Charging a MacBook on the wrong side can lead to noisy fans and lower performance

[nanoguy]

In brief: By the looks of it, Apple may be having a new Chargegate on its hands. Several users have found their MacBook Pro has a habit of maxing out the CPU and overheating when charging using the left side ports.

On the official support page, Apple states that you can charge your MacBook Pro using either one of the USB-C ports. However, it turns out that there are a right way and a wrong way to charge your expensive device, especially if you don't want to see any performance impact.

The issue was found several months ago by a StackExchange user that reported seeing unusual activity in Activity Monitor. Specifically, he noticed unusually high CPU usage for a process called kernel_task, which caused high temperatures and reduced overall system performance - not to mention the fact that it keeps those tiny fans spinning on what should otherwise be a relatively quiet machine.

If that wasn't enough, restarting the MacBook in question won't solve the problem, with the kernel_task process popping up again as soon as macOS boots up. According to Apple, one of the functions of kernel_task is to manage your MacBook's CPU temperature by deliberately making less of it available for apps that are using it too intensely.

In this case, a careful investigation revealed that having a peripheral plugged into one of the left-hand ports at the same time as a charger is connected to the other increases the temperature of the MacBook case. Sensors that monitor the Thunderbolt ports seemed to confirm this to be the case even if the CPU temperature doesn't warrant the throttling.

Luckily, there is a simple solution to this, and it's to charge your MacBook using only the right-hand side ports while using the left-hand side ones for peripherals. Another Stackexchange user reported that this strategy could extend to plugging monitors on a different side as the charging cable to keep things cool on both sides of the chassis.

At this point, two models seem to be affected: the 15-inch MacBook Pro 2017 and the 16-inch MacBook Pro 2019. Apple has yet to comment on the issue, but at least we know the company is working to extend the lifespan of MacBook batteries through the next macOS Catalina update. Hopefully, it will also include a fix for the heat issues related to charging it using the left side ports.

Image credit: VVVproduct

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https://www.techspot.com/news/85002-charging-macbook-wrong-side-can-lead-noisy-fans.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

I have never been a fan of the USB-C charging setup. I truly prefer to have a very specialized port for charging and a very specialized port(s) for peripherals.

This is also why I think Apple should do things their own way and stop trying to please these EU newbs who are trying to force them into USBC.

You never heard of this with magsafe2.

 

[Evernessince]

I have never been a fan of the USB-C charging setup. I truly prefer to have a very specialized port for charging and a very specialized port(s) for peripherals.

This is also why I think Apple should do things their own way and stop trying to please these EU newbs who are trying to force them into USBC.

You never heard of this with magsafe2.

The problem in this article isn't USB-C, it's bad design by Apple.

 

[Jaryn211]

I have never been a fan of the USB-C charging setup. I truly prefer to have a very specialized port for charging and a very specialized port(s) for peripherals.

This is also why I think Apple should do things their own way and stop trying to please these EU newbs who are trying to force them into USBC.

You never heard of this with magsafe2.

Wow, this is technically victim blaming....as weird as that is.

 

[VitalyT]

MagSafe2 was much easier to use, as it could attach to the port itself, thanks to the magnet.

 

[Angga B]

I have never been a fan of the USB-C charging setup. I truly prefer to have a very specialized port for charging and a very specialized port(s) for peripherals.

This is also why I think Apple should do things their own way and stop trying to please these EU newbs who are trying to force them into USBC.

You never heard of this with magsafe2.

I am a usb C fan, my laptop and phones are usb C. I use a tiny small charger (GAN charger is fabuluous) to charge them all. Life is easy and simple, one type of charger, one type of cable.

My laptop have 2 usb c port, one on each side and no matter where I plug from that problem simply do not exist.

The same usb c dongle (multipurpose) I have could also work with my phone. Who could imagine hdmi + ethernet at the same time on phone? Thanks usb C.

 

[nnguy2]

Apple fanbois literally paying for bad design and blaming it on the customers.

 

[mattferg]

I have never been a fan of the USB-C charging setup. I truly prefer to have a very specialized port for charging and a very specialized port(s) for peripherals.

This is also why I think Apple should do things their own way and stop trying to please these EU newbs who are trying to force them into USBC.

You never heard of this with magsafe2.

Apple chose to scrap Magsafe 2 and use USB C for charging the laptop. The EU has no restrictions on charging connectors for laptops - only phones. Apple could've easily kept Magsafe 2 on this machine and allowed USB C charging as an option - which, btw, would conform to the rules for phones if the EU was to extend them.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Kernel_task at almost 500%?? Isn't that bad for the CPU?

 

[Uncle Al]

I have never been a fan of the USB-C charging setup. I truly prefer to have a very specialized port for charging and a very specialized port(s) for peripherals.

This is also why I think Apple should do things their own way and stop trying to please these EU newbs who are trying to force them into USBC.

You never heard of this with magsafe2.

Apple had this identical problem several decades ago when they came out with their first 800K drive. When they upgraded it to a 1.4M drive they used the same connector and if you plugged the new drive into the old card ... poof! It cost them several million dollars in refunds and new drives.

Just goes to show, their management simply doesn't do their homework on new equipment or as it often said "he who forgets history is doomed to repeat it" .....

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Apple had this identical problem several decades ago when they came out with their first 800K drive. When they upgraded it to a 1.4M drive they used the same connector and if you plugged the new drive into the old card ... poof! It cost them several million dollars in refunds and new drives.

Just goes to show, their management simply doesn't do their homework on new equipment or as it often said "he who forgets history is doomed to repeat it" .....

The mere fact you had to look back several decades ago proves my point entirely.

Even with the manufactured outrage of "bendgate" and the relevant issue of antennaegate, they are still doing very,very well and they continue to make a highly desired product.

As long as "I'M" happy with their product, that's all that matters.

As long as their buyers are happy with their product - that's all that matters.

So long as their buyers never express discontent with the product by not buying it, they can incrementally improve it without worry of their buyer leaving their ecosystem.

That is all.

The free market is always right.

 

[Shadowboxer]

The mere fact you had to look back several decades ago proves my point entirely.

Even with the manufactured outrage of "bendgate" and the relevant issue of antennaegate, they are still doing very,very well and they continue to make a highly desired product.

As long as "I'M" happy with their product, that's all that matters.

As long as their buyers are happy with their product - that's all that matters.

So long as their buyers never express discontent with the product by not buying it, they can incrementally improve it without worry of their buyer leaving their ecosystem.

That is all.

The free market is always right.

Completely agree. This charging issue is a problem they need to fix. Is it enough to put off anyone who genuinely prefers the Apple eco system and hardware? I doubt it.

The problem is some people can’t get their tiny minds around the fact that many of us do actually prefer Apple products. Usually these *****s brand people who like Apple with some kind of defect or stupid, sheep, only buying for the logo etc.

But the reality is Apple do make some very good tech and the haters are often “stupid” or “sheep”. Jumping on the bandwagon of it being cool to hate on Apple without actually considering that the stuff they make isn’t all just overpriced garbage.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Completely agree. This charging issue is a problem they need to fix. Is it enough to put off anyone who genuinely prefers the Apple eco system and hardware? I doubt it.

The problem is some people can’t get their tiny minds around the fact that many of us do actually prefer Apple products. Usually these *****s brand people who like Apple with some kind of defect or stupid, sheep, only buying for the logo etc.

But the reality is Apple do make some very good tech and the haters are often “stupid” or “sheep”. Jumping on the bandwagon of it being cool to hate on Apple without actually considering that the stuff they make isn’t all just overpriced garbage.

The internet has become nothing more than a place to argue. Lamborghini vs. Ferrari. Mopar vs. Ford vs. GM. Nvidia vs. AMD. Apple vs. Android.

The Free Market is always Right.
Techspot posts an apple-related article.
Trolls show up to hate it.
People like me show up in defense.


I personally don't have a Macbook because I get my needs met by Alienware gaming Desktops and Notebooks. There are plenty of anti-Alienware folk to hate those. All I need is iOS on my iPhone and iPad to help create my content.

at the end of the day: Mac, Macbook and Mac Pro owners will most likely stick with Apple because they enjoy the ecosystem, enjoy the investment and enjoy the product.

 

[bexwhitt]

The mere fact you had to look back several decades ago proves my point entirely.

Even with the manufactured outrage of "bendgate" and the relevant issue of antennaegate, they are still doing very,very well and they continue to make a highly desired product.

As long as "I'M" happy with their product, that's all that matters.

As long as their buyers are happy with their product - that's all that matters.

So long as their buyers never express discontent with the product by not buying it, they can incrementally improve it without worry of their buyer leaving their ecosystem.

That is all.

The free market is always right.

There are plenty of design failures with Apple laptops you you don't need to hunt decades back.

 

[Evernessince]

The mere fact you had to look back several decades ago proves my point entirely.

Even with the manufactured outrage of "bendgate" and the relevant issue of antennaegate, they are still doing very,very well and they continue to make a highly desired product.

As long as "I'M" happy with their product, that's all that matters.

As long as their buyers are happy with their product - that's all that matters.

So long as their buyers never express discontent with the product by not buying it, they can incrementally improve it without worry of their buyer leaving their ecosystem.

That is all.

The free market is always right.

Clearly though there are Apple customers that are not happy with those issues, else there never would have been an problem in the first place.

Who do you think is reporting the problems in the first place? Do you really think Apple users are so blind they need other people to point out glaring issues in their products? Pick your poison really.