How to cool the Rear of my GPU ? With pics

Randall8686 · 26 May 2011 at 10:57

Hi All

Below is a pic of the inside of my new build

(yes i know the cables are messy im wating for some USB and audio extension before i tidy it all up) Yesterday i was playing around with my pc and noticed that the back of my 480 gets quite warm I dont think there is much airflow behind it and the CPU cooler is also blowing warm air in as that area, so does any one know of a good way to get some airflow (quietly) to that area or should i build a custome bracket with a say 120mm blowing in that area ? All ideas welcome.

joxang · 26 May 2011 at 11:02

You say it gets quite warm but what are the temps actually like? You don't generally need an excessive amount of airflow back there - also the hot air will be rising (and I'm assuming the top fan is an exhaust as your H50 is an intake).

If you're desperate for more airflow you could try a 5.25 bay adaptor for a 120mm fan. I'd also take out those three solid PCI plates as they'll be affecting your GPU temps a lot more - stopping hot air from getting out of the back of the case. Not a good idea for a GPU that doesn't rear-exhaust.

Randall8686 · 26 May 2011 at 11:08

should i just remove the pci covers or can you get grilled plates ?

Yes the 140mm is at the top exhasting

joxang · 26 May 2011 at 11:50

You can get vented plates, just do a google. No harm in just taking them off either if you care more about temps.

Randall8686 · 26 May 2011 at 11:55

ok cheers will take them off tonight then, It does not get that warm but fairl warm to the touch i would just rather keep it cooler than warmer, the temps never go higher than 80c with the overclock but that does not tell me the temp of the Power chips on the rear. i have also just ordered a viper fan for the cpu cooler so that will leave me with a spare 120mm corsair fan

J-FRO · 26 May 2011 at 12:01

You could also get one of these to fit below your GPU to take the hot air directly out of the case.

Also, have you thought about using the H50 to extract hot air out of the case? I would have thought pulling out out through the H50 and the top case fan would also help to create airflow through the case more generally pulling air in better from the front intake and any side fans.

opethdisciple · 26 May 2011 at 12:05

I read the title as "How to cool my rear, with pics".

On a more serious note, what cpu did you have paired with your 480 before your i5 2500k?

Im wondering if upgrading my current cpu to a SB or BD would get any more performance out of my 5870.

lrlcr · 26 May 2011 at 12:39

opethdisciple said:
I read the title as "How to cool my rear, with pics".

On a more serious note, what cpu did you have paired with your 480 before your i5 2500k?

Im wondering if upgrading my current cpu to a SB or BD would get any more performance out of my 5870.

I doubt you'd get much more tbh, it's a pretty lairy setup and probably not worth the upgrade cost. That said, i've just made the jump because my mb died.

Randall8686 · 26 May 2011 at 13:07

I had a E7300 c2d and the improvement for me Was HUGE but i play a lot of flight sims including FSX and i went from 20fps at busy airports to 60fps at busy airports

but games like IL2 where its more GPU i got about a extra 10-15 fps (still not to be sniffed at) and LOL at the cooling my rear made me laugh.

J-FRO i had thought about it but i really want to keep CPU temps as low as possible as its overclocked so drawing warm air over the rad is not ideal.

I quite fancy making a perspex window on the side of my case (just to be chav) but that would allow me to put a intake fan exactly where i want it allowing me to cool the back of my card so that could be a good idea for both looks and practicality.

OLDPHART · 27 May 2011 at 17:14

Hi, is the air from your H50 blowing in or out? if it is blowing in, try it blowing out. My sons cases are the same, l modded the side panel so a 120mm fan blow air over the GPU temps lowered, modd your side panel with a 140mm fan and install it so it blows air onto the GPU + over the pump area with the rad fan set to blow air out your temps should be a lot better.