My PC became noticeably louder after replacing a Titan Xp with a PowerColor Hellhound 9070 XT. The GPU is supposed to use zero-RPM mode, but the system is still very loud even while idle. The noise sounds like fans rather than coil whine. I'm wondering whether the AIO or another fan is responsible. I checked the BIOS fan curves, which were still on their stock settings, and changed them to silent as a test. I'm not currently using any fan-control software in Windows.
System specs:
- Ryzen 5 5500X3D
- ID-Cooling Frostflow 240 mm AIO
- PowerColor Hellhound 9070 XT
- Thermaltake 850 W Gold PSU
- Lian Li B4 case with stock slim fans and one rear fan
3 Answers
Since you confirmed it sounds like fans, coil whine probably isn’t the issue. The graphics card can still briefly spin its fans if it exceeds its zero-RPM temperature threshold, and the card’s fan behavior may be separate from the motherboard-controlled fans. Make sure the card is actually staying at zero RPM at idle, then inspect the AIO pump and radiator fans next.
A BIOS reset is one possible cause because it can restore aggressive default fan curves, but if your curves were unchanged, the GPU swap may simply have changed temperatures or airflow around the case. Check idle CPU and GPU temperatures and compare the actual RPM readings in BIOS or monitoring software. Set the radiator and case fans to a gradual curve instead of letting them run near full speed at low temperatures.
First, figure out exactly which fan is making the noise. Zero-RPM mode only controls the graphics card fans, so the AIO pump, radiator fans, case fans, or PSU fan could still be running loudly. Temporarily stop or disconnect one set of fans at a time while the system is idle, or use a cardboard tube to listen closely near each component. If the noise is a steady hum or whine rather than airflow, the AIO pump is worth checking.
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