iMac 27 i5 2017 - Fan noise in idle - Tool to reduce fan to 1000rpm

[fb3]

Hi and thanks for you comments

Yes sure, the MacBook and iPad Pro are unfair comparisons ;-). But I also have a 2013 iMac at work and this one is dead silent when idle... And I don't mind noise if the thing is working (but I deliberately went with the i5 mid-tier version because I want minimal noise even when pushing it a bit and not the vacuum i7)!

Regarding your setup: if you use RAIDs near buy it's clear that the iMac is silent - them are noisy! I have a Drobo at work and it's insane... However, if I turn it off and have all other noise emitters off too I still cannot hear the 2013 iMac... And my home office seems to be pretty quiet (not living in the city).

I'd hate to return the 2nd iMac as well and wait for a future iMac that might not have this base-level noise, so if anyone knows a trick to temporarily convince the iMac fan to go to 1000rpm I'd do this first... temps are super low anyways and I wonder if this would help?

 

[bolandross]

I had two 2017 iMacs which I both returned because of the audible fan (when idling).

I am totally fine with a spinning fan, when the iMac does some heavy lifting, but in my opinion, it's unacceptable to hear a fan when reading an eBook or writing text on a todays iMac!

Even in a very cold room and CPU temperatures (below 40°C!) that clearly not need cooling (especially with all these energy saving features enabled in modern CPUs), the fan is spinning at 1200 rpm. Even 600 rpm would be sufficient in certain cases ...

@fb3:
I could imagine that the next generation of iMacs will take advantage of the improved air flow that Apple developed for their current iMac Pro line, but this is maybe just hopeful thinking from my side.

 

[fb3]

I had two 2017 iMacs which I both returned because of the audible fan (when idling).

I am totally fine with a spinning fan, when the iMac does some heavy lifting, but in my opinion, it's unacceptable to hear a fan when reading an eBook or writing text on a todays iMac!

Even in a very cold room and CPU temperatures (below 40°C!) that clearly not need cooling (especially with all these energy saving features enabled in modern CPUs), the fan is spinning at 1200 rpm. Even 600 rpm would be sufficient in certain cases ...

@fb3:
I could imagine that the next generation of iMacs will take advantage of the improved air flow that Apple developed for their current iMac Pro line, but this is maybe just hopeful thinking from my side.

That's good to hear - I thought I'm a nutcase fretting over this thing!!! Did you get a third or did you give it up for this iteration?

 

[bolandross]

That's good to hear - I thought I'm a nutcase fretting over this thing!!! Did you get a third or did you give it up for this iteration?

I didn't buy a third and gave up ...

 

[SaSaSushi]

Anyone has any idea if there would be chances for a better (true silent idle) iMac in 2018? I do not have to have the 2017 now (would be a bummer to let go), but this sucks...

So I turned off all external drives, shut down and listened carefully at power up and yes, there is a barely discernible fan sound at power up but it is SO slight that you really have to be listening for it.

I've owned a series of iMacs over the past 11 years. I personally doubt very much that any future iMacs are going to be any quieter than they already are. If you want dead silence the iMac may just not be for you.

 

[fb3]

So I turned off all external drives, shut down and listened carefully at power up and yes, there is a barely discernible fan sound at power up but it is SO slight that you really have to be listening for it.

I've owned a series of iMacs over the past 11 years. I personally doubt very much that any future iMacs are going to be any quieter than they already are. If you want dead silence the iMac may just not be for you.

Well I hope not and maybe I do have exceptional hearing. ;-) Dunno... Been a good Apple customer over the years by buying loads of machines for our group at work (iMacs, MacBooks Pros) and private use (but kept my late 2009 with upgraded SSD etc. till today and wanted to treat me with an update - especially because the late dusty iMac 2009 was getting too loud).

Hate to let go of this one. But >2500 Euros for something that I'm not 100% happy about is just not happening. Sad

I might try to lower the fan from 1200 to 1000rpm for minimum if I find a howto otherwise it'll go into the box the next days...

 

[pier]

Ok, replacement came today. Same issue. There's a clear difference between off and idle!!! Don't really know what to do... But I cannot see myself just tuning it out for the next years. Maybe spoiled by MacBook and iPadPro, but I got the new 2017 for a) more power, b) better screen, but c) mostly because my 2009 (with SSD) was too loud...

Anyone has any idea if there would be chances for a better (true silent idle) iMac in 2018? I do not have to have the 2017 now (would be a bummer to let go), but this sucks...

Are you using your iMac in a very quiet room?

I can clearly hear the fan from the sitting position but only when it's super quiet. Otherwise the sound gets masked with any other noise in the house (tv, outside traffic, fridge, AC, light music, etc).

 

[fb3]

Are you using your iMac in a very quiet room?

I can clearly hear the fan from the sitting position but only when it's super quiet. Otherwise the sound gets masked with any other noise in the house (tv, outside traffic, fridge, AC, light music, etc).

Yeah, my room is pretty silent (no fridges or other stuff) and I live in the countryside. I thought about somehow dampening the back of the iMac area somehow but that's really more of a hack I don't want to go to...

 

[pier]

Yeah, my room is pretty silent (no fridges or other stuff) and I live in the countryside. I thought about somehow dampening the back of the iMac area somehow but that's really more of a hack I don't want to go to...

I doubt it going to help much but if it does please keep us posted.

If you don't need this new machine you could wait until the new Mac Pro is released. Even if it's noisy you will be able to put it in a closet or something.

 

[fb3]

I doubt it going to help much but if it does please keep us posted.

If you don't need this new machine you could wait until the new Mac Pro is released. Even if it's noisy you will be able to put it in a closet or something.

Would love the pro, but that’ll be way out of my budget I suppose ;-)

 

[bolandross]

I thought about somehow dampening the back of the iMac area somehow but that's really more of a hack I don't want to go to...

Somewhere in this forum there is a guy who posted a pic of a .. let's say „acoustic optimization“. I tried to find it but wasn't successful :- D

If I remember it correctly: He used a roll of foamy material (the one that is used to insulate heating tubes) and put it in the space between the bottom of the iMac and the table (without clogging the air inlets of the iMac) and also wrapped the stand of the iMac in a similar material, too. That way the blown out air got diffused which lead to a more silent operation. I remember that he got some silly replies by users, but I can imagine that this might have help reducing the noise a bit.

But as you said: it might then still bug you to have paid the full price for an iMac and still having to apply ugly hacks to such a sexy designed machine :-D

 

[Ph.D.]

People, the iMac is not silent. My goodness, all those returned macs just to get another one with the same "issue" (that issue being "it has a fan!"). Those who can't hear the fan are either using it in a noisier area or have less sensitive hearing or just aren't sensitive to the particular noise it makes. (And woe be unto those who bought one with a spinning drive. You will hear and feel the vibration from that for sure, too.)

There IS a way to lower the fan speed below its normal minimum. However, no app that I know of overtly permits it (could someone please make one? Even as a command line hack?).

You CAN use a combination of two common fan-control apps to do it, used in a certain way and order, though. I'm not going to say how since making a mistake in how you set it up could and likely would damage your mac. But take a look around and you will most likely find it. After that, it's all up to you.

 

[fb3]

People, the iMac is not silent. My goodness, all those returned macs just to get another one with the same "issue" (that issue being "it has a fan!"). Those who can't hear the fan are either using it in a noisier area or have less sensitive hearing or just aren't sensitive to the particular noise it makes. (And woe be unto those who bought one with a spinning drive. You will hear and feel the vibration from that for sure, too.)

There IS a way to lower the fan speed below its normal minimum. However, no app that I know of overtly permits it (could someone please make one? Even as a command line hack?).

You CAN use a combination of two common fan-control apps to do it, used in a certain way and order, though. I'm not going to say how since making a mistake in how you set it up could and likely would damage your mac. But take a look around and you will most likely find it. After that, it's all up to you.

Thanks @Ph.D., but I just decided I'm not going to go there. Just had a phone call with Apple and will return the second one too... Bummer, but what can you do?

Hope there will be an update in the next iteration. Or I'll go MacBook+usb-c-display... Wait and see...

 

[Zippy99]

I returned a 4.2 for the same reason: noticeable idle noise. If you search around you'll find reports that the iMac Pro is actually quieter, so this might be an option for you. That said, both of these machines are overkill for writing. I'm currently using an '11 MacBook Pro 13 for doing a mix of web browsing and Unity3D work. For 95% of my use this thing is fantastic, and idles silent (sitting under the desk about 5 feet from my head).

 

[grizfish]

I've got the i7 4.2GHz with the Radeon 580 and I can't hear mine at idle either.

I've got an i5 3.8 with 580 and wish I had not listened to the snowflake wimps talking about noisy 2017 iMacs, because I would have bought the i7 THAT I REALLY WANTED.

 

[J.Gallardo]

I've got an i5 3.8 with 580 and wish I had not listened to the snowflake wimps talking about noisy 2017 iMacs, because I would have bought the i7 THAT I REALLY WANTED.

CPU is not soldered. You could replace your warm i5 with a warmer i7.
Dare, be brave, (and keep us informed).
[doublepost=1517512197][/doublepost]

People, the iMac is not silent. My goodness, all those returned macs just to get another one with the same "issue" (that issue being "it has a fan!"). Those who can't hear the fan are either using it in a noisier area or have less sensitive hearing or just aren't sensitive to the particular noise it makes. (And woe be unto those who bought one with a spinning drive. You will hear and feel the vibration from that for sure, too.)

There IS a way to lower the fan speed below its normal minimum. However, no app that I know of overtly permits it (could someone please make one? Even as a command line hack?).

You CAN use a combination of two common fan-control apps to do it, used in a certain way and order, though. I'm not going to say how since making a mistake in how you set it up could and likely would damage your mac. But take a look around and you will most likely find it. After that, it's all up to you.

The way OP (and others https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...t-doesnt-have-loud-fan-noise-on-idle.2080409/) explains his problem with iMac fan noise goes beyond subjective appreciation, I think. They don't sound like a bunch of neurotic customers. (IMHO).
When I unpacked my iMac, connected wires & gave it AC, I pushed "ON" & I got really worried for some seconds, as I couldn't tell the computer was working till I got my ear VERY close to the machine; finally, screen went on, greeting me. When I work at night (a dead silent small town night), I don't hear the fan.
I DO believe in customers; I DO suspect that all those returned macs just (to) get another one with the same "issue" (that issue being "it has a noisy fan!").
This thing should be considered and investigated. It could be related to a specific manufactured series or model... the specific fan brand (could be different)... or inconsistencies in quality control.
AND, although it could seem a "conspiration theory", I can imagine a stock of returned iMacs without apparent fault (just a noisier fan, perhaps) being used for replacements.
As a previous post pointed, a "scientific" measure of sound is necessary. That would help some disappointed customers to confirm they aren't insane or have super-hearing abilities.
It would be a great thing for Apple customers in general, to have THAT "spec. info" that Cupertino doesn't give us (maybe they're aware that showing off silent functioning with numbers could reveal defective units?).
Sound measuring is delicate, though. I suggest just making a movie with sound taken with a "standardized" device; perhaps an iPhone. Filmed while very close or touching iMac, that sound that OP describes should be recorded (I think).
There's some noise now around me and out in the street ... so it's not a good moment to test this thing. I´ll try at night.
I suppose people with a real fan-noise problem should be able to record it and show us, also.

 

[CWallace]

I could imagine that the next generation of iMacs will take advantage of the improved air flow that Apple developed for their current iMac Pro line, but this is maybe just hopeful thinking from my side.

The iMac Pro's improved cooling is thanks to removing the 3.5" HDD bay which allows them much more space to use for cooling. So until the 5K iMac goes SSD-only, I do not expect them to adopt significantly better cooling than they do now.

All slim unibody iMacs (2012-2017) have the same 1200 RPM minimum speed so that you cannot hear it on the 2013 but can on the 2017 is interesting. Perhaps it is a supplier change in the fans or an environmental change that has allowed previously masked fan noise to now be audible.

 

[propower]

I have had the following 2017 iMacs in my Recording studio: 3.4 i5 1TB Fusion, 3.8 i5 3TB Fusion, 4.2 i7 BTO 1TB SSD and 3.8 BTO i5 1TB SSD. 33dBA ambient background noise in that room. I can hear the fan on every one of these at idle. It is nowhere near loud or annoying but "silent"? I would agree with the fellow who said that if you truly believe it is silent then background noise must be masking it or for some other reason you have no sensitivity to this sound.

The Fusion drive spinner is about equally loud to the fan at idle. The pure SSD ones are of no bother to me at all. Since some update last year my office 13 MBP i5 runs at 0 RPM fan speed unless I do something at all demanding. That is the only "silent" computer I currently own.

Expecting a silent iMac (from any era) is unrealistic IMO. I have owned 2013 iMac, 2017iMac and 2013 MacPro - all very quiet - none silent

 

[fb3]

I have had the following 2017 iMacs in my Recording studio: 3.4 i5 1TB Fusion, 3.8 i5 3TB Fusion, 4.2 i7 BTO 1TB SSD and 3.8 BTO i5 1TB SSD. 33dBA ambient background noise in that room. I can hear the fan on every one of these at idle. It is nowhere near loud or annoying but "silent"? I would agree with the fellow who said that if you truly believe it is silent then background noise must be masking it or for some other reason you have no sensitivity to this sound.

The Fusion drive spinner is about equally loud to the fan at idle. The pure SSD ones are of no bother to me at all. Since some update last year my office 13 MBP i5 runs at 0 RPM fan speed unless I do something at all demanding. That is the only "silent" computer I currently own.

Expecting a silent iMac (from any era) is unrealistic IMO. I have owned 2013 iMac, 2017iMac and 2013 MacPro - all very quiet - none silent

It's really interesting to me. As I said, I do have a 2013 fusion drive iMac at work in the city and even when I try to hear it I cannot if seated in front of the machine. Thats with attached Drobo shut down... I also considered vibrations on my desk at home and wall reflections from it being 50cm away from the wall...?

I still have the replacement machine here and it's getting harder and harder letting go of the amazing screen...

Re measuring: does anyone know a free iPhone app that takes good clean recording? I'm not sure but I think my crappy free app does some fancy white noise reduction...

 

[DeltaMac]

Could you try modifications to your computer's immediate location?
Possibly try sound deadening on surfaces, both behind, and maybe under the iMac. Even some cork sheet might have some affect on this.
My reasoning is that you might have sound reflecting from behind your iMac, causing an apparent amplification of mechanical noises (the fan). Perhaps changing the surface to one that is less "reflective" might mitigate your fan noise

 

[propower]

Could you try modifications to your computer's immediate location?
Possibly try sound deadening on surfaces, both behind, and maybe under the iMac. Even some cork sheet might have some affect on this.
My reasoning is that you might have sound reflecting from behind your iMac, causing an apparent amplification of mechanical noises (the fan). Perhaps changing the surface to one that is less "reflective" might mitigate your fan noise

Very good suggestion IMO... also try putting a soft surface on the stand support that hinges to the back of the screen. The aluminum surface directly reflects the exhaust port. There really are very quieter machines out there - and as you have observed - the screen is one of the best out there at any price - I parted with a 6 core Mac Pro in a large part to get this screen.

 

[Ken1222]

I have had a 2017 i5, 3.4, 512GB for about 2 months now and it has been silent at all times.

 

[pier]

CPU is not soldered. You could replace your warm i5 with a warmer i7.
Dare, be brave, (and keep us informed).

Here's a guy that did it:

[doublepost=1517537522][/doublepost]

I have had the following 2017 iMacs in my Recording studio: 3.4 i5 1TB Fusion, 3.8 i5 3TB Fusion, 4.2 i7 BTO 1TB SSD and 3.8 BTO i5 1TB SSD. 33dBA ambient background noise in that room. I can hear the fan on every one of these at idle. It is nowhere near loud or annoying but "silent"? I would agree with the fellow who said that if you truly believe it is silent then background noise must be masking it or for some other reason you have no sensitivity to this sound.

The Fusion drive spinner is about equally loud to the fan at idle. The pure SSD ones are of no bother to me at all. Since some update last year my office 13 MBP i5 runs at 0 RPM fan speed unless I do something at all demanding. That is the only "silent" computer I currently own.

Expecting a silent iMac (from any era) is unrealistic IMO. I have owned 2013 iMac, 2017iMac and 2013 MacPro - all very quiet - none silent

Couldn't agree more.

It's possible to get a 100% silent and powerful computer with fanless CPU coolers and power supply, but you need a lot of space which the iMac hasn't.

 

[bolandross]

It's possible to get a 100% silent and powerful computer with fanless CPU coolers and power supply, but you need a lot of space which the iMac hasn't.

Unfortunately, you still have to be lucky to find components that don't suffer from coil whine and other noise forms due to electrostatic charge. Because when you get rid of any fan noise, your ears adapt to the lower ambient level and find the next audible source in your room, best route to go completely nuts

 

[pier]

you still have to be lucky to find components that don't suffer from coil whine and other noise forms due to electrostatic charge

Eh, personally I only have experienced coil whine problems with Dell and Microsoft laptops. My (almost) silent gaming machines with quality components never suffered from this. And, unlike and all-in-one, a desktop doesn't have to be in front of you.