i7 (125w TDP) vs i9 (95w TDP) in iMacs 2020 - fan noise at idle

[edib]

Has anyone done any comparison between the two in regards to fan noise at idle when doing less intensive tasks?

I have an i7 on order, however coming from i5-7600 (65w TDP) which was cool and quite the i7 in the new iMACs might be too hot and loud. From memory and quick searches there was quite a bit of difference between the i5 (65w) and i7 (91w) from 2017, the latter was rather hot and loud.

If i9 would be quieter, TDP difference indicates that, I might need to cancel my order (if I still can, it is in Preparing to Ship state) or return and go with i9.

 

[SWolfe]

I know this doesn't completely answer your questions but I did find it useful to compare different year iMac Wattage and BTU.

iMac power consumption and thermal output - Apple Support

Learn about the power consumption and thermal output (BTU) of iMac computers.

support.apple.com

 

[edib]

According to the following specs, it looks like i7 from 2020 is quieter than i5 from 2017 at idle. Can’t find anything on i9 2020.

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP821?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

support.apple.com

 

[SWolfe]

judging by the same document from 2019 it looks like maybe apple only does the testing on their top tier configuration and not on the BTO option.

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

support.apple.com

 

[edib]

judging by the same document from 2019 it looks like maybe apple only does the testing on their top tier configuration and not on the BTO option.

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

support.apple.com

At least i5 2017 vs i7 2020 in terms of noise sounds promising, however 125w TDP in the i7 2020 is rather scary considering that the cooling system in the iMAC 2020 has not changed.

 

[SWolfe]

Agreed I have an i9 on order myself, although there were that came close on both power and heat with the basically identical cooling and case.

iMac (27-inch, Late 2014)
27-inch display, 4GHz Intel Core i7, 32GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 3TB Fusion Drive, AMD Radeon R9 M295X with 4096MB memory
Power Consumption	Thermal Output
Idle	CPU Max	Idle	CPU Max
70W	288W	239 BTU/h	983 BTU/h

[automerge]1597345234[/automerge]

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020)
27-inch Retina 5K display, 3.6GHz 10-Core i9, 128GB 2666MHz DDR4 SDRAM, 8TB Solid State Drive, AMD Radeon Pro 5700 XT with 16GB memory
Power Consumption	Thermal Output
Idle	CPU Max	Idle	CPU Max
74W	295W	252 BTU/h	1007 BTU/h

 

[mabaker]

Please report back on the noise levels. This is very interesting and good to know for folks who are sensitive to these kinds of things. The 2015 base model is basically silent when idle - dead silent! Wish the 2020 base model were the same.

 

[quagmire]

Maybe I missed it, but where was it shown the 10910 has a 95W TDP?

I need to find the video review, but I swear it was one with the 10910( since it had the 5700 XT and seems the review units Apple sent out that had the 5700 XT also had the 10 core i9) and during test runs it was still pulling 125W of power or so. Where the 9900K maxes out at 85W.

EDIT: Here you go. 130W being pulled when doing Cinebench.

 

[Patchwork]

Both the i7 and i9 are 125w TDP in their normal form. it does appear Apple has slightly tweaked versions as both run slightly slower than the standard versions with rumours of 95w TDP for both. I haven’t seen anything that confirms this though. Overall I don’t think there’ll be that much difference in heat between the two (they’ll both run hot when pushed) so just go for the one that meets your needs and budget.

 

[SWolfe]

I am not sure if anything was confirmed but when I was looking up i9-10910 most articles speculated it was a 95W.

2020 iMac Specs to Include ‘Special’ 95W 10-Core Core i9-10910 Part With 3.60GHz Base Frequency? Radeon Pro 5300 Also Listed

A tipster has found some interesting 2020 iMac specs, with the hardware possibly including a special 95W Intel 10-core processor

wccftech.com

 

[SWolfe]

I saw a lot of stuff like this early on has anyone confirmed if its 95W

A fresh Geekbench leak lists the 2020 iMac’s processor as a Core i9-10910 with 10 cores, 20 threads, and a base clock speed of 3.60GHz. There’s no such part listed on Intel’s website, with only one Core i9-10910 listed with a base frequency of 2.80GHz, not 3.60GHz. Tipster _rogame questions if this could be a ‘special 95W’ part Intel designed for Apple’s iMac, resulting in a slight increase in performance. The one with the 2.80GHz base frequency features a 65W TDP, and it’s possible Apple wanted to avoid the 125W models altogether to control the thermals, thereby opting for perhaps a 95W part.

 

[Mikeeee]

Please report back on the noise levels. This is very interesting and good to know for folks who are sensitive to these kinds of things. The 2015 base model is basically silent when idle - dead silent! Wish the 2020 base model were the same.

I've been using the i7 8 core with 8 gigs memory for the last 5 days. I still haven't heard the fan.

 

[edib]

Maybe I missed it, but where was it shown the 10910 has a 95W TDP?

I need to find the video review, but I swear it was one with the 10910( since it had the 5700 XT and seems the review units Apple sent out that had the 5700 XT also had the 10 core i9) and during test runs it was still pulling 125W of power or so. Where the 9900K maxes out at 85W.

EDIT: Here you go. 130W being pulled when doing Cinebench.

Here, i9-10910 at 95W

Intel Core i9-10910, AMD Radeon Pro 5300 Leak in Unannounced Apple iMac

Apple getting the good stuff.

www.tomshardware.com

However, as you pointed out, here is another video (5m:28s) which shows i9 2020 going above 95W (41dBa at full load sounds too good to be true)

 

[edib]

I've been using the i7 8 core with 8 gigs memory for the last 5 days. I still haven't heard the fan.

I take that, thank you 😀

 

[jacklivehere]

so i9 uses less power than i7 in 2020 iMac on Full load?
should I return my i7 and get i9

 

[quagmire]

Here, i9-10910 at 95W

Intel Core i9-10910, AMD Radeon Pro 5300 Leak in Unannounced Apple iMac

Apple getting the good stuff.

www.tomshardware.com

However, as you pointed out, here is another video (5m:28s) which shows i9 2020 going above 95W (41dBa at full load sounds too good to be true)

Looks like that was guess work by the author than confirmed by Intel or code digging, etc.

I would peg the 10910 as a tweaked 10900K than the 10900 given the numbers we know now.

 

[edib]

Both i7 (10700K - assuming that is the correct one) and i9 (10910) have a 125W TDP and 95W TDP-down.

Intel® Core™ i7-10700K Processor (16M Cache, up to 5.10 GHz) - Product Specifications | Intel

Intel® Core™ i7-10700K Processor (16M Cache, up to 5.10 GHz) quick reference with specifications, features, and technologies.

ark.intel.com

Intel® Core™ i9-10910 Processor (20M Cache, up to 5.00 GHz) - Product Specifications | Intel

Intel® Core™ i9-10910 Processor (20M Cache, up to 5.00 GHz) quick reference with specifications, features, and technologies.

ark.intel.com

 

[Nuno Nascimento Lemos]

Just got a 2020 iMac i7 and fan noise in idle is noticeable louder than my older 2014 i5. Both run at 1200 rpm, thought. I did the SMC reset, still the same. Will contact Apple support because is freaking me out.

 

[edib]

Just got a 2020 iMac i7 and fan noise in idle is noticeable louder than my older 2014 i5. Both run at 1200 rpm, thought. I did the SMC reset, still the same. Will contact Apple support because is freaking me out.

I wonder if what you are hearing (with your own ears) is the norm for the new iMacs with i7s or there is an issue with your iMac. Since we all have different sensitivity to noise it is rather challenging to define what is loud and what is not, not to mention trying to convey this on Internet forums or in reviews. Having said so, according to the Apple website the new iMac with i7 should be 2dB quieter than the 2017 iMac i5 on light tasks. (I had that model and it was very quiet, I couldn’t really hear it at 1200 rpm).

In my case, if the new iMac will generate any audible noise at 1200 rpm while web browsing or doing light work it is definitively going back. I should have it sometime end of next week.

 

[JacobHarvey]

Just got a 2020 iMac i7 and fan noise in idle is noticeable louder than my older 2014 i5. Both run at 1200 rpm, thought. I did the SMC reset, still the same. Will contact Apple support because is freaking me out.

There are quite a few threads of users complaining about the fan noise when idle in 2017 and 2019 iMacs. It might be the same issue rather than an isolated defect regarding your particular iMac. How would you describe the noise (is it like a whirring or soft ticking noise? or something else?)

I also was initially surprised at the idle fan noise of the 27 inch 2019 iMac after coming from a 2009 iMac that had a more muted fan noise when idle.

Some people have found that manually adjusting the fan speed when idle to 1000 or 1100 rpm using a utility makes these iMacs virtually silent. I have not bothered with mine and have just gotten used to the idle noise

 

[Nuno Nascimento Lemos]

I wonder if what you are hearing (with your own ears) is the norm for the new iMacs with i7s or there is an issue with your iMac. Since we all have different sensitivity to noise it is rather challenging to define what is loud and what is not, not to mention trying to convey this on Internet forums or in reviews. Having said so, according to the Apple website the new iMac with i7 should be 3dBA quieter than the 2017 iMac i5 onlight tasks. (I had that model and it was very quiet, I couldn’t really hear it at 1200 rpm).

In my case, if the new iMac will generate any audible noise at 1200 rpm while web browsing or doing light work it is definitively going back. I should have it sometime end of next week.

If it’s the new norm, then it’s louder. Same ears, same quiet room, i’ve put both iMacs side to side and turn them on in turn. No need for a decibel counter. Do you know if the fan is a different model or has new blade design? (I would bet if Apple changed that it would be for the better quiet, unless they want to say that Apple Silicon Macs are much quieter..😅)

 

[Whiteman007]

If it’s the new norm, then it’s louder. Same ears, same quiet room, i’ve put both iMacs side to side and turn them on in turn. No need for a decibel counter. Do you know if the fan is a different model or has new blade design? (I would bet if Apple changed that it would be for the better quiet, unless they want to say that Apple Silicon Macs are much quieter..😅)

maybe its a better cooling fan but louder? for me i would rather it have better cooling the quieter.

 

[edib]

If it’s the new norm, then it’s louder. Same ears, same quiet room, i’ve put both iMacs side to side and turn them on in turn. No need for a decibel counter. Do you know if the fan is a different model or has new blade design? (I would bet if Apple changed that it would be for the better quiet, unless they want to say that Apple Silicon Macs are much quieter..😅)

Not sure if the fan model is different or not.

According to the following tech sheet the iMac from 2014 with 3.5 GHz i5 (not sure if you have the same spec as tested) should be 2dB louder during web browsing than the new one.

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

support.apple.com

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

support.apple.com

 

[Nuno Nascimento Lemos]

The fan has no problem in my view. No whirring or soft ticking noise (i’ve run iMac Diagnostics). It’s just the outgoing airflow noise that is louder just from the start and as I mention, both fans are at 1200rpm.
I’ve search to reduce speed fan to 1000rpm but found no GUI friendly program to do that, just terminal commands that i don’t wanna mess. Some programs don’t let me reduce beyond 1200rpm.
Reading the technical specifications the 2020 iMac is quieter than the 2014 iMac, but not in my case.

 

[quagmire]

The fan has no problem in my view. No whirring or soft ticking noise (i’ve run iMac Diagnostics). It’s just the outgoing airflow noise that is louder just from the start and as I mention, both fans are at 1200rpm.
I’ve search to reduce speed fan to 1000rpm but found no GUI friendly program to do that, just terminal commands that i don’t wanna mess. Some programs don’t let me reduce beyond 1200rpm.
Reading the technical specifications the 2020 iMac is quieter than the 2014 iMac, but not in my case.

Did the 2014 have an HD? My 2019 is the same fan noise wise as my 2013( both are pure SSD). The tech specs being quieter is probably due to the removal of the spinny drive.