Surface Laptop 3 Faint Buzzing Sound

Anonymous
2019-10-23T21:50:20+00:00

Hello,

I’ve got the i5 8GB Surface Laptop 3 (13.5-inch), and today, while browsing the internet, I noticed a fairly faint  buzzing sound coming from under the keyboard. It was faint enough you couldn’t hear it from a couple metres away, and sometimes buzzed continuously, other times buzzed in short repetitive bursts.

It didn’t sound like the fan to me, so I opened up the task manager to see if browsing was straining the computer in some way.

I have updated the computer completely, but the buzzing persisted.

Is this a normal electronics problem? Is it actually just the fan? Or is it possibly a defective unit?

Edit/Update:

I took the device into the MS Store today to see if there was something wrong. The staff took it into the back and tested it. They found increasing the computer's workload caused the sound to increase and described it as a popping static-y sound. They replaced the device and I have a new one now. Unfortunately, I've found through usage that this one is also making the sound. I am waiting to see if a firmware update reduces the noise since it seems pervasive across the devices.

Surface | Surface Laptop | Install and update

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-02-02T19:28:20+00:00

    Hi,

    which firmware?

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-02-01T11:03:16+00:00

    guys! does the new firmware fix the issue???? 

    I updated  the new firmware, it's running really smooth so far, no buzzing fan noise .... really hope that it can fix the issue. keep u updated!

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-01-29T11:54:14+00:00

    i've had mine for a month. i5, 13.5 inch, platinum alcantara. just recently started noticing a buzzing, rattling noise coming from mainly the upper part of the keyboard. it isn't super high in frequency so i wouldn't call it whining per se, it's more akin to the sound of a tiny electric toothbrush!

    i can just BARELY hear it when i'm sitting at a normal distance from the computer. when i lean in closer it's more noticeable, even worse if i put my ear close to the underside of the laptop. 

    strange though: it's at its worst when the computer is idle, or when i'm using the browser. if i start up a game from steam, it goes dead silent, no matter if it's a high demanding game or some old point & click from the 90's. i also downloaded userbenchmark, and during the time it ran there was no noise whatsoever.

    it's a GREAT laptop in any other regard. everything works like a charm, screen is excellent, no backlight bleed which is really important for me. the noise is annoying, sure, but i'm sure i can live with it. and there's also some hope that either microsoft or intel will be able to rectify at least part of the issue with a driver update. they're no doubt aware of the problem.

    hearing about how people go through three or four trade-ins all with the same noise issues makes me less inclined to try and change mine.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-01-22T10:12:07+00:00

    https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/intel-driver-support-assistant.html

    Intel will auto detect and will direct you to the page - Install Driver assistant 

    I checked it myself now and got an update Latest version: x.x.x.7755

    You will need to check this link as you wont be able to install direct

    Please check my notes on how

    https://www.howtogeek.com/343287/how-to-fix-the-driver-being-installed-is-not-validated-for-this-computer-on-intel-computers/

    Small tip: you will need to select "\igfx_win10_100.7584\Graphics\igdlh.inf" 

    As the article said selct "“igdlh64.inf”" or “igdlh32.inf” - i did not see 64, 32 - just have the two files with same name igdlh.inf - but one with 600K file size - so use that

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-01-22T04:34:19+00:00

    Hey man, I have no idea which version of intel graphic driver in SL3. The windows itself only mentions Intel Iris Plus. 

    Can send me the link about 7585 driver update?

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