MacBook Air fan...always on..yes or no?

[byziphone4]

I just downloaded smcfanControl today for my MacBook Air. I did it for one reason...flash video. I just like the idea of being able to control the fan speed sooner before flash warms the machine up and the fan has to pick it up a notch just to try to cool it down. So the reason for the download was definitely more for a preventive reason. But my question is while the app is running the default is set at 2000rpm...so the fan is always running at this speed while in default...without this app is the fan always on running at least 2000rpm or is the fan completely off when the machine is cooled down enough...taking a break? The reason for asking is because I don't want to have to always run the fan...if it doesn't have to be ran.

[Intell]

The fan is always running.

[theSeb]

Originally Posted by Intell

The fan is always running.

Indeed, regardless of whether you use a fan control app, the fan always runs at the default of around 2000 RPM.

[Barna Biro]

Fans always run on everything... desktop, notebook, whatever. Are you people insane? Without some cooling system functioning, the CPU and other components would burn out in a couple of minutes ( assuming you "do something" with the computer and not just stare at the wallpaper ).

Of course the fans are always running at least at the lowest RPM they can... There's no such thing as "fans not running / taking a break", no matter what computer you use that has fans for cooling purpose.

[PeterJP]

Barna,

Originally Posted by Barna Biro

Without some cooling system functioning, the CPU and other components would burn out in a couple of minutes ( assuming you "do something" with the computer and not just stare at the wallpaper ).

Even if you are just staring at the wallpaper

Originally Posted by Barna Biro

There's no such thing as "fans not running / taking a break", no matter what computer you use that has fans for cooling purpose.

That's not entirely true. Many computer PSUs actually shut down fans most of the time and only ramp it up when the power consumption requires it. I think the same could be done for not so power intensive components (chipset, HTPC GPU, ...) The caveat here is that the system needs a bit more intelligence: you can't just go from 0 to 800 or so RPM. You have to give it a decent amount of power to get started, then you can ramp it down to the desired speed.


Peter.

[trondah]

The fan's default is 2000rpm then it ramps up the speed according to load. smcFancontrol can be used to set a higher default rpm, which could help in preventing the fan to ramp up further.

Anyways, didn't you hear about flashblock? Should be a default feature of every browser not an extension...

[theSeb]

Originally Posted by trondah

The fan's default is 2000rpm then it ramps up the speed according to load. smcFancontrol can be used to set a higher default rpm, which could help in preventing the fan to ramp up further.

Anyways, didn't you hear about flashblock? Should be a default feature of every browser not an extension...

Yes, adBlock and flashBlock make the web a much better place.

[Barna Biro]

Originally Posted by PeterJP

Barna,



Even if you are just staring at the wallpaper



That's not entirely true. Many computer PSUs actually shut down fans most of the time and only ramp it up when the power consumption requires it. I think the same could be done for not so power intensive components (chipset, HTPC GPU, ...) The caveat here is that the system needs a bit more intelligence: you can't just go from 0 to 800 or so RPM. You have to give it a decent amount of power to get started, then you can ramp it down to the desired speed.


Peter.

Dear Peter,

The PSU is just one component from the entire system ( other components are actively cooled as well and fans mounted to cool CPU for example never "take a break" while the computer is running - according to my knowledge / experience at least ). I don't think your PSU comparison is relevant. I agree about the whole "the system needs to be intelligent" thing, just that in reality, systems are not build like that ( not the things available to the open public at least ).

If a component is actively cooled by fans and those fans never take a break, they most likely don't do it for a reason 99.9% of computers / notebooks ( looking at them as a "whole" and not at individual components that might or might not be smart enough to idle from time to time ) available to the open public which use active cooling ( usually cooled with the help of fans ), produce at least a minimum amount of noise when running and are never "dead silent"

[PeterJP]

Hi Barna,

Originally Posted by Barna Biro

I don't think your PSU comparison is relevant. I agree about the whole "the system needs to be intelligent" thing, just that in reality, systems are not build like that ( not the things available to the open public at least ).

You are right, of course. Your post was more about a system point of view. Nitpicking-loving me then posted a counter that focused on single components. But while posting this, I was also considering the whole as the main goal. So it's good to see that you agree that there should be more intelligence in computer design.

Having just read Ars Technica's review of the Lost Interview with Steve Jobs, I can now firmly state that most computer companies should lay off 99% of their people, including management of course, and replace them with people who don't just look at technology (hey, it works) or at the sales point of view (we're on the market at a 5% lower price point than the rest) but by people who improve parts based on a systems view (our fans now feature irregular fin spacing because that reduces how noticeable the computer is in use).


Peter.