• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

PS5 has coil whine

Hostile_18

Banned
Retailers going to have a hard time replacing units for a minute i think lol.

Will do.

They have nothing in place to prioritise replacing faulty units in the uk over new customers or bots. It's rather poor tbh. That's why I've gone replacement route with the hope it's going to be a new unit its replaced with (which looks likely at this early stage).
 

Concern

Member
They have nothing in place to prioritise replacing faulty units in the uk over new customers or bots. It's rather poor tbh. That's why I've gone replacement route with the hope it's going to be a new unit its replaced with (which looks likely at this early stage).


That sucks hopefully they just fix yours or send you a new one before a refurb or anything like that.
 
I checked and my console is between 53 and 65 dB with my phone right beside it. This is both in game and out of game.

Interestingly enough a report showed the quieter fan being 35dB and the louder one 45dB.

This leads me to think I have the vibrating issue with the housing. Going to put in some o rings to try dampen it and will report back.

Anyone else get a dB reading out of interest.
 

ReBurn

Gold Member
PS4 had wobble - just as serious


Why Sony didn't place a rubber foot on at least the 4 corners is something I'll never understand. I'm sure some Sony engineer has an explanation. But one in the center on the front, one in the center on the back, and one on the center on just one side? Why?
 
Last edited:

xacto

Member
I need to make a video of my ps5 and show that it produces zero sounds, just like when people refused to believe me about my 2016 (second wave) being dead silent as well and showed the video.




Don't worry about the dust, that space is sacred and the maid is not supposed to touch it and accidently turn it on and spend hours without noticing it. I cleaned the spot, but before giving it away to my brother-in-law the vents were really covered with cotton-like dust!

I still believe that we get a different production line from one of those 3 factories of playstation because all ps4's here are silent. PS5 I don't know yet because not many got them and the ones I know have similar dead silent consoles. Should I make video then?


I don't know, mate... last I heard you were a Sony fan, and have no idea what you're talking about 😂
 

Tickrate

Member
I too am having issues with my unit.
I honestly don't think it's coil whine because it doesn't sound the same as my GPU during high load.
Furthermore, it is quite audible but not as bad as the label issue posted on Twitter.

Compared to my XSX it's much much louder so that doesn't seem normal.



I've put some extra context into the video description.
 
I too am having issues with my unit.
I honestly don't think it's coil whine because it doesn't sound the same as my GPU during high load.
Furthermore, it is quite audible but not as bad as the label issue posted on Twitter.

Compared to my XSX it's much much louder so that doesn't seem normal.



I've put some extra context into the video description.

I have the exact same sound. It is verly likely your fan and not coil whine.
I'm sure that if you pop off the side panels you'll see you have a fan made by Nidec instead one made by Delta (the name is on the fan). The Nidec fans produce more sound.
I've tried everything to solve the sound issue but to no avail. Sometimes o-rings could minimize the sound but I could still hear it from my couch.

I've decided to return my PS5 for repairs as the sound is something that I'll never get used to. The shop where I bought it opens tueseday so I'll see what they will/can offer.
If I just had another fan I could swap the fans in five minutes as they are easy accessible. So frutstrating...
 

Traxtech

Member
I found the perfect game to test for coil whine, which is ghost of a tale.

If you turn vsync off the coin whine becomes so loud...turn it on, goes away.
 
French site lesnumeriques tested five different PS5's and found that Sony use at least two (possibly 3 if counting official teardown video) different fans. Sony repeating PS4 Pro multiple fans again.

Fan type A are a bit more quiet than fan type B, the difference being type B is more audible when a game is quiet.

Also one of their units had coil whine but the cause they traced it to was the power supply.

google translate but you get the idea
The fan is not the only source of variance in noise pollution that we have been able to identify. The personal machine of your servant, decidedly badly off, also embeds a power supply very subject to the phenomenon of coil whine , or its rigorous name, electromagnetically induced noise. Well known and feared by PC gamers, this phenomenon occurs most often in graphics cards; it then results in short, high-pitched whistles. But it can also occur at the level of the power block. In this second case, it results in a hoarse clicking sound, the height and timbre of which vary according to the current delivered. And that's exactly what this copy of PlayStation 5 gives us to hear.
 
Last edited:

Tickrate

Member
I have the exact same sound. It is verly likely your fan and not coil whine.
I'm sure that if you pop off the side panels you'll see you have a fan made by Nidec instead one made by Delta (the name is on the fan). The Nidec fans produce more sound.
I've tried everything to solve the sound issue but to no avail. Sometimes o-rings could minimize the sound but I could still hear it from my couch.

I've decided to return my PS5 for repairs as the sound is something that I'll never get used to. The shop where I bought it opens tueseday so I'll see what they will/can offer.
If I just had another fan I could swap the fans in five minutes as they are easy accessible. So frutstrating...

Thanks for the tip, I'll try get the side-panels off and see if I can see which brand it is.
 

Hostile_18

Banned
Just got my email from Sony my PS5 will be back within 5 days.

I mentioned in the other thread but interestingly its another unit rather than the same one repaired (for moderate Coil Whine).

For those who were saying some units Coil Whine wasnt an issue why would Sony replace the whole thing? 🤔
 

Vick

Gold Member
16 fucking days I've waited without a PS5 only to get one that buzzes louder than ever.
Man that truly sucks, i'm sorry for you.

I was hoping due to the size of the console that it would be super quiet from having good ventilation much like the phat PS3.
At this point i'm scared to pick the Disc Version when finally available, i only have a Digital one and it's quite literally the most silent piece of electronic i've ever owned. Impossible to tell when On or Off based on noises even when running native 4K/60fps games like Astro.
I hope these are super rare cases.
 

angelgs90

Member
16 fucking days I've waited without a PS5 only to get one that buzzes louder than ever.

They have replaced your PS5 with another one, and the new one has even more coil whine?

I think that at the moment they have no way to solve the problem, and they simply send another new unit, hoping that the problem is less serious in the new one.

I returned mine, and I won't buy another until the next hardware revision at least.
 

Hostile_18

Banned
They have replaced your PS5 with another one, and the new one has even more coil whine?

I think that at the moment they have no way to solve the problem, and they simply send another new unit, hoping that the problem is less serious in the new one.

I returned mine, and I won't buy another until the next hardware revision at least.

It looks new but no way to know for sure. The letter says "Product Replaced". It looks new, only thing that gives me slight pause is the grills the back have a slight white halo around them where the holes/ports are (that move somewhat to my phone torch).
 
Mine makes a little noise can only hear it when really close and tv off

wouldnt want to send back and get an even noisier console lol
 

th4tguy

Member
It looks new but no way to know for sure. The letter says "Product Replaced". It looks new, only thing that gives me slight pause is the grills the back have a slight white halo around them where the holes/ports are (that move somewhat to my phone torch).
Does your repair order or papers from the original purchase show the serial number of the first unit? If so just compare to see if it’s a different unit or not.
 
16 fucking days I've waited without a PS5 only to get one that buzzes louder than ever.

I feel your pain man...
I've had mine replaced at the store for fan noise by a new, still sealed unit and that unit had even louder fan noise and coil whine (that I didn't hear on my previous unit).
My replacement unit is now sent to Sony for repair. I've been without a PS5 for 10 days now, lol.
Chances are I also get a defective (cause the fan noise IS a defect) unit back in return.

Are you sure it's coil whine and not your fan?
 

Kamina

Golden Boy
So after a few days playing with no issues the buzzing also started with my console.
There is no loose sticker or anything, but i did as one video previously posted here said and bought small o-rings to add to the fan screws. However, i only added them between the fan and it’s aluminum lid, not between the fan and the console.
I am convinced this noise is caused by some vibration that radiates from the fan, because after the changes the device is ~75% more quiet.
 
So after a few days playing with no issues the buzzing also started with my console.
There is no loose sticker or anything, but i did as one video previously posted here said and bought small o-rings to add to the fan screws. However, i only added them between the fan and it’s aluminum lid, not between the fan and the console.
I am convinced this noise is caused by some vibration that radiates from the fan, because after the changes the device is ~75% more quiet.
Do you know if you have a Nidec or Delta fan?
 

Kamina

Golden Boy
Do you know if you have a Nidec or Delta fan?
Its the Delta Fan

Edit: this one
45093483-5-C9-F-460-B-BFBB-67-B8149-C89-BA.jpg
 
Last edited:

angelgs90

Member
For the record, the model of the unit I returned for loud coil whine a few weeks ago is MODEL CFI-1016A.

It would be good to have a record of the different existing models, especially when the first hardware revisions start to show up.
 

Kamina

Golden Boy
For the record, the model of the unit I returned for loud coil whine a few weeks ago is MODEL CFI-1016A.

It would be good to have a record of the different existing models, especially when the first hardware revisions start to show up.
Same here.
CFI-1016A 01Y
 
Well second exchange is sorted. They going to fast track it.

The experienced CS I spoke to did believe coil whine wasn't an issue (for anyone) and it was the fan.
Good luck with your exchange! Hope you get a silent unit in return.

I got a message today my unit is ready for pickup (don't know yet if it's a replacement or a repair) so I will do that when I get home from work. Will post here if this one is silent or not.
 

Hostile_18

Banned
Good luck with your exchange! Hope you get a silent unit in return.

I got a message today my unit is ready for pickup (don't know yet if it's a replacement or a repair) so I will do that when I get home from work. Will post here if this one is silent or not.

Brilliant. Good luck bud!
 
So I've got my 3th PS5. My second one I send to Sony for repair was replaced (different serial number).

After a quick test it's about as loud as my first but much more quiet than my second. But, the sound is a bit more tolerable than my first unit. So I think I'll keep it.
I quickly looked at the fan and yup, Nidec... I've come to the conclusion that most, if not all, units have a Nidec fan in my region.
It also has a bit of coil whine but at the moment it doesn't botter me that much.

Whenever it's possible to buy a Delta fan or the fan of the teardown video I'm going to do that. Don't know if they will be for sale at all but I hope so...

Here a youtube video that clearly shows the difference in fan noise (video is in German though):
 
Last edited:

Kamina

Golden Boy
So after playing a lot with the fan o-ring fix i came to the conclusion that it must be coil whine after all.

The Whining stops the moment you press the PS
Button to go to PS5 menu, which means it is connected to power draw. A fan wouldnt react that quickly.

Interestingly the whine isnt always the same. There are times when it is “louder” and others when it is almost unnoticeable, all tested in Demon’s Souls (no particular in-game level that seemed to negatively influence the whining).

I am convinced that all PS5 must have it, some less some worse, and often it is just unnoticeable during gameplay.
 

Hostile_18

Banned
So I've got my 3th PS5. My second one I send to Sony for repair was replaced (different serial number).

After a quick test it's about as loud as my first but much more quiet than my second. But, the sound is a bit more tolerable than my first unit. So I think I'll keep it.
I quickly looked at the fan and yup, Nidec... I've come to the conclusion that most, if not all, units have a Nidec fan in my region.
It also has a bit of coil whine but at the moment it doesn't botter me that much.

Whenever it's possible to buy a Delta fan or the fan of the teardown video I'm going to do that. Don't know if they will be for sale at all but I hope so...

Here a youtube video that clearly shows the difference in fan noise (video is in German though):


Interesting. That second fan is terrible. What is the fan type in the first and what is the second one? 😊
 

TheZink

Member
Sold my PS5 cause the Coil Whine was terrible, so do we think the sound is more of a fan issue?
I’d like to know this also. I returned mine because it sounded so loud. Figured it was coil whine because it sounded like it to me.
 
I don't know about coil whine since mine is silent during normal operation. The disc drive on the other hand...... definitely a busted up muffler on disc read start up and on the self-checks. I think if I would have gone all out digital that this would be the most silent console I've had since PS3. I will be looking to get a replacement down the line for the noisy disc drive......... just hoping we get a revision sku out soon but for now I'm too busy playing and it functions fine.

My drive definitely has noise issues, on a vertical position. I'm going to give it a few go's on horizontal although I don't like the look of the console that way to see if orientation is the issue. Something tells me it's not.

And to think Sony went all out to make sure this drive wasn't noisy. Either mine is an isolated issue, or there is something in the drive design or how it sits on the shell that's causing it to be so noticeably noisy.
 
Last edited:
Sold my PS5 cause the Coil Whine was terrible, so do we think the sound is more of a fan issue?
It’s obvious when it’s coil whine because it basically disappears if you hit the PS button and leave the game and return to the system menu. A bad fan will make the same noise regardless. Coil whines loudness and pitch changes based on the intensity of what you’re playing.
 

Mr.ODST

Member
I’d like to know this also. I returned mine because it sounded so loud. Figured it was coil whine because it sounded like it to me.

Before people destroy me in chat for saying something bad about Playstation, I like the PS5 im going to buy another one when the issue is sorted.
 

Hostile_18

Banned
Before people destroy me in chat for saying something bad about Playstation, I like the PS5 im going to buy another one when the issue is sorted.

No need to defend yourself bud. Those people are few and far between on here and not the majority. 😊
 

TheZink

Member
Before people destroy me in chat for saying something bad about Playstation, I like the PS5 im going to buy another one when the issue is sorted.
Same. I’ve been looking like a mad man trying to find another. I have two friends that have them also. Both have minor coil whine but mine could be heard from 10
Feet away. Hopefully my next one won’t be the same.
 

Night.Ninja

Banned
They have nothing in place to prioritise replacing faulty units in the uk over new customers or bots. It's rather poor tbh. That's why I've gone replacement route with the hope it's going to be a new unit its replaced with (which looks likely at this early stage).

This is why i don't get why people are waiting for retailers to get more stock, much better off sending it in for repair.
 
See, this is why I prefer PC over consoles. If I hear coil whine I just add more RGB and I can't hear the coil whine over the theme song from Jem.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom