MP 7,1 Mac Pro 2019 (7.1) Fan Noise?

[Hotshoe]

I recently swapped a W5700X equipped Mac Pro for Pro Vega II model. I don't recall any fan noise coming from the previous system and I'm just now noticing the slightest of fan noise coming from my replacement system. The only difference between the systems is GPU config, so especially curious to hear from folks with Pro Vega II configured systems.

The noise doesn't bother me and simply wanting to know if normal or not. It's barely noticeable, like what you might expect from a power supply. It could very well be a case of quiet night combined with no listening to music like usual.

Thanks in advance for anybody who can share their notes.

 

[LeonPro]

No fan noise that's evident here unless I stick my ears to the front of the case.

 

[Hotshoe]

Thanks for checking @LeoPro. Appreciate your posting back. I also checked with a friend has has similarly equipped machine (except w/ Dual Pro Vega It cards) and no audible fan noise while machine is idling.

 

[LeonPro]

Has yours returned to normal? I would reset the SMC one more time by simply powering off and removing the power plug for 15 seconds (or longer).

 

[TrevorR90]

None from mine and I have the Vega II

 

[Hotshoe]

Thanks for the replies -- it's helpful to have confirmation @LeonPro, I did try powering off / resetting SMC but no change.

Apple is sending me a replacement fan assembly, which is classified as DIY user replaceable so I'll give it a try before taking any further action.

This issue is not affecting my work and it's not noticeable with A/C running or music playing in background, but it is an expensive machine so I do want it to be right.

 

[eflx]

Mine has always had a bit of fan noise. Not super loud or anything, but has a definite pitch. It's less the sound of air moving, and more the sound of the fan motors making a slight "hum".

Curious if your fan replacement makes a noticeable difference

 

[LeonPro]

Thanks for the replies -- it's helpful to have confirmation @LeonPro, I did try powering off / resetting SMC but no change.

Apple is sending me a replacement fan assembly, which is classified as DIY user replaceable so I'll give it a try before taking any further action.

This issue is not affecting my work and it's not noticeable with A/C running or music playing in background, but it is an expensive machine so I do want it to be right.

This is the reason why we invest in a Mac Pro. It’s the future maintenance being user DIY for parts.

 

[Hotshoe]

It's less the sound of air moving, and more the sound of the fan motors making a slight "hum".

This exactly describes what I am hearing.

If I put my ear right up the the grater then can hear (and feel) the air moving, but the airflow is otherwise unnoticeable.

I suspect it's the motors driving fans -- a slight hum / low-pitch sound. I'll be sure to post back if the replacement assembly makes a difference.

Pretty minor issue, and I'm a somewhat embarrassed to even post about it. I'm super happy with the system, but at it's price point I'm just wanting to know it's perfect since my previous two systems were dead quiet (but had other issues w/ the W5700X card, so I swapped for Vega II).

Again, appreciate the responses

 

[LeonPro]

Definitely have the fan assembly replaced. I don't hear the wind noise let alone the motors. Not at this price point. That's for the PC builders with decked out multi-coloured LED light and water cooling. Kidding...or not.

 

[Hotshoe]

That's for the PC builders with decked out multi-coloured LED light and water cooling.

?

 

[choreo]

Mine is dead-silent unless I run diagnostic-mode, in which case I am glad I did not order the "wheels"!

 

[Hotshoe]

I installed the replacement fan assembly and the system is marginally quieter, now with only the slight sound of air pumping through the system. It's not dead-silent though, but even an idle system (of this nature) requires some degree of active cooling so I'm skeptical this is possible. For those who report no sound, I wonder if listening in a quiet room makes a difference -- late at night, after ears have had a chance to adjust. This is when I notice (bearing in mind that my seating position puts my ears 24" away from front face of system enclosure). Regardless, I'm satisfied at this point.

What's curious to me is how Apple considers the fan assembly to be user replaceable whereas the GPU is not, because the GPU needs to come out in order to replace the fan assembly. And ,with no instructions to go by, finding the last screw to remove the assembly turned out to be an Easter egg hunt (although one of those things where seems obvious once you know). All-in-all, the job took me about an hour to safely navigate my way without breaking any plastic parts (like the fan shroud and SSD cover) -- where replacing just the GPU is a 5 min job.

 

[choreo]

What's curious to me is how Apple considers the fan assembly to be user replaceable whereas the GPU is not, because the GPU needs to come out in order to replace the fan assembly. And ,with no instructions to go by, finding the last screw to remove the assembly turned out to be an Easter egg hunt (although one of those things where seems obvious once you know). All-in-all, the job took me about an hour to safely navigate my way without breaking any plastic parts (like the fan shroud and SSD cover) -- where replacing just the GPU is a 5 min job.

I was surprised as well when I spoke with Apple Tech Support that they did not want to swap out my W5700X if that was the suspected problem... seems like a relatively easy thing?

My room is dead silent and my Mac Pro is mounted about 6" above my head and about 2-feet in front of me and I hear nothing.

 

[Hotshoe]

My room is dead silent and my Mac Pro is mounted about 6" above my head and about 2-feet in front of me and I hear nothing.

Hmm. Interesting. I wonder then if Apple runs the fans a little higher on systems with more cores. I'm a 24 core system.

 

[eflx]

I’ve come to the conclusion that anyone who says “dead silent” is flat out lying. The system has 4 fans. It’s legitimately impossible to be “dead silent”

 

[LeonPro]

I don't believe the fans are dead silent literally. The room may be dead silent from other descriptions and despite that they can't hear anything discernible that can be readily pinpointed as fan noise.

In my case when I stick my ears to the case, I can hear the fans of course. But not at the distance I'm at being 3-feet away from the case.

@Hotshoe , you may be on to something with your high core count. Might want to post your specs as your sig for ready comparison amongst replies.

 

[codehead1]

Everything's relative, I'll just put this out there. I've been associated with making sound all my life, but not in a way that put me under high volume too many years—my ears are still pretty good. I lived on a super quiet street, for the city—people have come here many times over the years, including visiting from other countries, and spontaneously commented on how quiet it is, including someone visiting for the first time yesterday. And that's in my house.

My office is separate from the house, in my backyard, walls are partly concrete block, the rest wood frame and stucco, insulated, sound-deadening board on the studs, drywall over that. It has double-pane windows, kept closed, but fortunately there's that really quiet street and neighborhood, and amazingly no dogs. Enough said, it's a quiet room, and I know what I'm listening for.

My 7,1 16-core, W5700X, 96 GB, 2 TB SSD, is on the floor, right hip socket is about 12 inches in front, 16 inches to the left, about the top of the handle vertically. I can't hear it sitting here (maybe more accurate to say I can't be sure I'm hearing it), with everything's else off, I need to lean over and put my head closer.

My Dell laptop is way louder in mild use, getting much louder when tasked. My Mac Pro 2009 with just SSDs is considerably louder—totally usable in a music situation, and it was in the spot occupied by the 7,1 now. My Mac Pro Quad G5...I'd have to turn it on, along with a Pro Tool expansion chassis, every once in a while the past few years to A/B AAX plugin development with the old TDM version—omg, I can't shut that thing off fast enough, what an incredible racket, the Mac being the worst of it.

If you're actually sitting there in normal use and the fan is noticeable, maybe it's the power draw from the 24 cores and the Pro Vega II. But the 16/W5700X is dam quiet.

 

[OkiRun]

Can only tell you my experience with the 7,1. I have to put my ear on the front of the computer to hear it and then it is whisper quiet. A human whisper is louder than the fan noise I can hear with my set up and at the moment FCPX and PP are open with projects.

 

[eflx]

I must have one of the more noisy Mac Pro's then I guess?

12 core, 96GB, 1TB and the W5700X. I can hear it while placed sideways under my desk, pushed back as far away as possible. I can definitely hear it when I put my ear up to it. Both the 3x fans in the front make a bit of a low pitched "hum/whine" and the chipset blower fan make a bit of noise as well.

Either that, or I have particularly sharp hearing. There was a thread on here somewhere and a small website one of the forum members created, as he went through the whole ordeal of replacing Mac Pro's with Apple thinking his wasn't as quiet as it should be etc. he finally recorded the sound levels of a bunch of Macs. What he found was the Mac Pro 7,1 is both the quietest, and loudest Mac in the lineup.

Loudest at idle ... quietest under heavy load by a long shot. The only Mac that could've been considered "whisper silent" was the iMac Pro measured as something like 22db at operating distance. The Mac Pro was closer to 29/30 if I recall at idle.

It's pretty cool though Apple will send you a replacement fan unit without having to take the computer in. Much better than the usual situation with having to drag your entire Mac in for something like a fan

 

[Hotshoe]

Loudest at idle ... quietest under heavy load by a long shot.

This makes sense. The Pro 7,1 is definitely louder than my MBP or iMacPro at idle, but it's an entirely different story once it's time to go to work. By louder, I mean noticeable but barely so (as opposed to dead quiet, which is how I might describe my MBP/iMac Pro under light load);

It's pretty cool though Apple will send you a replacement fan unit without having to take the computer in

Agreed.

... he went through the whole ordeal of replacing Mac Pro's with Apple thinking his wasn't as quiet as it should be etc.

This is a path as was about to go down, but no longer needed -- thanks in part to responses posted back to this thread. Thanks again for all the inputs

 

[yellow_lupine]

Hi Hotshoe

I also have a MacBook Pro, despite my model is a 6-core i9 mid 2018 one, and it's as loud as a sky rocket when at high load (!), very annoying...
How would you describe your Mac Pro fan noise at idle/high load compared to your MacBook Pro?

 

[LEOMODE]

I hear ramped up fan noise from time to time on W5700X MPX module when I was playing WoW. Haven't heard in other software though. The GPU % went up all the way near 100% when the fans kicked in.

 

[tommy chen]

I hear ramped up fan noise from time to time on W5700X MPX module when I was playing WoW. Haven't heard in other software though. The GPU % went up all the way near 100% when the fans kicked in.

a MPX module has no fans

 

[LEOMODE]

a MPX module has no fans

I never said MPX module had fans.