F5F Stay Refreshed Hardware Desktop Device generating humming or grinding sounds while consuming high power from the GPU.

Device generating humming or grinding sounds while consuming high power from the GPU.

Device generating humming or grinding sounds while consuming high power from the GPU.

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TheKillerVenom
Junior Member
15
11-17-2021, 02:47 AM
#1
Hello everyone, I recently upgraded my desktop from a GTX 1660 Super to an RTX 3080 Ti (second hand) and switched my case to a Fractal design define 7. On the day of the change, I ran a 3DMark test to see how it performed, and everything was running smoothly—similar temperatures and performance compared to the previous owner. After that, I started hearing odd grinding or buzzing sounds from my computer. I thought it might be a minor issue, but when I checked my hardware monitor, I found the noise only appeared when the GPU drew more than 80W of power. That’s unusual since I expected it at lower loads. I went through several checks: drivers and firmware were up to date, fans were tested individually, cables looked good, and the motherboard showed no damage. Even after replacing the GPU with a different model via RMA, the noise persisted. Now I’m unsure what to do next—should I consider getting a new power supply? Since I’ve reached my budget limit, I’m hoping someone can spot something I missed. Here’s a quick summary of my setup:

- Motherboard: MSI MAG B550M MORTAR MAX WIFI Micro ATX AM4
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3800X 3.9 GHz 8-core
- GPU: EVGA XC3 GAMING RTX 3080 Ti 12GB
- PSU: Gigabyte P750GM 750W, 80+ Gold certified
- Storage: Samsung 980 Pro 2TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 NVMe + SanDisk 2TB SSD

Anyone with experience or tips would be really helpful. Thanks!
PC-noise.mp3
T
TheKillerVenom
11-17-2021, 02:47 AM #1

Hello everyone, I recently upgraded my desktop from a GTX 1660 Super to an RTX 3080 Ti (second hand) and switched my case to a Fractal design define 7. On the day of the change, I ran a 3DMark test to see how it performed, and everything was running smoothly—similar temperatures and performance compared to the previous owner. After that, I started hearing odd grinding or buzzing sounds from my computer. I thought it might be a minor issue, but when I checked my hardware monitor, I found the noise only appeared when the GPU drew more than 80W of power. That’s unusual since I expected it at lower loads. I went through several checks: drivers and firmware were up to date, fans were tested individually, cables looked good, and the motherboard showed no damage. Even after replacing the GPU with a different model via RMA, the noise persisted. Now I’m unsure what to do next—should I consider getting a new power supply? Since I’ve reached my budget limit, I’m hoping someone can spot something I missed. Here’s a quick summary of my setup:

- Motherboard: MSI MAG B550M MORTAR MAX WIFI Micro ATX AM4
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3800X 3.9 GHz 8-core
- GPU: EVGA XC3 GAMING RTX 3080 Ti 12GB
- PSU: Gigabyte P750GM 750W, 80+ Gold certified
- Storage: Samsung 980 Pro 2TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 NVMe + SanDisk 2TB SSD

Anyone with experience or tips would be really helpful. Thanks!
PC-noise.mp3

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JBoschHD
Junior Member
21
11-17-2021, 10:49 AM
#2
It might be the power supply unit fan beginning to fail. To check, take the PSU out of your case and hear it during heavy use. The fan might be misaligned or the bearing is wearing down.
J
JBoschHD
11-17-2021, 10:49 AM #2

It might be the power supply unit fan beginning to fail. To check, take the PSU out of your case and hear it during heavy use. The fan might be misaligned or the bearing is wearing down.

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The_miner102
Junior Member
2
12-08-2021, 06:21 AM
#3
Check out some videos on coil whine. It might be the noise you're hearing, especially if it happens when graphics cards are running together or power supplies are close.
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The_miner102
12-08-2021, 06:21 AM #3

Check out some videos on coil whine. It might be the noise you're hearing, especially if it happens when graphics cards are running together or power supplies are close.

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zbob101
Junior Member
45
12-08-2021, 09:00 AM
#4
Alright, I figured it out. This sounds like the PSU issue—those electric buzzes plus the grinding noise don’t match anything else. I’ll order a fresh PSU and check it out. Coil whine wasn’t on my list, but the sound didn’t fit. I’ll update you once I’ve tested it. Thanks for your support!
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zbob101
12-08-2021, 09:00 AM #4

Alright, I figured it out. This sounds like the PSU issue—those electric buzzes plus the grinding noise don’t match anything else. I’ll order a fresh PSU and check it out. Coil whine wasn’t on my list, but the sound didn’t fit. I’ll update you once I’ve tested it. Thanks for your support!

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xX_Squig_Xx
Member
55
12-08-2021, 09:20 AM
#5
I needed to swap out the fan on my PSU. Since it's an SFF model, there aren't many options. Using a Noctua fan seemed simpler—maybe you'll find something similar too.
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xX_Squig_Xx
12-08-2021, 09:20 AM #5

I needed to swap out the fan on my PSU. Since it's an SFF model, there aren't many options. Using a Noctua fan seemed simpler—maybe you'll find something similar too.

X
XxKripxDeMoNxX
Senior Member
536
12-08-2021, 10:20 AM
#6
Here we stand, with the new power supply in place, and I’m sure the noise is gone. Appreciate all the support from everyone!
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XxKripxDeMoNxX
12-08-2021, 10:20 AM #6

Here we stand, with the new power supply in place, and I’m sure the noise is gone. Appreciate all the support from everyone!