Is this normal?
- Thread starter N00b
- Start date
The CPU cooler may need a good cleaning, I have a i5 the fan only ramps up with heavy graphics.
OldGrayGary
Visiting Expert
- Jan 25, 2013
- 599
Hi all
N00b - since you've got a laptop, have a look where the intake and output vents are for your laptop's fans - and make sure they aren't blocked if you happen to rest the laptop directly on a surface (such as your lap ... & if so, try using the laptop on a suitably large flat surface, such as a lap desk or such). With the battery out, and the AC adapter unplugged, a gentle puff or two of compressed air can push some dust out: aim the air in through the intake vent towards the output vent. If the laptop is brand new, give the vendor a call & see if there are any heating issues with your model, and any fixes/workarounds they suggest.
N00b - since you've got a laptop, have a look where the intake and output vents are for your laptop's fans - and make sure they aren't blocked if you happen to rest the laptop directly on a surface (such as your lap ... & if so, try using the laptop on a suitably large flat surface, such as a lap desk or such). With the battery out, and the AC adapter unplugged, a gentle puff or two of compressed air can push some dust out: aim the air in through the intake vent towards the output vent. If the laptop is brand new, give the vendor a call & see if there are any heating issues with your model, and any fixes/workarounds they suggest.
Michael_Larsen
IT Specialist, Contributor
And after doing what OldGrayGary said, you might also consider a "laptop cooler." It's basically a small platform with fans built in that your laptop sits on and it keeps good airflow for the computer. The one I have is from Cooler Master. You can read up on them at Cooler Master - Make It Yours.
No. That's not a factor in this problem.
Yeahhhh I kept getting told i5 is pretty good.
What's the difference between processors and RAM then - don't they both contribute to the noise and crashing etc?
Also my computer's fan noise is pretty loud, even when browsing
Google is your friend > How to clean a laptops heat sink and avoid over-heating - YouTube
If yours is different Google your model and how to clean the heatsink
If yours is different Google your model and how to clean the heatsink
RAM has no moving parts so they don't make noise. Processors don't have moving parts either so they don't make noise. But processors generate lots of heat that needs to be extracted so they usually have a heatsink fan assembly (HSF) mounted on top. Fast spinning fans make noise, and when the bearings in the fan motors wear, they can make a lot of noise too - until they seize.
This can be worn bearing or a corrupt setting. But since notebooks are notorious and prone to heat related issues (because of their compact size and limited fan capability, and their lack of easy access for proper cleaning of heat trapping dust), loud fan noise when doing simple tasks like browsing often indicates a need for a proper cleaning. So I recommend following Wrench's link.
That said, there's no shame in taking a notebook to a shop for a professional cleaning. This is something they do all the time so they know how to avoid any collateral damage - and are liable for any should it occur.
Please explain why MACbooks don't face noise, whereas windows laptops do - the MacBook I refer to have an i7 processor, and the windows laptop I refer to has an i5 processor. Is it true that better processors generate less heat?
I also get the impression that windows 10 is rather unstable, and uses a lot of CPU power. This causes my laptop to crash more than usual, and a louder fan noise than prior to the windows 10 update.
Who told you that nonsense? The fans in MacBooks can make just as much noise as fans in Windows based notebooks can.
There are many many factors that can affect how much noise any particular computer makes. Different makers use different types and quality fans. The ambient (room) temperature matters, as does the other hardware inside the computer and the tasks the computers are doing at the time. Plus, the cleanliness inside a notebook can make a huge difference in how fast the fan spin, thus how much noise it makes.
And note Apple makes several different Macbooks and there are several 100s of different Windows based computers from dozens of different notebook makers currently on the market. It is hardly fair to compare one of each and then make a statement that implies all Windows notebooks make more noise than all MacBooks.
Yes and no. But for that matter, "better" is a very subjective word. Better to one person might mean more efficient. Better to another may mean it consumes less energy. Better to another may mean faster, or has more cores.
If two processors are identical in every other way, the one that generates less heat doing the exact same amount of work in the same amount of time while consuming the exact same amount of energy could be considered better. But that is not a realistic scenario.
It is true, as a generalized statement, that Intel CPUs consume less power, generate less heat, and have better performance than AMDs. But (1) there are exceptions all around and (2) AMDs generally are significantly less expensive.
What? This is more nonsense. Windows 10 is the best, fastest, most efficient, most secure and stable Windows yet - on hardware designed for Windows 10.
Windows 10 seems to be using up a lot of power on my laptop though
Also I know it from experience from the experience of using a MAC as well as a windows laptop.
Seems to be? How can you tell that on a laptop - a battery operated device? With batteries - devices that grow weaker naturally with age.
And again "a" Mac does not define all Macs, neither does "a" Windows laptop define all Windows laptops.
Note for a fair comparison. you would have to be running EXACTLY the same software performing the exact same tasks on comparable hardware - that is, same processor, same amount of RAM, same monitor, and same graphic solution - as well as everything else.
No, I was implying that the more expensive the laptop, the less noise it's likely to make. Is this true? The MacBook I've experienced is more expensive, which means it's better. i7 vs i5 processor, etc.
My RAM is 8GB and an i5 processor, which should be good for everyday tasks. So the noise shouldn't be that, should it?
No. More expensive could be due to a bigger monitor, SSD instead of HD, more expensive CPU. None of those mean it will be quieter. In fact, a more expensive CPU could generate more heat, thus need the fans to spin faster and make more noise.
Definitely not true! MacBooks in general are more expensive because Apple makes everything proprietary which automatically makes them more expensive and Apple simply charges more for everything they make. They make good products but their higher prices definitely does not mean they are better.
That's debateable. Compare the selfies camera of the iPhone 6s and the Samsung S6 - the quality on the 6S is waaay better cuz the 6S has a front flash
I mean you can get Windows laptops that are £1600, equally good as a MAC. If only you looked at the specs...
OldGrayGary
Visiting Expert
- Jan 25, 2013
- 599
Hi again all
N00b ---- Is the fan noise any better yet?
I'd recommended using a few gentle puffs of compressed air (available at most electronics stores... as low as $2 a can [US dollars]) ... puff a little air through the intake vent and some dust should puff out of the exhaust vent. It's non-invasive, you don't have to take apart the computer. You do need to turn it off first, unplug the AC cord, and take out the battery first, though. If you haven't tried that yet, give it a go: it can usually help.
Another thing you can still try is to find the user guide for your computer, and read the sections for the BIOS/UEFI settings. There are often power/fan settings that affect how aggressively your system will run the fans. If you are not a heavy gamer, you might well be able to try the "eco-friendly" fan settings, which save power by only running the fans when the processor reaches a certain temperature (and even then, adjusts the fan speeds accordingly).
If you see a setting for the i5 cpu that has to do with "SpeedStep", make sure that it is enabled. This will allow the processor to run at a speed appropriate to what you are doing at any given time on your computer. You'll likely not notice any difference in performance, and your cpu should run noticeably cooler.
The i3 and i5 cpus from the last few years run quite a bit cooler than some of the older generation chips, especially when performing everyday tasks.
If your computer has a power/fan utility that regulates those settings installed in Windows 10: you'll need to visit that, too. Often the manufacturer's power/fan settings utilities are unnecessarily redundant, especially when piled on top of those built into the BIOS/UEFI and into Windows 10. If the fans keep spinning like mad, you can consider uninstalling those utilities, and rely on BIOS/UEFI settings, plus judicious settings in "Power Options" in Windows 10 Settings.
Cheers
N00b ---- Is the fan noise any better yet?
I'd recommended using a few gentle puffs of compressed air (available at most electronics stores... as low as $2 a can [US dollars]) ... puff a little air through the intake vent and some dust should puff out of the exhaust vent. It's non-invasive, you don't have to take apart the computer. You do need to turn it off first, unplug the AC cord, and take out the battery first, though. If you haven't tried that yet, give it a go: it can usually help.
Another thing you can still try is to find the user guide for your computer, and read the sections for the BIOS/UEFI settings. There are often power/fan settings that affect how aggressively your system will run the fans. If you are not a heavy gamer, you might well be able to try the "eco-friendly" fan settings, which save power by only running the fans when the processor reaches a certain temperature (and even then, adjusts the fan speeds accordingly).
If you see a setting for the i5 cpu that has to do with "SpeedStep", make sure that it is enabled. This will allow the processor to run at a speed appropriate to what you are doing at any given time on your computer. You'll likely not notice any difference in performance, and your cpu should run noticeably cooler.
The i3 and i5 cpus from the last few years run quite a bit cooler than some of the older generation chips, especially when performing everyday tasks.
If your computer has a power/fan utility that regulates those settings installed in Windows 10: you'll need to visit that, too. Often the manufacturer's power/fan settings utilities are unnecessarily redundant, especially when piled on top of those built into the BIOS/UEFI and into Windows 10. If the fans keep spinning like mad, you can consider uninstalling those utilities, and rely on BIOS/UEFI settings, plus judicious settings in "Power Options" in Windows 10 Settings.
Cheers
No its not. You claimed because something is more expensive, it must be better. You also claimed because something is more expensive, it must be quieter.
Those are general statements and as general statements, they are false.
Sure, you cherry pick specific models that fit those definitions. But I can cherry pick specific models that disprove them too.
And I can find a £1000 Windows based laptop that will blow the socks off a Mac - and have more RAM and much larger screen too. Note I didn't say every Mac like you've been suggesting. The more proprietary a product is, the more expensive it is. That's just life. And Apple sets the bar when it comes to proprietary. They always have - even still. Proprietary does not mean better than something that more conforms to industry standards. But it does typically mean more expensive because it means a single source - not a bunch of competing sources.
Again, I am not saying Apples and Macs are inferior in any way. I am just saying feature for feature, performance for performance, you pay more for Apple products.
Do £1000 laptops have 16GB RAM?
As of anyways, I've ordered an i7 MacBook with 16gb RAM
How much RAM do you have, just curious?
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