Coil whine? Acer Nitro 5 AN515-52-56X0

XemikDarkness
XemikDarkness Member Posts: 3 New User
edited December 2023 in 2020 Archives
Hello,

Yesterday I bought a brand new Acer Nitro 5. Immediately I noticed that, when the AC is plugged in, there's a rather noticeable buzzing sound coming from under the left side of the keyboard. This sound becomes less noticeable when the AC isn't plugged in. Without AC though, if you put your ear closer to the keyboard, I can still however hear the typical HDD sound, but in the same rhythm. When it's quite even that sound is quite noticeable. I've tried to look for more information already throughout these forums but I couldn't really find anything as specific as my current problem.

My specs are:
OS: Windows 10 Home
Processor: Intel Core i5-8300H
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 4GB dedicated RAM
Memory: 8GB DDR4
Storage: 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD

The buzzing sound corresponds mostly with the movement of my mouse and other activity of my laptop. For example on Chrome when on Discord, it buzzes in the rhythm of the | that blinks to showcase that you can type there. And whenever someone is replying to me and Discord shows someone is typing the buzzing corresponds with that text and keeps up until the person has send the message. On Youtube however, this buzzing sound seems to be more constant. It's important to tell that, this buzzing sound does not appear whenver using Word or whenever I use Microsoft Edge. On Chrome however, it becomes like a buzzing echo of anything I do. It's also more quiet whenever I'm on the desktop. The same thing also happens on Spotify and Steam. What's more, whenever Steam or Youtube are open in the background, the buzzing sound remains more constant even if I'm not on the webpage or have Steam completely in the background (so not opened, not minimized, simply active cause I opened it once). Whenever I change the Energy Plan to Balanced or lower, the buzzing still appears, but more infrequent.

I'm sadly very sensitive to these kinds of subtle sounds (and to add to mix, I suffer from anxiety) and I definitely seem to pick it up much easier than any other members of my family. I might get used to it, but I'm actually worried if this supposed to happen or that I should go back to the store and ask them to look at it. Or that perhaps someone here knows what it is and how to possibly combat it. :)

Answers

  • This is the left side! First, reset the battery by pressing the button for five seconds, then leave the notebook off for five minutes. Before doing this you need to turn off the notebook completely:

    If this does not work, press down on the screws of the lower case, as it may be that one of them is loose, causing the noise:

    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
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  • XemikDarkness
    XemikDarkness Member Posts: 3 New User
    Thanks for answering!

    Sadly the battery reset didn't help and the noise is still there. I've also checked the screws and all seems to be tight shut.
    I've also had the laptop check for Hardware problems and I needed to restart but that didn't help either. If anything there's now some activity in the upper-right corner that doesn't stop now. (Sounds like a mix between a fan and an HDD)
  • Can you make a video? This noise can be from the spinning fan!
    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
    Se você gostou da minha resposta, marque como solução clicando em sim! If you liked my answer, mark it as a solution by clicking on yes!
    Aceite somente a resposta que ajudou a solucionar o seu problema! Please accept only the response that helped to solve your problem!
    Detection tool click here to find the serial number or partnumber of your model!                                                          
                                                      
                                                     egydiocoelho Trailblazer
     
    ProductKey clique aqui para descobrir o serial do windows! click here to discover the windows serial!
    Para usuários da comunidade inglesa, espanhola, francesa e alemã, usarei o google tradutor! :)
    For users of the English, Spanish, French and German community, I will be using google translator! :) 
  • XemikDarkness
    XemikDarkness Member Posts: 3 New User
    I sadly seem to be unable to add any videos and recordings succesfully =/
    But the noise is definitely not from the spinning fan. The fan has in fact stopped after a while, but the buzzing noise continues.

    It's completely tied to any activity on the screen. I move the mouse, the buzzing intensifies and stops when I stop moving it.
    Someone replies on Discord? Buzzing intensifies while Discord shows someone is replying and stops when that person stops typing or has replied.
    It buzzes with every key I press and that shows up on screen even as I write this. And again this does not seem to happen in Microsoft programs.
    It buzzes everytime the little line that shows where you can type blinks on and off.
    It's a high electrical noise, an electric beep.

    I wish I could send the recordings because it shows what I mean far better than what I describe right now.
  • Do the following: post the video on youtube and place the link here! Also check if decreasing the sampling rate in the sound settings solves the problem!
    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
    Se você gostou da minha resposta, marque como solução clicando em sim! If you liked my answer, mark it as a solution by clicking on yes!
    Aceite somente a resposta que ajudou a solucionar o seu problema! Please accept only the response that helped to solve your problem!
    Detection tool click here to find the serial number or partnumber of your model!                                                          
                                                      
                                                     egydiocoelho Trailblazer
     
    ProductKey clique aqui para descobrir o serial do windows! click here to discover the windows serial!
    Para usuários da comunidade inglesa, espanhola, francesa e alemã, usarei o google tradutor! :)
    For users of the English, Spanish, French and German community, I will be using google translator! :) 
  • thenk
    thenk Member Posts: 2 New User
    The same problem when the adapter is connected

  • thenk
    thenk Member Posts: 2 New User
    The latest update for intel rapid storage technology has probably resolved the issue
  • Cvetan
    Cvetan Member Posts: 9

    Tinkerer

    The same problem when the adapter is connected
  • Have you already tested with another charger? Does the notebook come with 135W (1050 / 1050Ti) or 180W (1060) AC adapter?
    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
    Se você gostou da minha resposta, marque como solução clicando em sim! If you liked my answer, mark it as a solution by clicking on yes!
    Aceite somente a resposta que ajudou a solucionar o seu problema! Please accept only the response that helped to solve your problem!
    Detection tool click here to find the serial number or partnumber of your model!                                                          
                                                      
                                                     egydiocoelho Trailblazer
     
    ProductKey clique aqui para descobrir o serial do windows! click here to discover the windows serial!
    Para usuários da comunidade inglesa, espanhola, francesa e alemã, usarei o google tradutor! :)
    For users of the English, Spanish, French and German community, I will be using google translator! :) 
  • ChrissK
    ChrissK Member Posts: 1 New User
    Hi, I don't know whether you are still experiencing the issue, but probably yes. I don't think it's resolvable.
    I have bought a brand new Nitro 5 and I experience coil whine when the charger is plugged in. On battery there is no whine. Unlike yours, my coil whine doesn't correspond exactly to the movement of mouse etc. It's just there :) . As you mentioned, it's coming from the upper left area of the laptop.
    I noticed that the whine is less noticeable when I set the power plan to "Balanced" and in "Change plan settings" > "Change advanced power settings" > Processor power management > Maximum processor state > Plugged in, the value 100 is set to 99.
    This has made the whine almost unnoticeable for me. And that is something to say, as I am extremely sensitive to these kind of sounds.
    But there was another issue. The power plan kept changing back to "High performance" after every reboot so the whine was loud again. I tried to change the Maximum processor state from 100 to 99 for the "High performance" plan as well, but that didn
    't help. So I had to manually change the power plan to "Balanced" after each startup which was quite annoying.
    But then I tried Clean Boot by disabling all services (except Microsoft services) in System Configuration, rebooted the laptop and the power plan stayed at "Balanced" (and almost no whine). So I was turning on all the processes one-by-one and restarting the laptop after each one to find out which one causes Windows to change the power plan and it was the "Predator Service"Weird huh? So I left this process disabled. Now the Nitro Sense won't open after clicking on it but that doesn't bother me as much as the whine did. My temps while gaming are good, I don't need to use Nitro sense to adjust fans speeds etc.
    So now my plan stays at "Balanced" all he time and the whine is barely noticeable. There has to be complete silence in the room and my head has to be reeeeeeally close to the laptop to hear it. However, while gaming, the whine is back when you listen to it but...well...you know...the game's sound and the fan noise (especially the fan noise :D ) help with not-concentrating on the whine. Or headphones are another option.
    I know this is not a fix, but I don't think there is any. 
    I hope this helps you or anyone experiencing this annoying problem.
  • PacoRodriguez
    PacoRodriguez Member Posts: 4 New User
    edited December 2019
    I think I have the same problem with a new Acer Nitro 7, and in my case it does happen all the time but most especially when I move the mouse.

    Thanks @ChrissK for the solution of the Maximum processor state, because that reduced it a lot.

    To demonstrate this to others: I uploaded this video showing me changing the processor from 99% and 100%, and the whine starts as soon as I click Apply.
    https://youtu.be/tANIdOgPHXo

    To give more detail on where to find this menu: Windows 10 > Settings > Power & Sleep > Additional Power Settings > Change Plan Settings > Change Advanced Power Settings > Processor Power Management, and change "Minimum processor state" and/or "maximum processor state" from 100% to 99%.
  • andylb
    andylb ACE Posts: 3,827 Pathfinder
    I think I have the same problem with a new Acer Nitro 7, and in my case it does happen all the time but most especially when I move the mouse.

    Thanks @ChrissK for the solution of the Maximum processor state, because that reduced it a lot.

    To demonstrate this to others: I uploaded this video showing me changing the processor from 99% and 100%, and the whine starts as soon as I click Apply.
    https://youtu.be/tANIdOgPHXo

    To give more detail on where to find this menu: Windows 10 > Settings > Power & Sleep > Additional Power Settings > Change Plan Settings > Change Advanced Power Settings > Processor Power Management, and change "Minimum processor state" and/or "maximum processor state" from 100% to 99%.

    Again this is an old thread, in order to get a better response please start a new Topic for your question

    Please click YES if I answered your question

    I am not an ACER employee
    Thank you and have a blessed day  B)

    ★★ ACE Pathfinder 2019★★

  • mifail
    mifail Member Posts: 1 New User
    edited February 2020
    ChrissK said:
    Hi, I don't know whether you are still experiencing the issue, but probably yes. I don't think it's resolvable.
    I have bought a brand new Nitro 5 and I experience coil whine when the charger is plugged in. On battery there is no whine. Unlike yours, my coil whine doesn't correspond exactly to the movement of mouse etc. It's just there :) . As you mentioned, it's coming from the upper left area of the laptop.
    I noticed that the whine is less noticeable when I set the power plan to "Balanced" and in "Change plan settings" > "Change advanced power settings" > Processor power management > Maximum processor state > Plugged in, the value 100 is set to 99.
    This has made the whine almost unnoticeable for me. And that is something to say, as I am extremely sensitive to these kind of sounds.
    But there was another issue. The power plan kept changing back to "High performance" after every reboot so the whine was loud again. I tried to change the Maximum processor state from 100 to 99 for the "High performance" plan as well, but that didn't help. So I had to manually change the power plan to "Balanced" after each startup which was quite annoying.
    But then I tried Clean Boot by disabling all services (except Microsoft services) in System Configuration, rebooted the laptop and the power plan stayed at "Balanced" (and almost no whine). So I was turning on all the processes one-by-one and restarting the laptop after each one to find out which one causes Windows to change the power plan and it was the "Predator Service"Weird huh? So I left this process disabled. Now the Nitro Sense won't open after clicking on it but that doesn't bother me as much as the whine did. My temps while gaming are good, I don't need to use Nitro sense to adjust fans speeds etc.
    So now my plan stays at "Balanced" all he time and the whine is barely noticeable. There has to be complete silence in the room and my head has to be reeeeeeally close to the laptop to hear it. However, while gaming, the whine is back when you listen to it but...well...you know...the game's sound and the fan noise (especially the fan noise :D ) help with not-concentrating on the whine. Or headphones are another option.
    I know this is not a fix, but I don't think there is any. 
    I hope this helps you or anyone experiencing this annoying problem.
    I had the same issue either the charger is plugged or not. This 100 to 99 thing decreases sound almost to none for my laptop, too. But I don't know if causes any performance loose/problem. I will try a couple of days. I don't want to give my laptop to warranty because at least 2-3 weeks laptop won't come back and I am not sure they will solve my problem or change laptop with the new one.

    Edit: My laptop is AN515-54 i5 9300h gtx 1650
  • Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
    Se você gostou da minha resposta, marque como solução clicando em sim! If you liked my answer, mark it as a solution by clicking on yes!
    Aceite somente a resposta que ajudou a solucionar o seu problema! Please accept only the response that helped to solve your problem!
    Detection tool click here to find the serial number or partnumber of your model!                                                          
                                                      
                                                     egydiocoelho Trailblazer
     
    ProductKey clique aqui para descobrir o serial do windows! click here to discover the windows serial!
    Para usuários da comunidade inglesa, espanhola, francesa e alemã, usarei o google tradutor! :)
    For users of the English, Spanish, French and German community, I will be using google translator! :)