the monitor makes a faint buzzing or whining noise from the back, gets worse when i play a bright hdr game

Diagnosis

This phenomenon is known as "coil whine," specifically originating from the inductor coils within the monitor's internal power delivery system or the LED backlight inverter. When you enable HDR (High Dynamic Range) or increase brightness, the monitor demands significantly more current to drive the backlight to peak luminance. This increased electrical flow causes the copper coils to vibrate at a high frequency due to electromagnetism, creating that audible high-pitched buzzing or whining sound. The noise is most prominent during HDR gaming because the monitor is rapidly shifting voltage to create high-contrast highlights. This fluctuating load creates a "singing" effect in the capacitors and inductors. You can confirm this by switching from an HDR game to a dark, static SDR image; if the noise diminishes or disappears as the screen dims, the issue is definitely related to the power draw of the backlight assembly rather than a failing logic board.

How to Fix It

To mitigate the noise, you need to reduce the peak electrical stress on the internal power supply. While HDR is designed for maximum brightness, slight adjustments can stop the coils from vibrating.

1. Press the joystick on the rear of the monitor to open the On-Screen Display (OSD) menu.
2. Navigate to the 'Image' or 'Color' menu.
3. Locate the 'Brightness' setting. If it is set to 100, reduce it to between 70 and 85. This lowers the voltage requirement for the LED array, which often brings the coil whine below the audible threshold.
4. Navigate to 'GameVisual' and switch from 'Racing' or 'FPS' (which often force high brightness/contrast) to 'sRGB' or 'User' mode.
5. If you are using HDR, go to the Windows Display Settings and adjust the 'SDR Content Brightness' slider. Lowering this reduces the baseline power draw even when HDR is active.
6. Turn off 'ASUS Adaptive-Sync' or 'FreeSync Premium' in the OSD if the noise fluctuates specifically with your frame rate, as variable refresh rates can sometimes cause power ripple noise.

If That Didn't Work

• Change your Power Source: Plug the monitor directly into a high-quality wall outlet rather than a cheap power strip or surge protector. Low-quality power strips can introduce "dirty" electricity or ground loops that exacerbate coil whine in high-draw 4K monitors.
• Swap the Power Cable: Ensure the power cable is seated firmly in the back of the VG28UQL1A. A loose connection can cause