MacMini - how much noisy?

[unknown22]

Hello,

I am thinking of buying a new MacMini dual core, at 2 GHz... Planning to have it running 24/7, so it is important to be as silent as possible...

Have there been any studies/experiences of how noisy it is, in idle mode?
Can the fan be configured to go (almost) totally off, when in idle mode?

Any experiences? Can you sleep in the same room with it?

I now have a totally fanless Mini-ITX, so I am worried about upgrading to a fan-based system...

 

[Sesshi]

The G4 Minis were pretty much the quietest mainstream computers you could get at the time. With the move to Core, I noticed an increase in noise. I have a bunch of Core 2 Duo Minis turning up in a couple of weeks so will be in a position to comment as I have fanless and custom-silenced systems. However I'm betting it'll still be pretty competitive noise-wise against any fanned system. Whether it can compete against fanless - well, I'll know it when I get it.

If you don't get a response you're happy with, try bumping this thread then so that I can reply.

 

[brad.c]

I have a Mini 1.66 Duo, sitting right next to me. It runs 24/7 as a media/web/ftp server, and I can never hear it. I do hear the external firewire drive running in the cupboard below it.

 

[peeaanuut]

i just put a sound meter right up to my C2D 1.8 and it reads at below 50db. As a comparison I have it pointed right at the keyboard almost no distance and typing my keyboard reads 70db. I have the mac usb keyboard. As another comparison, a loud snap right at the microphone reads at 80db.

lets just say, its quiet, super quiet.

 

[iElin]

I had the Mac Mini 1.66 Duo, and it where never any noice issues for me.

 

[Teh Don Ditty]

I had a 1.66 Core Duo and ran it 24/7 (did quite a bid of folding on it), insanely quiet.

 

[Jim Campbell]

Any experiences? Can you sleep in the same room with it?

Although I've not tried actually sleeping in the same room, the Mini in our living room is as close to silent as to make no difference. I literally never hear it ...

Cheers

Jim

 

[iAlice]

My new mini is quiet as a mouse and I run it pretty hard almost all day long.

I love and respect it; don't underestimate the power and charm of the affordable mini!

 

[beaud]

My mini is so quiet. Sitting at my computer desk, I can hear it, but it's not a noise you really notice, unless you're thinking about it. And when it goes into sleep mode, it gets even quieter. You could easily sleep with the noise it makes.

 

[FatSweatyBlldog]

1.83 Core Duo mini is damn near silent (if you stick your head next to it, you'll hear something )

The ministack v3 external HD-enclosure makes more noise than the mini...