What could brief clicking sounds in a Gigabyte AORUS 17 XE4 laptop mean during gaming?
I own a Gigabyte AORUS 17 XE4 laptop. While playing demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077, brief clicking sounds appear, similar to a pen click. The clicks occur without any regularity - one might appear after a minute, while sometimes several occur within 2 seconds. During these sounds, the laptop’s performance doesn’t drop, and everything works stably. The issue is not related to the cooling system, as the temperature consistently stays around 80°C. I’m wondering what this could be and whether I should be concerned about it?
Short clicking sounds in your Gigabyte AORUS 17 XE4 laptop during gaming loads can be caused by several factors, including characteristic GPU clicks when changing frequencies, power supply issues, or even USB/PCIe controllers. These sounds typically don’t indicate a serious malfunction, especially if performance doesn’t drop and the system remains stable.
Contents
- Possible Causes of Clicking Sounds
- GPU-Related Issues
- Power Supply and Component Issues
- Diagnosis and Solutions
- When to Worry
- Recommendations for Owners
Possible Causes of Clicking Sounds
Clicking sounds in your laptop can be caused by several factors. The main ones include:
- GPU Clicking Sounds - some graphics cards produce characteristic sounds when changing frequencies or under load
- Fan Issues - clicking may be related to fan operation
- Inductive Noise - high-frequency sounds from power components
- USB Controllers - clicking may come from peripheral devices
According to research, such sounds often occur on Gigabyte gaming systems under maximum loads.
GPU-Related Issues
One of the most likely causes of clicking sounds is your laptop’s graphics card. As users note on Tom’s Hardware forums, clicking may occur when:
- Changing graphics settings in games
- Exiting gaming applications
- Sudden changes in GPU load
“I encountered exactly the same problem after upgrading to a Gigabyte RTX 2060 OC. The clicking only occurs when exiting games or changing graphics settings. It’s definitely the graphics card” - Tom’s Hardware user
In the case of your AORUS 17 XE4, which is equipped with a powerful graphics card, such sounds may be normal component behavior under high load.
Power Supply and Component Issues
Clicking sounds may be related to your laptop’s power system operation. According to Reddit discussions:
- Coil Relays - protection system components that activate when load changes
- Capacitors - may produce clicking sounds when operating in extreme modes
- PCIe Controllers - control chips operating at variable frequencies
Such sounds occur particularly often in gaming systems when working with demanding projects like Cyberpunk 2077, where the GPU constantly changes frequency and power consumption.
Diagnosis and Solutions
To accurately identify the source of clicking sounds, we recommend:
- Check temperature conditions - ensure that temperatures are indeed stable
- Isolate the sound source - use a stethoscope or phone to determine where the clicking is occurring
- Disconnect peripherals - check if this is related to USB devices
- Update drivers - especially for the graphics card and chipset
Note: Users report that sometimes restarting or resetting BIOS helps, but in your case this is unlikely as the sounds don’t resemble system alerts.
When to Worry
In your case, the clicking sounds don’t require immediate attention if:
- Performance doesn’t drop
- The system remains stable
- Temperatures are normal
- There are no other symptoms of malfunction
However, you should contact service if:
- Clicking sounds become louder or more frequent
- Other sounds appear (crackling, grinding)
- Performance issues begin
- The cooling system runs at full speed
As experts from PC Gamer note, noise from the cooling system is normal for gaming laptops, but clicking sounds require separate attention.
Recommendations for Owners
For Gigabyte AORUS 17 XE4 owners with similar issues:
- Monitor temperatures - use programs to control component heating
- Regularly clean the cooling system - dust can amplify noises
- Update BIOS - sometimes manufacturers release patches to reduce noise
- Configure fan curves - through Gigabyte utilities
“The Gigabyte Aorus 17 was specifically designed to minimize fan noise in all situations, and this really holds true with standard settings” - TechPowerUp
In most cases, such clicking sounds are normal behavior for a powerful gaming system and don’t indicate a malfunction.
Sources
- PC Gamer - Gigabyte Aorus 17 XE4 Review
- TechPowerUp - Aorus 17 Alder Lake Gaming Laptop Review
- Tom’s Hardware Forum - Popping sound coming from PC (GPU)
- Reddit - GPU makes clicking noise when under load
- TenForums - GPU Fan Rattling/Clicking Noise Solution
- Tom’s Hardware Forum - GPU makes clicking noise when under load
- Reddit - Weird Clicking Noise around CPU/GPU area
Conclusion
Clicking sounds in your Gigabyte AORUS 17 XE4 during gaming loads are most often a normal phenomenon related to the operation of the graphics card or power supply. In most cases, this doesn’t indicate a malfunction, especially if performance remains stable. For accurate diagnosis, it’s recommended to monitor temperature conditions and, if necessary, contact an authorized service center. Most owners of similar laptops note that such sounds don’t affect component lifespan.