MSI 390 Thermal Paste causing Heat Issues. Replaced

nashathedog · 2 Jan 2016 at 17:32

SouthEastBlue said:
When I changed the paste on my old MSI 290 it barely changed the temps, and there was much less than you seem to have on your card. I'm unsure if this is something they do manually or by machine, but obviously they over did a touch on your card.

Same here,

My Twin Frozer IV 290x was a 94 degree monster before the paste change and a 90 degree monster after,
And that was with a 10x10 fan profile so it required a 90% spin to stop it topping 90 degrees.

Sorry but MSI suck.

EDIT: All on stock box clocks

GoogalyMoogaly · 2 Jan 2016 at 17:41

I'm always tempted to do this with my GPUs as everyone always seems to say the results are very good.
I'm too lazy though and also worry about causing a bigger issue than I solve.

I'd also be nervous about using IC Diamond as I didn't think you were supposed to use TIMs that contained 'bits' (such as diamond or silver, e.g. Arctic Silver) onto a CPU/GPU die as the bits can actually damage it under pressure. Applying it to a heatspreader (such as the ones you get on most CPUs these days) is obviously fine.

Dave2150 · 2 Jan 2016 at 18:00

nashathedog said:
Same here,

My Twin Frozer IV 290x was a 94 degree monster before the paste change and a 90 degree monster after,
And that was with a 10x10 fan profile so it required a 90% spin to stop it topping 90 degrees.

Sorry but MSI suck.

EDIT: All on stock box clocks

That's a rather ignorant post.

The MSI 390/390x series feature the TwinFrozr V triple-slot cooling solution - a significant upgrade to the Trinfrozr IV double-slot design on the 290x.

Just look at the pictures of this beast - massive heatsinks which also cool the VRM's etc, really can't be compared to the cheap junk that was found on the MSI 290 series:

Nice youtube video showing it off (video is of a NVIDIA card using the same Twinfrozr V cooler found on the 390 series):

Randall8686 · 2 Jan 2016 at 19:07

GoogalyMoogaly said:
I'm always tempted to do this with my GPUs as everyone always seems to say the results are very good.
I'm too lazy though and also worry about causing a bigger issue than I solve.

I'd also be nervous about using IC Diamond as I didn't think you were supposed to use TIMs that contained 'bits' (such as diamond or silver, e.g. Arctic Silver) onto a CPU/GPU die as the bits can actually damage it under pressure. Applying it to a heatspreader (such as the ones you get on most CPUs these days) is obviously fine.

The "bits" are so incredibly smooth you would have to sit there for a while rubbing it in. IC diamond is perfectly safe on a GPU its applied once and sits still for along time. we all worry far too much in my eyes about things like this. ultimately the gpu not cooking is a much better solution.

With reference to the MSI cooler i have to admit its not a touch on the EVGA cooler that was on my 980 before i took it off to fit a water block.

nashathedog · 3 Jan 2016 at 05:59

Dave2150 said:
That's a rather ignorant post.

There my speciality don't be a hater,

On the topic though why is it ignorant?

MSI took a cooler and heatsink that was on my previous 4gb MSI TFIV GTX 770 and put it on the 4gb TFIV 290x.

They were identical in every way, size, weight, basically you could not distinguish one from the other.

They did that for a card that at the time was the flagship from AMD and cost me £360 quid plus postage (flash sale I think) but was usually more.

Asus did the same while companies such as Sapphire built a cooler/sink that was designed to handle AMD's new flagship chips heat properly, They didn't stick a 7970 cooler on it and say that'll do.

And I'm ignorant for thinking that these firms cutting costs in a way that gives us a poorly designed flagship product sucks?

The fact that they used a suitable heatsink on the 2nd gen model does not negate how what they used the first time wasn't suitable for the task at hand.

Doing so little towards designing a cooler for a brand new flagship chip that will be sold at a premium sucks.

For doing that MSI sucks.

Carlern · 3 Jan 2016 at 12:58

I am going to change my MSI R9 390's TIM and I'm a bit nervous to say it the least. Therefore, I am wondering how many screws did you have to remove? Do I have to remove the back plate too? How did you go on about seperating the pcb and cooler? And was it hard to put them back together? Got any tips for me?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance.

Randall8686 · 3 Jan 2016 at 13:46

Carlern said:
I am going to change my MSI R9 390's TIM and I'm a bit nervous to say it the least. Therefore, I am wondering how many screws did you have to remove? Do I have to remove the back plate too? How did you go on about seperating the pcb and cooler? And was it hard to put them back together? Got any tips for me?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance.

Seriously its easy, as in if you can operate a screwdriver you will be fine. Take the back plate off (all the smaller screws) then the 4 main screws that have the springs on them. then just gently pull the heat sink assembly from the PCB. replace the paste and ensure the thermal pads have not moved and then apply new paste and reverse order back together.

the back plate screws also hold the heatsink on so you need to do them. i guess it took me 10 mins tops to complete the task. however i have done it a number of times (i have a watercooled PC so always changing water blocks) if its your first time just take your time it might take you 20 mins but seriously its childs play.

Carlern · 3 Jan 2016 at 14:02

Randall8686 said:
Seriously its easy, as in if you can operate a screwdriver you will be fine. Take the back plate off (all the smaller screws) then the 4 main screws that have the springs on them. then just gently pull the heat sink assembly from the PCB. replace the paste and ensure the thermal pads have not moved and then apply new paste and reverse order back together.

the back plate screws also hold the heatsink on so you need to do them. i guess it took me 10 mins tops to complete the task. however i have done it a number of times (i have a watercooled PC so always changing water blocks) if its your first time just take your time it might take you 20 mins but seriously its childs play.

That's great to hear thank you!
Does it mean that I must seperate the back plate from the pcb? And did you just re-use the old thermal pads?

Dave2150 · 3 Jan 2016 at 14:14

nashathedog said:
There my speciality don't be a hater,

On the topic though why is it ignorant?

MSI took a cooler and heatsink that was on my previous 4gb MSI TFIV GTX 770 and put it on the 4gb TFIV 290x.

They were identical in every way, size, weight, basically you could not distinguish one from the other.

They did that for a card that at the time was the flagship from AMD and cost me £360 quid plus postage (flash sale I think) but was usually more.

Asus did the same while companies such as Sapphire built a cooler/sink that was designed to handle AMD's new flagship chips heat properly, They didn't stick a 7970 cooler on it and say that'll do.

And I'm ignorant for thinking that these firms cutting costs in a way that gives us a poorly designed flagship product sucks?

The fact that they used a suitable heatsink on the 2nd gen model does not negate how what they used the first time wasn't suitable for the task at hand.

Doing so little towards designing a cooler for a brand new flagship chip that will be sold at a premium sucks.

For doing that MSI sucks.

Your talking about something that happened years ago.

The current MSI produce fantastic coolers on their Hawaii (390) chips, which are amongst the best in the industry for air coolers at the moment.

Your post was ignorant, as you seemed to imply MSI are still producing the crappy cooler that was on the 290.

At some point you have to let go man. Things change and move on.

borley · 3 Jan 2016 at 14:18

You would think by now companies would have invented a better way to apply paste i mean they must get a ton of complaints about their poor thermal paste applications.
I mean look at the way the OP applied it get a template that does a small length its not rocket science!

nashathedog · 3 Jan 2016 at 14:30

Dave2150 said:
Your talking about something that happened years ago.

The current MSI produce fantastic coolers on their Hawaii (390) chips, which are amongst the best in the industry for air coolers at the moment.

Your post was ignorant, as you seemed to imply MSI are still producing the crappy cooler that was on the 290.

At some point you have to let go man. Things change and move on.

As I already said and as you're conveniently ignoring I'm talking about the TFIV, I pointed that out too start with and it is relevant because they do still use the same practise of recycling coolers as you exampled by giving us a link to the same TFV cooler on a GTX, The fact that this one does an okay job doesn't mean it will be like that next time, Just like last time was a next time once. Jeez some people are unable to recognise the simplest points once there own opinion is brought into question, Get over it. Move on. MSI suck (My opinion).

PLUS: They only stopped selling the 290/290x a few months ago, Not years ago. Stop making things up.

Dave2150 said:
Your post was ignorant, as you seemed to imply MSI are still producing the crappy cooler that was on the 290.

How was that implied? Again making it up.

Dave2150 · 3 Jan 2016 at 15:01

nashathedog said:
As I already said and as you're conveniently ignoring I'm talking about the TFIV, I pointed that out too start with and it is relevant because they do still use the same practise of recycling coolers as you exampled by giving us a link to the same TFV cooler on a GTX, The fact that this one does an okay job doesn't mean it will be like that next time, Just like last time was a next time once. Jeez some people are unable to recognise the simplest points once there own opinion is brought into question, Get over it. Move on. MSI suck (My opinion).

PLUS: They only stopped selling the 290/290x a few months ago, Not years ago. Stop making things up.

How was that implied? Again making it up.

You just sound annoyed that you were unable to read reviews and make an informed decision before buying one of the worst 290 coolers on the market years ago.

nashathedog · 3 Jan 2016 at 15:11

Dave2150 said:
You just sound annoyed that you were unable to read reviews and make an informed decision before buying one of the worst 290 coolers on the market years ago.

You mean all the different reviews that were claiming temps of under 80 degrees at load do you?

https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/R9_290X_Gaming/28.html

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/msi_radeon_r9_290x_gaming_oc_review,10.html

There was plenty of them and yes when I'm spending that sort of money I do plenty of reading but sadly there just as useless as the people who make things up to justify what they say.

Randall8686 · 3 Jan 2016 at 15:34

Carlern said:
That's great to hear thank you!
Does it mean that I must seperate the back plate from the pcb? And did you just re-use the old thermal pads?

Yes and Yes,

You have to remove back plate (it falls off once you undo the screws and serves not purpose other than to look nice)

the thermal pads can just be reused over and over again until the card is a number of years old and they dry out.

Dave2150 · 3 Jan 2016 at 18:43

nashathedog said:
You mean all the different reviews that were claiming temps of under 80 degrees at load do you?

https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/R9_290X_Gaming/28.html

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/msi_radeon_r9_290x_gaming_oc_review,10.html

There was plenty of them and yes when I'm spending that sort of money I do plenty of reading but sadly there just as useless as the people who make things up to justify what they say.

Well you obviously didn't research well enough, of you'd have found countless threads/reviews where it became clear the cooler was total crap.

Don't blame others for your mistakes.

henson0115 · 3 Jan 2016 at 19:31

390 here and way to much factory paste, I replaced with thermal grizzly, using the line method and saw a 20 degree drop. Well worth the 15 odd minutes.

anthony566 · 3 Jan 2016 at 19:55

This is my first MSI card and I have been impressed from the second I opened the box ... the card looks and feels extremely well built and operates in silent mode in windows. as for gaming it is not as loud as my Sapphire 7970's so I'm really happy with that however I would rather have a bit more noise if it means keeping the card cooler. I have ran these cards in manual fan mode at 100% to see how loud they are and with my headset on I cant here them at all

Randall8686 · 3 Jan 2016 at 22:13

anthony566 said:
This is my first MSI card and I have been impressed from the second I opened the box ... the card looks and feels extremely well built and operates in silent mode in windows. as for gaming it is not as loud as my Sapphire 7970's so I'm really happy with that however I would rather have a bit more noise if it means keeping the card cooler. I have ran these cards in manual fan mode at 100% to see how loud they are and with my headset on I cant here them at all

Change the thermal paste and you wont need 100% any more. Mine was on 100% all the time now sits 70-80% with much lower temps

Carlern · 3 Jan 2016 at 22:15

Randall8686 said:
Yes and Yes,

You have to remove back plate (it falls off once you undo the screws and serves not purpose other than to look nice)

the thermal pads can just be reused over and over again until the card is a number of years old and they dry out.

Thanks for all help, will report tomorrow when I'm done

anthony566 · 4 Jan 2016 at 01:51

Randall8686 said:
Change the thermal paste and you wont need 100% any more. Mine was on 100% all the time now sits 70-80% with much lower temps

i dont run it at 100% i just did it to see what the sound level was like my card has never gone over 65 deg and ive not seen the fan go higher than 70% ... so its all good