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47 PowerEdge 14th generation (14G) acoustical performance and dependencies | Document ID | version (optional)
17 PowerEdge R940XA acoustics
Dell EMC PowerEdge R940XA is a rack-mount server appropriate for attended data center environment.
However, lower acoustical output is attainable with proper hardware or software configurations.
Table 17 summarizes the sound power, sound pressure level, and prominent tone performance of the
R940XA in a 23±2°C environment.
Acoustical performance
R940XA acoustical performance is characterized for three configurations: minimum, typical and feature rich.
Table 17 summarizes the configuration and acoustical performance of the PE R940XA. Each configuration
has been tested according to Dell EMC acoustical standards for rack-mounted servers.
PowerEdge R940XA 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 R940XA
Although the R940XA 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 R940XA. 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.