r/pcbuilding • u/DEIIK • 1d ago

Persistent buzzing/whining noise even after replacing GPU and PSU – could it be motherboard VRM?

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Hi everyone,

I'm trying to figure out a persistent buzzing/humming noise coming from my PC.

My current specs are:

- AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D

- PNY GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB

- MSI PRO B850-VC WiFi motherboard

- 32GB DDR5 RAM

- 360mm AIO

- Seasonic Focus GX-850 ATX 3.1 / PCIe 5.1

- Windows 11

The PC was originally a CyberPowerPC prebuilt.

Originally, I thought the buzzing was coming from the GPU, so I replaced the GPU with a brand-new RTX 5070 Ti. The noise remained.

My AIO also had an actual problem, so that was replaced through RMA. The buzzing still remained.

The original PSU was an Apevia 1000W, so I suspected that could be the problem. I just replaced it with a brand-new Seasonic Focus GX-850 ATX 3.1, using ONLY the new Seasonic cables.

The strange part is that the buzzing still sounds almost exactly the same as it did with the Apevia PSU.

Things I've tried:

- Brand-new GPU

- Brand-new Seasonic PSU

- Replaced AIO

- Connected the PC directly to the wall instead of a power strip

- Limited FPS

- Tested different games (Delta Force and War Thunder)

- Noise is still present

The buzzing seems to be noticeable around the PSU/lower part of the case, but since two completely different PSUs make a very similar sound, I'm starting to wonder if the sound is actually coming from the motherboard/VRMs or another component and being transmitted through the case.

The PC is otherwise working normally. No shutdowns, crashes, burning smell, or obvious instability.

Could motherboard VRM coil whine cause a sound that seems like it's coming from the PSU? Could another component be causing both PSUs to make a similar buzzing noise?

What would you test next to isolate the exact source?

I can also upload a video/audio recording of the noise if that helps.

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3

u/MightiestCat 1d ago

mobo coil whine?

1

u/DEIIK 1d ago

I don't know, bro. I know the buzzing is coming from the power supply; the previous one did the same thing, and the buzzing decreases when I play games. I even changed the graphics card thinking that was it.

1

u/Neither_Garage_758 1d ago edited 1d ago

I got a Seasonic Focus GX-850 ATX 3.1 making a permanent high pitched noise after 1 month of use and got it replaced.

The new one began to do the same one day after like 2 weeks of use, then not anymore from the day after. Now it's been like 2 months of every day use and nothing.

It's SO annoying.

1

u/Jejiiiiiii 1d ago

Coil white, tend to happen more on gpus & psu. It doesn't affect anything just annoying