Logic CPU Usage Monitoring / Heat Issue on MBP 16"

[Ocorra]

Hi all!

 

I have to admit to being completely in the dark when it comes to macOS processes and also what would be considered 'normal' for my CPU to be running at during a Logic session, but I guess like everyone on here I'm aways looking for ways to reduce Logic's pressure on my CPU.

 

I have a project currently running with no automation, but with the following tracks:

 

- 15 Audio Tracks

 

- 48 Software Instrument Tracks (13 Kontakt, 12 Alchemy, 1 Arturia Prophet V3, 2 x Dune 3, 2 x Hive, 3 x Pigments, 2 x Battery, 2 x Logic Sampler, 3 x Zebra 2.0, 1 x Zebra HS, 1 x BBC SO Discover, 3 x Spitfire LABS, 3 x Stutter Edit)

 

- 7 Aux Channels with a couple of FX on each (things like FF Pro Q, FF Saturn, Delay Designer, Space Designer).

 

Now I'm aware of all the tricks in terms of bouncing to audio, freezing tracks etc. But what I'm curious about is whether or not, in the general scheme of things, my processes list (see screenshots below) looks normal or a bit wonky. These screenshots where taken after about 30 minutes of looped playback on the current project. At 30 minutes or so the casing of my MBP will get pretty hot around the touch bar area and in the middle of the track with most channels in playback, the Activity Monitor and the CPU thread meters will be running as shown in the first two screenshots. At this point I cannot hear the fans. After about 1 hour, the casing of my machine will be *extremely* hot and the fans will be running in the background. After about 90 minutes, the fans will be running quite loudly - which as you can imagine is pretty annoying.

 

The second two screenshots are when I use the Turbo Boost Switcher Pro application to turn turbo boost off. However, with turbo boost off, Logic's load on the CPU increases significantly (screenshot 3), the CPU meters within Logic crop up (screenshot 4) and I start to get the odd 'System Overload' message when flicking through presets or when multiple automation curves are added. Strangely though, with turbo boost off using the Turbo Boost Switcher Pro app, the temperature on my laptop casing doesn't get to the extreme levels as it does when turbo boost is left on. Also, the fans generally tend to stay off or are very quiet - even after 90 minutes. I'm not sure how this works when Logic seems to be putting an increasing strain on my CPU according to both Activity Monitor and the CPU meters within Logic.

 

So firstly, does anything look out of place on the first two screenshots? I don't even know if 293% on the Logic process is normal or extreme? Secondly, are screenshots 3 and 4 what would normally be expected with turbo boost switched off?

 

Thanks a lot in advance for any insights on the info provided, reducing the load on my CPU or helping with the heat issue.

 

Dave.

 

AM Turbo Boost On:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GwRus_ooba0l704tdMF80y8MsFP5AAqN/view?usp=sharing

 

CPU Meter Turbo Boost On:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rx5A4S9euThC-Xh3GfUVLwk7I-8YmoYz/view?usp=sharing

 

AM Turbo Boost Off:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NWtsmCWslMcu2zxkAO91AnOE1uWJZKm0/view?usp=sharing

 

CPU Meter Turbo Boost Off:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14Px3ZVebH_hBBnAiRjUreXqSGhYSnTVj/view?usp=sharing

[lookatthisguy]

Nothing looks out of the ordinary to me. When these things are working hard, they can get pretty hot. Hell, mine gets warm just being plugged into my TB dock, before I've really even gotten started doing anything. I can't speak to how it should look without Turbo Boost because that's something I have never and would never turn off.

[zip]

Looks fine to me. 48 VI's is quite a lot. Turbo is extra CPU speed, this means a more less exponential increase in power consumption. Power consumption means heat.. So switching this off will mean lower wattage = less heat, but at the cost of a general CPU increase.

 

Laptops don't have space for elaborate cooling of their internals. This means fans will make noise, the whole thing gets really hot, or stuff will get throttled.

 

Using a special low-noise fan cooled pad to put your MBP on will sometimes help a bit. Using a pillow as a stand is a bad idea, as is working in direct sunlight.

 

The new M1 laptops should be better in this regard, as they use less power for the same amount of DAW work.