Troubleshooting Audio Interference on My New Gaming Laptop: Seeking Solutions

As an avid gamer and audio technician, I was ecstatic to get my hands on the new Lenovo Legion 5, equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 and an RTX 3060. With a 512 GB SSD to boot, it seemed like the perfect machine for both gaming and professional audio work. However, my excitement was short-lived as I encountered a frustrating audio issue that I can’t seem to resolve.

Upon receiving my laptop two weeks ago, I immediately noticed a persistent crackling and static sound whenever I plugged in my headphones through the 3.5mm jack on the left side. This interference became apparent while playing music on Spotify or watching videos on YouTube. The annoying sound would stick around for an additional 5-10 seconds even after pausing or stopping the playback. This intrusive noise also appeared during startup, particularly when Discord opened automatically. It felt as if I was witnessing an interference issue generated whenever the sound card was active, reminiscent of tuning into a radio station with poor reception. The volume of this static noise was particularly distracting, being about one-third the volume of the music I was listening to.

In an attempt to rectify the problem, I explored various solutions. I disabled audio enhancements, unplugged the charger, and even updated the BIOS—all recommended fixes I found online. While Bluetooth headphones provided a temporary escape from the static, their lackluster sound quality made them unsuitable for my needs. As an audio professional, I rely on my Beyer DT770 headphones for accurate sound reproduction. Using a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter showcased that the problem likely resides within the laptop’s 3.5mm port since the static disappeared when using this alternative connection.

Unwilling to surrender to the frustrating situation, I returned my initial laptop, and Currys graciously sent me a replacement. To my dismay, the new device echoed the same audio issues, yet with an intriguing twist—the static only appeared when the laptop was connected to power and the WiFi router was active. I discovered that simply turning off the router eliminated the static; however, reactivating it brought the audio interference back.

This perplexing situation raises several questions, especially since my partner’s laptop and my work laptop (another Lenovo model) operate without any such issues. This doesn’t seem normal, does it? Should I consider returning this laptop again and potentially saving for a higher-end model that might circumvent these problems