A strange PS5 buzzing sound is being reported by some players. Speculation is mixed on what the source of the sound may be, with some suspecting fan noise, coil whine, or the disc drive — and some players are concerned that their PlayStation 5 may have been damaged in shipping.
The Xbox Series X|S and PS5 are both pretty big machines, owing in part to improvements made with the cooling systems for each respective console. The Xbox Series X is quiet as a whisper and the PS5 is much quieter than its predecessor the PS4. However, a small but growing trend is showing some players are having problems with a strange PS5 buzzing sound.
What is the PS5 buzzing sound?
Discussions on ResetEra, Reddit, and PSNProfiles show dozens of players reporting a PS5 buzzing sound at various volumes. Some of these players are finding the noise a little strange, especially as the relative quietness of both next-gen consoles has been touted as a big improvement. Speculation about what’s causing the issue is rampant and no one seems to have settled on a clear answer. Demon’s Souls, in particular, appears to be one of the games that is most commonly related to these noise issues.
Speculated causes include fan noise and the spinning of the disc drive; one of the stranger possibilities is an audible sound known as coil whine or capacitor squeal. In the latter case, some electronics can cause an audible “whining” sound when power passes through them. None of these issues are necessarily harmful to a PS5. Coil whine, in particular, is said to be “in no way harmful” to electronics by EVGA. However, EVGA also recommends that its customers contact support if coil whine is particularly loud, indicating that there can be some variation in the level of audible noise.
It’s unclear if this is an issue with a small portion of consoles or if some users just happen to be paying extra close attention to the sounds coming out of their console. Speculation on the source of the buzzing sound is likely to continue for some time as players try to pin down the source.
