AMD's Pump Whine issue caused a bit of a rumble in the past month, but the company has swiftly and adequately dealt with the entire affair. Quality Assurance during a product's lifetime is always precarious for electronics and graphic cards are no exception. So the fact that AMD in collaboration with Cooler Master USA have fixed an arguably insignificant problem is applaudable.

AMD releases official update on Radeon Fury X pump whine issue

The issue, which resulted in a high pitched squeal emanating from the AIO pump housed inside the GPU was actually an oversight by Cooler Master USA. Once AMD was alerted to the issue, they released informal updates to us ad other publications over the course of the problem. The following release signals an end to the known issues of Fury X:

We have received feedback that during open bench testing a small number of Fury X cards emit a sound from the high speed liquid cooling pump that, while not loud, is bothersome to some users. While the vast majority of initial Fury X owners report remarkably quiet operation, we take this feedback seriously, as AMD’s mission is to always deliver the best possible experience to our Radeon customers. AMD Radeon R9 Fury X customers demand and deserve the best, so adjustments in the sound baffling adhesive compound were applied in the assembly of the high speed cooling pump to address the specific sound a few end users experienced as problematic. This improved the acoustic profile of the pump, and repeat testing shows the specific pitch/sound in question was largely reduced through adjustments to the sound-baffling adhesive compound in the pump. AMD will work with its graphic card partners to ensure the satisfaction of the small number of initial customers who observed this specific sound and experienced it as bothersome. AMD is confident that on-going production of Radeon R9 Fury X product reduces the specific sound in question, but this is also a highly subjective matter with wide differences in PC case builds and room acoustics. The AMD Radeon™ R9 Fury X radiator fan is near silent, and this makes any sound from the high-speed pump more noticeable to some end users, especially during open bench testing. Thus although the overall sound levels are remarkably low for an enthusiast product, AMD has worked to reduce the specific sound that some customers report as bothersome.

Ofcourse how would a prospective AMD Radeon R9 Fury X buyer actually figure out which version he or she owns? Unfortunately, the only authentic indicator is inside the hood. Although you would be able to tell (by listening to the sound) when you take your card for a test driver whether it is a problematic unit or not - if you still want to be sure, remove the face plate. Cooler Master has thankfully updated the logo from the old white and blue schematic and will serve as a sure-fire method to guarantee you have the updated pump. I have taken the liberty of making a comparison image below, if you the one on the right, feel free to RMA.

