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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.
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
Hi,
If it helps, I bought SL 3/ i7/ 16 gb/512 on 9th March, 2021. The device has exactly the same issues mentioned in the thread. The conclusion is MS does not know how to manufacture a decent device, fix problem and support customer base.
So don't bother exchanging but try some of the work around mentioned here.
Hope it gelps
It's a useful app, but it is one of those power user apps and using the wrong options actually can damage things. Getting into clock and chipset modulations and multipliers requires more knowledge of what is going on. You can quickly overheat your processor or pull too much current and fry something. Most modern computers have some type of auto shutdown when it gets too hot, but still risky to rely on that.
Someone actually has a post about it on page 29 of this thread](https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfacelaptop-surfver_surflap3-surftop_install/surface-laptop-3-faint-buzzing-sound/d800b696-ff7c-4cf0-a2db-99c2c2082144?messageId=96c30473-705c-41a3-8055-d2c8933ce874&page=29 "https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfacelaptop-surfver_surflap3-surftop_install/surface-laptop-3-faint-buzzing-sound/d800b696-ff7c-4cf0-a2db-99c2c2082144?messageId=96c30473-705c-41a3-8055-d2c8933ce874&page=29") ([AndreR_83). It gives instructions on how to limit just the idle state level to the best one (C6), which should be safe enough. It also warns not to try the other stuff. The surface has some pretty hardware specific things going on, so I don't think I'd try any others, even after doing research.
Hi Billy_S,
Thank you so much for the great details that you gave us regarding the processor usage/power mgmt setting and about the conditions in which the issue occurs.
I've just found out from another forum that also other non-Microsoft laptops have the same issue.
noise - Any way to disable specific CPU idle (Cx) states? - Super User
This forum mentions the ThrottleStop app as a solution.
ThrottleStop (9.3) Download | TechPowerUp
I noticed that you are very skilled regarding computer hardware.
May I ask you please to check this app and tell us whether it would be worth trying to use it?
Thank you in advance!
I just want to know what I can do. What happens if I change the registry?
Mine is very loud, with the noise continuous. No one can hear me when I try to use the mike. It is very loud and continues nonstop.
Does changing the registry shut down the fan? Is there any risk? I cannot use it because it is so loud it interferes with my other computer on Zoom and creates an unbearable drone in the background while I am using another computer next to it.
I am so surprised that Microsoft has not responded to any of our complaints with any solution.
The registry entry just changes the way power is managed. It doesn't affect fan speed or anything like that, those are based on component temperatures or other advanced settings for power users. In some computers, you can actually set min/max processor usage percentages in the advanced power management settings (built into Windows). The Surface hides it for whatever reason, but gaming machines show it there because it is useful performance-wise to not let the processor idle. Of course I can't promise no harm will come from it, but it's unlikely. It still is a work-around that customers shouldn't have to do for this price-range of a laptop.
If your surface is running the fan high speed at all times, something else is probably causing that. It could be another actual defect. When the buzzing starts, the fan shouldn't be going much at all (if any) because the CPU is idle and not generating high temps. It could start going faster if you do some CPU/video intensive stuff, with the buzzing still persisting after it first happens, though.
I did tests on all of that when trying to give tech support more details when these laptops first came out. Thinking back though, I'm pretty sure they were already aware of the problem and just going through the "script" to get me to shut up and ask for a replacement.
I have exact same issues. I could not have written it more accurately. I really can't get through the MS support staff.
My model SL 3 / 16 GB / 256 / Titanium.
Bought it on March 9, 2021 and have not used it due to all the buzzing noise, over heating, freezing cursor, poor zoom calks, pathetic mic and audio
It's a write off of $1900.
Shame on MS
