OCCT can make your card ‘sing’

Coil whine is possibly the most annoying thing to discover on a newly installed graphics card. It means a buzzing sound that appears from time to time, depending on what is running on the GPU. Sometimes the issue affects only certain games that push very high framerates. Sometimes it is worse and occurs in most scenarios. Graphics card manufacturers rarely treat this as a defect, so if you discover the problem outside the return window, you may be left with a buzzing GPU.

OCCT, which evolved from a simple CPU burn-in tool into a full PC test suite, is focusing more on GPUs. The latest version, v15, introduces two interesting additions, one of which is “ Coil Whine Detection. ”

Coil Whine Detection is an experimental addition inside the 3D Adaptive test. By modulating GPU load in Switch mode, OCCT can make the card “sing” through varying fan speeds and coil behavior. There are three tunes at launch, with plans for more and potential custom options later. Results depend on the GPU model, coil design, cooling system, and case.

This feature is part of the 3D Adaptive test, which would benefit from being a separate test. I checked how it works and you can even choose which “tune” will be played. In my case the GPU load was heavier than the coil whine itself. Fan noise masked the buzzing, so I did not hear anything.

Corsair skin, Source: OCCT

The 3D Adaptive test has been reworked to be more demanding and precise. Error detection is improved. You might see lower frequencies or power on some GPUs because protection mechanisms trigger earlier at maximum intensity.

The update also ships the Storage Test and Storage Benchmark as stable features. The Storage Test stresses SSDs and HDDs under heavy workloads and high temperatures to validate reliability. Frequent use can impact drive lifespan, so treat it as a validation tool, not a daily routine. The Storage Benchmark follows CrystalDiskMark-style metrics and will gain more comparative data as the database grows.

OCCT skins return in v15 with Linus Tech Tips and Corsair themes. You can enable them in settings or download dedicated builds. Some Corsair prebuilt systems may ship with OCCT preinstalled using Corsair colors.

And yes, the Coil Whine feature is in the free version too, you will only be asked to wait 10 seconds before the test.

Source: OCCT via Tom’s Hardware