Inspiron AIO 7775 fan noise

Exactly my case. I ordered the system and had high expectations. But only minutes after setting up I realized this was a very noisy system. I installed the AMD Ryzen Master software (NOT for overclocking but to get reliable diagnostics).

I ran the Dell SupportAssist and selected the hardware test in 'stress mode' (15 minutes)....

3 out of 4 times it did not finish this test because the system shut off due to processor overheating!

Even in idle the core temperature is seldom below 55 °C and during the test the system cuts off at approx. 82 °C.

The fan is almost always audible but becomes annoying at 60 °C and at 70 °C is sounds like a hair dryer.

What makes the system really unusable is that the fan is going up and down for no reason at all or at the simplest things like starting an application.

Imho this is not a one-off, but a serious design flaw. How come an iMac is silent (and I am not an Apple fan)?

I changed the Windows power plan by stepping down the 'Maximum processor state'. At 43% the temperature seems to stay below 60 °C where the fan is bearable.

Furthermore the audio was spoiled by irregular, untraceable 'pops' (like static cracks).

Very disappointed (because I think it's a beautiful and powerful system) I decided to sent it back.

Frans Kuijper, Netherlands.

AIO's tend to run hotter because there's very limited air space inside the case. So fans may have to work harder to keep things cool.

What version of BIOS? Latest is v2.11.0

www.dell.com/.../driversdetails

You can flash directly to the latest version from whichever one you have now since updates are cumulative. Read/follow the instructions carefully. Can't promise this will help with the fan issue, but  some "improve the system performance" adjustments were made in BIOS updates before 2.11.0..

And what version of the chipset driver do you have? Latest is Version 17.100.2901, A02

www.dell.com/.../DriversDetails

Hi,

Thanks for the responses guys. I made sure everything was up to date yesterday and also installed AMD Ryzen Master software as suggested by FransRK. I had been using HWinfo and they both show the same temp so that means I am not imagining it.. However, the temperature is still sitting around the 50c mark when idle and if CPU usage gets above 5% the fan kicks in. I have a some games loaded on the system and even when starting one up without playing the fan sounds like a helicopter and temp jumps up to 65c-70c.

I had also been chatting with Dell support on this and they sent somebody out to replace the fan and heatsink on Friday which obviously didn't make any difference so I am now at the point of sending the system back due to the noise

.FransRk how long did you have your system for before sending it back and was there any issues with Dell when doing this. Would also be interested in knowing what you replaced it with as I am considering getting a Liquid cooled desktop which should hopefully help with any fan noise in the future.

Thanks again for your help.

Graham

@RoHe: BIOS and drivers are all up to date. But a change in BIOS software will not cure an insufficient cooling. It only can change the fan 'kick in' temperature and the fan speed at different temperatures.

As my tests clearly show: the cooling is not up to its task. When the CPU's is used to its full potential the system cuts off. Because an All In One sits just 50 cm away from your face it should have an over-dimensioned cooling so the fan does not have to work hard.

@gmac00: For a moment I considered replacing the fan myself with a quieter one (if it exists). But replacing a part on a brand new € 2000 system without guaranteed result is not a good idea.

Your fan was replaced without improvement, which confirms my conclusion that it is a design flaw.

In Europe (by law) you may return an internet purchase within 14 days. So that's what I did: after 2 days testing, trying different settings and thinking I called Dell that I wanted to cancel the purchase. Today UPS collected the system and if all's good I'll have my money back next week. So I had the system for only 5 days.

What next? I really don't know. I still regret having to send back a gorgeous system, especially the non-reflective 4K thin bezel screen.

The only liquid cooled I know is the Acer Aspire U27. But that is a 27" screen with HD resolution (1920x1080). I guess you can almost count the pixels....Furthermore it is a touch screen and thus it is reflective and I don't like the wide bezels; have a look at https://youtu.be/vYyk1IBMH4s and at www.computershopper.com/.../acer-aspire-u27

Maybe the Acer Aspire S24 is an option (not yet available) The computer is housed in the base of the stand.

Your only option at the moment I think, will be an iMac. For me personally Apple is a no-go area....

For now I keep looking and hope that in the near future someone (or Dell) posts a cure for this fan problem. In that case I might buy the 7775 again...

Why do you think 50ºC at idle is "high"?  AMD says the max temp for Ryzen 7 1700 is 95ºC. So your temps seem to be well below the max.  

www.amd.com/.../amd-ryzen-7-1700

If they change the temp table in BIOS, maybe they can adjust it so the fan only kicks in toward the higher end of the acceptable temp range...?

On Intel-based systems with fan noise, users have resolved that problem by setting max allowed CPU usage to ~90%  in the Windows Power options.  Don't know if you can do that for AMD CPUs, but worth a look-see and a test...

Are you overclocking?

And you might want to read this too:

www.tomshardware.com/.../amd-ryzen-1700-overclock-temperature-high-normal.html

On Dell's Intel powered systems, the CPU fan has a sensor that is read by BIOS. If a non-Dell fan is installed, a "Fan failure, press F1..." error appears at every boot. Don't know if that applies to their AMD systems  too. So you might not be able to switch to a non-Dell fan.

Adjusted the max CPU power to 90% and also adjsted the cooling profile from active to passive, didn;t make a difference.

I am begining to think that it is a RX580 Graphics card that is the cause of the fan noise and not the CPU fan. Monitored the start up of Star Wars Battlefront with HWinfo and the GPU utlilzation went from 0 to 100% as the game loaded and this coincided with the fan kicking in.and staying on. I didn't play the game but kept it on the start page and GPU stayed at 100%, now i am no expert but I don't think it requires 100% graphics power to show the options.

When i closed the game the fan slowly stopped over about 10 seconds. CPU temp was between 58c and 64C during this time.

Uninstalled and reinstalled the RX580's drivers and loaded the latest AMD software so not a lot else can do with it.

Does it sound like it could be the grpahics card?

Graham

@gmac00

Graham

There is only one fan and a heat pipe from CPU over GPU to the fan duct. Look at this movie to see the inside of the 7775. Heat pipe at 8:25; at 9:37 they state (without testing) that the fan 'is not going to be quiet'.  https://youtu.be/oGpAfauCrdU

In wrote earlier that I had to throttle the CPU to 43% to get the fan bearable, but I did not extensively test this. I already decide not to buy a € 2000 system and use only half its potential.

Whether the GPU and/or the CPU is the culprit does not matter: you only have a heat pipe and 1 fan....

Frans

It looks like you did not read my post(s) carefully enough before writing your answer.
I comment by repeating your remarks and give my answer in blue text.

Why do you think 50ºC at idle is "high"?  AMD says the max temp for Ryzen 7 1700 is 95ºC. So your temps seem to be well below the max.  

www.amd.com/.../amd-ryzen-7-1700

I did not say that 50 °C at idle is high (but if you read around you will find it is). My point here is that even when idle, the temperature is already fairly high and as soon as you start using the processor the fan kicks in.

I don't care that the max. temp. of this processor is 95 °C. As you can read in my post the CPU shuts down at approx. 82 °C.
You are missing my point: the cooling system is not capable of preventing this shutdown. Besides that, the noise it makes to do so (even just above idle), is imo not acceptable for this kind of computer: it is a desktop right in front of you.
For the sake of discussion: Apple can with the iMac (and again I am not an Apple fan).

If they change the temp table in BIOS, maybe they can adjust it so the fan only kicks in toward the higher end of the acceptable temp range...?

I don't think this will help. The later the fan starts, the faster it has to spin to get the temperature within its limits. I think the fan will then be even more disturbing (a more restless behaviour). But that is my guess.
It is a pity (but understandable) that Dell does not allow me to experiment with these settings in the BIOS. I certainly would have done extensive tests if I had been allowed to change these values (because in my heart I wanted to keep this machine).
Although I have the feeling that the cooling system is not capable enough (and therefore must work too hard), maybe this could be an improvement.

On Intel-based systems with fan noise, users have resolved that problem by setting max allowed CPU usage to ~90%  in the Windows Power options.  Don't know if you can do that for AMD CPUs, but worth a look-see and a test...

As said in my first post; that is exactly what I did. I decreased max CPU usage in steps to 43%. The AMD software then shows that the CPU is throttled down to 1.55 GHz. Only then the fan behaviour seemed acceptable. But I did not extensively test that.
By then I had decided (which I still do regret) I did not want to pay € 2000 to use only half of the system potential.

Are you overclocking?

In my first post; you will find (in capitals) that I do not overclock: "AMD Ryzen Master software NOT for overclocking but to get reliable diagnostics)."

And you might want to read this too:

www.tomshardware.com/.../amd-ryzen-1700-overclock-temperature-high-normal.html

I did not buy the system for overclocking. For me it is powerful enough as it is. I find (and member gmac00 too) the cooling system not quiet enough for this type of computer. My wife working in the same room approx. 5 metres away, found the noise totally unacceptable. I compared the sound with a hair dryer; gmac00 even used the word helicopter.

On Dell's Intel powered systems, the CPU fan has a sensor that is read by BIOS. If a non-Dell fan is installed, a "Fan failure, press F1..." error appears at every boot. Don't know if that applies to their AMD systems  too. So you might not be able to switch to a non-Dell fan.

That is a good one! Now that you mention it: something similar happened to my daughter when buying a replacement battery pack for her Dell laptop. The replacement refused to work for the same reason. It looks like Dell, just like Apple, wants to restrain you to their world.
As I wrote in my previous post; replacement of the fan did not make it as an option: the system is returned to Dell.
I still hope that before I have selected another system, this problem is solved. I will certainly consider the 7775 again.

Thanks for your comments.
As I am not a native speaker -and I am Dutch :-) - so if I am being harsh, it is not meant that way.

Frans Kuijper, Netherlands

@FransRK

Interesting video and obviously kills my theory about graphics fan noise.

I have actually arranged to return the system to Dell as it isn't fit for purpose, you had mentioned getting an iMac but I have just came from an iMac so the isn't an option for me either. Will probably go for a liquid cooled desktop with a decent monitor, as a replacement and for the money the 7775 cost i will get a decent setup.

FransRK-

Why do you think my responses are directed at you? You're not the OP in this thread. qmac00 is the OP and I was addressing him. qmac00 has not returned his system so I my questions and suggestions were for him, not you.

qmac00 said he thought 55ºC was high for idle.  I don't see any validated proof that 55ºC is too high for idle. And lots of users are reporting that kind of idle temps in regular desktops in threads on various other forums, not in AIOs which tend to run hotter.

If it's actually the GPU fan as qmac00 suggested, that might be a different issue entirely and maybe a new video card driver will be needed...

I pinged my Dell tech contact...

@RoHe

Be interested to hear what the Dell tech says, I love the system but can't cope with the noise. If there was an easy fix I would keep it in a heartbeat.

My Dell tech contact responded this morning that there's nothing in their internal knowledge base to suggest any heat problems with this model.

He confirmed what I already said: AIOs run hotter than towers/desktops because there's less airspace inside the case, so the fans have to work to keep the air circulating.

Plus, you also have the fans sitting right in front of your face rather than down under the desk where you'd put a PC tower so that makes the PC sound louder than you'd expect.

I don't know what else to tell you...

I just bought the same model as gmac00 and I confirm the fan noise.

When the Ryzen temperature goes just beyond 60 celsius it goes from zero to a very noticeable noise.

This happens when browsing the internet with chrome.