X1 Carbon fan noise

[MADAB]

My X1C runs silent when used for light operations, but as soon as I put on, for example, a video through VLC player, it spins up to this high pitched, almost tinnitus-like sound. It is not at all loud, yet very easy picked up by the ear because of the high frequenzy.

Does other X1C owners have a similar experience with the fan noise and any comments on it?

Cheers!

[dookie75]

not really. but at most i have done is develop on it.

i have VLC installed but haven't used it yet.

[bdoviack]

Definitely agree about the high-pitched X1c noise. I'm hoping that maybe the fan bearing will get broken-in and become quieter with use.

I have an X301 that I'm comparing the X1c to and the X301 still can hold its own. If you could put the X1c guts in the X301, you'd have the ideal machine.

[MADAB]

I'm hoping that maybe the fan bearing will get broken-in and become quieter with use.

What do you mean by "broken-in"? Does fans usually become quieter with time?

Is this high pitched fan noise an issue on other Thinkpads?

[MADAB]

I'm hoping that maybe the fan bearing will get broken-in and become quieter with use.

What do you mean by "broken-in"? Does fans usually become quieter with time?

Is this high pitched fan noise an issue on other Thinkpads? And can anything be done about it? It's really annoying...

[Art Vandelay]

I don't notice any fan noise at all coming from my X1 Carbon, ever. It is a very quiet machine.

[MADAB]

I don't notice any fan noise at all coming from my X1 Carbon, ever. It is a very quiet machine.

Even when you run multiple demanding applications at the same time? My machine is quiet when I use programs like word and my browser, but makes noise when I watch video i VLC, edit in Photoshop or run many small applications side by side.

Can this be a malfunction? Should I have Lenovo onsite repair take a look at it?

[Shreck]

Running a full-screen 3d app like a game will get the fan to run at full speed pretty quickly, as you'd suspect.

In my opinion the noise is not annoying, though usually when the fan is running at that speed there is some other sound playing which easily drowns it out. Even when relatively quiet, though, I do not find the fan distracting. Of course, my ears may be softer than yours!

[kboogie]

Same problem, high pitch noise. It's fairly loud.

[matt1112]

I received my new X1 Carbon last week. First thing I noticed was the fan noise. I have been using lenovo's for the last couple of years and my latest was the W500. That laptop made no sound at all (after replacing the disk with SSD).

So yes, I experience noise. The X1 Carbon sounds like a datacenter server.

Is there a solution to this?

[Johan Andersson]

I did some reading and disabling virtualization in BIOS help me (Press Enter at Thinkpad-screen at startup to enter bios).

When virtualization is active the CPU runs at a much higher frequency than needed.

...and as always check so you got the lastest BIOS with system update.
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/detail. ... VSU-UPDATE

[Greg Gebhardt]

99% of the time I can not even hear my fan. These devices are so thin I suspect that they need to run the fan if you are doing multiple thing at one time. Do CS and Office all the time and there is not a sound so I would say your 3D app is the problem. I doubt returning would give different results. It will not get more quiet when the "fan is broken in" (LOL).

Likely you will need to live with it or but a laptop more suitable, like a w5 series.