New "Mac Studio" from Apple

[Phil O'Keefe]

Originally Posted by K Roche

Very interesting and to clarify,,,, the fan speed did not change at load , even at the lowest 1100 App setting ?? so the extra quiet App speed stayed even with all the things you had running ??

I just downloaded it on my intel iMac and will be testing thanks for the heads up

When set to auto, my fan speeds have not changed, even when I ran Geekbench, Cinebench, or anything else that I tried to load the computer up with. They run at ~1,325-1,333 RPM all the time, regardless of the load.

I have not tried to push the system to its absolute limits while using the fans at 1,100 RPM, but I did use it pretty hard on a variety of tasks, and it never went past 44° C on any of the CPU/GPU sensors. FWIW, it was one of the efficiency cores that had that temperature. With the fan app, you can set the speed of the fans to either auto, full-blast, or any custom speed you want as long as it's between 1,100 and 3,500 RPM. You can also set the fan speeds independently, but I've generally left them at the same speeds.

When they're running at the custom speed, the software is apparently overriding the system, and the fans basically stay at that setting, regardless of thermals - but again, the thermals are well within acceptable limits - it could get considerably hotter and still be within acceptable limits, so I have no idea how the Mac Studio would respond to an over-limit temperature situation. I suspect it would just shut down, but that's purely a guess on my part. But I'd recommend keeping a close eye on the sensors and if anything goes north of 55-60° C, I'd put the fans back on auto, just to be safe. But so far, based on what I've seen, the Apple Silicon chips run very cool. Lowering the fan speed a couple hundred RPM doesn't seem to have a terribly huge impact on the overall effectiveness of the cooling, but it does make a slight difference, as well as quieting the (already low) fan noise a bit.

[audiolex1]

Originally Posted by Phil O'Keefe

When set to auto, my fan speeds have not changed, even when I ran Geekbench, Cinebench, or anything else that I tried to load the computer up with. They run at ~1,325-1,333 RPM all the time, regardless of the load.

From what I have scene, this could be due to throttling. It might be more GPU related. Not sure how it would effect audio though or if it would.

Many YT videos on it. When the fan is full, it is loud.

[kings79]

There's no need for us to be turning the fans down guys. These are the quietest Mac's ever built. What you are used to is louder than this thing so..

[BScout]

Originally Posted by kings79

These are the quietest Mac's ever built.

Not true. The Macbook Air M1 has no fans at all (passive cooling only).

[kings79]

Originally Posted by BScout

Not true. The Macbook Air M1 has no fans at all (passive cooling only).

We're talking about desktop studio machines here.

[Sardi]

Interestingly, everyone said the MacPro was dead silent when they came out. They’re supposedly 27dB idle and the Mac Studio is 25dB.

So is it just that these machines are being placed on a desktop and as such, closer to our ears? Would be an interesting test to pop one on the floor under a desk, mimicking a typical tower PC position and see if it’s still audible.


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[kings79]

The noise level of these things is the least of our worries.

But yeah I see your train of thought and tend to agree.

[Sardi]

Originally Posted by kings79

The noise level of these things is the least of our worries.

I agree, but everyone seems to keep bringing it up.

[kings79]

Originally Posted by Sardi

I agree, but everyone seems to keep bringing it up.

We got stuck on bouncing to disk arguments earlier so I think it becomes more of a chat sometimes rather than a scientific record. Haha

[Sardi]

Originally Posted by kings79

We got stuck on bouncing to disk arguments earlier so I think it becomes more of a chat sometimes rather than a scientific record. Haha

True.

I contributed to that BTD derailment so I’m partly to blame.

Hey, at least it hasn’t devolved into Hitler references.