Updated Title: Fan Noise NOT coming from iMac

[rob97ag]

Just received my new iMac (i9 w/580x)...and am surprised on how often and for how long the fan runs. It's not necessarily the level of noise (I am coming from a 2010 iMac that was on its last leg), but how often/long it runs.

I can understand it kicking in at times when my wife is in Lightroom or Photoshop, doing exports, etc...but it seems to be running quite often (and for more than just a few secs) when simply on the internet and other "simple" tasks (been running the last 5 mins while all I have been doing is looking at this forum).

Is this normal for this machine? Not sure I really want to mess around with sending it back (removing everything, etc), but worried this may get annoying after a while.

 

[goldbuffalo]

Not normal. I have the same setup and mine does not come on during surfing and light stuff, which is all i do. It did come on yesterday for a minute while doing the OS patch Apple sent out. That patch took 20 minutes or so and the fan came on for just a super short time. I remember because I was like oh there’s the fan....something I don’t hear to often.

 

[mikehalloran]

Lightroom can certainly trigger that. The fan comes on whe the machine is working — and LR makes it work.

An iMac Pro is a better choice. (No, I don’t care what Geekbench and other tests say). The base model has a Vega 56 and begins at $4,249 in the Refurb Store. At the moment there’s the base model (always in stock) and 9 BTO variations readily available.
https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/mac/imac-pro

 

[spiderpumpkin]

The 2019 27" iMacs have a fan that always idles at 1200rpm, and ramps up beyond that when needed.

 

[CE3]

The 2019 27" iMacs have a fan that always idles at 1200rpm, and ramps up beyond that when needed.

My 2017 i7 model idled at 1200rpm too and was very quiet for basic tasks. Fans ramping up for Lightroom / Photoshop / Bridge / Premiere / Final Cut rendering, etc. is normal. Fans ramping up randomly while browsing the web is not normal unless you're in a hot room.

 

[richinaus]

Lightroom can certainly trigger that. The fan comes on whe the machine is working — and LR makes it work.

An iMac Pro is a better choice. (No, I don’t care what Geekbench and other tests say). The base model has a Vega 56 and begins at $4,249 in the Refurb Store. At the moment there’s the base model (always in stock) and 9 BTO variations readily available.
https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/mac/imac-pro

Good advice. I will never buy an iMac again but love my iMac pro.

 

[ruslan120]

I recommend letting the iMac sit idle for at least a day while out at work.
When you first set up a Mac it does background processing and optimizations, including photo library processing.

The fans should resume being quiet after that (if the machine isn’t defective).

 

[spiderpumpkin]

My 2017 i7 model idled at 1200rpm too and was very quiet for basic tasks. Fans ramping up for Lightroom / Photoshop / Bridge / Premiere / Final Cut rendering, etc. is normal. Fans ramping up randomly while browsing the web is not normal unless you're in a hot room.

I'm pretty sure the original poster was just saying he hears the 1200rpm fan all the time. Not sure if he was saying it was ramping up for browsing?

 

[CE3]

I'm pretty sure the original poster was just saying he hears the 1200rpm fan all the time. Not sure if he was saying it was ramping up for browsing?

OP said:

but it seems to be running quite often (and for more than just a few secs) when simply on the internet and other "simple" tasks (been running the last 5 mins while all I have been doing is looking at this forum).

 

[rob97ag]

Thanks for all of the feedback. I do have the 27", and didn't realize the fan will always (or a lot, since it's not always running for me) idle at 1200rpm...pretty sure that's what I am hearing. Have heard it ramp a little louder when my wife is in PS or LR.

Guess just have to decide if the idle 1200rpm is gonna be an issue for me personally long-term.

 

[FredT2]

Thanks for all of the feedback. I do have the 27", and didn't realize the fan will always (or a lot, since it's not always running for me) idle at 1200rpm...pretty sure that's what I am hearing. Have heard it ramp a little louder when my wife is in PS or LR.

Guess just have to decide if the idle 1200rpm is gonna be an issue for me personally long-term.

Just so you know, the iMac Pro also has fans that idle continuously with a low background sound. Some people don't seem to hear it, I do.

 

[rob97ag]

Just so you know, the iMac Pro also has fans that idle continuously with a low background sound. Some people don't seem to hear it, I do.

Ah, good to know...since that's what I would have to consider if what I am hearing is gonna annoy me enough long-term (the more I am sitting here, I think it will).

Is there any way to turn the fan down, so maybe I can't hear it? If so, wondering if that might cause future issues...since the fan is kinda there to run for a reason/as needed.

 

[CE3]

Ah, good to know...since that's what I would have to consider if what I am hearing is gonna annoy me enough long-term (the more I am sitting here, I think it will).

Is there any way to turn the fan down, so maybe I can't hear it? If so, wondering if that might cause future issues...since the fan is kinda there to run for a reason/as needed.

I don't think you can turn it lower than the default 1200rpm speed. Macs Fan Control is an app worth downloading. It shows you what speed the fan is running and gives you some custom control options. You must be in a super quiet room and/or have the hearing of a wolf! If I put my ear to the monitor I can barely hear the fan at its idle speed.

 

[rob97ag]

Maybe what I am hearing isn't it idling then (because what I am hearing is pretty noticeable)...and it's just kicking in way more often than it should.

 

[CE3]

Maybe what I am hearing isn't it idling then (because what I am hearing is pretty noticeable)...and it's just kicking in way more often than it should.

That's what I'm wondering. Download the fan control app and see if it's above 1200. Also, check your login items in System Preferences and have a look at what's running in Activity Monitor.

 

[rob97ag]

Welp, I feel like an idiot. Thread title changed so as to not spread false info.

I downloaded the Macs Fan Control app to see what the RPM is at when the iMac is quiet. When quiet, it's at ~1200RPM...which is apparently the idle (on all the time) speed...and nearly dead silent. So the noise kicked in, and I checked the RPM...still at 1200...hmmm.

Well, turns out it's the dang Western Digital 4TB My Passport Ultra I am using for Time Machine backup. I didn't think this could be it, because I have the same one on another machine...and it's nowhere near this loud. That, and it starts getting loud when not even doing a backup.

Sorry again for the bad info/post.

 

[ruslan120]

LOL! That's really funny. No judgement here / glad it's fixed

 

[FredT2]

Welp, I feel like an idiot. Thread title changed so as to not spread false info.

I downloaded the Macs Fan Control app to see what the RPM is at when the iMac is quiet. When quiet, it's at ~1200RPM...which is apparently the idle (on all the time) speed...and nearly dead silent. So the noise kicked in, and I checked the RPM...still at 1200...hmmm.

Well, turns out it's the dang Western Digital 4TB My Passport Ultra I am using for Time Machine backup. I didn't think this could be it, because I have the same one on another machine...and it's nowhere near this loud. That, and it starts getting loud when not even doing a backup.

Sorry again for the bad info/post.

I'm glad you didn't have to get rid of the computer after all!

If you want quiet backup, you could get one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Glyph-Mobile-Drive-Black-AR4000BLK/dp/B07C2QVBPQ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=YN8EYG71TWJC&keywords=glyph+ssd&qid=1565297227&s=gateway&sprefix=glyph,aps,201&sr=8-3

Expensive, but fast and silent.