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Question

Macbook Pro 2018 gets very hot in Photoshop cc

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
February 3, 2019
9 replies
10518 views

Hello,

ich just wanted to test out my Wacom Cintiq 13HD on my 6 months old Macbook Pro 2018 (2,6 GHz i7, 32 GB Ram, Radeon Pro 560X) in Photoshop cc.

When i started scribbling, i noticed that the fans went very loud and the Macbook felt very hot.

I installed a Temperature Monitoring App and saw, that the CPU Temps are at 99 degree celsius.

I recorded a Video of it, so you can see and hear it.

I also read something about the CEPHtmlEngine process causing high CPU usage. But that is not the case.

Could you please help me?

Is this a software or a hardware issue or no issue at all and i just have to deal with the fact that i bought my first "pro" device that cost me a fortune and cant keep cool during simple scribbling tasks?

This topic has been closed for replies.

D

default8q15rvq5pp76

Participant

I've had the same issue. I recently purchased a 2019 Macbook Pro and I am a Graphic Design student so I use the Adobe Suites constanlty. The first hours of me using one of the apps lead the fans to kick in. I let the computer rest for a bit but when I continued the fans would continue and overheat. With my new purchase I immdeailty took it to Apple where I was told the processing power of the one I bought ($1,299) wasn't enough for the applications and was recommended in purchasing the higher priced Macbook Pro ($1,799). As a college student I don't really have the money for that type of computer so I returned the laptop. I instead stuck with my Early 2015 model that holds the minimum power but doesn't over heat or kick up the fans whenever I use the Adobe Applications.

S

StubnhockaAuthor

Participating Frequently

@Test Screen Name, as I said before: It's ok, when a professional machine works hard and gets hot when it's needed. But simple tasks like drawing in photoshop with a basic brush shouldn't be a reason for that.

joanh22203655 My Macbook was 6 months old, when I posted my issue. When I am not working on it, it is in a bag. So I don't think, it is a dust problem.

jane-e

Community Expert

Hi

Here are some articles that may help with your Mac‘s overheating:

CNET:

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/7-ways-to-keep-your-macbook-from-overheating/

Apple:

Keep your Mac notebook within acceptable operating temperatures - Apple Support

MacWorld:

Keep your Mac notebook within acceptable operating temperatures - Apple Support

Wired:

Apple's MacBook Pro Heating Problem Gets a Software Fix | WIRED

~ Jane

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

My point is that there is a normal temperature range, which includes quite hot to touch. And there is too hot, though the computer should automatically shut down. Some people don't seem to want to accept that the software they paid for works hard and heats up the computer - all as designed. Not sure what I can say to you except to point out the obvious.

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StubnhockaAuthor

Participating Frequently

This simple lines shouldn't be the reason for the heavy CPU load + temperatures.

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StubnhockaAuthor

Participating Frequently

I did a new video comparing the newest Photoshop version with the 2015.5 Version (17.0.2).

As you can see, the Macbook Pro is pretty silent in the older version but very loud in the current version.

So ist this Adobe's fault?

Conrad_C

Community Expert

It's difficult to say. There are several main variables or combinations that could affect performance: Photoshop, macOS system software, macOS hardware, graphics hardware (integrated or discrete), and the Wacom tablet driver.

I tried some intense paint strokes in the current Photoshop version with my old Wacom Intuos on my 2018 13" MacBook Pro, and temperatures mostly stayed between 70-80C, with CPU under 100% the majority of the time. I was using the Dry Media and Wet Media Brushes from Kyle's Brushes assuming they require more processing than the basic brushes. I did get the CPU to go over 100% once or twice. My fans never came on. But since my 13" is not a 15" and I don't have a Cintiq, that doesn't prove or disprove anything except that the problem is not universal.

If you are using a Cintiq then not only is the tablet driver a variable, but also the interaction between Photoshop/Mac and the display part of the Cintiq which might involve the Cintiq driver software interacting with the OS graphics driver.

At this point it may be worth reporting it on the Photoshop Feedback site because Adobe engineers are more likely to respond and track it there, and others with the same problem can add votes. (This forum is more user-to-user with little to no Adobe input.) I did a search there using terms like "wacom" "hot" and "macbook pro", but did not see reports of the same type of problem. But your posts here are getting upvotes, so something could be going on.

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StubnhockaAuthor

Participating Frequently

Thanks for the reply and testing.

I forgot to mention, that i removed everything Wacom related and did the test above with a Huion drawing tablet.

I am now thinking about doing a complete factory new reinstall of macOS....

S

StubnhockaAuthor

Participating Frequently

Unfortunately still no improvement.

Macbook runs hot during the simplest drawing tasks...

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

This sounds normal. I welcome the fans kicking in, it means at last I am using all of the computer I paid for. Why is it frustrating?

S

StubnhockaAuthor

Participating Frequently

Because my 5 years older iMac doesn't struggle with this simple tasks at all.

And a computer should only use all i paid for if it has to...

I also start to believe it is a software issue by adobe.

I testet drawing in another software from another brand (not sure if i am allowed to name it) and the cpu doesn't struggle at all.

S

StubnhockaAuthor

Participating Frequently

Now i compared my old iMac (late 2013) with my new Macbook Pro 2018.

I just added a drop shadow to a square and tweaked it a little bit.

As you can see, the changes on the iMac are butter smooth.

But the Macbook Pro struggles with it....

I am very frustrated now.

Conrad_C

Community Expert

There may be a real problem here, but I'm not sure where it is.

I tested this on a 2018 13" MacBook Pro. On the whole I think the 2018 13" is fast in Creative Cloud applications, but it also lags on this drop shadow test in the same way that was demonstrated for the 2018 15".

The 2018 15" MacBook Pro is such a powerful notebook computer that there is no excuse for that type of lag, wherever the fault is. So I tested this in CC 2019 on my old 2011 15" MacBook Pro. And guess what: No lag on the 2011!

I'm not sure whether this is a Photoshop bug or a macOS bug.

Some observations:

On my 2018 13" MacBook Pro I can reproduce the lag with PS CC 2019, but if I try it in CC 2018, it works fine…no lag. So the Photoshop version matters.
When there is a lag, the shadow proxy in the Drop Shadow dialog box does not lag.
Stubnhocka demonstrated the problem in macOS 10.14 Mojave, I reproduced it on macOS 10.13 High Sierra, so it's less likely that it's a bug in macOS unless it persists across two major releases. But the 2011 is also running 10.13 and does not have the problem, so it's more likely that this is a Photoshop problem.
It may be specific to Mac models since there's no drop shadow preview lag in CC 2019 on my 2011 MacBook Pro.
It seems unlikely that it's a hardware problem, so I'm not sure how much it will be resolved by exchanging the computer.

I think the drop shadow lag is different than the high temperature problem. I have not seen unusually high temperatures unless I'm doing bulk raw image editing or video editing. (I have a Wacom tablet too, although it isn't a Cintiq.) To look into the high temperature problem, open Activity Monitor click the CPU tab, and see if there are any other processes using a lot of CPU at the same time you're working in Photoshop. When I do this, Photoshop is using under 50% of one CPU core.

S

StubnhockaAuthor

Participating Frequently

Thanks for your response.

I tried the Photoshop 2018 Version but it was the same bad performance. :-(

I did another Video with some scribbles where you can see the CPU usage and the temperatures.

I forgot to record the sound, but at the end the fans were very loud....

jane-e

Community Expert

Stubnhocka wrote
I just wanted to test out my Wacom Cintiq 13HD on my 6 months old Macbook Pro 2018 (2,6 GHz i7, 32 GB Ram, Radeon Pro 560X) in Photoshop cc.
... i just have to deal with the fact that i bought my first "pro" device that cost me a fortune and cant keep cool during simple scribbling tasks?

Hi

If Trevor’s link to a software patch does not work, then call Apple. Apple Care for one year is included with your Mac, and you can purchase an additional two years.

Jane