Troubleshooting Audio Interference on Your Gaming Laptop: A Personal Experience

I recently encountered a perplexing audio issue with my new Lenovo Legion 5 gaming laptop, equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 processor, RTX 3060 graphics card, and a 512 GB SSD. As an audio technician, I rely heavily on high-quality sound, so when I noticed strange crackling and static while using my headphones, I knew I had to investigate.

The Initial Setup and Problem

Excited to dive into gaming and multimedia experiences, I plugged in my headphones via the 3.5mm jack on the left side of the device. However, the moment I played music on Spotify or streamed videos on YouTube, a persistent crackling noise interrupted the audio quality. This wasn’t just a minor annoyance; the static persisted for several seconds after pausing any media, and it even surfaced during startup when my computer auto-launched Discord.

The situation was compounded by an unsettling realization: the interference seemed prominent whenever the sound card was in use, producing distracting sounds at about one-third of my music volume.

Attempted Solutions

To resolve this issue, I embarked on a quest for solutions, trying everything I could find online. I disabled audio enhancements, unplugged the charger, and even updated the BIOS, hoping to alleviate the problem. I discovered that while Bluetooth headphones worked without issue, they fell short in delivering the sound quality I required—especially when compared to my Beyer DT770 wired headphones.

To investigate further, I even tried using a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter. Miraculously, this setup provided clear sound with no static, leading me to conclude that the problem lay specifically within the built-in 3.5mm audio port.

Seeking a Solution

After returning the first unit, Currys promptly sent a replacement. Yet, to my dismay, the new laptop exhibited the same frustrating issue, but with a slight twist: the crackling noise only emerged when the laptop was plugged into the mains and the WiFi router was enabled. As I turned the router off, the static vanished, only to return when I needed WiFi access.

The Big Question

This experience has left me baffled. Why is my laptop exhibiting this peculiar interference when connected to power and WiFi? Despite my partner’s laptop performing flawlessly, and even my work laptop—another Lenovo—working without a hitch, I find myself wondering if I should consider obtaining a different