[SOLVED] Need help with strange GPU (RTX 3080) sound (pretty sure it's not coil whine!)

[hansmeiserhand]

Hello people,

I'm having this weird annoying sound with my new RTX 3080 GPU. I'm fairly new to PC builds (I'm a 20 years mac user), so I might be missing something obvious here. Firstly I had a hard time figuring out where this sound comes from, because it is really unregular and whenever you try to get one of these issues - it just doesn't show up, right? But finally I found out that it does the sound whenever I start the machine from powered-off mode (weirdly enough it doesn't happen when I restart! It needs to be turned off before!). So when the Aorus Splashscreen appears it does make the sound I'm annoyed by:

https://sndup.net/m5xq/

It sounds like an old mechanical hard drive and is also kinda the same volume. When it happens it might just be there for 2-3 seconds or it might keep going for 4-5 seconds, interrupted by short breaks and then more again. It really sounds like accessing a hard drive and it becomes really annoying especially when everything else is really quiet.
So, I'm 100% certain that this sound comes from the GPU because there are no mechanical drives in my build and I also ruled it out by replacing it with my old GPU and the sound didn't show up with the Aorus splashscreen. Throwing back in the new GPU into the build...the sound is there again. Searching for an explanation I stumbled upon "coil whine" - but that seems to be more a high-pitch hiss sound, right?

Does anyone know what this could be? Should I send the GPU in as a case of warranty?

Cheers and thanks everyone!

 

[emitfudd]

You could take a really good look at the GPU fans and make sure there isn't interference somewhere. Have you tried running your fans at 100% and seeing if the noise persists? It may only be happening when the fans are ramping up at startup.

If you can't get it resolved I would RA it. I lived with a GPU that made a ticking sound at a particular fan speed for years. I was actually not too sad when it finally died.

 

[hansmeiserhand]

Thanks for your reply.

So, since the startup is the only moment where I can predict the sound with 100% certainty - is it safe to tape the fans down temporarily for that startup just once to rule the fans out?

You could take a really good look at the GPU fans and make sure there isn't interference somewhere. Have you tried running your fans at 100% and seeing if the noise persists? It may only be happening when the fans are ramping up at startup.

If you can't get it resolved I would RA it. I lived with a GPU that made a ticking sound at a particular fan speed for years. I was actually not too sad when it finally died.

 

[emitfudd]

Thanks for your reply.

So, since the startup is the only moment where I can predict the sound with 100% certainty - is it safe to tape the fans down temporarily for that startup just once to rule the fans out?

Unless one of the experts on here says that is safe I wouldn't recommend it. It would be easier to use MSI Afterburner to manually adjust your fan speeds. Try setting them at different speeds and see if the noise persists.

 

[hansmeiserhand]

Just found this and this is exactly my issue!

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/gigabyte/comments/m03ymv/gigabyte_rtx_3080_gaming_oc_fan_revving_noise/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

 

[emitfudd]

Yeah, the GPU I mentioned that made all the ticking noises was a Gigabyte. Did setting a fan curve with Afterburner solve your issue? There's a difference between fans revving and the noise you are experiencing.

 

[hansmeiserhand]

Well, it's kinda connected – I think the noise I'm hearing is caused by bad/cheap bearings. So whenever the fans are revving, the bearings do "their magic" until they run smoothly.

Anyway...I've set up a custom fan curve with Afterburner now and the problem is "solved". As I've read all over the internet now, sending in the card won't help because Gigabyte just doesn't care. You can follow this issue back to something like 2018 and still no fix...crazy, right?

 

[emitfudd]

Glad you got it solved. I would set a fan curve that starts at 40% and gradually ramps up to 100% at the thermal limit for your card.