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GPU Buzzing under load

Tags:
  • noise
  • fix
  • Games
  • buzz
  • GPUs
  • annoying
  • Graphics
Last response: in Graphics & Displays
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April 6, 2013 3:24:31 AM

A few days ago I bought a brand new PowerColor HD 7870 Myst Edition GPU from an online retailer, and it ran great for the first two days, but now it makes an annoying buzz sound whenever it is under any sort of load; whether I'm benchmarking / stress testing, or just playing a game.

It's not the fan, as the noise still exists when the fan is under manual lock @25%, whenever I switch to a game it buzzes.

It does not buzz while I am Alt-Tabbed out of the game, even if the game is still open.

I've also noticed reducing the voltage / clock speed lessens the noise, though even dropping the Core to 600MHz (925Mhz default; I have it OC'd to 1200MHz) doesn't eliminate it entirely.

Additionally, the pitch of the noise changes when I swivel around in game.

Should I return this to the vendor and get it replaced, or is this normal (my last card didn't do this ever) for this card, or is there a fix?

Thanks,
- Ryan

EDIT: Additionally, after leaving MSI Afterburner open while I play Planetside 2 on Ultra, according to Afterburner my GPU seems to think it's at 99% load most of the time, with occasional hairline spike drops down to as low as 27%.

EDIT2: I just ran a full 1080p stress test on Kombustor (Tessy Spheres on Plane v2) and under 99% load and 70C (while overclocked @1200MHz) it ran whisper quiet for the duration. The fuck is going on?!

More about : gpu buzzing load

April 6, 2013 3:44:05 AM

coil whine, ah what fun. it also annoys the hell out of me. possibility - noise is "gone" once overclocked as you've changed the power draw of the vrm's. noise hasn't really gone, it's just shifted to above your perceivable audio range.
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April 6, 2013 4:15:29 AM

jpoos said:
coil whine, ah what fun. it also annoys the hell out of me. possibility - noise is "gone" once overclocked as you've changed the power draw of the vrm's. noise hasn't really gone, it's just shifted to above your perceivable audio range.


Yeah I guessed it might be coil whine.

I don't think it's what you suggested though, as certain stress tests still produce the goddamned buzz, while others dont'. Very unusual.

Any fixes that you know of, or should I return it?
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April 6, 2013 4:33:24 AM

pretty much all manufacturers see it as acceptable to sell cards with this issue, they don't see it as a defect, merely a side-effect of high stress workloads. can try rma'ing it, or changing psu, but that's no guarantee that it'll be fixed or that the next card won't behave exactly the same.
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