Always at the lowest speed (1700rpm) - never saw it go higher and it's inaudible. I thought the fan was off for the first day or so before I used an app to see that it was indeed running.
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So how silent is the M2 Pro Mac Mini?
- Thread starter Freida
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Thats interesting. I can clearly hear the fans on my mac studio and they are only at 1325. so i am surprised that 1700rpm is not loud.
I had a Mac Studio for 2 days - returned it due to the noise (fan plus slight PSU humm/noise). I think that the fans in the mini are just inherently quieter. I am very sensitive to noise and thought for sure the fan wasn't running in the mini. Didn't hear it once, even throughout the initial setup (lots of data copying, restarts and so on) and throughout the Ventura 3.2 upgrade.
My room is about 21° C. Maybe I should reinstall iStat, something is wrong in those numbers 😅That seems off unless your room is around 10C
Here's the Windtunnel for reference. It was practically like having a hair dryer on next to you.
Ok, little update. Dota 2 stretches it a bit but the computer is literally silent. Fan went highest to 1815 otherwise it hovers around 1700. I can hear the fan only when I put my ear 10cm away from the Mini.
Also, the high pitch sound people mentioned - I can hear it too but only when I'm literally few cm from the enclosure. As soon as I move my head a little away i can't hear it at all. I suspect its the PSU that does the sound but honestly its not a problem.
I'm testing this unit for the next week or so before I return it and order the spec I want/need based on this testing.
So far so good. Next test will be Blender, Unreal Engine etc.
Also, the high pitch sound people mentioned - I can hear it too but only when I'm literally few cm from the enclosure. As soon as I move my head a little away i can't hear it at all. I suspect its the PSU that does the sound but honestly its not a problem.
I'm testing this unit for the next week or so before I return it and order the spec I want/need based on this testing.
So far so good. Next test will be Blender, Unreal Engine etc.
Fired up my new M2Pro Mini (base model) today - dead quiet. No fan noise, no squeaks, no whines. Just quiet.
put your ear to the apple logo and let me know if you have the high pitch noise. Its very small but I hear it. (only from few cms though).
Can you hear it?
Can you hear it?
Fan is barely audible if I'm very close (<10cm/4in) and the room is dead silent. Sitting at my desk, the Mini is an arm's length away and absolutely silent. This is without any load on the system. On the weekend I'll play a few hours WoW and then I'll give an update.
Why are people trying so hard to show the new computer is noisy?
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Because its a) supposed to be „silent“ b) was expensiv c) i switched from a noisy pc to this because of the minimal noise d)i am still trying to find out if they all have it or if its a production issue (unfortunenatly apple is not known for admitting error if customers do not fight for it)
LIke I said, "get a life"...Reorts are that it IS quiet.
Beating a dead horse isn't helping anybody at any level. Just fanning the flames for what reason I have no idea. Jeeez.
Where is that report? Some users say yes some user no. Youtube reviewers dont count for various reasons.
But hey. About the horse….i came back alive when a friend bought one and told me that i am paranoid an his mac is silent. 6 hours later he calls me and says: now I hear it. This machine is broken. Here comes the really bad part. We both bought at a local store and they dont have 14day return policy(only if you buy online). Without tellung now the endless story at the reseller….
Wow, what a jerk comment.
If some people experience issues or problems then don't dismiss that based on 'reports'. Mac Studio has tons of logged comments about noise issues and yet other 'reports' say its dead silent.
If anyone is flaming its you. Let users discuss here what they need to know before they make a purchase decision or what they need to know.
Apple's QC has gone downhill in recent years so its only fair to be careful when a machine is this expensive.
(that goes for other brands too, not just Apple)
If some people experience issues or problems then don't dismiss that based on 'reports'. Mac Studio has tons of logged comments about noise issues and yet other 'reports' say its dead silent.
If anyone is flaming its you. Let users discuss here what they need to know before they make a purchase decision or what they need to know.
Apple's QC has gone downhill in recent years so its only fair to be careful when a machine is this expensive.
(that goes for other brands too, not just Apple)
Totally with you guys about having more accurate info on this particular machine. I have a month to decide between the best Mac Mini now, that is, m2 Pro with 32 GB Ram and 1 TB, or the base model of Mac Studio with 15 dB of high-pitched noise all day long. And for now, it seems that Mac Mini stays at 5 dB. My workflow is basically recording audiobooks, and last summer I couldn't work because the heat in Spain was brutal, and fans went loud like a distant vacuum cleaner. So, it's problem solved for €2,600 or $2,816, taxes included.
Hello, I returned two studio macs for the noise of the breath and also the hiss.
I have a mac mini M2 pro and the fan can't be heard in a very quiet room. It's very obvious compared to the studio. On the other hand, I manage to slightly accelerate the fan and therefore make it audible, after several minutes with all hearts at 100%.
People are actually trying to falsify the hypothesis or theory that it’s noisy. And during that endeavor they - logically - try to find out under which (if any) circumstances it gets noisy. And everyone is hoping that it turns out not to be noisy.
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OK I suppose that’s a reasonable explanation. In my case when I get the Mini Pro I’ll see for myself and if it’s something unbearable I’ll return it. Didn’t mean to start a big deal. Sorry.
I got an M2 pro mini and returned it because it made an annoying high pitched buzzing noise from inside. The fan noise was fine, but I couldn’t get past the buzz. Not sure if mine was a single bad unit or indicative of a design flaw. I’ll wait a few months for manufacturing to (potentially) settle down then try again. Unless they release an M2 iMac in the next few months…
Very cool! Are you a narrator?
I've been seriously into AB listening for a few years (Consumer, here <smile), and I sometimes notice some basic, persistent background noises. Nothing that makes me want to stop listening, but . . . if I can hear them, it surely must make the person recording frustrated.
Another data point: Mac Mini Pro - silent at 1,5 arms length through first OS upgrade, then multiple downloads, installs and 10+ open apps multitasking with several Edge tabs in play, while running a 4K monitor scaled.
Now, when examined close up the fan is slightly more 'articulated' than an M1 at same work pressure, but neither are audible at normal working distance.
Now, when examined close up the fan is slightly more 'articulated' than an M1 at same work pressure, but neither are audible at normal working distance.
It's very demanding. And indeed, you cannot have a fan going crazy close to the mic inside a booth.
Yet another datapoint: I've been playing WoW for about an hour. Case got a little bit warmer, SoC at 50°C, and still the fan is not audible from a normal distance.
WoW settings: resolution 2560x1440, render scaling 75% (1920x1080), CMAA2, Quality 5.
WoW settings: resolution 2560x1440, render scaling 75% (1920x1080), CMAA2, Quality 5.
I can live with some fan noise, but high frequency stuff is a deal breaker for me.
For voice I've used an Apogee Duet interface with an iPad for truly silent recording. Not sure if that would fit your workflow, but it's a nice way to get reliable silence.