Going nuts with this temp/noise problem :(

AdladUK

AdladUK

AdladUK

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Joined
6 Jan 2007
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Hi,

So I purchased a ZOTAC MAGNUS EN1080K. It's a pre-built mini PC with a closed loop water cooling system. Here's the official product link for reference: https://www.zotac.com/product/mini_pcs/magnus-en1080k

You just add some memory and a hard drive and you have a tiny water cooled unit that has a GTX 1080 and i7-7700. Pretty cool right?

Well it's driving me freakin' nuts and I'm really hoping someone here can shed some light on the situation, because no one else (including ZOTAC) have really helped that much.

The problem is I can hear the damn fan to a level I consider unacceptable in this sort of system. I have my own build sitting in the same room and it's silent compared to this and when I switch off the ZOTAC everything goes quiet and I feel a relief. Obviously a water cooled system at idle should not be like that.

Initially the CPU temps were showing at 50-55c, which I figured was the problem, because the BIOS is set to have the fan kick in at 50c... But now the CPU within Windows is showing 40c, although in the BIOS it still shows as 50-55c+.

Here's a HWMonitor screen: http://i.imgur.com/V8vpsig.png
And here's a Speccy screen: http://i.imgur.com/8PYgIyR.png

The main thing that stands out to me is the MB at 115c, which is obviously wrong as the system would have probably melted through my table by now, plus it's not hot to the touch at all. Another thing I noticed is that the CPU max temp spikes at around 60c, although perhaps that's normal?

Nothing is stressing the CPU as you can see. The usage isn't even above 10% and everything within Windows is running flawlessly.

Also, is 805 RPM for the system fan normal for idle?

ZOTAC recommended I update the BIOS, which I believe I did, but that hasn't helped.

Apologies for the rant and thank you for reading. I really hope someone can offer some insight
 
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I love the idea of this but realistically it's such a small foot print I think you're always going to be battling temps, even on watercooled system.

Can Zotac provide you with a baseline temp? Have you checked reviews to get idea of temps?

It could be that on your unit, the TIM has been applied badly which is compounding the issue. 805RPM seems reasonable but if it's using a small fan, it will be more noisy.
 
Hey HoneyBadger,

Thanks for the replies. That's actually me on the other forum!

Really not sure what to do as it seems very few people have these systems and no one can give me a direct comparison. Plus I guess what people consider noisy differs quite a bit.

I don't even think the temps are the problem now. I think perhaps the system thinks it's hotter than it actually is and that's why the fan is constantly running, even at idle.

Anything in the range of 30-45c to me is good for a CPU or GPU... That's what my other computer runs at and it's completely silent.

Anyway something is definitely wrong. I just turned it off again now and it's like a big sigh of relief not hearing it. Really disappointed how this has turned out as I had to import these from Germany too.

Here's the only detailed review I could find regarding temps: http://www.anandtech.com/show/10921...0-sff-pc-review-a-premium-gaming-powerhouse/8

Something also worth noting... I just loaded up some games now. The performance was amazing, everything looked and ran great and guess what... The fan stayed exactly the same. No noise increase, nothing. Which makes absolutely no sense either, unless something at idle is wrong
 
**** IT. Done with this silliness. Spend 5 grand and get driven insane by noise. I have my MacBook Pro under load making less sound and they are known for being noisy. My normal air cooled system is completely silent at idle. This is just ridiculous.

I've contacted the supplier and will be sending them back for a refund. Totally done with pre-built systems. Going to just build my own mini unit and at least then I can make it completely silent
 
It's a shame but if you're not getting the support you need or should have, then time to take action.

What were you doing with the systems out of interest? Fo example for office work/streaming I have a small i5 PC that is housed in an IP65 Akasa case. It's fabless and the case itself is the heatsink so it's 0 noise.

Wouldn't be any good at gaming though.
 
I think one of the problems is very few people have this model, so there isn't much discussion or many reviews and you really can't trust what you read from the big sites or YouTubers. They could easily be paid off for these sort of high-end niche products.

Regarding usage, it was for work and gaming. I work from home and I like to load up a game or TV ep during the day to take a break. Given that my room is pretty darn quiet to begin with any noise is noticeable, hence why I've always tried to build systems that are as quiet as possible. Obviously I don't expect absolute silence, but I assure you this thing is far from that.

I'll pack them all back up today and send them back Monday. Probably going to lose a few hundred quid in shipping, but what can you do
 
if you look at the product page it says "Whisper Quiet maximum cooling" so I think you have a case for false advertising?
 
AdladUK said:
I think one of the problems is very few people have this model, so there isn't much discussion or many reviews and you really can't trust what you read from the big sites or YouTubers. They could easily be paid off for these sort of high-end niche products.

Regarding usage, it was for work and gaming. I work from home and I like to load up a game or TV ep during the day to take a break. Given that my room is pretty darn quiet to begin with any noise is noticeable, hence why I've always tried to build systems that are as quiet as possible. Obviously I don't expect absolute silence, but I assure you this thing is far from that.

I'll pack them all back up today and send them back Monday. Probably going to lose a few hundred quid in shipping, but what can you do
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low TDP + watercooling is generally always louder than Air, due to the pump noise would be louder than a 500rpm Fan

depends how small you want to go with your new Kit. but i would go AIR tbh.
 
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