HIS 6870 noisey

[niknaksky]

Hi I contacted HIS because my his 6870 has gotten really loud to the point it gives me a head ache when gaming.

They have said if I am sure it is above 30Db then I can RMA it.

How do I tell if it is above 30db ?
When web browsing the fan runs at 21% and is a constant hum louder than a cheap psu I bought for my little brothers machine.

When gaming the fan speeds upto about 30 % and you can here it in the kitchen which is about15ft away my dad thought I had a hair dryer on.

What do you think rma it ?

Is there a way to test the noise ?

 

[Tealc]

You'd need a sound meter.

Has it always been this noisy or is it more recent? At 20% it should be near inaudible for the majority of people above normal system noise. I could hear my 6950 idle at 20% above my system but I assumed this was normal.

I suppose you have to make the call. If it's much louder than when new then it could be a failing fan bearing. Use GPU-z to check the actual fan speed isn't going crazy.

 

[niknaksky]

1130rpm while browsing the web dont know what that is in percentage

 

[niknaksky]

what should the sound levels of a 4890 be conpared to a 6870 ?
I have one spare I can try to see if there is much difference in sound

 

[-Aura-]

According to GPU-Z, mine's sitting at 1108 RPM which is 21% and goes up to about 30% when gaming. I have to manually move it to 34% before I can actually hear the fan with my heed aboot a foot away from the case. If it gives you a headache, there is something wrong, RMA it.

 

[Cleeecooo]

Are you sure its the card fan? It could maybe be you bein over sensitive?
I would suggest asking a friend or someone else to confirm if it is too noisy.

 

[niknaksky]

The other case fans are near silent.

My dad asked me why I was using a hairdryer when I have not got much hair lol

He was in the kitchen about 15ft away and is partialy deaf so it muct be loud.

I will probs RMA it and see what they say.

 

[Tealc]

If it sounds like a hairdryer at 15ft when it's only doing 30%, which can't be more than about 1500rpm, then it must be going bad.

Small fans like the reference ones always make a higher pitch sound than larger fans.

I also run a near silent case and the reference blower fan was unnaceptable to me at even idle speed. This was after I read reviews of my card remarking how quiet it was and that people had to stick their ear next to it to hear it.

As I said if you've had it a while and it's been fine up until recently then you have a few choices.

1) Return it under RMA for excessive noise, clearly stating that the noise has increased recently.
2) Fit an aftermarket cooler. This is what I did.
3) Replace the blower fan. Will still be noisy, just perhaps not as much.
4) Live with it.

The danger of RMA is that if they find no fault they will return it to you, possibly at your own cost.