Excessive heating and fan noise with NUC11PAHi3000

dancantong · ‎07-05-2022

Hi, everybody!

I've recently purchased an Intel NUC11PAHi3000 and I'm having troubles with excesive fan noise while performing non intensive tasks, like normal Windows 11 startup or web browsing. After some research I've found that the problem happens when Turbo boost is activated (default option). I've monitored the CPU temperature using HWiNFO64 and it reaches 84ºC while executing simple HTTP Get queries in Microsoft Excel, peaking at 90ºC, obvioulsy causing the fan to work at more than 4500 rpm. I attach a screenshot with those values.

The NUC is quite silent if I disable the Turbo boost, but I can't assume this behaviour to be normal as it makes the NUC unusable with Turbo boost on.

Can anyone give me some advice on this issue?

Regards.

DeividA_Intel · ‎07-06-2022

Hello dancantong,

Thank you for posting on the Intel® communities. I am sorry to know that you are having issues with your Intel® NUC 11 Performance kit - NUC11PAHi5.

In order to better assist you, please try the following:

1. What is the BIOS version installed on your NUC?

2. Have you made any changes to the BIOS besides enabling the Turbo Boost?

3. Are you just getting spikes or is it stock at high temperatures for a long time?

4. Are you getting any errors or is it the unit shutting down get is too hot?

Regards,

Deivid A.

Intel Customer Support Technician

Jaap7 · ‎07-06-2022

Hi, this seems similar to my issue:

https://community.intel.com/t5/Intel-NUCs/NUC-11-heat-sensors-broken-with-BIOS-043-046/m-p/1397945/emcs_t/S2h8ZW1haWx8dG9waWNfc3Vic2NyaXB0aW9ufEw1OE01NEYzMThDMU5QfDEzOTc5NDV8U1VCU0NSSVBUSU9OU3xoSw#M92388

For me all of it was fine until BIOS 43 got released. So no issues with 42 for me, but 43 and now 46 cause similar issues for me.

dancantong · ‎07-07-2022

Thank you Deivid.

The issue is with NUC11PAHi3, not NUC11PAHi5.

I answer to your questions:

1. BIOS version is PATGL357.0046.2022.0608.1909

2. Not. I loaded default settings (F9) which didn't make any change. Then I tried disabling Turbo boost.

3. When idle, the CPU is about 35ºC, but suddenly it climbs to 80ºC or more so the fan starts making very audible noise. This can happen with simple tasks like Windows startup, web browsing or application startup. I understand that this happens because Turbo boost is activated and there must be some cooling issue causing temperature reaching 80ºC in just a second. I've tried with more CPU intense tasks and then the temperature stays at 80ºC-90ºC for long.

4. The unit is not shutting down as the temperature does not reach 100ºC at any moment, but I don't think this high temperatures are normal for a brand new unit and the fan noise makes Turbo boost unusable.

Thank you.

dancantong · ‎07-07-2022

I've taken a snapshot of Core Temp while executing some HTML queries on Microsoft Excel. Temperatures above 80ºC where reached during minutes.

dancantong · ‎07-07-2022

This is the snapshot for the same workload when Turbo Boost is disabled. Temperature stays at 60ºC and the fan stays as quiet as when CPU is idle.

DeividA_Intel · ‎07-08-2022

Hello dancantong,

Thanks for the information and the pictures. In order to continue, please try the following:

1. Try different fan control settings in BIOS:

Press F2 during boot to enter BIOS Setup.
Go to Advanced > Cooling.
In the CPU Fan Header pane, experiment with setting Fan Control Mode to Balanced and Cool.
Press F10 to save and exit BIOS Setup.

2. Try a BIOS recovery:

Regards,

Deivid A.

Intel Customer Support Technician

dancantong · ‎07-09-2022

Hi, I requested the warranty support from Intel and they are going to replace the unit. I'm worried that this could be caused by a design fault and I experience the same behaviour with the new unit.

I own an intel NUC 6gen i5 with i5-6260U processor that also works with Turbo Boost 2.0 technology and I'm happy with, and I've never had this problem with fan noise.

Regards.

DeividA_Intel · ‎07-11-2022

Hello dancantong,

Thanks for your response. Since you replaced the NUC with us, I will proceed to close this thread. However, if you encounter a different issue or if is the same, you can open a new thread to get support from an intel representative or from the community members.

Thanks for your time and comprehension.

Regards,

Deivid A.

Intel Customer Support Technician