Sorry to hear that. When returning do they ask for a reason why you are returning?
With Mac Pro AS, look to see if they remove the loud side blower fan or gets a queiter one, then it really will be a much quieter machine.
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Mac studio v1 fan noise - it's going to be one of the loudest Macs at idle.
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With Mac Pro AS, look to see if they remove the loud side blower fan or gets a queiter one, then it really will be a much quieter machine.
I wonder if they'd used a vapour chamber cooling system if it'd been quieter? They're already using a copper-based heatsink in the Ultra... must have been a reason not to.
First day of normal work with this machine and to be fair, once the ambient noise is increased in the room, I don't notice the fan on the Mac Studio at normal operating loads.
That is the thing - I also have a 16" MBP which is a Pro rather than a Max, but its utterly silent when doing my normal workflow, so I'm surprised the fan is on in the bigger enclosure when the machine isn't being worked hard. Maybe it will be addresses in a software update.
Perhaps. But its likely that the internal PSU is causing the extra heat compared to the laptops, and I don’t see that one being addressed by software update ?
The system uses 11w of power at idle (https://www.apple.com/environment/pdf/products/desktops/Mac_Studio_PER_March2022.pdf). I don’t suspect the psu would be creating much heat at all, that couldn’t otherwise be taken out by a very gentle flow of air.
I wasn't sure how much heat an internal PSU would generate these days tbh. Apologies if its been discussed already, the thread is moving so quickly its difficult to keep up!
At 11w with 93% efficiency, probably less than a watt of heat at idle. At full load (if it scaled perfectly, which it won’t), somewhere around 20-30 watts converted to heat.
It is a mystery that the Studio Max, by all accounts, makes more noise than the MacBook Pro Max. It has vastly less constrained airflow into, and out of, the system, and a heatsink that is way larger in terms of surface area (and mass) than the MBP.
The only reasons I can see is either a flawed fan design, or more likely, unfortunate choices for the thermal response profile of the fan. If it is the latter, we might hope for a system update that adjusts this, or at least some third party fan controller app that can help out at lower system loads.
The M1Max at least should be effectively silent, the power draw even when loaded is very modest indeed compared to other stationary systems that are very, very quiet.
Is anybody able to monitor the PSU temp and see if, at 1100rpm, the PSU gets 'too hot'? I understand that the heat will more affect the longevity of the PSU/system rather than cause it to explode, but still, it would be interesting to see how much of an affect running the fans slower has. I know what's considered 'acceptable' is subjective to a certain degree.
I also assume that using proper software, it's possible to create a new fan speed curve so that it appropriately adjusts when things get hotter.
I also assume that using proper software, it's possible to create a new fan speed curve so that it appropriately adjusts when things get hotter.
Without diving into a Schrödinger's cat discussion:
Yes, thanks for proving my point. Energy will be transformed, no matter if it's perceived or not.
The fan is always on.
Fans are always at least running at 1300 rpm’s. I moved mine under the desk and used it all day yesterday and acoustically it’s slightly worse. This is while no apps are open w screen saver on only. The studio display cable is way to short to move it away any further. I imagine this will be a problem a year from now when dust builds up I such a tight space unserviceable by the user. I just don’t know what to do.
With a DisplayPort or HDMI display you can get away with 5m cable, more if the monitor is less than 4k at 60Hz.
But with Thunderbolt or type-C the cable length is limited to 3m. And most cables are 2m, Apple asks for like $160 for the 3m one.
I've been using my base model max for a few days now and to my ears it is whisper quiet, the fans never even ramp up.
Maybe it’s a plot to sell the $160 cable and further increase profit margins ?
The mixed reports make me wonder if this is like the Sony PS4 Pro situation, where they had two fan suppliers. If you had a Nidec fan it was a tolerable sound, but if you had a Delta fan it sounded awful.
Seems like a MacBook Pro might be the way to go if you want a quiet M1 Max workstation.
Seems like a MacBook Pro might be the way to go if you want a quiet M1 Max workstation.
Question for the people who are bothered by the fan. Do you think it's the airflow that causes the noise? Or could it be the fan motor? If it's the fan motor, might it be resonance/vibrations through the surface it's placed on? Have you tried moving it or placing it on a different surface (perhaps on some soft books or magazines)?
Yep. So apple hands out a 1 meter cable for people who pay $1999 for their height adjustable studio display ?
Despite the moaners... 'Everyday Dad' says it's very quiet/'silent'...
M1 Max Studio - check what he says @ 10:23, should take you to direct place in video:
So, perhaps there are different versions of the fans or some kind of quality control issue.
I'd like to see someone on YouTube post a direct sound comparison of the Ultra vs the Max, but it's made me feel a lot better about ordering one (soon).
M1 Max Studio - check what he says @ 10:23, should take you to direct place in video:
So, perhaps there are different versions of the fans or some kind of quality control issue.
I'd like to see someone on YouTube post a direct sound comparison of the Ultra vs the Max, but it's made me feel a lot better about ordering one (soon).
it sure seems like we either have people with super ears, less tolerant of any noise or there's manufacturing differences afoot.
I have a media server in my office with multiple fans cooling a phalanx of spinner drives so don't care either way.
I have a media server in my office with multiple fans cooling a phalanx of spinner drives so don't care either way.
Indeed - perhaps there are different manufacturers of fans/coolers.
I've had multiple Mac Pro 4,1/5,1 and there was definitely a difference in noise level between the two. I kept the quiet one (well, I took the best bits of each...).
Hopefully he got a 'bad' one, unless his (ArtIsRight) Ultra arrives and he says it's the same volume.
There are at least made in China and made in Malaysia variants. Most USA buyers get Malay I think.