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ASUS VEGA 64 Strix *Improve VRM temps fix*

Soldato
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Temps for me weren't too bad to start with, but thought I would try this, to see if it really does improve VRM temps.

So the idea is that the thermal pad that comes from factory, makes poor contact with the VRM. Placed a bit off center and at only 2mm not making much transfer.

So using Grizzly Minus Pad 8 - 20x 120x 3.0mm >> https://www.overclockers.co.uk/thermal-grizzly-minus-pad-8-20x-120x-3.0mm-th-029-tg.html

Going to throw on the 3.0mm version which is also wider and will make better contact.

Ok let's do this,

KpW9bch.jpg

un9ZxEg.jpg

NuWvQo1.jpg

Much nicer xD

ZvKjoGo.jpg

Make sure to peel off both sides of the clear tape on the thermal pad, when your ready to put it back together ..

lsjlpAu.jpg

All done, back together.

Q76KUmi.jpg

t1Xa11p.jpg
 
Last edited:
Soldato
OP
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UK.
Valley bench/loop, VRM temps have definitely dropped, even GPU core. This could be down to different thermal paste I used though.

EhW3Jij.png

If you have 5 minutes to spare not a bad way to drop your temps !
 
Last edited:
Soldato
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Only takes 5 minutes? Was expecting it to take longer and to be a little more complex than that.

Good writeup.

Cheers, yeah taking the pics and uploading them took the most time xD

Shouldn't take much time for someone who is familiar with removing GPU coolers etc.

Seems to have done a decent job :)
 
Soldato
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Looks like it's definitely worth the time investment.

I haven't really kept up to date with the Vega stuff - have there been issues with VRM temps on the Strix?

I think the cooler is basically the same as the Nvidia version, the T pad just doesn't make great contact. ASUS could simply apply 3.0mm at factory but don't seem that bothered xD

Tbf my temps weren't too bad, but this seems a fair bit better for such a simple fix.
 
Soldato
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Last edited:
Permabanned
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They've done that a few times in the past, took a design for one card and basically slapped it on another card with barely any testing done to it.

The DCUII 290x is a good example, the cooler had 5 heatsink pipes that were meant to make contact with the gpu but only three touch it and two of those were only partial.

OkZbsTE.jpg

It's safer going with an AMD only brand.

Asus, MSI & Gigabyte all cut corners with their AMD coolers.
 
Caporegime
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The DCUII 290x is a good example the cooler had 5 heatsinks to make contact with the gpu but only three tooch it and two of those were only partial.

OkZbsTE.jpg

It'd always best to go with an AMD only brand.

Asus, MSI & Gigabyte all cut corners with their AMD coolers.

I remember they said something like they were "auxiliary" heatpipes and it was meant to be that way. Seems legit. :p
 
Soldato
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22 Nov 2009
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13,252
Location
Under the hot sun.
Welcome to zero warranty-land!! hope you point that out when you sell it on in a few weeks ;) :D :p

Said the one with the delided 8700K :p

Temps for me weren't too bad to start with, but thought I would try this, to see if it really does improve VRM temps.

So the idea is that the thermal pad that comes from factory, makes poor contact with the VRM. Placed a bit off center and at only 2mm not making much transfer.

So using Grizzly Minus Pad 8 - 20x 120x 3.0mm >> https://www.overclockers.co.uk/thermal-grizzly-minus-pad-8-20x-120x-3.0mm-th-029-tg.html

Going to throw on the 3.0mm version which is also wider and will make better contact.

Ok let's do this,

KpW9bch.jpg

un9ZxEg.jpg

NuWvQo1.jpg

Much nicer xD

ZvKjoGo.jpg

Make sure to peel off both sides of the clear tape on the thermal pad, when your ready to put it back together ..

lsjlpAu.jpg

All done, back together.

Q76KUmi.jpg

t1Xa11p.jpg

Always up for some naked GPUs :D

But since you went the extra mile, why not the extra yard and use liquid metal? (assuming the Asus cooler is not aluminium)
It will help especially the HBM ram to shift the extra heat, because that is the big culprit for the Vega 64 running hot. The different between GPU & HBM temps is 20C-30C most of the time. (HBM runs hotter)
Which heats up the area, warming up the Vega chip.

If AMD had a GDDR5X version of the card, I bet 2000Mhz could have being possible if not of the amount of power the HBM is consuming (1.356v), and the heat is generating in that tiny area 1mm away from the GPU. And given how stronger the Vega 64 IPC is (in games) compared to Pascal, it could be laughing at the 1080Ti easily.

Let alone going have being cheaper by £100-150
 
Soldato
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^^

Is the only TIM I had on hand, Arctic silver.

Tbh it wasn't too hot before now it's even better xD

The card was £360, and £12 for the better VRM thermal pad. Pretty chuffed. This will do for a while. Could be tempted by new AMD GPU's mind xD (If we ever get any)
 
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