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Apple Release Throttling Bug Fix for 2018 MacBook Pro

Apple have released an important update to macOS which is designed to fix the reported throttling issues uncovered on the new 2018 MacBook Pros. When the machines was set to do heavy workloads the CPU would clock itself down (called: throttling).

The fix is delivered through the App Store as an supplemental update to macOS High Sierra 10.13.6.

Many media publications, and you tubers have re-done their tests with mostly positive results. 

Here is a update video from Dave Lee

The results are significantly better compared to earlier reviews and it seems like Apple have fixed the issue.

MacBook Pro 2018 “Throtthlegate” may be Blown Up?

Update: Apple Release Throttling Bug Fix

One thing for sure is that the last thing isn’t said about this MacBook Pro throtthlegate. Something I find interesting is that the testing tool (Intel Power Gadget) is removed from Intels website (as of this writing). Many youtubers use Intel Power Gadget to test the MacBook Pro. I am not sure why Intel removed it, but I suspect it could be that it doesn’t support the new CPUs correctly.

Still, the cooling solution in todays MacBooks are far from good in my opinion, but it is what it is. So to continue the discussion another known youtuber Jonathan Morrison is doing his own extensive tests and shares it in a well researched video. Some of the things he talks about is that Premiere Pro isn’t really optimized yet.

In short, the i9 beats the i7 in the tests he does.

Here are some of the results he got with real life use:

Adobe Lightroom Classic

100MP (x50 RAW Photos) Import  – 1:1 Build Preview

MacBook Pro 15 – 6 Core i9 2.9GHz – 4M 21S <- Faster
MacBook Pro 15 – 6 Core i7 2.2GHz – 5M 21S

Adobe Premiere Pro CC

ARRI 4k Prores 422 HQ -> 4k H.264 Export (3M 44S Timeline)

MacBook Pro 15 – 6 Core i9 2.9GHz – 10M 36S <- Faster
MacBook Pro 15 – 6 Core i7 2.2GHz – 12M 30S

Final Cut Pro X

Red 5k RAW 13:1 -> 4k Prores 422 Export (5m timeline)

MacBook Pro 15 – 6 Core i9 2.9GHz – 9M 56S <- Faster
MacBook Pro 15 – 6 Core i7 2.2GHz – 12M 42S

The numbers above are just some of the results he got from extensive testing. Make sure to check out the entire video below and definitely subscribe to his youtube channel if you are interested in Apple related content. As you probably are if you are reading this.

In my opinion I would like a better cooling solution on these machines, I don’t mind it to be a little heavier if it mens that the performance can be sustained for a longer period of time. With that said I think Apple have their reasons for doing what they do, and its not always clear from the beginning. A lot of people like to hate on Apple and in some cases it is certainly justified, but I don’t think the last thing is said about this MacBook Pro throttlegate yet.

2018 MacBook Pro Allegedly Thermal Throttle Bad

Update: Apple Release Throttling Bug Fix

Reports are coming in that the new MacBook Pro released in 2018 suffers from some bad thermal throttling. Especially the model with the upgraded i9 CPU. If this is a design flaw, an actual problem with the unit is yet to be uncovered.

We can hope, that this is just an error and will be fixed by repairing or replacing the product. With Apples history of engineering their products right within the CPUs maximum junction temperature I don’t think this is the case. I think the device in the video below is working within spec. We are just using it wrong.

Apple have put a beast of a CPU in this device, but this YouTuber claims that Apple wastes all that CPUs potential because of the limited cooling the 2018 MacBook Pro has. Mostly due to their thin form-factor. You can’t engineer away the laws of physics.

If you put the Mac in a freezer so it keeps cold, the full performance and potential unlocks.

A new article from Appleinsider – Thermal conditions in the 2018 i9 MacBook Pro dramatically hampering performance also confirms this issue, where they get similar results.

What do you think, is this thermal throttling computer a good choice for professional use? Is it acceptable to pay a lot of money and not get the performance you paid for? Maybe this is just an error and Apple will fix it? (I don’t think so).

A lot of people have cancelled their orders. I wouldn’t recommend this laptop if these issues don’t get fixed.

Nice Collection of 5k wallpaper

A user on the online community reddit shared some 5k wallpapers that Apple use on their iPad Pros as demo photos. Apple doesn’t include these photos with new units.

He thought the photos looked awesome so he used Apples own Airdrop feature to send them to himself. After that he uploaded them to the Internet for all to enjoy.

Here is a gallery you can scroll through, some of these photos are spectacular. Make sure to download the high res versions if you can. (link below).

Apple Store Wallpapers

2018 MacBook Pro Benchmark

John Poole the founder of primate labs that makes the benchmarking app Geekbench is getting more and more information about the performance of the new 2018 MacBook Pros.

Geekbench 4 is a cross platform CPU and GPU benchmark, and now it has gathered some information about the new Macs from people running the software and submitting the results. The results you see is of todays writing, it may change somewhat as time passes.

Not surprisingly the 2.9GHz six-core Intel Core i9 processor, with Turbo Boost up to 4.8GHz nearly tops the Mac benchmark list.

In single core it is only beaten by the iMac (27-inch Retina Mid 2017) equipped with an Intel Core i7-7700K @ 4.2 GHz CPU.

2018 macbook pro single core

When we check the multi-core benchmark results we (not surprisingly) have the iMac Pro on the top with its Xeon W-2191B 18-core CPU. Still, the 2018 macbook pro benchmark right under the Mac Pro from 2013.

The cheapest i9 MacBook Pro starts at $2,799, but this is with a 256GB SSD, 16GB RAM and the Radeon Pro 555X. If you add more storage and ram the price will increase.

2018 MacBook Pro Benchmark Video

Benchmarking is fine and all but nothing beats some real world testing. Here is a video from the youtube channel zollotech showing a comparison between the maxed out 2017 model and the maxed out 2018 model with some interesting results! Especially in final cut pro.

2018 MacBook Pro Max Specs and Pricing

Apple just released their updated lineup of MacBook Pros for 2018. The design is the same compared to the earlier 2017 models with specs bumps as you would expect.

2018 macbook pro

Here are some specs you can get on these laptops. What is interesting is that Apple have added true DDR4 RAM and an option to upgrade to an i9 CPU.

15-Inch 2018 MacBook Pro Maxed out Specs

  • Up to 2.9GHz six-core Core i9 CPU
  • Up to 4TB SSD
  • Up to 32GB DDR4 RAM
  • Radeon Pro 560X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory

13-Inch 2018 MacBook Pro Maxed out Specs

  • Up to 2.7GHz quad‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i7 processor
  • Up to 2TB SSD
  • Up to 16GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory
  • Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655

15-Inch 2018 MacBook Pro Price (entry / maxed out)

The cheapest 15-inch sets you back $2,399.00. With this price you get a 2.2GHz 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU, 256GB SSD, 16GB DDR4 and Radeon Pro 555X with 4GB of GDDR5. If you want the max spec as shown above you will have to pay up $6,699.00.

13-Inch 2018 MacBook Pro Price (entry / maxed out)

The cheapest 13-inch (with Touch Bar) sets you back $1,799.00. For this you get 2.3GHz quad-core 8th-generation Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory, 256GB SSD and Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655. For the maxed out spec as shown above you have to find $3,699.00 of your freedom money to get one.

Are the Keyboard Issues Finally Fixed?

The previous models was plagued with problematic keyboards, they just stopped working with normal use. This resulted in class action lawsuits claiming design defects on the keyboard. Forcing Apple to release a Keyboard Service Program for the affected models. Now, Apple claims the 2018 version come with a new third-generation keyboard for quieter typing.

Everyone understands that a “quieter keyboard” really is a way to fix the real issue which is keys that doesn’t respond. Our favorite self-repair site ifixit have already teared down a unit revealing a new thin rubber layer covering the last gen butterfly mechanism.

macbook pro 2018 butterfly keyboard

Image Source: Ifixit.com 

This is what tight secrecy does, maybe time to ease it up a bit Apple?

Other Interesting Updates

Apple claims that the 15 inch model is up to 70 percent faster, and the 13 inch is up to two times faster. Compared to the 2017 models.

True Tone display is included on both models for a more natural and comfortable working environment. It Automatically adjusts the white balance according to the light around you.

Bluetooth 5.0

Apple T2 chip supporting “hey Siri”. It also integrates other controllers like the SSD controller.

USB-C ports and minijack remains the same, no change there.

Many people wanted the ability to have 32GB ram in their laptop workstations. Apple have now addressed it with this update. Upgrading to 32GB will add $400 to your bill. Make sure to order the correct specs for your use because its impossible to upgrade these machines after you have bought them. Earlier it was possible to upgrade RAM, and SSD. On the 2018 MacBook Pro everything is soldered onto the motherboard.

It will be interesting to see what the Core i9 can do in the maxed out model. I am unable to review a model for the moment, but if I get my hands on one ill let you know right away.

Are you going to buy the updated models?

Gemini Photos – A Duplicate Photo Finder for iPhone

Now you can take advantage of machine learning to get rid of those duplicate photos cluttering up your iPhone. Gemini Photos is the first iOS app from the company MacPaw. The brains behind software such as Gemini, CleanMyMac and the “Netflix for Macapps“: Setapp.

Gemini and CleanMyMac as mentioned above (not to be confused with other, more sketchy cleaners) is tailored to only clean up your macOS system. A lot of us store our lives on our mobile devices nowadays, and so far Apple haven’t really come up with a good way to declutter your photo library. This is where Gemini Photos steps in to save the day!

The software use a smart machine learning algorithm to identify duplicate photos, blurred pictures of text and similar photos and groups them together.

The app analyzes photos and gives recommendations on what photos to remove and keep. It sorts through your library automatically saving you a lot of time.

You can even delete your entire photo library if you want, something Apple doesn’t offer. Use with caution of course! (obviously).

Removing photos such as screenshots, photos of text and blurry versions of your photos are free. If you want the feature that automatically scans your library to find similar photos it is an in-app purchase that costs $1.99/month, $11.99/year, or $14.99 as a one-time payment after a three-day trial.

Check out Gemini Photos and get those duplicate photos removed!

Finding MacBook Pro Specs and Other Apple Product Specs

There are several ways you can go to find the specs of your MacBook Pro. The easiest one is if you have the computer in front of you up and running.

Choose About This Mac from the Apple menu () in the upper-left corner of your screen. You will be presented with a window that shows you the specs of your computer such as Processor, Memory, Graphics, Serial Number.

You should also be able to find information about your computer on its original packaging, receipt, or invoice.

Another useful tool to find MacBook Pro specs with is Mactracker.

macbook pro specs in mactracker

Mactracker is available for MacOS and iOS. It has a huge database of every Apple Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, and iPad ever made. It contains information such as processor speed, memory, graphic cards and much more. This tool really have a lot of information and of no cost as well. Its absolutely free.

Why the need for MacBook Pro Specs?

Not everyone is interested in specifications, as long as the device works its fine. However its important to know about this because a MacBook Pro can come with different type of processor speeds, storage, memory and graphic cards. Do not get fooled and be sure that you are paying the correct sum and that you are getting the product as advertised!

If someone doesn’t want you to check out the specs, walk away!

MacBook Pro 2015+ Keyboard Doesn’t Work

Update 23.06.2018: Apple releases Keyboard Service Program for MacBook and MacBook Pro. Go get your keyboard replaced!

Old article below:

Apple, its time to fix the butterfly equipped keyboards on your USB-C MacBook and MacBook Pros. Recall your computers and replace the keyboards with ones that actually work.

A lot of people have issues with these keyboards, even I who mostly use my computer docked have had several keys just stop working with careful use. Sometimes when you press a key it registers as a double key-press. Very annoying.

To solve this I have used compressed air and cleaned around the key, and under. It works for a while until the problem appears again. Be very careful if you do this so the compressed air can doesn’t spit out any moisture.

Apple designed a good looking laptop, but who cares about looks if it doesn’t work right? Clearly Apple is more focused on form over function as it has proved several times before. (Mac Pro anyone?)

Here is a petition you can sign if you want.
https://www.change.org/p/apple-apple-recall-macbook-pro-w-defective-keyboard-replace-with-different-working-keyboard

Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery

Many of us store our digital lives on our devices. What should you do if something happens with your data? Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery can help you retrieve accidentally deleted files amongst other things.

Some of the features are:

  • Recover files, folders, documents, emails, photos & videos even after deletion.
  • Recover data from formatted volumes.
  • Recover encrypted files.
  • Recover from time machine backup.
  • Create image of an entire volume for data recovery procedures.
  • Support for newest MacOS system and down to 10.6

You get presented with an easy to understand interface where you can select what type of data you want to recover. This should speed up the recovery process.

After you have selected what you want to recover you have to select the location where the software should search for the data. This could for example be drives you have connected to your computer.

When you have selected the location the software will begin scanning. During scanning you will se a preview of what it finds. To speed up the process you can switch off the preview option.

When the scanning is done you get presented with the recoverable data in a tree structure. The software has three views available to choose from – Classic List, File List, and Deleted List. You can select the Deleted List to recover the deleted files.

Once the Deleted List appears, select the data to view files of particular format archived in a folder. This makes it easy to recover a file or files of a particular extension.

Double-click a file to launch the preview and select all desired files for recovery

After identifying the file, you want to recover, select the file and click Recover. The software will open a dialogue box prompting you to select the destination to save the file. The recoverable files can be stored in any location other than the source drive.

Remember, data is an important and priceless asset you would wish not losing. But, if and when data loss happens, you can leverage Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery program by spending $99; which is worth saving your important photos and videos. From here you will be able to save the files that you want.

And next time, have a backup. 😉

Download Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery and try for yourself.

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