Does physical environment affect laptop heat (& fan movement)?

[bob bobato]

I just got a new laptop with average-to-high specs and it is incredibly noisy. The fan is nearly always on and chug, chug, chuggin' along, even when the only program open is Google Chrome and the PC reports the CPU usage is only, say 15% and the Physical memory is at 35%. My old laptop never behaved like this. Its fan only went on when rather intensive programs were open, such as Photoshop or a DVD player.
What could be behind this? Is the physical environment anyway related - you know, is the heat or cushions or body heat heating the machine and requiring the fan to go on? What could I do to solve this problem?

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

well based on the temperatures ive gotten on the desktop the temperatures tend to be higher in the summer even when the fan is freshly cleaned out so i wouldnt be surprised.

if the laptop is smaller it can be more compressed so that can also do it

 

[Souron]

Look in the BIOS setting for fan controls.

If it's a heating issue, the most likely culprit is dust.

 

[GoodGame]

I just got a new laptop with average-to-high specs and it is incredibly noisy. The fan is nearly always on and chug, chug, chuggin' along, even when the only program open is Google Chrome and the PC reports the CPU usage is only, say 15% and the Physical memory is at 35%. My old laptop never behaved like this. Its fan only went on when rather intensive programs were open, such as Photoshop or a DVD player.
What could be behind this? Is the physical environment anyway related - you know, is the heat or cushions or body heat heating the machine and requiring the fan to go on? What could I do to solve this problem?

A few thoughts:

1. not all fans are created equal. Some are more efficient, more quiet than others. Since it's a laptop, there's probably not much to do about that. If it were a desktop you could get a replacement fan, maybe with a controller.

2.many fans have controllers and temp sensors so they rotate at different speeds based on the internal temperature. Running a fan at a lower speed will lessen the noise, or setting it to a higher temp threshold will decrease the amount of time that the fan is on at full speed. There might be a user-setting for this in the BIOS or an accessory program that runs in the OS. Or maybe not. You need to check with the manufacturer likely.

3. Law of Conservation of energy applied says that if the ambient temperature (kinetic energy of molecules) is high, then the fans have to work harder to remove excess heat. Also if the ambient temperature is above the threshold setting for the fan to run at full speed (noisiest level) then of course the fan will always be on at full speed, regardless.

There are laptop stands that might increase airflow around the laptop which maybe would help. There are also "cooling bases" that basically blow air around the laptop. Or maybe sit in a cool room with the fan running.


Edit: good point above about dust coating the fans and decreasing cooling efficiency of the fans.

 

[civ_king]

I just got a new laptop with average-to-high specs and it is incredibly noisy. The fan is nearly always on and chug, chug, chuggin' along, even when the only program open is Google Chrome and the PC reports the CPU usage is only, say 15% and the Physical memory is at 35%. My old laptop never behaved like this. Its fan only went on when rather intensive programs were open, such as Photoshop or a DVD player.
What could be behind this? Is the physical environment anyway related - you know, is the heat or cushions or body heat heating the machine and requiring the fan to go on? What could I do to solve this problem?

cushions and other soft surfaces are bad, a solid surface is good.