Quick Navigation
We all start to panic upon hearing unusual noises from any gadget, but for gaming enthusiasts, these noises can be a nightmare for gaming enthusiasts. Since a gaming PC needs a hefty investment, hearing unusual noises from the depth of the PC makes every gamer uncomfortable.
Sometimes you might assume there is no noise and your ear might be ringing, but that is not the case. That high-pitched noise out of the PC component is a coil whine that usually occurs when running an intense graphic application.
But why does coil whine occur in the first place, and how can you address this issue? Read more to find out!
What is Coil Whine?
A coil whine is an audible magnetic noise you can hear due to inductors and transformers inside your PC. Simply put, the wires running across your PC component and motherboard can make a loud noise under stress.
However, the coil whine can be emitted from any system component. The GPU is more susceptible to it. Why? Because they run heavy software and high-end games, which put extra processing burden on their chip, they vibrate. In addition, coil whine also occurs due to the resonant frequency of every system component connection with the motherboard. When the connection between the system component and a circuit board is not strong enough, it vibrates and makes the coil whine. Note that coil whine does not indicate a defect in the product and does not affect performance, but once you have it, it will be challenging to get rid of it.
Why Does Coil Whine Occur in the First Place?
Coil whine occurs in GPUs sometimes, but what is the reason behind this creepy noise? Despite being harmless to the GPU, this noise can annoy us during gameplay, particularly those players who can’t even stand the GPU fan noise.
GPU coil whine will emanate when your GPU’s sensitive electronic components run excessive electricity.
Moreover, some problems with the power supply can also lead to coil whine. For instance, the PSU upgrade might make your GPU coil whine due to a power increase.
Another reason for the coil whine is overclocking or achieving higher fps. Overclocking your GPU to achieve better frame rates puts an extra burden on the converter coil, leading to beeps or creepy coil whines.
But remember, coil whine does not mean you must fix the GPU instead, you should take measures to overcome the noise.
How to Fix Coil Whine?
As with any other system component coil, the whine will need some measure to fix it, although you cannot stop it completely. Here are some tips on how to stop coil whine:
Check power supply
PSUs come with six or 8-pin ATX connectors, and you connect the GPU as per available plugs. But sometimes your PSU cannot deliver enough power to your GPU, and the PSU coil whine emanates. In addition, a power-hungry GPU also leads to coil whine when it does not get enough power out of available watts. To address this issue, you can either do a PSU upgrade or install separate cables for every connector.
GPU Overclocking
GPU overclocking can also be a culprit behind the metallic noise, but you can fix it by disabling the overclocking of the GPU. If the noise goes away, it is then known that you might not overclock the GPU to its limits, but by adjusting the voltage and manual tweaking, you can achieve it.
Optimize cooling power
Sometimes when your GPU overheats or you put it to test, it makes the coil whine. You can fix this issue by adjusting the fan speed and setting your fan curve. Note that you only need to ramp up the fan speed if you only hear the metallic noise when overclocking or stressing the GPU. You can do so by adjusting the fan curve. You might object that speeding up the fan will only increase the noise, but it fixes the problem, and I’m sure you can bear a mere fan hissing over metallic squeals.
Limit FPS
We all love to achieve more frame rates at better quality displays for our games, but increasing FPS (beyond limits) takes a toll on your GPU. If you play games at higher FPS, the voltage converters will have difficulty managing coil whine. So to address coil whine GPU, you can leverage the FPS limiters of your GPUs.
Your GPU will not be pushed to its limits this way, and the burden on the GPU will decrease hence the whining. If you are an NVIDIA GPU owner, the good news is that you can leverage the v-sync feature to limit the frame rates but expect input latency and lagging. In addition, you can also set the FPS limit in your games. Remember, you should set the FPS limit per your display system capabilities.
Insulate PC Case
You can insulate your PC to overcome the coil whine. However, this method is only a partial fix for the noise but dampens the noise to a greater extent. If you install your GPU and motherboard in a PC case fitted with quality insulated materials, you will hear much less noise. However, when installing insulation materials, make sure that you leave enough room for the air to circulate and that your PC does not overheat. Now you might say that if the air leaves the PC case, the noise will also strike your eardrums. So, you can leverage air filters and house them in a PC case and fan. But still. Check your PC temps now and then to ensure system safety.
Are Coil whine and capacitor squeal the Same?
No, both are different. Coil whine emanates from inductor coils and the capacitors squeal due to capacitors. Coil whine can sound like a high-pitched buzzing or humming noise, and its intensity varies in volume and pitch depending on the load on your GPU.
While coil whine and capacitor squeal might sound the same, the coil whine is relatively high-pitched. Moreover, the capacitor squeal is the result of bad capacitors. It indicates component damage by hearing the sound and seeing the capacitors; you know if it was a coil whine or capacitor squeal. For Instance, if you see bulging or liquid expulsion around the capacitors, you need to fix the capacitor and vice versa.
Is coil whine on GPU normal?
The coil whine occurrence does not necessarily mean you need a component change or hardware damage. Since this noise is a byproduct of vibrations of electrical current running through the coils on your GPU, it does not damage the hardware. But as we mentioned earlier, this noise can disturb those who prefer quiet gameplay sessions. Moreover, sometimes it also points towards any potential problem with your PSU, such as inadequate power. And yes, coil whine disappears on its own without needing external help.
Fix Coil Whine on Different Systems
Coil Whine on Asus Gaming Laptop
Coil whine is a more frequent issue on ASUS gaming laptops, and that is the reason why many gamers prefer other brands for gaming laptops.
To fix this issue, you must keep your gaming frames low. Yes, it will limit your PC’s capability, but it can achieve it’s the only way to fix this issue.
Coil Whine on an EVGA Nvidia RTX 3080
Although it is unlikely to have coil whine on the EVGA NVIDIA RTX 3080, some users complain. To fix this issue, you should try getting another PSU, as the power supply is often the culprit behind it.
Coil Whine on an AMD RX 6900 XT
AMD RX 6900 XT is a pricey GPU, but coil whine is also a common issue. to fix this issue, you can cap the FPS. Moreover, getting a more powerful PSU is also an option. Bote that some users say that coil whine goes away after some time on its own.
Conclusion
A coil whine occurs when your GPU inductor coil vibrates due to excessive current. This means when you overclock your GPU or put it to test, it might make noise due to excessive processing. There are several reasons behind this coil whine, and it can be distressing during gameplay. But with proper measurement, you can fix this problem and enjoy serene gameplay.
This article covered everything you need to know about GPU coil whine. From what it is to how it can affect your hardware and, most importantly, how to prevent and fix it. We hope you like this guide!
