8800 GTX Electrical Noise Under Load

**The Asgard** · 11-10-2006, 02:46 PM

Hi,
Just installed my 8800 GTX and I noticed while running 3D Mark I can here a slight buzzing noise. Previously I had 2x GTO's running in SLI and they were silent. I have heard something similiar on one of my X1900XT. Definately coming from the card and not the Seasonic 600W. It on a water cooled rig which is totally silent hence why I can hear it.

The Fan is silent BTW

Anyone else experiencing similiar problems?

**ownage** · 11-10-2006, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by The Asgard

Hi,
Just installed my 8800 GTX and I noticed while running 3D Mark I can here a slight buzzing noise. Previously I had 2x GTO's running in SLI and they were silent.

Anyone else experiencing similiar problems?

Thats nVidia style. Most nVidia card have those problems.
I also know guys with GTO SLI who have also the slight buzzing noise.
I hate the buzzing noise, my 6800GE had it to.
If you have a dead silent pc the buzzing noises are really irritating.

**The Asgard** · 11-10-2006, 03:22 PM

Driving me nuts especially when the pitch changes with the load. For example panning the camera around in NWN2.

Not sure what to do. Send it back and try for another. ummmm .. Hassle !

**fornowagain** · 11-10-2006, 05:53 PM

Send it back if you can.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums...ic.php?t=16658

Could be lots of things, VRM's, a poorly assembled choke coil can vibrate, or even a capacitor can squeal with frequency change. Sometimes if you can find it, potting with hotglue can help. Pretty much though, it won't go away.

**The Asgard** · 11-11-2006, 12:23 AM

Originally Posted by fornowagain

Send it back if you can.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums...ic.php?t=16658

Could be lots of things, VRM's, a poorly assembled choke coil can vibrate, or even a capacitor can squeal with frequency change. Sometimes if you can find it, potting with hotglue can help. Pretty much though, it won't go away.

Trying to find out if this is a general problem with the 8800 GTX card. If not its going back. Hassle .......

**Nanometer** · 11-11-2006, 12:52 AM

Most Nvidia cards have that from my experience. I haven't got a clue what is making it, if I cared I would look for it. My guess would be a choke....

**The Asgard** · 11-11-2006, 05:24 AM

To be honest I have only heard it on my X1900XT and xt-x but never on an Nvidia. My GTO's were totally silent in every respect.

Really dont know what to do. Just need some confirmation on if this is just a one off or all the cards do the same?

**K404** · 11-11-2006, 05:29 AM

my 7800GTX 512 does it when switching between 2D and 3D. Cant remember if my other 7800 cards had them

**The Asgard** · 11-11-2006, 04:39 PM

Well I decided to put the card in my Badaxe which is now in my media server and it didn't make the strange noise I have been hearing. Anyway to cut a long story short its coming from my Seasonic 600W. Funny thing is the PSU was the first thing I thought I had checked. The 600W Seasonic in my MCE doesn't make the same noise. PSU's I can sort we have loads at work so no hassle in the end. Now I can enjoy the card.

Thanks for the help peeps. Its much appreciated

**RPGWiZaRD** · 11-11-2006, 04:46 PM

I also have that noise coming from my 7900GTO in some games during menus or videos. Already sent one in for RMA but the new card also has the same prob. So they refuse to send me a new card but I can get back my money if I want but I think I'll stick with it anyways as it doesn't happen in all games and not during ingame. I have lots if things on the 12v rail tho and my PowerStream 520W may be near its limits but still the noise definitely comes from the gfx card in my case.

**Vengure** · 11-13-2006, 07:59 AM

Very sad to hear hopefully they get this fixed. I wouldnt want a brand new card to have an electrical buzz

**RPGWiZaRD** · 11-13-2006, 10:19 AM

Well depends how you look at it, seems for most people without knowing it, this is FPS related and when FPS gets too high such as running 3Dmark03 on a very powerful SLI setup the noise appears. To me it seems like the cards comes closer to the physical limit of how many FPS it can render without causing the card to squeek.

Yes I recently discovered this myself with my 7900GTO, when hitting very high fps rate especially during menus, dunno how high yet but at least way over 1000+ fps this noise appears. Vsync -> on removes the noise or setting prerender limit to 0.

Would be funny to hear how much a 8800GTX SLI setup squeeks in FEAR menu with vsync disabled (from nvidia cpanel). This probably varies a bit from card to card too how much FPS it can take before it appears.

In the thread starters case it was the usual PSU having noise instead tho, weird if even that PSU wasn't able to power your system fine tho.

**Sparky** · 11-13-2006, 03:34 PM

My mobo makes that noise too and I agree it gets irritating after awhile. But when gaming I can't hear it so it doesn't matter much I guess.

Almost everyone over at anandtech thought I was nuts and said I was just hearing things.

**Brahmzy** · 11-13-2006, 10:09 PM

My darn P5W DH makes this stoopid noise. I hate it. I don't think I've noticed any noises coming out of the 8800GTX yet - just the fan...a lot.

**rjw** · 11-13-2006, 10:12 PM

I've had that noise when my cpu voltage was over 1.9v...

the chip survived it though

**LexDiamonds** · 11-15-2006, 06:37 PM

My 8800gtx has this as well. Its fairly pronounced in 3dm01, but silent under 3dm05... Since all 8800 PCBs are created equal, its just something I'm going to live with. Havent treid any games yet (still benching) but hopefully it wont be noticeable in game.

**crodan85** · 11-15-2006, 07:01 PM

Its is most probably caused by a inductor I wouldn't worry about it unless the sound is driving you mad if so try and send it back.

**rjw** · 11-15-2006, 08:28 PM

just a thought, but my 8800 gtx had a really bad whine if I connected power to the plug closer to the monitor cable. It literally screamed. I changed to the other plug and it went away.

Is that normal?

**Jodiuh** · 11-16-2006, 07:40 PM

My case isn't silent w/ 5 120 SFLEX E 49CFM, 21DB, but there's no "high pitched" sound here. I had an AA8XE that drove me up a wall...even with the relatively louder 80mm's being used at that time.

My previous DS3 also had this wonderfully irritating noise. It wasn't near as bad tho. I'd def try another one.

**The Asgard** · 11-20-2006, 11:29 AM

I think the trouble with this type of sound is its omnidirectional and difficult to pinpoint. I suspect inductive loading between cards/mobo can cause components to squeal. With my previous Seasonic 600 watt it was fine with a pair of 7900 GTO's which would have been <= a 8800 GTX.

Thats the problem with silent systems there's always something thats just a bit louder than something else. Like chasing a rainbow.

**Nanometer** · 11-20-2006, 02:40 PM

I talked with Maxxxracer and we came to agreement that it is a fet understress. You can't fix it. It is normal and varries between cards.

**Sir Random** · 11-20-2006, 03:12 PM

I am getting this sound too, but not constantly. It comes in waves, building up slowly in intensity, then fading away again. It's not really loud, but it penetrates your head.

I can't really tell if it's coming from the PSU or gfx card. When I put my head near the PSU to listen, the sound is drowned out by the whirring of the fans.

My current psu is a 500w Enermax Liberty, with dual VGA 6-pin PCI-E connectors, so it should be powerful enough for a single GTX. I was going to get a new PSU anyway, probably ~800w, so I'll find out if it's the card making the noise when the new PSU is installed.

Thread: 8800 GTX Electrical Noise Under Load

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Rate This Thread

Display

8800 GTX Electrical Noise Under Load

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions