there's a faint but annoying high-pitched whine or buzz coming from the back of my monitor, is it defective?

— asked by Sam

Quick answer: That's coil whine from the monitor's power supply or internal components. It's common, not a defect that affects function, and is often triggered by specific brightness levels or high refresh rates.

Diagnosis

That's coil whine from the monitor's power supply or internal components. It's common, not a defect that affects function, and is often triggered by specific brightness levels or high refresh rates.

How to Fix It

Adjust the brightness. The whine is often worst at 50% or 100% brightness. Set it to 30% or 80% and see if it stops. Changing the refresh rate from 144Hz to 120Hz in the monitor OSD can also eliminate it.

If That Didn't Work

Ensure the monitor is plugged directly into a wall outlet, not a power strip shared with other high-draw devices. A 'dirty' power signal can exacerbate the noise.

Heads Up

Coil whine can be more noticeable in a very quiet room. If it's loud and persistent at all settings, contact Dell support within the warranty period—they may classify it as a fault and replace it.

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