New iMac - Fans

[BakedBeans]

Hi, This a question for all imac owners.

I got my new 20 inch imac here, and im over the moon with it, however after a couple of day the fans seem to be quite noisy and quite 'buzzy'... they are constant from the minute i turn the computer on in the morning to the last thing at night, even at automatic and reduced processor - does yours do the same thing or does the fan only come on when your doing heavy work (like the first couple of days).

I did the hardware test to see what the fans were like full blast and it isnt as bad as that but its as noisy or noisier than my emac was.

any feedback would be greatt

 

[Macky-Mac]

i rarely notice the sound from the fans

 

[m-dogg]

I have one arriving on Monday (hopefully). I'll let you know what I think...

 

[mad jew]

Yeah, mine come on when I wake her up in the morning too. I don't notice my iMac's fan noise but I always listen to music at the computer so maybe that's why.

 

[tag]

Honestly I don't think the iMac G5's fan is annoyingly noisy, but I do agree its a bit louder than I was used to when I got it. Though after using it for a bit, the only time I notice the fan to be loud on the G5 is after using my iMac G4 which is pretty much whisper quiet. But yeah, I was in the same boat when I got the G5, I was like man this sucker is loud.

 

[eXan]

I think that Spotlight is indexing data on ur HD. Check Activity Monitor and see if CPU is loaded or not

 

[BakedBeans]

I mean, i might well be expecting to much, but i expected it to be more silent than it is - its as much noise as my old pc used to make (2/3 years ago) but its not grinding or anything... hmmmm - just wanted to check what the norm was...

 

[devilot]

I mean, i might well be expecting to much, but i expected it to be more silent than it is - its as much noise as my old pc used to make (2/3 years ago)...

See, I thought the same thing, too.

So I turned on the old PC.

It is way way way louder than my iMac! Haha, I decided right then and there not to let the slight buzzing/whirring get to me. And it usually doesn't.

 

[Artful Dodger]

I don't let the slight buzzing get to me on mine as I listen to iTunes set on two or three and you can't even hear it on at that point.

 

[igucl]

I also came from an iMac G4 to the G5, and found the fans to be a lot noisier on the G5. But I am used to it now. Even with the processor set on highest performance, the fans seem to go up and down in speed depending on what I'm doing. But that is good because I really wouldn't want them at top speed constantly.

 

[Qoxiivi]

I have to say, my new 20" iMac is the quietest computer I've ever used.

 

[iGary]

My old 17-inch Rev A was completely silent when I was just doing regular stuff, FWIW.

 

[smwatson]

Mine is totally silent even when opening big images

 

[Josh]

Before I sold mine, I often compared it to a buzzing 747. An apple engineer asked if I had the air conditioner running when I called support about it.

So in a nutshell, mine was in no way quiet, yet Apple was dead-set in telling me it was "normal".

(Notice how they no longer advertise the iMac as 'whisper quiet'? It's not just coincidence.)

 

[shadowmoses]

It seems to be down to luck, from what i have seen on the forums, maybe if yours is very loud its worth complaining to apple and see if they offer you anything...

I plan to get a 17" after the holidays probably a rev B refurb, hope its not a noisy one.....

SHadow

 

[jmmac]

I agree -- there seems to be a certain amount of luck when it comes to this issue. I actually bought (and have now returned) a rev B, 17 inch imac about a month ago. I was initially thrilled but started to notice a lot of noise issues within a week. At first I thought I was being hyper-sensitive about it. I have an old imac g3 that, when idle makes more audible noise. And yet, it never really bothered me (we're talking years of use). But what I started to realize was that the change in pitch and intensity on the imac g5 was what made it so irritating. Just surfing the web, when I'd change say from one page to another, I'd hear changes in the sound of the fans and a kind of whine. I found it really distracting. I started monitoring the fans and temperature and the CPU fan and temp ramped up way too high with just minimal use. Anyway, I eventually decided to take it in and have it checked...turned out it had a BAD POWER SUPPLY! I returned it.

I had hoped this issue would be resolved on the rev c's (the newest models) but they seem to have their own version of the problem. I've noticed far more complaints from people with the 20" model, not so many from those with the 17".

 

[simigmc]

I have a 6mo old 20" imac G5 and the fans have just started running at max intermittently any time the computer is on,even with no apps running. took it to a AASP and they
have changed the logic board and it still does it

 

[tivoboy]

brand new 20"

Well, I have a new 20", it has been used for about three days now,


and today, this morning in the quite of the morning it started this buzzing sound, lower left corner. I am fairly certain this is a fan area, so NOT near the vent on the upper side.

Anything one can do? I really liked it being so silent, but I guess I can live with it too.

 

[jblock]

My new 17 iMac G5 is very quiet. I hear the fan go on occasionally, but it's not that noticeable at all.

 

[mkrishnan]

See, I thought the same thing, too.

So I turned on the old PC.

Let that be a lesson to you! Never, ever, turn on the old PC. Never, ever. Never, ever, ever, ever.

 

[tivoboy]

ah well

ah well, well after returning the 20" G5 and getting a new intelimac, I booted it up and was SO excited that it made no noise at all.

Then about 30 minutes into the first play date, it started making the noise, the fan, the small airplane, and now the KITCHEN TIMER! Makes me want to puke. I don't know if I should return it, or just live with it and cover up that stupid little hole with a post it note.

Strange though, that the NEW intel mac, makes the SAME sound that the old one does?

 

[powerbook911]

Wow. Mine has been running for just 24 hours now. I hope I don't have any problems. Sorry that some of you have. That is a real shame. You should probably have it fixed IMHO.

 

[DTG]

My 20" iMac G5 is horribly loud. The temp shoots up to 70-80 degrees C without me doing very much at all (Mail, Safari, iTunes).

However in comparison this new iMac Core Duo is as quiet as can be. Sure it hums along so I can actually hear that it's on, but even under full load it doesn't get any louder which I absolutely LOVE.

Quietness is bliss. I just hope it lasts.

 

[tivoboy]

test temp

how does one test temp? I think I am going to try a post it note and then see what happens?

 

[thestaton]

Before I sold mine, I often compared it to a buzzing 747. An apple engineer asked if I had the air conditioner running when I called support about it.

So in a nutshell, mine was in no way quiet, yet Apple was dead-set in telling me it was "normal".

(Notice how they no longer advertise the iMac as 'whisper quiet'? It's not just coincidence.)

wow - its odvious you got a dud. and no its not a coincidence - I've had mine for over a week now and even when i'm running handbrake or anything else for that matter I cant ever hear it run.

if the fans where a problem alot more people would be writing reviews - especially macworld, mac addict. What are they saying? That these puppies are flying