Weird buzzing noise coming from the pc (PSU perhaps)
Just to remark that the RTX 2080 is a noisy card. It can also be the PSU, but you should be able to distinguish between the two by opening the case and listening closely.
You can hear very similar noise on YouTube in the following:
- Rtx 2080 FE Making a very odd noise!
- Nvidia 2080 RTX noise issues
I believe that the noise is not the fans, but rather Coil Whine:
Coil whine, also known as electromagnetically excited acoustic noise and vibration or audible magnetic noise, is one of the most frustrating phenomena in modern technology. As its name suggests, this high-pitched noise is caused by electromagnetic coils that act as inductors or transformers. Though it can come from many components, coil whine is usually found in video cards. High-end graphics cards are used to run intensive software or demanding games, which can cause them to work very hard and vibrate. Every PC component has a resonant frequency when coupled with the rest of the electrical circuit. Noise can also occur when the coil is poorly secured to the circuit board. Unfortunately, there is little you can do to reverse or remove coil whine once you have it.
This can explain why the noise is random and bears only a feint relationship to the GPU workload, if you hit the resonance only under special conditions and load.
If the problem is indeed Coil Whine from your video card, then your only options are:
- Better isolating your computer case,
- Changing the video card.
See also Tom's Hardware review of noise levels of the RTX 2080 in a closed case. The average noise level was about 40 dB(A), which I saw being compared to urban bird calls in volume.
I would recommend figuring out what is making the buzzing sound for starters. The most likely cause for buzzing would be the fans but as you've said, you don't think that is the case.
If the sound relates to electrical buzzing, the likely source is the Power Supply (PSU) coils. I currently have a similar intermittent problem involving coil whine which is however more whine than buzz. Where coil whine tends to be higher in pitch than what you're describing hence I don't think that's what you have.
There is a chance that something is shorting (and therefore arcing) somewhere in your computer. If you see any sparks, the part should be sent with great haste for repair or simply binned.
Having just listened to the recording, this does not sound like anything electrical, nor does it sound like coil whine. If my ears are not mistaken, that is a fan. There could be a piece of plastic in a fan somewhere, something like a zip tie perhaps? Since it's intermittent, the offending fan may be on a temperature switch (it turns on when it gets too hot). Your main hardware is very good so it's unlikely to be that, I would check motherboard fans or other little fans that can be dotted around various components. The PSU fan is the likeliest cause.
EDIT (noise located in Graphics Card)
Look for things caught in the fan blades, or at the edges of the blades. If that turns up empty, and the card is under warranty, I would return it. If the card is no longer under warranty and you have the technical know how, you can attempt to locate the problem yourself by pulling apart the card. One of the fans themselves may be buzzing in which case you could try to replace it or just unplug it.
By the looks of it, your card is sagging in it's slot a great deal. This is likely what's causing the problem. For starters, you can try lying the case on it's back (such that the motherboard is facing up) which would decrease the strain on the GPU case. If this works to stop the buzzing, you are going to need to find a way to support the gpu. These usually do the trick: AMAZON