16" MacBook Pro - Noise when scrolling or zooming on external monitor (not the fan!)

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16" MacBook Pro - Noise when scrolling or zooming on external monitor (not the fan!)

Hey there! I just got my MacBook Pro and it's making some distracting noises when I scroll, zoom, or do anything that involves a graphics movement on my external monitor.

It isn't the fan, but rather a quiet noise noise that is tied directly to the action I'm taking on the external monitor.

For example, if I scroll a web page on the external monitor, my MacBook makes what I'd describe as a very quiet hissing noise that stops as soon as I stop scrolling. The same thing happens if I zoom in and out on maps, or use other apps that move graphics on the screen.

(As an aside, the result is that it feels like I'm using a microfiche machine that quietly hisses when I scroll content.)

I work in a very quiet office and I'm sound-sensitive, so it's really distracting.

At first I thought perhaps I hadn't disabled the interface sound effects properly. I turned off all the system sounds and listened to the machine, and it isn't coming from the speakers.

Here's my machine specs:

16", 2019

2.4 GHz 8-core i9

32 GB memory

8 GB AMD Radeon Graphics Card

I have it connected to an external monitor of type:

BenQ PD3200U

I upgraded from a 2012 MacBook Pro, which I was using with the same external monitor. I did not have this issue in the past.

Other notes:

I've tried the external monitor at the default settings and at different levels of scaling. Doesn't fix the issue.

I've tried rebooting. Doesn't fix the issue.

The issue does not occur if I disconnect my MacBook from the external monitor and use it in isolation.

Any thoughts or help on this would be greatly appreciated! Not sure what to do about it.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jul 12, 2020 6:34 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

133,363 points

Jul 25, 2020 5:18 PM in response to sweezy76

If "it sounds very close to the sound" in that YouTube video, it is very likely to be the sound of your SSD drive as it works. It's not going to blow up, it's just that the drive is so fast, it has become audible.

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Answer 2

TheLittles

Level 10

195,711 points

Jul 12, 2020 9:25 PM in response to sweezy76

sweezy76 Said:

"16" MacBook Pro - Noise when scrolling or zooming on external monitor (not the fan!)"

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Issues Reading from Ports:

On your Mac, try this...

Reset the SMC and your NVRAM:

Sometimes when changes are made to the system(i.e. updates), system configurations (i.e. for Ports) become manipulated, technically. So, reset the SMC and NVRAM. Your hard drive may not be being read promptly, so resetting these, all of the ports would be configured to how they should be.

If performing this once does not work, then try both thrice. I can be time consuming, but the output is more likely to be fixed. All ports' settings should be set back to how they should be configured, with all ports connectivity being as they should.

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Answer 3

TheLittles

Level 10

195,711 points

Jul 12, 2020 9:26 PM in response to sweezy76

sweezy76 Said:

"16" MacBook Pro - Noise when scrolling or zooming on external monitor (not the fan!): Hey there! I just got my MacBook Pro and it's making some distracting noises when I scroll, zoom, or do anything that involves a graphics movement on my external monitor.[...] At first I thought perhaps I hadn't disabled the interface sound effects properly. I turned off all the system sounds and listened to the machine, and it isn't coming from the speakers."

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I. What are the Speakers' Specs?

Manufacturer
Model
Compatibility

II. Are these Speakers Even Seen?

Go To: Apple Menu
Select: System Report...
Select: Hardware
Select: Audio
View: What Audio Devices are Hooked Up

III. Update Drivers?:

See if you need to update the driver for these speakers. You would find these on the manufacturer's site. Perhaps they are not Mac compatible, or are not compatible with your macOS. If such is the case, then that would be what you are getting the sound-issue: they are not intended for use of a Mac.. Look up the model number, and then visit the manufacturer's home page. See what it says for compatibly and use.

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Answer 4

sweezy76 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 13, 2020 7:03 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hey there - ok, good to know. That's very close to the noise my machine is making.

I've played with it a bunch more, using a web browser on the external display. The behaviour I've noted is:

It will make the noise while scrolling a web page the first time, but tends to stop if I am scrolling to parts of the page I have viewed already
It persists if I load and scroll new pages
It persists on zooming in and out of Google Maps, regardless of what portion of the map I have seen previously

As a first step, I think what I'm going to do is get a USB-C to DisplayPort cable and see if that does anything.

Thanks very much for the video on SSDs and noise. I honestly did not know that - my old MacBook had an SSD and I never noticed any similar noises or behaviour.

(As an aside, I honestly don't think I would notice as much if the sounds weren't so tightly tied to my interactions with the mouse and keyboard. It ends up almost sounding like an interaction sound effect.)

I'll check back in after I have the cable. Thanks again for your your help - greatly appreciated!

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Answer 5

sweezy76 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 13, 2020 6:28 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I'm using one HDMI cable, connected to the MacBook through Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter.

The built-in display is on, but is not mirrored (I can move windows back and forth between the displays and use it as a continuous canvas).

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Answer 6

Jul 13, 2020 6:41 AM in response to sweezy76

That display has an internal screen buffer and can accept a DisplayPort (family) connection, which would eliminate the electronics in the AV adapter as a possibility.

Also, HDMI continues to use the "heartbeat" refresh, where the entire screen data, changed or not, are re-sent every refresh interval (60 times a second). This is left over from CRT displays.

Displayport family (and its cousins ThunderBolt-display and USB-C display) sends only the changes, and when the display stops changing, the link goes nearly quiet.

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Answer 7

sweezy76 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 25, 2020 1:38 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Update: I finally got my hands on the USB-C to Display Port cable.

Using this cable has not fixed the issue. The sound still happens when I take actions like zooming maps or load new graphics into view on the external monitor.

It sounds very close to the example sound you provided below, but only occurs when loading graphics.

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