My GPU Ticks Like a Clock

[TheGoatGuy]

This last weekend, I built my first computer and after I had been overclocking my graphics card (new EVGA 1660 Super), I noticed a ticking/clicking noise that sounded like a clock (listen to attached file). I started Heaven Benchmark to see what would happen, but as the fans ramped up the noise went away. I decided to just keep an eye on it (or ear lol), but I noticed it again today. My first guess at the source was either the PSU (fan or possibly capacitors) or the PC fans, but I did some testing/troubleshooting to try to figure it out. 

 

Troubleshooting Steps:

• Disconnected all fans and the noise persisted (I reconnected them for the rest of the steps)
• Ran Heaven and noticed that the sound went away when my PC was being pushed
• Adjusted GPU fan speeds while at idle and found that (all % are approximate): 
  • at ≈30% fan speed and higher, the noise was nonexistent
  • between around 10-30%, the noise stayed at about the same volume and frequency
  • below about 10% it slowed a little and got a bit quieter

I am almost 100% sure that it is the GPU making the noise, and it is very likely the fans as nothing was being changed about the GPU itself, just the speeds (however I could very well be wrong). I just bought it new from Microcenter (at a store, not online) last week, and I could definitely reach out to EVGA to possibly RMA the card or see if I could fix it myself. Funnily enough, the clock-like ticking ticks about once per second which actually made me think someone hid a clock in my room at first lol. 

 

What is causing the noise? Is it potentially dangerous? Could it get worse over time? If anything, it is quite annoying so it is not something I can "just deal with".

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

PC Ticking at Idle.m4a

(The attached .m4a file is the sound of the computer ticking. The noise is a little quiet against the white noise from the fans, so you may need to turn up your volume a bit.)

[GhostRoadieBL]

could be a near death capacitor on the card, often "switching capacitors" (capacitors which change +/- voltage) can start to click when they are about to fail. Some graphics cards will use this to control the fans, voltage to the GPU, RAM etc 

 

these rarely die on recent GPUs but it's very dependent on a random component being missed or passed testing before failing in your specific system after pushing an overclock load through the VRMs. Personally I'd start with an RMA of the card. 

[TheGoatGuy]

24 minutes ago, GhostRoadieBL said:

could be a near death capacitor on the card, often "switching capacitors" (capacitors which change +/- voltage) can start to click when they are about to fail. Some graphics cards will use this to control the fans, voltage to the GPU, RAM etc 

 

these rarely die on recent GPUs but it's very dependent on a random component being missed or passed testing before failing in your specific system after pushing an overclock load through the VRMs. Personally I'd start with an RMA of the card. 

Sounds good. Is there anyway I can test to see if that's the issue on my own or no? (obviously without breaking the warranty.)

[GhostRoadieBL]

2 minutes ago, TheGoatGuy said:

Sounds good. Is there anyway I can test to see if that's the issue on my own or no? (obviously without breaking the warranty.)

without pulling off the cooler for the GPU and attaching a benchtop power supply to each of the capacitors... no. also the warranty would be long gone if you removed the cooler on 90% of manufacturer's cards. 

[TheGoatGuy]

1 minute ago, GhostRoadieBL said:

without pulling off the cooler for the GPU and attaching a benchtop power supply to each of the capacitors... no. also the warranty would be long gone if you removed the cooler on 90% of manufacturer's cards. 

Dang, I figured. I will contact EVGA tomorrow about RMA-ing the card. Thank you for the help!!