MacBook Pro Noise

[MarkW19]

I just got my new MBP (in my sig), and while it's not "loud" (unless the DVD drive is on at full whack), it's certainly not "nearly silent" like I read others had said, before I bought it...

When I'm doing intensive stuff (Logic use, watching HD content on iTunes etc.), the fan spins up and gets quite a bit louder, which I would expect I guess.

But, even when the fan is on its minimal setting when I'm just writing an email or something, it certainly still isn't "nearly silent". There's a constant fan-like noising coming from it all the time, and you could tell it was on even if quite a way from it (in a relatively quiet room), making it impossible to ever describe it is "nearly silent".

Or, perhaps it's just relative, when compared to a Mac Pro etc (and indeed my 1.8 G5!). But, I'd say my friend's iMac (previous flat white model) is quieter.

Is this normal?

 

[Csmitte]

I just got my new MBP (in my sig), and while it's not "loud" (unless the DVD drive is on at full whack), it's certainly not "nearly silent" like I read others had said, before I bought it...

When I'm doing intensive stuff (Logic use, watching HD content on iTunes etc.), the fan spins up and gets quite a bit louder, which I would expect I guess.

But, even when the fan is on its minimal setting when I'm just writing an email or something, it certainly still isn't "nearly silent". There's a constant fan-like noising coming from it all the time, and you could tell it was on even if quite a way from it (in a relatively quiet room), making it impossible to ever describe it is "nearly silent".

Or, perhaps it's just relative, when compared to a Mac Pro etc (and indeed my 1.8 G5!). But, I'd say my friend's iMac (previous flat white model) is quieter.

Is this normal?

Do you have an ISTAT or anything to tell you what exactly the an speed is? mine runs around 2000 + - about 5% if your saying 2000rpm is loud I don't know what to tell you because thats the lowest they go I believe as far as normal? what kind of ambient noise is in your room, house, office. If your running 0+0- decibals then a mouse running accross your floor is loud.
get your fan speeds.

 

[MarkW19]

Do you have an ISTAT or anything to tell you what exactly the an speed is? mine runs around 2000 + - about 5% if your saying 2000rpm is loud I don't know what to tell you because thats the lowest they go I believe as far as normal? what kind of ambient noise is in your room, house, office. If your running 0+0- decibals then a mouse running accross your floor is loud.
get your fan speeds.

OK, I just installed ISTAT, and both fans are around 2000rpm at the moment. The white noise is definitely coming a lot more from the left (around the left of the keyboard area/left speaker). The right side is much quieter, but has a constant sort of low-pitched (quiet) drone, which isn't a problem.

So, it looks like the left side that's the problem. Although - both fans are at the same (or very similar) rpm.

Ambient noise in my house - just normal: bit of central heating blowing out, but that's about it really. When the heating's on, I can still hear my computer quite a bit. When the heating's off, it's obviously a lot clearer to hear.

Hmmm...

 

[saschke]

Hey Mark!

First, congratuations on getting a brand new MBP...
If you didn't already know, there is a tool out there called Fan Control. It allows customization of your machine's fan-behaviour...

 

[MarkW19]

Hey Mark!

First, congratuations on getting a brand new MBP...
If you didn't already know, there is a tool out there called Fan Control. It allows customization of your machine's fan-behaviour...

Hi, thanks

I'm extremely picky though, so I'm not quite as happy as I should be right now - You can press on the left of the lid when it's closed, and it sort of rocks as there's a slightly larger gap on the left than the right; the "I" and "Return" keys are slightly wonky, and my backlight at the bottom and top is slightly uneven - but all these are just very minor points, I guess I'm just striving for perfection, which is never going to happen

Anyway, with the Fan Control program - I don't really want to be messing about with stuff like that to be honest, particularly with me doing a lot of CPU-intensive stuff like Logic and Mainstage. But thanks for the suggestion anyway.

I just thought that the lowest fan setting (~2000rpm) would have been quieter then this, by the "near silent" comments I read...

It's not exactly "loud", but definitely not silent.

 

[mas90guru]

I just got my new MBP (in my sig), and while it's not "loud" (unless the DVD drive is on at full whack), it's certainly not "nearly silent" like I read others had said, before I bought it...

When I'm doing intensive stuff (Logic use, watching HD content on iTunes etc.), the fan spins up and gets quite a bit louder, which I would expect I guess.

But, even when the fan is on its minimal setting when I'm just writing an email or something, it certainly still isn't "nearly silent". There's a constant fan-like noising coming from it all the time, and you could tell it was on even if quite a way from it (in a relatively quiet room), making it impossible to ever describe it is "nearly silent".

Or, perhaps it's just relative, when compared to a Mac Pro etc (and indeed my 1.8 G5!). But, I'd say my friend's iMac (previous flat white model) is quieter.

Is this normal?

I have the same thing with my brand new MacBook Pro. In a regular room with some background noises my MBP seems silent. When I'm typing in a very quiet room - I can hear the fan running all the time. Definitely not silent.

And I have an iMac too -- and that is most certainly silent.

My guess is that it's a fan on the processor.

You're not alone in your observation.

 

[mas90guru]

I just thought that the lowest fan setting (~2000rpm) would have been quieter then this, by the "near silent" comments I read...

It's not exactly "loud", but definitely not silent.

I also think it's partly due to everyone's perception of "silent"

In my kitchen the MBP noise is definitely a lot less noticeable than when I use it in my bedroom.

 

[michaelsviews]

Hi, thanks

I'm extremely picky though, so I'm not quite as happy as I should be right now - You can press on the left of the lid when it's closed, and it sort of rocks as there's a slightly larger gap on the left than the right; the "I" and "Return" keys are slightly wonky, and my backlight at the bottom and top is slightly uneven - but all these are just very minor points, I guess I'm just striving for perfection, which is never going to happen

Anyway, with the Fan Control program - I don't really want to be messing about with stuff like that to be honest, particularly with me doing a lot of CPU-intensive stuff like Logic and Mainstage. But thanks for the suggestion anyway.

I just thought that the lowest fan setting (~2000rpm) would have been quieter then this, by the "near silent" comments I read...

It's not exactly "loud", but definitely not silent.

What was the outcome of this or fix? I am in the same boat and guess picky, you dont pay close to 2000.00 dollars for something to be ignored. Last MBP I had was replaced 3 times , all 3 times the techs said yea your right thats not supposed to be that way , Apple took care of it just that it gets to be a PITA going back and forth to the apple store

 

[MarkW19]

What was the outcome of this or fix? I am in the same boat and guess picky, you dont pay close to 2000.00 dollars for something to be ignored. Last MBP I had was replaced 3 times , all 3 times the techs said yea your right thats not supposed to be that way , Apple took care of it just that it gets to be a PITA going back and forth to the apple store

Well, it seems people just have different definitions of "almost silent".

It does make a constant fan-like noise even at the lowest 2000rpm, but apparently it's normal.

It's certainly a hell of a lot quieter than my PowerMac G5 or G4, but it's certainly not "silent".

Just living with it, I don't think there's a problem.

 

[PDE]

I'm extremely picky too with sound and if I put my ears to the case I can hear both the hard drive and fan spinning under normal conditions. I guess that in a completely silent room I can still hear something, but I have to strain my ears to do so. If somebody would ask me, I'd say it's completely silent. And if my ears are more than a meter away from it, I can't hear anything at all. Nothing.

I would try to find another one to compare with, but it could also be that you just have very sensitive ears in which case there's little that can be done...

 

[markrivers]

guys!
if you want complete, utterly DEAFENING silence..
uhmm.. turn it OFF!

then step back..and appreciate your MBP as if you're looking at a $2000 vase.

Seriously! compared to other PC laptops, i think the MBP has less noise.
even if, for the sake of discussion that the laptop has 0 decibels when it's running
the moment you start typing. you'll definitely hear a sound!

do what i do.. while working, i have my BOSE over the ear headphones and i'm listening to something good... and not messing my day looking for things that i shouldn/t be concerned about

 

[PDE]

guys!
if you want complete, utterly DEAFENING silence..
uhmm.. turn it OFF!

then step back..and appreciate your MBP as if you're looking at a $2000 vase.

Seriously! compared to other PC laptops, i think the MBP has less noise.
even if, for the sake of discussion that the laptop has 0 decibels when it's running
the moment you start typing. you'll definitely hear a sound!

do what i do.. while working, i have my BOSE over the ear headphones and i'm listening to something good... and not messing my day looking for things that i shouldn/t be concerned about

Mine is as silent as I could ever ask for. I don't hear anything, except when I'm hugging it and putting my head on its lap! But it sounds like the OP has a noisier one which may not be within the normal operating specifications....in which case Apple should fix it. I think the only way to know is for him to compare with another one...

 

[mroseneo]

I am very obsessed about having a perfect $2000 computer as well. I have a very quiet house so I can always hear the fan running. It sounds louder on the right side, and not the clean "white" fan noise as with the Macbook.

I took it in to the Apple Service center and they replaced both fans. I checked it there but could not hear it, probably because of ambient noise in the center.

Anyways, it still makes the sound exactly as before. I am not sure what to do.

 

[markrivers]

I am very obsessed about having a perfect $2000 computer as well. I have a very quiet house so I can always hear the fan running. It sounds louder on the right side, and not the clean "white" fan noise as with the Macbook.

I took it in to the Apple Service center and they replaced both fans. I checked it there but could not hear it, probably because of ambient noise in the center.

Anyways, it still makes the sound exactly as before. I am not sure what to do.

earplugs! $ 5
peace of mind : PRICELESS

 

[MarkW19]

Well, on Monday I'll be able to directly compare the noise, as my 2.5 Penryn MBP arrives So I'll report back.

But - "silent" means one thing - it doesn't make ANY sound (under normal fan conditions). I consider my iPhone to be "silent". "Almost silent" would be that you can hardly notice it's on unless your ear is pressed right up against it in an extremely quiet room. However, when my MBP is started up, the fan(s) starts and is constantly on, at a fairly low level, but definitely noticeable in a normal room for me, even now with the TV on and central heating blowing out, I can hear it when a few feet away. So, either there's something wrong with it, or the people describing their MBPs as "silent" or "almost silent" are partially/wholly deaf

It is by no means "loud", but certainly not "silent" or "almost silent". I'll see what the new one is like on Monday.

 

[Neil321]

A computer is a machine that has moving parts=some noise even if slight/faint

 

[MarkW19]

A computer is a machine that has moving parts=some noise even if slight/faint

Yeah, but it can't be described as "silent" then It's extremely quiet compared to my PowerMacs.

Perhaps I was foolishly to take people's descriptions of "silent" or "almost silent" literally.

Still, the noise mine makes certainly isn't "slight" or "faint". While not loud, it's considerable, and anyone with reasonable hearing would be able to hear if the MBP was either on, or off, in a quiet to medium level room, by its constant fan noise.

 

[PDE]

Well, on Monday I'll be able to directly compare the noise, as my 2.5 Penryn MBP arrives So I'll report back.

But - "silent" means one thing - it doesn't make ANY sound (under normal fan conditions). I consider my iPhone to be "silent". "Almost silent" would be that you can hardly notice it's on unless your ear is pressed right up against it in an extremely quiet room. However, when my MBP is started up, the fan(s) starts and is constantly on, at a fairly low level, but definitely noticeable in a normal room for me, even now with the TV on and central heating blowing out, I can hear it when a few feet away. So, either there's something wrong with it, or the people describing their MBPs as "silent" or "almost silent" are partially/wholly deaf

It is by no means "loud", but certainly not "silent" or "almost silent". I'll see what the new one is like on Monday.

I'm sitting with my macbook pro in a silent room. I can't hear anything at all with my head is about 50cm from the computer. If I put my ears close or against the case, I can hear the fan and the hard drive so I guess by your definition this machine is not silent. It does make a noise, but the noise is only audible if your ears are right up next to it. One things is for sure: nobody I know who entered the room would know that it's on. It is VIRTUALLY silent in the context of ordinary usage - meaning that you're not kissing and hugging it all the time and thus putting your ears up to the case. When it's being loaded heavily, the fans kick in and then there is very audible noise, but ordinary fan activity (1500-2000rpms) is not audible.

I think something is wrong with your computer. My hearing is excellent, but perhaps yours is even more excellent?

 

[MarkW19]

I'm sitting with my macbook pro in a silent room. I can't hear anything at all with my head is about 50cm from the computer. If I put my ears close or against the case, I can hear the fan and the hard drive so I guess by your definition this machine is not silent. It does make a noise, but the noise is only audible if your ears are right up next to it. One things is for sure: nobody I know who entered the room would know that it's on. It is VIRTUALLY silent in the context of ordinary usage - meaning that you're not kissing and hugging it all the time and thus putting your ears up to the case. When it's being loaded heavily, the fans kick in and then there is very audible noise, but ordinary fan activity (1500-2000rpms) is not audible.

I think something is wrong with your computer. My hearing is excellent, but perhaps yours is even more excellent?

Hehe - yes, it seems there is something wrong. It's going back as "faulty" anyway because of some other minor issues (uneven backlight, wonky keys and lid), so I'll be interested to see what my Penryn is like on Monday!

But yes - I'm now sat on my PowerMac G5, with my MBP a good few feet away from me, and I can still JUST hear its fan (lowest ~2000rpm). Earlier I was sat in the living room, with the TV on (fairly low) and people talking, and with it on my lap, and sat back from it (ie. not crouched right over it), I can DEFINITELY hear the fan. It's definitely not just something there when I put my ear against it - if it was, there'd be no problem

I do audio recording, so I was really banking on this MBP to be "almost silent", as I'd seen many describe it, so that I could get rid of the constant hum of my previous PowerMacs and Mac Pros.

Time will tell how the Penryn is

 

[michaelsviews]

Hehe - yes, it seems there is something wrong. It's going back as "faulty" anyway because of some other minor issues (uneven backlight, wonky keys and lid), so I'll be interested to see what my Penryn is like on Monday!

But yes - I'm now sat on my PowerMac G5, with my MBP a good few feet away from me, and I can still JUST hear its fan (lowest ~2000rpm). Earlier I was sat in the living room, with the TV on (fairly low) and people talking, and with it on my lap, and sat back from it (ie. not crouched right over it), I can DEFINITELY hear the fan. It's definitely not just something there when I put my ear against it - if it was, there'd be no problem

I do audio recording, so I was really banking on this MBP to be "almost silent", as I'd seen many describe it, so that I could get rid of the constant hum of my previous PowerMacs and Mac Pros.

Time will tell how the Penryn is

Theres a post earlier up that says its mechanical or something to that effect and I agree with the poster. However though for spending $2000.00 + dollars I would expect Apple to use the highest quality parts and not fans with poor bearings because more than likely the bearings are the culprit hear. I know I am sitting hear at home and can hear the fans on the Dell Inspiron 5 feet away but do NOT expect to hear them on a 2000 dollar MBP , when the previous computer was a macbook and ran silent till a load was put on it. Seeing how I am sitting hear with FF Open, iMail, and adium there is NO load therefore I expect to hear nothing but my fingers on the keyboard and the clicking of the keys

Thats my 2000 dollar feeling

 

[dallas112678]

dude im getting the same thing, i just swapped my MBP out yesterday because of yellowing and this new one has what your describing. This little buzzing sound that you can easily hear while using it on your lap, i dont think my other MBP had this.

 

[MarkW19]

dude im getting the same thing, i just swapped my MBP out yesterday because of yellowing and this new one has what your describing. This little buzzing sound that you can easily hear while using it on your lap, i dont think my other MBP had this.

It's not a buzzing, it's just a "normal" fan hum, but the issue is it's always there - even at <2000rpm, and not "silent" as others have described theirs

 

[michaelsviews]

It's not a buzzing, it's just a "normal" fan hum, but the issue is it's always there - even at <2000rpm, and not "silent" as others have described theres

Dude,

Its a bearing in the fan or the fan unit needs to be replaced, and on my previous MBP 2.16 that I sold "Kicking myself for that move" I never ever had a hum buzz or what ever you want to call it. Like I said 2000 dollars for a buzz or hum.? If Apple says its norm than I will keep the present system if I go into the store and pickup other MBP's and there is no hum buzz or what ever than I will stay there till I get one.

 

[MarkW19]

Dude,

Its a bearing in the fan or the fan unit needs to be replaced, and on my previous MBP 2.16 that I sold "Kicking myself for that move" I never ever had a hum buzz or what ever you want to call it. Like I said 2000 dollars for a buzz or hum.? If Apple says its norm than I will keep the present system if I go into the store and pickup other MBP's and there is no hum buzz or what ever than I will stay there till I get one.

Hmm, well I'll see what my new one is like...

Are you saying that you only ever hear any noise from the fan etc. when it gets above 2000rpm and it's actually doing anything? So just browsing the web etc. with the fans on minimum, your old MBP was much quieter?

 

[dallas112678]

It's not a buzzing, it's just a "normal" fan hum, but the issue is it's always there - even at <2000rpm, and not "silent" as others have described theres

i know what you mean, strange thing is i dont even remember having this before i calibrated the battery.