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45 PowerEdge 14th generation (14G) acoustical performance and dependencies | Document ID | version (optional)
16 PowerEdge R840 acoustics
Dell EMC PowerEdge R840 is a rack-mount server appropriate for attended data center environment.
However, lower acoustical output is attainable with proper hardware or software configurations.
Table 16 summarizes the sound power, sound pressure level, and prominent tone performance of the R840 in
a 23±2°C environment.
Acoustical performance
R840 acoustical performance is characterized for three configurations: minimum, typical and feature rich.
Table 16 summarizes the configuration and acoustical performance of the PE R840. Each configuration has
been tested according to Dell EMC acoustical standards for rack-mounted servers.
PowerEdge R840 acoustical dependencies
 Ambient Temperature. For a similar workload fan speeds (and thus, acoustical noise) may increase
as ambient temperature increases.
 High Wattage CPU. High-power (TDP) CPU parts may result in higher acoustical noise output.
 Rear Drives. When rear drives are installed in R840, fan speed may increase for cooling the drives,
and hence both idle and operating acoustical outputs may be higher.
 System Thermal Profile Selected in BIOS. The default setting is “Power Optimized (DAPC)”, which
generally means lower fan speed and acoustics. If “Performance Optimized” is selected, fan speed
and acoustical noise may increase.
Methods to reduce acoustical output of the R840
Although the R840 is designed for use in data centers, some users may prefer a quieter system. Dell EMC
suggests the following list of possible solutions to reduce acoustical output of the R840. An important note: In
most cases, the idle fan speed of the system cannot be lowered without changing the configuration of the
system, and in some cases, even a configuration change may not reduce idle fan speeds.
 Enable sound cap in IDRAC GUI. Sound cap, a setting in the BIOS, can be toggled on/off during
boot up. When enabled, sound cap reduces the acoustics of the system at the expense of some
performance.
 Reduce Ambient Temperature. Lowering the ambient temperature allows the system to cool
components more efficiently than at higher ambient temperatures.
 Optimize Third Party PCI Card Options.
 Replace Third Party PCI Cards with similar Dell Supported Temperature PCI Controlled Cards, if
available. Dell EMC works diligently with card vendors to validate and develop PCI cards to meet Dell
EMC’s exacting standards for thermal performance.