bad solder joints"?

When did MacBooks became famous for "bad solder joints"?

Have you noticed how low the bar is for "famous" these days?

Whether it's some FaceTube "star" or tech "scandal" du jour, everything is massive these days and everyone on the planet is affected. Somehow, there are no small issues anymore.

Re: Apple releases software fix for MacBook Pro slowdown

#107

> Following extensive performance testing under numerous workloads, we’ve identified that there is a missing digital key in the firmware that impacts the thermal management system and could drive clock speeds down under heavy thermal loads on the new MacBook Pro. A bug fix is included in today’s macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 Supplemental Update and is recommended. We apologize to any customer who has experienced less tha…

I don't see how you can get more cooling with a firmware change when the fans are already going at full speed. Does that mean the whole unit will now run hotter before it starts to throttle? How is this going to impact some of those bad solder joints MacBooks are famous for?

The issue was not the CPU throttling itself, it was the CPU being configured to draw north of 100W and the VRM not being able to handle it, overheating, and leading to the system board hard throttling (down to 800MHz rather than slowly stepping down) the CPU until the VRM cooled down at which point the CPU would be un-throttled and the cycle would restart.

Apparently the power configuration is the one Apple's always used but previous CPUs didn't come close to the current generation in ability to draw power, so they'd never reached the VRM's thermal limits.

By lowering the CPU's maximum TDPup to 50~55W, they avoid the VRM over-heating and while the CPU does not turbo as high as with a 100W TDP allowance it can stay there just fine.

Re: Apple releases software fix for MacBook Pro slowdown

#108

"could drive clock speeds down under heavy thermal loads" So now it just don't give a shit and fires away at the highest clock, without a care in the world about temperatures? The clock speed should go down under "heavy thermal load", that's not a bug...

The CPU itself had plenty of thermal headroom, but was overdrawing the power system - which then thermally throttled itself way more aggressively and in a less-controlled manner. The update changes the curve to ensure that the CPU doesn't draw more power than the power system can handle for extended periods. The CPU will still downclock itself as needed if it experiences its own thermal overload.

Re: Apple releases software fix for MacBook Pro slowdown

#110
post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They had the issues with Steve Jobs but they also had Steve Jobs to save their ass.

And yet, we've survived more "gates" without Jobs in the past few years as well. Batterygate recently, or bendgate?

I always felt "bendgate" was a non-issue. Just a bunch of hipsters who were too dumb to understand that you don't put a phone in the back pocket of your skinny jeans.

It's a slab of glass. What kind of person thinks that's a good idea?

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