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PS4 fan makes less noise when console is horizontal.

L

Lord Error

Insane For Sony
Not sure why no one mentioned this in any of the reviews, but it's definitely true. I kept the console vertical (without stand), had a game running and paused it. Fan was making an audible noise. I decided to try putting the console horizontal as I've wondered if the vent at the bottom might be getting somewhat blocked in vertical position (it's not *completely* blocked at all btw, there's a canal where the air can come in!)
Sure enough, seconds after I've seated it horizontally, the fan noise subsided, and I can honestly say it subsided A LOT which really surprised me. I repeated lifting it upright and seating it back horizontal several times, and without exception the fan noise increased / decreased accordingly.

So there you have it, if you want to keep the console as cool as possible, seat it horizontally. I have to note, I didn't test any of this with a vertical stand as I don't have one, but now I'm tempted to give it a shot. Console just looks better when vertical.
 
D

dubq

Member
So there you have it, if you want to keep the console as cool as possible, seat it horizontally.
Click to expand...
One person says this and it's a "so there you have it" ?

Mine runs cool and is very quiet in vertical. The most I hear out of the fan is when it is actively installing or downloading updates.



I've wondered if the vent at the bottom might be getting somewhat blocked in vertical position
Click to expand...

It's also important to note that there is a specific "bottom" when standing it vertically. The disc drive should be on the top half of the console when you have it in vertical mode.
 
K

klier

Member
Lord Error said:
So there you have it, if you want to keep the console as cool as possible, seat it horizontally. I have to note, I didn't test any of this with a vertical stand as I don't have one, but now I'm tempted to give it a shot. Console just looks better when vertical.
Click to expand...

This is a problem. The vertical stand is designed for a good airflow, I think.
 
Nymphae

Nymphae

Banned
Interesting, going to test this myself tonight. I'd rather put it horizontally but I don't have the space really, it bothers me how it feels like it will tip over at the slightest touch if you have it vertically without a stand.
 
P

ph00p

Banned
It ticks me off that Sony continues it's linage of dollar store parts in their PS4 with the noisy fan to the terrible throwaway pack in microphone, my whisper quiet Xbox 360 is way easier on the ears to just leave on and do something else, but the PS4 makes quite a racket because of the great design and the fact they've used a small fan. I'm happy with my PS4 just I dread the vacuum cleaner noise that happened with my PS3 Phat(I did take it apart and cleaned it and still didn't fix the noise), which makes it feel like a cheaper machine than it actually was.
 
T

TheExodu5

Banned
I can anecdotally confirm this as well.

The system is at its loudest when you go into some of the PS4 UI menus while a game is suspended. Going to the Friends screen when Killzone is suspended gets the fan going pretty good.

ph00p said:
It ticks me off that Sony continues it's linage of dollar store parts in their PS4 with the noisy fan to the terrible throwaway pack in microphone, my whisper quiet Xbox 360 is way easier on the ears to just leave on and do something else, but the PS4 makes quite a racket because of the great design and the fact they've used a small fan. I'm happy with my PS4 just I dread the vacuum cleaner noise that happened with my PS3 Phat(I did take it apart and cleaned it and still didn't fix the noise), which makes it feel like a cheaper machine than it actually was.
Click to expand...

It has less to do with saving money and more to do with saving space. They made a compact system and this was the price to be paid. I said way before launch that we could expect the PS4 to be a good deal louder than the Xbox One. In the case of the PS4 vs. your 360 Slim, the system is pulling over 150W and is more compact than the 360 Slim (or roughly the same size?)...it's not surprising that it would be louder.

Personally, I wish they would have made the system larger and used better cooling with the additional space.
 
P

paradise_circus

Member
This could be caused cause the plastic surface on the bottom side of the PS4 don't have any rubber feet.
Your table, plate or whatever the console is placed on could act like a soundbox.
 
L

Lord Error

Insane For Sony
dubq said:
Mine runs cool and is very quiet in vertical. The most I hear out of the fan is when it is actively installing or downloading updates.
Click to expand...
For the most part it was not *bad* when it was vertical, it was just that fan slowed down literally seconds after placed it horizontal.

Yes, I suppose vertical stand could let more air in, but the air can still get in even without it.

It's also important to note that there is a specific "bottom" when standing it vertically. The disc drive should be on the top half of the console when you have it in vertical mode.
Click to expand...
Yes of course, that's how I kept it.

creid said:
PSA: Don't switch between horizontal & vertical while it is on / while a disc is in there.
Click to expand...
I know that, I didn't not have disc in drive, game was downloaded.

paradise_circus said:
This could be caused cause the plastic surface on the bottom side of the PS4 don't have any rubber feet.
Your table, plate or whatever the console is placed on could act like a soundbox.
Click to expand...
No, this was most definitely not the case. I could hear the fan speed up / slow down gradually.
 
G

GillianSeed79

Member
I have mine horizontal. Maybe I'm just used to the jet engine fans from last gen, but I swear that my PS4 is virtually silent to the point I'm kind of nervous. Like I seriously don't hear any fans at all unless I'm installing a game or starting one. Weird. I actually think it looks pretty good horizontal. Normally, I like to keep my consoles vertical, but I don't think it's good for the disc drive.
 
Hazelhurst

Hazelhurst

Member
Is the stand available yet? I think it looks better vertical from the pictures I've seen. Mine is horizontal at the moment.
 
K

K' Dash

Member
I still think it is loud, maybe because I've been playing with my PC over the last year and it is dead quiet when playing.

Anyway, the Home Theater swallows the fans noise entirely.
 
H

HeroesInAHalfShell

Neo Member
I planned on laying it horizontally anyway. Not really a fan (honestly, no pun intended) of having a console stand vertically. I had my 360 scratch my Oblivion disc something fierce the one time I had it stand vertically so I guess I'm traumatized.
 
M

Meier

Member
It's pretty damn loud horizontal (the only way I've had it) after some time so I can't fathom how loud it is vertical.
 
D

dubq

Member
Meier said:
It's pretty damn loud horizontal (the only way I've had it) after some time so I can't fathom how loud it is vertical.
Click to expand...

It's not, really. My Macbook makes more noise than my Vertical PS4 does. OP probably has a defective unit. :p
 
P

ph00p

Banned
TheExodu5 said:
Personally, I wish they would have made the system larger and used better cooling with the additional space.
Click to expand...

I completely agree with that, they're doing nobody a favor making it smaller, except giving fanbois a reason to lulz at the Xbox One for running quiet but larger in size.
 
T

TheExodu5

Banned
dubq said:
It's not, really. My Macbook makes more noise than my Vertical PS4 does. OP probably has a defective unit. :p
Click to expand...

Some people are just not sensitive to fan noise or they have high ambient noise levels.

My PC is built for silence, so the PS4 is fairly loud by comparison. Laptops are often unbearably loud for me.
 
D

dubq

Member
ph00p said:
I completely agree with that, they're doing nobody a favor making it smaller, except giving fanbois a reason to lulz a the Xbox One for running quiet but larger in size.
Click to expand...

LOL what? That it's as small as it is and runs as cool as it does is a favour to everyone who bought it. It's also a favour to those of us who don't have unlimited space in their wall units. I can't even imagine where I would fix an XBO in my entertainment set up.. it would probably have to sit on the floor.
 
Dr. Zoidberg

Dr. Zoidberg

Member
TheExodu5 said:
Personally, I wish they would have made the system larger and used better cooling with the additional space.
Click to expand...

Same here. I like that it's small in a "Gee, that's neat" sort of way but I'd easily exchange it for a bigger unit that stayed quieter. My PS4 really only gets audible after a level or two of KZ: SF but at that point it is very noticible, on par with PS3 phat after it had a few years on it.

I can see myself swapping out for the first revision if it is quieter. Since there's no BC to lose this time it should be an easy decision.
 
S

Sanjuro

Member
Dr. Zoidberg said:
Same here. I like that it's small in a "Gee, that's neat" sort of way but I'd easily exchange it for a bigger unit that stayed quieter. My PS4 really only gets audible after a level or two of KZ: SF but at that point it is very noticible, on par with PS3 phat after it had a few years on it.

I can see myself swapping out for the first revision if it is quieter. Since there's no BC to lose this time it should be an easy decision.
Click to expand...

It's about as loud as the original Xbox 360. Doesn't bother me, but noticeable.
 
G

GravityMan

Member
Dr. Zoidberg said:
Same here. I like that it's small in a "Gee, that's neat" sort of way but I'd easily exchange it for a bigger unit that stayed quieter. My PS4 really only gets audible after a level or two of KZ: SF but at that point it is very noticible, on par with PS3 phat after it had a few years on it.

I can see myself swapping out for the first revision if it is quieter. Since there's no BC to lose this time it should be an easy decision.
Click to expand...

I noticed the same thing. I could clearly hear my PS4's fan after 1-2 levels of KZ, while seated on my couch 10-12 feet away.

I'm a fan of small form factors and slim form factors with an aesthetically pleasing exterior, but when they contain decently powerful hardware it can be tough to keep those units cool and quiet when under high load.

I'd expect future revisions of the PS4 to improve on noise level.
 
N

Netherscourge

Banned
Makes sense.

If the fan is on a vertical ball-bearing mount, it could "float" from left to right if positioned vertically, increasing vibration.

Laying horizontally, gravity would keep it in place.

Not that it's any big deal either way.
 
A

Alchemy

Member
rokkerkory said:
Why? That's kinda stupid. It was designed to be in both positions.
Click to expand...

Fans speed up based on temps, so something with how OP is putting the system vertical is causing worse airflow and increased temps for the fan to deal with. My guess is the system wasn't designed to be vertical without the stand, and the stand does something to adjust airflow in that position to minimize this problem.
 
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