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2011 15" fan noise assessments ?

S

skiltrip

macrumors 68030
Original poster
May 6, 2010
2,899
268
New York
Those of you that have picked up a 2011 15", how is the fan noise? Do they kick in excessively and more often than the 2010? Just looking for thoughts and observations from those that already have one.
 
Interested in this as well.. also, how does fan noise on top spec 15" compare to fan noise on top spec 17"? the hardware is more or less the same, but the 17" should have more "space inside" to cool down, no?
 
I'll just bump this thread as I really, really want to know it too - just ordered the high-end 15" and I am extremely nervous about the noise and heat level o:

One of the main reasons for buying this MacBook Pro, is because I want a silent and cool machine. Please Apple, don't let it be warm! Please!
 
ninjaboi21 said:
I'll just bump this thread as I really, really want to know it too - just ordered the high-end 15" and I am extremely nervous about the noise and heat level o:

One of the main reasons for buying this MacBook Pro, is because I want a silent and cool machine. Please Apple, don't let it be warm! Please!
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Subscribing to hear how you get on. silent and cool is important.
 
aznguyen316 said:
I know it's not 15" but my 13" i7 is pretty damn loud. Like really loud lol
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Interesting. So this must be the fans running just for the processor.

I wonder if the ones with graphics cards are quieter if the switchig is turn off (IIRC the switching can be turned off so that the dedicated graphics card is only used) , perhaps the processor will run cooler because because the onboard graphics is being used? - especially on less graphics intensive processes that dont cause the fans to go more to cool the graphics card.
 
I intensely need to know

Hi ! I'm gonna use mine for logic. But fan noise is really important - scenario would be constant medium cpu usage wit han external display connected. Also interesting: How do the 13" compare...
 
note it's only loud when it's on load or playing wow. When it gets to 90C fans are at 6200RPM so it never gets higher than that temp but at 6200rpm it's loud. When I'm just chillin on my desk or right now on my bed on my stomach it's at 2000rpm and I can't hear it.. 45C just browsing websites and some random youtube.
 
ganzeinfach said:
Hi ! I'm gonna use mine for logic. But fan noise is really important - scenario would be constant medium cpu usage wit han external display connected. Also interesting: How do the 13" compare...
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Did you order already? Or waiting to hear about he fan?
 
Nope, fan noise is not any different from the 2010. I just sold my 2010 2.66 17" and it's no different running the tests i have so far. This includes Photoshop, CAD rendering, movies, etc. I can't say much for temps except to the touch they both feel the same.
 
On normal activities, my 2011 is no different than my 2010. The only noticeable difference is when in parallels - temps are probably 10c higher, but I attribute that to me assigning 4 logical processors to parallels (vs 2 on the 2010 obviously).
 
aznguyen316 said:
note it's only loud when it's on load or playing wow. When it gets to 90C fans are at 6200RPM so it never gets higher than that temp but at 6200rpm it's loud. When I'm just chillin on my desk or right now on my bed on my stomach it's at 2000rpm and I can't hear it.. 45C just browsing websites and some random youtube.
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I never thought of Wow to be that intensive of a game compared to others.
 
Whitelightning said:
I never thought of Wow to be that intensive of a game compared to others.
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It is pretty intense. Pretty, pretty intense.

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Well i had a 2008 intel core duo MBP, and the 2010 MBP i5, and now i Have this one..
I really think that its just this machine. This mac gets really hot.. Fans blow excessively! Especially when on skype..I've also have even had a couple of freezes.. I'm going to see how it does over the next couple of days, but if not. Its going back to be exchanged.
 
gigapocket1 said:
Well i had a 2008 intel core duo MBP, and the 2010 MBP i5, and now i Have this one..
I really think that its just this machine. This mac gets really hot.. Fans blow excessively! Especially when on skype..I've also have even had a couple of freezes.. I'm going to see how it does over the next couple of days, but if not. Its going back to be exchanged.
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that sucks I've been on skype the past hour and the temp has hung around 57C and fans are at 2000RPM. I am on 13" i7 though but my rans love to get loud on load, but it stays at 2000RPM otherwise. I'm also streaming an .asx video in VLC player, no problems. I would def get your machine checked out.

*edit* I started doing video and it went up to 5000RPM ish to like 70C ish so yeah video will heat it up..
 
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This 2011 15" 2.2ghz i7 sounds like a goddamned Cessna taking off when the fans kick up to 6200rpm. I kind of enjoy it though. I sit there and pretend I'm flying in a plane. :]
 
aznguyen316 said:
that sucks I've been on skype the past hour and the temp has hung around 57C and fans are at 2000RPM. I am on 13" i7 though but my rans love to get loud on load, but it stays at 2000RPM otherwise. I'm also streaming an .asx video in VLC player, no problems. I would def get your machine checked out.

*edit* I started doing video and it went up to 5000RPM ish to like 70C ish so yeah video will heat it up..
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What version of Skype are you running?

I am wondering if the cause of the CPU load has anything to do with the new version of Skype. I am on the new version, 5.0. And like the other person in the post above, I am having major CPU load with Skype. Right now Skype is avg around 90% CPU load in Activity monitor. What I don't get is why overall CPU load is around 12% User, 2% System, and 88% Free, but the CPU temp is still so high.

I just bought the 15" with the upgraded CPU to 2.3(Apple store retail units w/ non-glare require CPU upgrade and I have edu discount). I was hoping that due to the major CPU efficiencies of the Sandy Bridge CPUs over last year's Core I's, that CPU temps and overall CPU load will be better. I hope I either have a bad unit or there is some optimizations I can make w/ Skype to improve this condition. This is my first Mac coming back from PCs(and before this had the first unibody aluminum Macbook). If indeed the Sandy Bridge CPUs on Mac do not perform as well as the advertised hype, I will be going back to PCs. The premium price over PCs would not be worth it.
 
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