Apple Macbook Pro bug patched, unleashing performance at full speed (updated)

Apple has taken over the performance of its new MacBook Pro laptops but the company hopes its new software update will help cool users to be indignant.

Following reports of heat problems that led to reduced performance, Apple determined that a simple software bug was to blame, and released what it hopes to be a quick fix. In our first tests, the MacOS update seems to correct CPU limitations from top to bottom, and we continue to perform additional tests.

"After many performance tests under many workloads, we have identified a missing digital key in the firmware that is affecting the thermal management system and could lower the speed. clock under high thermal loads.New MacBook Pro, "said an Apple spokeswoman at CNET." A bug fix is ​​included in the additional update to MacOS High Sierra 10.13.6 today. And it is recommended.

"We apologize to any customer who has had less than optimal performance on their new systems, and customers can expect the new 15-inch MacBook Pro to be up to date." 70% faster and the 13-inch MacBook Pro with touchbar up to 2 times faster, as shown by the performance results on our website. "

Instructions for How to install the update MacOS 10.13.6 are available here The problem affects all new Apple MacBook Pro models, both 13 and 15. The MacBook Pro 13-inch entry-level without the Touch The bar n & rsquo; Is not affected because it has not been updated this year.

The surprise update of the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro line, announced on July 12 includes a new eighth generation Intel processor, up to the Core i9 six 15-inch MacBook Pro high-end cores, are also new SSDs, an updated T2 security chip and a True Tone screen that adjusts the color temperature according to availability But, even though this is a product substantially updated, much of this problem has been overshadowed by early performance issues.

Limiting the Heat During Heavy Workloads

The Largest Initial Buzz on New MacBooks – Except for One Ongoing Controversy Over How Its Keyboard Changed or Not – comes from some early adopters who claimed that premium Core i9 versions, which cost at least $ 2,799, were prone to heat strangulation. This means that laptops have lowered their CPU clock speed when internal temperatures have risen, resulting in slower performance than older models equipped with less advanced Core i7 processors.

YouTube's technical personality, Dave Lee, first drew public attention to this issue with a video in which he demonstrated the problems of heat and strangulation. These results were soon replicated by others, including a weekend demonstration session by Leo Laporte on The New Screen Savers.

Problems only became evident when performing long and intense processes, such as encoding longer 4K videos. Here in the CNET Labs, where we test a $ 16,999 15-inch Core i9 configuration of the new MacBook Pro the new model has shown performance improvements over the Core i7 MacBook of the year. ;last year. which were short enough not to trigger throttling due to heat.

When setting up an intensive workload to deliberately push the system, the Core i9 processor of our 2018 MacBook Pro could cause a rapid increase in the internal temperature and speed of the system. 39, processor clock. a video encoding and a 3D game test. (This was before applying the newly announced patch from Apple.)

In comparison, the 2017 15-inch MacBook Pro maintained a temperature and a much more consistent clock frequency while performing the same macbook-throttle

<img src = "https://cnet3.cbsistatic.com/img/y7DdKV_CKqtomWtiC_XCdNk-Xuw=/970×0/2018/07/23 /765f1ad9-3734-4a8c-a1f0-3cd62e98ebcb/macbook-throttle.jpg "class =" http://www.cnet.com/ "alt =" On the left, a 2017 MacBook Pro Core i7 runs a test. video encoding On the right, a Core i9 MBP 2018 sees its internal temperature and processor clock speed slowing down wildly while performing the same task.

Dan Ackerman / CNET

So, even if all users do not see their performance compromised by temperature-limiting issues, the type of powerful users that would make long-lasting high-resolution video would do it. These are the pro users to whom Apple was targeting this series of updates – and exactly the same people who do not want to pay $ 6,699 for a front-line configuration, only to discover that it can not work as well than an older version on the most intense tasks. (Imagine buying a Ferrari to tell you that you can not exceed 60 mph for more than 5 minutes at a time.) And that's why the initial excitement on putting MacBook Pro's surprise update quickly turns several days of negative headlines, alarmed podcasts from Mac enthusiasts and disappointed Mac users ringing in Reddit's discussions.

But the patch, released by Apple less than two weeks after the announcement of the new laptops, could well turn the tide

First promising results of a new software solution

our Core i9 15-inch MacBook Pro and repeated some of the same tests. Now, the throttling of the CPU has stopped, and the clock frequency of the CPU and the internal temperature of the system remains quite stable even when running. from a 4K video encoding or from a game set to maximum settings.

CNET Labs will continue to test the new MacBook Pro with Apple's hotfix and will include updated performance results in our comprehensive review.

This article was published at 13:00 ET on July 24, 2018. It has been updated with additional test results after the installation of the latest Apple MacOS patch.

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