How Does the iMac Pro's Thermal Management Compare to the 2020 iMac?

Question

The iMac Pro is among my strongest options due to its presumed thermal superiority. What about its thermal system manages to be superior to that of the 2020 iMac?

Answer 1

Unlike the 2020 Mac, the iMac Pro is equipped with a stronger fan as it features a different and far better thermal system. iMac Pro owners hardly hear the iMac Pro's fan even during heavy usage because it is built to be rather quiet. The debut of the new iMac model in 2020 saw a tremendous uproar around the new iMac’s underside fan that A significant number of people worried about the fan noise level in the new computer, particularly people who participated in video or audio recording.

Comments

I recently went through the painful task of trying to find an Intel-based Mac which has 6 cores or more for running a VM which can in turn simulate network routers & switches. I was really disappointed to see that despite improved thermals, recent iMacs & 16” MacBook Pros still ramp up the fans. The 6 core 2018 Mac Mini is the same, but heats up to an incredible degree. I can’t justify a new Mac Pro but someone recommended an iMac Pro.

I picked up a used base model with 8 core cpu and its blown me away (not with the fans). No matter what I do, it’s utterly silent and does everything at much lower temperatures than any of the other machines I’ve tried (including a 2013 Mac Pro). It might be a few years old, but it’s been a great purchase and IMO lives up to the “Pro” moniker.

---

Thanks for making the content.
Regarding thermals:
As a base iMac Pro owner: yes the fans are practically unheard when browsing, editing music, multitasking.
They do however become loud when playing Diablo 3, an old and not a graphic heavy game.
Games like Hollow Knight were fine.
To me it seemed most of the heat is emitted from the flu more than other elements inside the Mac.
The TDP of the i9 in the new iMac is lower than the iMac Pro so would generate less heat.

---

Thank you so much for this content! Really. Needing to upgrade at this moment, for me it's never been about the do-I-wait-for-Apple-Silicon question, since I need a computer right now that can run some of the "pro" software I use - like Avid - without worrying about the slowness that Rosetta will no doubt introduce with the AS Macs. Yours is the first content I've seen to actually do a head-to-head between the iMac 2020 and the iMac Pro that hits my biggest issue: thermal management and fan noise. I've been using a 2014 MBP for the last few years, and I have no interest in my next computer sounding like a small weed whacker when I boot up Safari. Was very much ready to spend $$ on the iMac 2020, but now I'm back to eyeing the iMac Pro.

---

Finally someone talking real stuff - nobody is talking about that.
I switched from late 2015 iMac to iMac Pro and the instant notice was thermals.
Under multiple hours of max workload Pro never crossed 80 on CPU and GPU and was almost dead silent.
Openong Safari on normal iMac turns CPU 90+ instantly (then it cools down). However after 1-2 hours there is signuficant power loss especially on GPU.

Speakers are just oustandning.
I guess people like numbers. Will stick to iMac Pro

PS instant subscribe

---

The thing about the iMac Pro that I don’t like is the ram. The 27 inch iMac has user upgradable ram

---

When reading iMac 2020 content always asked myself about thermals compared to iMac pro. Didn't know iMac pro have better mics and speakers.
Love your content.
Greetings from Argentina

---

The thermal management on the iMac, in particular, the i9 model is awful! It have may have a higher spec list in the CPU and nearly equal spec on the GPU it throttles and I cannot push it too hard or it thermal shuts down hitting after INSANELY high temperatures. Having purchased a then upgraded and nicer GPU was completely pointless because of the poor thermal dissipation system in the iMac 27 chassis. Long story short if I had the insight that I have now I would have purchased a used iMac Pro 10, or even 8 core over a new iMac 27.