So the new M2 runs much cooler?

Definitely! I mostly use it connected to my 4K display and on a typical day it does not heat over 50C and that happens when you're compiling stuff for minutes. My Intel Mac's fans activated simply because it was connected to a 4K external display.

All external displays are powered by the dedicated GPU on the intel MacBook pros. This allowed MacBook pros to output 40k60 through any of the 4 USB-C ports (unlike windows PC’s of the time). The downside was it meant the dedicated GPU was consuming an extra ~20watts whenever you were connected to an external monitor.

Clearly they were making them horrible on purpose. Intel had a long streak of really bad products that somehow got even worse when put in Macs. They took away features an replaced them with crap. Then, magically, all the good stuff returned for the M1 launch. It's a mistery!

I did the exact same upgrade!

The difference is just insane from a thermal standpoint (plus then you mix in how this thing runs laps around my 16" while staying cooler).

And it isn't just the MacBook Pro line, I have a gaming laptop is horrible to use actually on my lap.

I tried pushing the new m2 MBP with some video rendering and it did not break a sweat (literally).

It does kinda feel like the bar was a bit low for the improvements going from Intel to their chips. But I do wonder what their long term plan is, I can't see needing to upgrade this machine for at least 3 years with the performance I am getting out of it. Even 3 years feels pretty soon.

> it did not break a sweat (literally).

Good. Laptops shouldn't sweat