if I hear a fan noise inside Mac Mini M1, like fan blade hitting something hard, shoudl I just return it and get another one?

[BlueMoose]

if I hear a fan noise inside Mac Mini M1, like fan blade hitting something hard, shoudl I just return it and get another one?

when it first happened, I was a little startled because I mistakenly thought there was no moving fan inside the M1-based Mac Mini. (turned out I got it confused with the M1 Air.. which is the only one without fans)

it sounds like plastic hitting metal(or hard plastic), kind of like "tok-tok-tok-tok-tok-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-tok-tok-pop-pop-pop-pop"... but then it goes silent for about 10 seconds... but the same noise pattern always returns... followed by silence and repeat... been going on for 2 nights.

the Mac Mini has been sitting on a shelf since I got it. I tried picking it up and shaking it or placing it upside-down. The noise remained identical.

still has more than 2 weeks remanining in the 30-day return period...

 

[Khedron]

Yep.

 

[DeltaMac]

That would quickly be annoying...
I would likely open the case, look around for something loose, get a closer look at the fan, plug in to power so you can turn it on with the case open. Possibly there is some little piece that you could be able to pull out, so you don't have to return it.
failing that - return it.
** Apple's normal return period is 14 days, not 30. Maybe you are in a different country with other choices for that.

 

[BlueMoose]

That would quickly be annoying...
I would likely open the case, look around for something loose, get a closer look at the fan, plug in to power so you can turn it on with the case open. Possibly there is some little piece that you could be able to pull out, so you don't have to return it.
failing that - return it.
** Apple's normal return period is 14 days, not 30. Maybe you are in a different country with other choices for that.

it was ordered from Amazon.(sold and shipped directly from Amazon.com itself, not a 3rd party seller)

 

[0128672]

I would start the return and not open the case. There’s a chance you’d void the warranty by doing that. If Amazon can detect that you’ve opened it, they may not accept the return or charge you a higher restocking fee.

“Computers and Electronics

• New desktop, laptops, or tablets (excluding Kindle E-readers and Fires) purchased from Amazon.com that didn't start when they arrived, arrived in damaged condition, or is still in an unopened box can be returned for a full refund within 30 days of purchase.
• Amazon.com may test computers that are returned because they didn't start when they arrived and impose a customer fee equal to 15 percent of the product sales price if the customer misrepresents the condition of the product.
• Any returned desktop, laptop or tablet that is damaged through customer misuse, is missing parts, or is in unsellable condition due to customer tampering may result in the customer being charged a higher restocking fee based on the condition of the product.
• New, used, and refurbished products purchased from Marketplace vendors are subject to the returns policy of the individual vendor.”

About Our Returns Policies - Amazon Customer Service

Amazon.com and most sellers on Amazon.com offer returns for items within 30 days of receipt of shipment.

www.amazon.com

 

[BlueMoose]

come to think of it... is the fan inside the Mac Mini M1 supposed to be spinning all the time? (even if it's just at the slowest idle speed) Or does it only start spinning when the temperature rises beyond a preset threshold?

Thanks1

 

[pmiles]

I picture this...

"I wonder if it is broken?"

Shakes it vigorously to find out...

If there is something wrong with it, return it... don't debate about it or try to figure out what is wrong. You do that when you can't return the item... not when you can.

Amazon is like buying something off the back of a truck... used to be it was an actual brick and mortar outfit... now it caters almost entirely to third party resellers. Might as well be buying it off eBay.

 

[Gillesdebda]

Hello everybody

I am a newbie in this forum. I am french and I use Apple devices since the beginning of Apple. It was in 1983 I believe.
Currently I am using an iMac 27 inch late 2012 CoreI7 24Go RAM and 1To Fusiondrive.
I think to replace it with an iMac M1 16Go Ram and 2To internal SSD. My iMac is mainly used for LightRoom, PhotoShop and DxO for Nikon RAWs post processing.
I heard new iMac M1 makes a lot of noise and overheats a lot when used with these software.
Do you agree ?
What do you think about this issue ?

Regarding these issues, Is the Mac Mini M1 better than the iMac M1 ?

Thanks a lot

 

[BlueMoose]

Hello everybody

I am a newbie in this forum. I am french and I use Apple devices since the beginning of Apple. It was in 1983 I believe.
Currently I am using an iMac 27 inch late 2012 CoreI7 24Go RAM and 1To Fusiondrive.
I think to replace it with an iMac M1 16Go Ram and 2To internal SSD. My iMac is mainly used for LightRoom, PhotoShop and DxO for Nikon RAWs post processing.
I heard new iMac M1 makes a lot of noise and overheats a lot when used with these software.
Do you agree ?
What do you think about this issue ?

Regarding these issues, Is the Mac Mini M1 better than the iMac M1 ?

Thanks a lot

I think it's just chance. I've heard bad fan noise from laptops from Apple, HP and Lenovo. (which is why I listen to the fan noise carefully whenever I buy a new laptop)

 

[pshufd]

It's usually a cable or a connector that wanders into the blades. Best to move it out of the way and try in a way so that it doesn't move around inside.

 

[BlueMoose]

It's usually a cable or a connector that wanders into the blades. Best to move it out of the way and try in a way so that it doesn't move around inside.

based on all the teardown photos that I've seen of the Mac Mini M1, the fan is a blower-type... there are no cables of any kind near it... other than a foreign object that got sucked in.. but that's also unlikely in a new unit. like I mentioned, it sounded like a broken fan blade(with the broken part rattling around inside while the rest of the fan rotates)

it's already on its way back to Amazon.....

 

[pshufd]

based on all the teardown photos that I've seen of the Mac Mini M1, the fan is a blower-type... there are no cables of any kind near it... other than a foreign object that got sucked in.. but that's also unlikely in a new unit. like I mentioned, it sounded like a broken fan blade(with the broken part rattling around inside while the rest of the fan rotates)

it's already on its way back to Amazon.....

That's pretty annoying. It's why I always buy from The Apple Store as I have two stores nearby for returns.

 

[darngooddesign]

if I hear a fan noise inside Mac Mini M1, like fan blade hitting something hard, should I just return it and get another one?

With all due respect, the answer should be pretty obvious.

 

[BlueMoose]

That's pretty annoying. It's why I always buy from The Apple Store as I have two stores nearby for returns.

I just bought a 3rd Mac Mini M1 for another family member. This one was from the Apple Store because Apple's website was offering a much better deal than the Amazon & Costco $599 deals. (the previous 2 were purchased from Amazon)

Although... Amazon's return is just as easy. I took it to the nearest Kohl's and didn't have to repack anything. Just dumped the Mac Mini on the counter and they took care of it. (plus they also give you a free $5-off-$5 coupon from Kohl's for doing Amazon returns there)

 

[pshufd]

I just bought a 3rd Mac Mini M1 for another family member. This one was from the Apple Store because Apple's website was offering a much better deal than the Amazon & Costco $599 deals. (the previous 2 were purchased from Amazon)

Although... Amazon's return is just as easy. I took it to the nearest Kohl's and didn't have to repack anything. Just dumped the Mac Mini on the counter and they took care of it. (plus they also give you a free $5-off-$5 coupon from Kohl's for doing Amazon returns there)

I haven't been to Kohls since the 1990s I think. One of my local Apple Stores is near Trader Joe's and Costco. I also like to checkout Apple hardware in the store when I'm there. It was very hard to do that during the pandemic but they loosened things up enough so that I got to look at a few things the last time I was there.

 

[August West]

Amazon is like buying something off the back of a truck... used to be it was an actual brick and mortar outfit... now it caters almost entirely to third party resellers. Might as well be buying it off eBay.

BS.

He said "it was ordered from Amazon.(sold and shipped directly from Amazon.com itself, not a 3rd party seller)".

And while there are plenty of 3rd party sellers, Amazon still is the seller on a lot on items. And even if they aren't a lot of the 3rd party items are shipped from Amazon directly and offer free shipping and returns. I've returned a ton of stuff to them and they usually credit my CC the same day I drop it off at the UPS Store. As much as most people like to hate on Amazon (a lot of it deserved) nobody I've dealt with comes close to offering their level of customer service.

And Amazon "used to be it was an actual brick and mortar outfit"?? WTF, not in this world they weren't.

 

[pmiles]

BS.

He said "it was ordered from Amazon.(sold and shipped directly from Amazon.com itself, not a 3rd party seller)".

And while there are plenty of 3rd party sellers, Amazon still is the seller on a lot on items. And even if they aren't a lot of the 3rd party items are shipped from Amazon directly and offer free shipping and returns. I've returned a ton of stuff to them and they usually credit my CC the same day I drop it off at the UPS Store. As much as most people like to hate on Amazon (a lot of it deserved) nobody I've dealt with comes close to offering their level of customer service.

And Amazon "used to be it was an actual brick and mortar outfit"?? WTF, not in this world they weren't.

Okay maybe the "brick and mortar" term was used loosely... it was in fact a single retail entity (hence why I called it brick and mortar) in the beginning... you shopped at Amazon, you were buying solely from Amazon, not a bunch of third party resellers using Amazon as a storefront/warehouse. So the gist of my comment really doesn't change.