Question Loud PSU Coil Whine noise when playing games. Should I be worried?

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Apr 17, 2022
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So I've had this PC for about a year and a half, and I've had a noise coming out of my PC for a few months whenever I'm tabbed into a game. Different games make the noise louder or quieter depending on how "good" the game looks, or how much fps I have. Looking around at different things also changes how loud or aggressive the noise is. I've taken the panels off my tower, and after thorough inspection, I'm fairly certain the sound is not coming from any fans, my MB, or my GPU, but from my PSU, slightly louder from the back where it plugs in. Everything works just fine with my PC, and I've had no issues whatsoever, I'm just curious as to whether this sound is some kind of coil whine from the PSU being a year old, or if I should be worried about my PSU blowing up or ruining my PC in some way.

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT
GPU: RTX 3070
PSU: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017HA3RGE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
MB: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SXF8GY3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is a video with sound. I've looked at other people's coil whine, and they usually sound much quieter than mine, so that has me a bit worried. The video is a lot louder than it actually is due to my phone being right up next to the back of the PSU.
View: https://imgur.com/5t59Lwy
 
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A2D3RS0N

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The risk factor is high, it really don't matter where you posted it, a moderator could move it, if it was a big deal. I am very concerned, defective power-supplies have been on the market for some time and are still sold, never trust a white rated PSU, always go gold rated. The risk as you may know is a fire hazard, or frying your system. I would not turn that PC on for gaming, there's discounted gold rated full modular power supplies on newegg or amazon or even ebay all the time in the range of 40 to 60 USD. The value of repairing a defective part is time consuming for a PSU, if you know how to solder and have flux and willing to wait for the right part and find it on https://www.digikey.com/ or aliexpress, really not worth the wait and risk, without proper voltage control testing.
 
Apr 17, 2022
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I would just replace your PSU and not risk your system, with the old saying better safe then to be in sorrow.
The one I have now is gold 750W. Its from EVGA and has a 5 year warranty, so I might just get them to send me another one. Hopefully I won't have the same issue again haha. Thanks for the info and the concern!
 

A2D3RS0N

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That is good, if I were you, report it right away contact their customer support by email and state the condition with evidence of proof of purchase model vin/bar code if there's still one present. I would ask them more about the required conditions based on warranty, so you don't have to stress over things at a last minute.
 

scottyswayne

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Jan 21, 2020
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it wont ruin your pc just will smoke and short out i had sevral that blew up my pc never was harmed id buy a bronze rank psu if i was u just in case u may need a more powerful one if your poor bronze rank is good dont buy unlss its bronze good silver great gold excelant platuimtop notch best one on those ranks must be certified that means they last longer better rank better performance id go with bronse i had mine 3 years going so its cheap and money well spent just post you specs here some one will tell you if you need more watage also post ur games too and your gpu cpu and all your harware i cant tell you hw much power you need but i can assure you your pc is safe
 

Karadjgne

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What? No. Sorry, but not even close.

Coil whine is inherent in any electronics that uses inductors. It's absolutely harmless. It's a frequency harmonic made by changing voltages in the inductors themselves. Normally it's so high pitched that humans cannot hear it at all, but being a harmonic, sometimes it's low enough that humans can hear it. It's commonplace in gpus and psus as they make heavy use of inductors.

Ever look at a psu or other pcb and seen epoxy just dumped on caps or inductors like a blind man assembled them? That's done deliberately. The epoxy acts as a rubberized damper, takes the vibrations (sound is nothing more than vibrations) and helps smother them.

There's nothing actually wrong or dangerous or harmful in the coil whine, the psu isn't going to start a fire or blow up or even fail. The 'risk factor' is zero.

Evga however, is very concerned about maintaining customer relations, their customer support team is #1, and has been for years. I'd contact them and see what their recommendation is.
 
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A2D3RS0N

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I seen enough PSU's catch fire, and have been in a real fire to know, if you have not disassembled the persons electronic hardware who is concerned about it, to inspect the components and have a certification in computer engineering based the electronic device. I have a 9000 watt generator and I know it could power my pc in a power outage but the chance of it frying it may be a high risk compared to his current power supply but based on what if there was a manufacture mistake. There is no point in risking anyone's life over chance, this is the reason on construction sites, we red tag and lock-up bad tools or paint red X's on things that are not safe or radio in things to be inspected by certified people or to be QCed. The safety precautions for electronics should not be taken lightly, people die every day because of electrical fires. When I would climb in a industrial machine at work to clean it or anyone, we would shut the breaker off, because of the risks of people getting harmed was not worth taken. I turn off all the breaker switches when I leave the garage, after the stuff I seen and being stuck in a big rig when it was on fire I don't give people sugar coated answers when the unknown is not worth risking anyone's life.
 
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Karadjgne

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and have been in a real fire to know, if you have not disassembled the persons electronic hardware who is concerned about it, to inspect the components and have a certification in computer engineering based the electronic device.
I was an emt/firefighter for years, I've been inside more working fires than any sane person has a right to be. You have to be a certain kind of crazy to run into a building that is currently being evacuated by the roaches and other critters.

I also have a degree in electronics engineering.

I'm currently employed as a commercial/industrial electrician, who generally works on systems from 400A 3ph 208v upto 2000A 3ph 600v open buss. Most commonly live circuitry as shutdowns are not always possible. That includes inspections for safety reasons.

I also was/am a professional custom computer builder and repair technician with over 40 years experience in building, maintaining, repairing pc's. I've torn apart and fixed psus when replacement wasn't a viable option or just for s**** and giggles curiosity.

I believe I'm qualified to say coil whine is harmless and will not start fires.
 
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Apr 17, 2022
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I was an emt/firefighter for years, I've been inside more working fires than any sane person has a right to be. You have to be a certain kind of crazy to run into a building that is currently being evacuated by the roaches and other critters.

I also have a degree in electronics engineering.

I'm currently employed as a commercial/industrial electrician, who generally works on systems from 400A 3ph 208v upto 2000A 3ph 600v open buss. Most commonly live circuitry as shutdowns are not always possible. That includes inspections for safety reasons.

I also was/am a professional custom computer builder and repair technician with over 40 years experience in building, maintaining, repairing pc's. I've torn apart and fixed psus when replacement wasn't a viable option or just for s**** and giggles curiosity.

I believe I'm qualified to say coil whine is harmless and will not start fires.
So does this just seem like harmless coil whine to you? It feels a little loud and aggressive from the included video. I'm just paranoid since I can't afford a new system if this one gets fried. I noticed the sound around 4-5 months ago and forgot about it for some time, but I've just now started to notice it again and its got me worried. Small games like Terraria, side scrollers, older games ect don't produce the sound, but when I hop in a game like Elden Ring, or War Thunder which are maxxed out with 140ish fps, (My monitor is 144hz), the sound comes in full force. I cant hear it with my headphones on but as soon as they come off it overpowers the sound of my 7 fans. I contacted EVGA and got a run of the mill copy paste email so I might just call them in the morning to talk to a real person about it. The PSU has a 5 year warranty but I feel like they wouldn't confirm the RMA request over some "coil whine", whether it is or isn't lol.
 
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