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

[fb3]

Just as an update since some people were interested... I

'm now officially back to my aging Late 2009 (SSD) iMac... Planned on selling it used but offers were not super great and it's actually not too slow for what I'm doing with it a.t.m. Miss the 5k screen though :-(

We'll see what the next iteration brings... Hoping for a not-too-distant update (incl. iMac Pro ventilation)...

Might also take a look at the new MacBook Pros + external monitor once they are out...

 

[gekart]

Its been a while since the last post here, however I wanted to add my experience. I managed to reduce the fan of a 2015 iMac 5k to 960rpm and it makes ALL the difference in a quiet environment.

Basically you need install Macs Fan Control and a smc tool from GitHub with which you can manipulate the smc fan settings. I wrote the whole procedure down in Silencing your iMac: Decrease Minimum Fan Speed to 1000rpm

I don't see why this shouldn't work on 2017 too.

 

[Ph.D.]

Its been a while since the last post here, however I wanted to add my experience. I managed to reduce the fan of a 2015 iMac 5k to 960rpm and it makes ALL the difference in a quiet environment.

Basically you need install Macs Fan Control and a smc tool from GitHub with which you can manipulate the smc fan settings. I wrote the whole procedure down in Silencing your iMac: Decrease Minimum Fan Speed to 1000rpm

I don't see why this shouldn't work on 2017 too.

This is similar but not identical to the method I used. My iMac (base 2017 27" with 512 SSD and 24GB RAM) now idles at 850 RPM at perfectly responsible temperatures (and it ramps up under load normally, too). What a difference! I can still hear it, but it's below the level at which my mind and ears object. At least for base models in normal office environments, a 1200 RPM fan speed floor is definitely overkill.

Now, I'm concerned about updating to High Sierra or eventually Mojave in case this method no longer works. Someone who has tried either should please report back.

 

[gekart]

I’m on High Sierra, so no issue here. I will not install Mojave beta, so we’ll have to wait for GA. Downloaded Mojave wallpaper, gives me the feel of it

 

[tha_man]

I have 2017 iMac i5/580 with SSD. It is very quiet, but not silent. At daytime I usually can't hear it, but at night, when there is no other sound, fans/airflow can be heard. If any of my external drives (5400 or 7200 rpm) spins up, they are much louder than iMac.

Compared to default configuration of my old 2008 macbook with 5400 hard drive, iMac is much quieter. But when I replaced that drive with SSD, so the only noise that comes out of macbook are fans, then Macbook is quieter (actually silent, unless I put my ears directly next to the macbook).

 

[Ph.D.]

I’m on High Sierra, so no issue here. I will not install Mojave beta, so we’ll have to wait for GA. Downloaded Mojave wallpaper, gives me the feel of it

Thanks gekart.

I'll look forward to an update on this when Mojave rolls around.

Thanks again.

 

[motrek]

I have 2017 iMac i5/580 with SSD. It is very quiet, but not silent. At daytime I usually can't hear it, but at night, when there is no other sound, fans/airflow can be heard. If any of my external drives (5400 or 7200 rpm) spins up, they are much louder than iMac.

Compared to default configuration of my old 2008 macbook with 5400 hard drive, iMac is much quieter. But when I replaced that drive with SSD, so the only noise that comes out of macbook are fans, then Macbook is quieter (actually silent, unless I put my ears directly next to the macbook).

It's disappointing that Apple can make laptops that are relatively powerful, super thin, and almost silent, but iMacs are thick (must be, what, 2 inches thick where the stand connects?) and loud enough to the point that several people on these forums think they're broken and return/exchange them.

I get that iMacs can be spec'ed to be pretty powerful computers, and thus need a substantial cooling system, but for those of use who don't need all that power, surely Apple could make a system that amounts to a MacBook Air mounted on the back of a nice 27" retina display?

Although it seems most people replying to these threads literally can't hear any noise at all coming out of their iMacs so maybe Apple doesn't think this is a problem worth solving.

 

[tha_man]

I think the problem is, that iMacs are very thin at bottom, where air holes are. That's where the noise can be heard nad I don't think it's fans, but air going through those unnecessary small holes. Macbooks are quieter at idle because their CPU uses less power so not much cooling is needed. But at load, iMac is quieter and it doesn't really ever spin it's fans until things get serious, contrary to macbook that spins them very quickly.