friedmud

Tested: Thermal conditions in the 2018 i9 MacBook Pro dramatically hampering performance

friedmud

July 2018

xiao-zhi said:

This is not a new or unexpected problem.

The top top end processor for MBP or similar thin form factor notebooks is seldom the optimum performance solution in real terms due to thermal throttling and power consumption.

Typically, these processors only provide short-term burst-mode performance advantages before they overheat and throttle

Usually the best overall performance will be obtained with the middle processor choice combined with maximum memory.

You can test the above to validate.

This is not true of Macbook Pros in the past! Let's not start making generalizations here! I have the 2017 15" MBP with the top-end 3.1GHz i7-7920HQ that can turbo to 4.1 GHz... and under full load (using all 4 cores) it sits right around 3.7 GHz.

Here's my issue with the current set of tests - we don't know what the instruction intensity looks like for these applications. Intel's procs are REALLY good at throttling down if there is even the slightest bit of slack in instruction intensity. It will show as dips in the frequency - but it's not because of thermal throttling... it's because the processor has a moment to "breathe"... so it does. Absolutely the tiniest stall in the instruction pipeline (due to waiting on file-io or any other resource) will instantly bring the clock speed crashing down.

We need a better benchmark here. Can someone with one of these new MBPs copy this program into a file called thermal_test.C :

#include <iostream>

int main()

{

double stuff = 1.2;

int junk = 2;

while (true)

{

stuff *= 1.3;

junk *= 2;

}

std::cout << stuff << std::endl;

std::cout << junk << std::endl;

return 0;

}

(A couple of notes about this program: It's designed to use both the floating point and integer units of the processor to really heat it up. Also: the printing is just there to keep the compiler from optimizing the loop away)

Then compile it using "clang++ thermal_test.C -o thermal_test"... that will generate a binary called "thermal_test"... then run it in 6 terminals simultaneously using: "./thermal_test".

When I do this with 4 terminals on my current MBP (again with the 3.1GHz i7-7920HQ that can turbo to 4.1 GHz) here is what I get using Intel Power Gadget:

Image: https://forums.appleinsider.com/uploads/editor/hy/j3hlwbh6xqr0.png

As you can see - it goes right up to 3.7 GHz and is basically pegged there. The temperature rises towards 100 C... but the fans kick in and keep it from ever thermal throttling.

We need to run this (or something like it) on the new MBPs!

Apple's iPhone 'Do Not Disturb While Driving' feature helping to reduce dangerous habits

friedmud

April 2018

pulseimages said:

Plus even if you have CarPlay you’re still taking your eyes off the road to read the message. The LCD screen isn’t located in the windshield!

CarPlay does not ever "show" a text message on the screen. It will "speak" it to you... but that's it.

Apple supplier Foxconn buys Belkin, Linksys, Wemo for $866M

friedmud

March 2018

Everyone loves to hate on every accessory maker and talk about how "in the good old days cables / networking gear was rock solid". It's all just rosy glasses looking backward.

Linksys, for instance, currently has one of the best reviewed mesh wifi systems on the market: Velop.

I personally ended up buying the Netgear Orbi system instead... but it was a tough choice between that and Velop. Both are _very_ good.

Video: Apple HomePod vs. Sonos One

friedmud

February 2018

genovelle said:

So, what commands are you using on these other devices that makes them more useful. I’m really curious here. I’ve seen lots of claims but no proof. In fact when Siri has been compared I feel it is more useful in real use situations.

A few examples that Google Home gets right and all other smart devices (including Alexa) fail:

Me: Hey Google play my Morning Tunes playlist
Google Home: Plays _my_ Spotify Morning Tunes playlist

Me: (while Spotify is playing) Hey Google add this song to my library
Google Home: Ok, I added that song to your Spotify music library

My Girlfriend: Hey Google play my Morning Tunes playlist
Google Home: Plays _her_ Spotify Morning Tunes playlist

Me: Hey Google what's on my calendar today?
Google Home: What's on _my_ personal calendar

My Girlfriend: Hey Google what's on my calendar today?
Google Home: What's on _her_ personal calendar

I could keep going... but I don't need to. Apple completely forgot that many people in this world are not single people living by themselves. They also completely forgot that _Millions_ of people like Spotify...