Coil Whine in GPU

[PC_USER_ROOKIE]

Hi all,

 

i recently replaced all noisy fans in my computer build with some quiet noctua ones - very impressed! However, now i am realising that my GPU will buzz during heavy loads, this was hidden by fan noise before. the buzzing noise is 100% from my GPU, with fans locked at 20% during normal computer use there is no sound. Once i boot up a game and the GPU starts to actually do some work this is when the buzzing occurs. I have spent probably too much money on my pc, specs are as follows: MSI nvidea gtx 1070, asus maximums ranger motherboard, 16g ddr4 ram, i7 7700k, corsair cx 500. 

 

From what i could gather from reading online, a low end PSU can cause coil whine in a GPU. so my question for all you tech wizards out there is this - will my CX 500 be the cause for this problem? over the last 4 or so years i have slowly upgraded all parts of my system, but have not upgraded the PSU . Is coil whine normal to occur in a £300ish GPU with a £50ish PSU? I would personally class my PC build as high end (purely due to incremental price), but is this even the case in 2020?

 

Looking at my specs what PSU would you recommend for such as build (£100-120 max) to ensure this coil whine is kept to a minimum? I personally like a computer running as quiet as possible, and although i finally have the fans quiet, this buzzing noise is driving me nuts! I was looking to buy an EVGA g2 or g3, but before i spend this kind of money some 'expert' advice would be very welcome. As stated before i feel like i have spent too much money on a PC, and like a car it just seems to continuously eat away at your wallet over the years. 

 

So, how important is a PSU? what does a high end PSU offer compared to the budget ones. Is a corsair CX 500 even a budget PSU? and most importantly, is it likely for such a PSU to cause coil whine in a MSI Nvidea Geforce GTX 1070.

 

I Look forward to hearing your replies.

 

Regards

 

M

[Guest]

1 minute ago, PC_USER_ROOKIE said:

Hi all,

 

i recently replaced all noisy fans in my computer build with some quiet noctua ones - very impressed! However, now i am realising that my GPU will buzz during heavy loads, this was hidden by fan noise before. the buzzing noise is 100% from my GPU, with fans locked at 20% during normal computer use there is no sound. Once i boot up a game and the GPU starts to actually do some work this is when the buzzing occurs. I have spent probably too much money on my pc, specs are as follows: MSI nvidea gtx 1070, asus maximums ranger motherboard, 16g ddr4 ram, i7 7700k, corsair cx 500. 

 

From what i could gather from reading online, a low end PSU can cause coil whine in a GPU. so my question for all you tech wizards out there is this - will my CX 500 be the cause for this problem? over the last 4 or so years i have slowly upgraded all parts of my system, but have not upgraded the PSU . Is coil whine normal to occur in a £300ish GPU with a £50ish PSU? I would personally class my PC build as high end (purely due to incremental price), but is this even the case in 2020?

 

Looking at my specs what PSU would you recommend for such as build (£100-120 max) to ensure this coil whine is kept to a minimum? I personally like a computer running as quiet as possible, and although i finally have the fans quiet, this buzzing noise is driving me nuts! I was looking to buy an EVGA g2 or g3, but before i spend this kind of money some 'expert' advice would be very welcome. As stated before i feel like i have spent too much money on a PC, and like a car it just seems to continuously eat away at your wallet over the years. 

 

So, how important is a PSU? what does a high end PSU offer compared to the budget ones. Is a corsair CX 500 even a budget PSU? and most importantly, is it likely for such a PSU to cause coil whine in a MSI Nvidea Geforce GTX 1070.

 

I Look forward to hearing your replies.

 

Regards

 

M

This happened to me on a 1060 on full load. If it is buzzing when it's under heavy load and not in idle it's probably ok

[PC_USER_ROOKIE]

Yh i gathered it was safe and normal. But this request is purely out of preference on my end. The noise irritates me. Would trying a new PSU be worth it?

[Hairless Monkey]

Just now, PC_USER_ROOKIE said:

Yh i gathered it was safe and normal. But this request is purely out of preference on my end. The noise irritates me. Would trying a new PSU be worth it?

No. Coil whine in a GPU cannot be fixed with a PSU upgrade. It is a property of the GPU alone. The chokes in the VRM are vibrating as current passes through them. 

 

https://www.ekwb.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-coil-whine/

[Naijin]

What fps are you getting? I had this issue on my R9 290x Lightning at 200+ fps. Enabling v-sync solved everything.

[PC_USER_ROOKIE]

5 minutes ago, HairlessMonkeyBoy said:

No. Coil whine in a GPU cannot be fixed with a PSU upgrade. It is a property of the GPU alone. The chokes in the VRM are vibrating as current passes through them. 

 

https://www.ekwb.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-coil-whine/

I see. So everything i have read online about PSU causing a GPU to whine is false?

[PC_USER_ROOKIE]

Just now, Naijin said:

What fps are you getting? I had this issue on my R9 290x Lightning at 200+ fps. Enabling v-sync solved everything.

pretty high fps. Depends on the game and how well optimised it is. But usually 100fps+ on a 144hhz monitor. capping fps while using a 144hz monitor just seems to me like a waste of money

[Hairless Monkey]

1 minute ago, PC_USER_ROOKIE said:

I see. So everything i have read online about PSU causing a GPU to whine is false?

Yup. Although PSUs can also prodice coil whine, as can motherboards. Here is a really detailed video from Buildzoid if you want to learn more:

[Hairless Monkey]

 

[PC_USER_ROOKIE]

2 minutes ago, HairlessMonkeyBoy said:

 

Thanks il take a look now. just out of curiosity, issue might be related to problem at hand. What are the headers (whatever u call them) on a gpu card with label SFC on them? basically a line of these headers/buttons/whatever labelled SFC. The heatsink will sit on top of them. there was originally a rubber/plastic cover then attached to the heatsink above this line of SFC components. This plastic/rubber buffer is no more, could this have any effect on the sound i am hearing?

 

wtf is SFC?

[Hairless Monkey]

Are you saying that you removed the thermal pads that were keeping your VRM cool? That would be an issue... Definitely get replacements for those.

[PC_USER_ROOKIE]

i took apart my GPU to replace thermal paste, without going into detail i have lost a thermal pad(if thats what it is). was lit a line of plastic ribber maybe twi fingers wide that sat on heatsink above a line of SFC components on the GPU cards itself. Since i have been gaming without this, a day or so now, i have temp reduction of about 20-30 degrees C and much noticeable better performance. So it still fucntions, but what does this padding do then? could it be the cause for the noise i am only realising now?

[Mateyyy]

What I can say from personal experience: I had an RTX 2070 from ASUS that produced quite a substantial amount of coil whine at high framerates (almost as bad as my old R9 290), paired with a Pure Power 8 630W from be quiet - pretty old, not great PSU. After I built my new system (and in turn, a new PSU - RM650x), while some coil whine was still present, it got drastically lower. That being said, I've also ran my old previously mentioned 290 with a couple different PSUs (granted not with the one I have now), and it had pretty much the same amount of coil whine regardless.

So basically, a better PSU could help, but it's not guaranteed.

 

Now, regardless of reducing coil whine, a new PSU could be a good investment. The CX500 is quite old and wasn't particularly great even at launch. I'd definitely suggest replacing it especially if you plan on upgrading your CPU/GPU in the near future.

[Hairless Monkey]

7 minutes ago, PC_USER_ROOKIE said:

but what does this padding do then?

Those parts labeled SFC are likely the chokes. They typically do not require cooling, but...

 

7 minutes ago, PC_USER_ROOKIE said:

could it be the cause for the noise i am only realising now?

The pads can also help reduce vibration by pressing down.

 

The MOSFETS nearby absolutely do require cooling. If you removed the thermal pads on them, that is very bad and you need to replace them. The GPU die may be running cooler thanks to the new thermal compound, but with no thermal pads, your VRM is likely screaming hot.

[PC_USER_ROOKIE]

1 minute ago, HairlessMonkeyBoy said:

Those parts labeled SFC are likely the chokes. They typically do not require cooling, but...

 

They pads can also help reduce vibration by pressing down.

 

The MOSFETS nearby absolutely do require cooling. If you removed the thermal pads on them, that is very bad and you need to replace them. The GPU die may be running cooler thanks to the new thermal compound, but with no thermal pads, your VRM is likely screaming hot.

Ok thankyou. MSI have just replied to my email about this,stating "What you are referring to is thermal pad between heatsink and the VRMs. It allows heat transfer between voltage regulators and heatink and it is risky to run VRMs without sufficient cooling, you may blow up your card"

 

What would MOSFETS look like? 

[Hairless Monkey]

Just now, PC_USER_ROOKIE said:

What would MOSFETS look like? 

typically black square chip near each choke.

[PC_USER_ROOKIE]

10 minutes ago, Mateyyy said:

What I can say from personal experience: I had an RTX 2070 from ASUS that produced quite a substantial amount of coil whine at high framerates (almost as bad as my old R9 290), paired with a Pure Power 8 630W from be quiet - pretty old, not great PSU. After I built my new system (and in turn, a new PSU - RM650x), while some coil whine was still present, it got drastically lower. That being said, I've also ran my old previously mentioned 290 with a couple different PSUs (granted not with the one I have now), and it had pretty much the same amount of coil whine regardless.

So basically, a better PSU could help, but it's not guaranteed.

 

Now, regardless of reducing coil whine, a new PSU could be a good investment. The CX500 is quite old and wasn't particularly great even at launch. I'd definitely suggest replacing it especially if you plan on upgrading your CPU/GPU in the near future.

Thanks. I am leaning towards this view. would you say that CX 500 is limiting my build? At the time i bought the cheapest one in store, and as you can all probably tell my PC hardware knowledge is limited. I tend to wing it....

 

And no i dont plan on upgrading it for many years. i intend to use the i7700k and gtx 1070 untill they die. with this in mind, would a PSU still be worth the upgrade?

[Mateyyy]

4 minutes ago, PC_USER_ROOKIE said:

Thanks. I am leaning towards this view. would you say that CX 500 is limiting my build? At the time i bought the cheapest one in store, and as you can all probably tell my PC hardware knowledge is limited. I tend to wing it....

 

And no i dont plan on upgrading it for many years. i intend to use the i7700k and gtx 1070 untill they die. with this in mind, would a PSU still be worth the upgrade?

A PSU upgrade definitely wouldn't hurt, even if it's just for peace of mind. I wouldn't say the CX500 is limiting your build, it's just that considering its age, you just can't know when it decides to kick the bucket.

[PC_USER_ROOKIE]

14 minutes ago, Mateyyy said:

A PSU upgrade definitely wouldn't hurt, even if it's just for peace of mind. I wouldn't say the CX500 is limiting your build, it's just that considering its age, you just can't know when it decides to kick the bucket.

Any recommendations? main priority being to supply the GPU with a stable flow of electricity to minimise coil whine potential. max spend £110, preferable lower.

[PC_USER_ROOKIE]

Would just like to add - Thankyou to all who replied, all information has been very helpful.

[Mateyyy]

7 minutes ago, PC_USER_ROOKIE said:

Any recommendations? main priority being to supply the GPU with a stable flow of electricity to minimise coil whine potential. may spend £110.

My two recommendations would be the Corsair RM550x and be quiet Straight Power 11 550W. They're among the top end in terms of the quality of the components, and are usually priced at around 100 quid, though granted with the current PSU shortage that's going on, some units might come in at inflated prices or just be out of stock altogether.

Either of these two should work great now and for years to come.

 

That being said, they're not the only options out there, as in you could even get away with spending less, though I personally tend to never skimp in any way on the PSU, as it's one of if not the most important components in a system.

You can check the forum's PSU tier list here if you'd like to take a look at some more options. I'd go for a PSU that's at least in the B+ category.

[Hairless Monkey]

35 minutes ago, PC_USER_ROOKIE said:

Any recommendations?

 

28 minutes ago, Mateyyy said:

granted with the current PSU shortage

Anything you can find that is 80+ GOLD rated or better for a good price should be reliable and run cool and quiet. Look for a long warranty. Some are upwards of 10 years. But don't expect it to reduce your GPU coil whine.

[ycpapa]

I have the rm650x 80+ Gold with RTX 2070 super and still has coil when exceeding 40% usage on game engine software.. however, gigabyte's answer was that is normal to have a little bit noise from electronic components.