290x VRM heatsinks

savagesam117 · 11 May 2015 at 13:35

I will need some heatsinks for my 290x. I was wondering if anyone knows how many you need? I can't seem to find any answers online and if i do everyone seems to have the Gelid VRM kit which you only seem to be able to get from the US and they are silver and ugly!

pastymuncher · 11 May 2015 at 14:31

I don't think you will need any. Once you take the cooler off you are left with this plate that cools the memory (apart from 4 chips) and vrms. If the block doesn't clear that plate take it off and use the LN2 plate which should have come with the card. As long as there is airflow across either of these plates you "should" be ok. If that's still no good, this is what your card looks like naked. You would need quite a few heatsinks to cool that lot, 31-32 memory chip sized heatsinks to cool everything that needs cooling. Don't forget to use decent thermal tape too. The stuff the heatsinks come with is usually pretty poor. I have always used the Akasa AK-TT12-80 thermal adhesive tape that you just cut to size but it appears that OCUK doesn't stock it anymore. It is widely available elsewhere though. Be sure to clean all surfaces to be cooled with IPA first as there is a greasy residue that get's left behind by the stock thermal pads and it will prevent the thermal tape from sticking properly.

savagesam117 · 11 May 2015 at 18:18

God you are good!

I've never taken it apart so that's good to know. Sweet, saves me a bit of money! I do have the ln2 plate in my box.

There a whole lot of chips though, hopefully it'll be fine.

I want to put it all together now, just waiting on my fluid and another rad. I need my PC for coursework tonight

pastymuncher · 11 May 2015 at 19:00

If you are ever in any doubt about what a card look's like underneath the cooler cheack out Techpowerup and see if they have done a review because they always strip the card down.

If you use the LN2 plate I think you will need heatsinks for the memory chips and a couple of other chips at the I/O panel end as I think it only covers the VRM's.

savagesam117 · 11 May 2015 at 20:11

That's good to know thank you.

Yeah i should be okay with the normal one by looking at it, but i don't know without taking it apart obviously.

pastymuncher · 11 May 2015 at 20:45

I have a pair of low profile ramsinks under my Thermosphere which is where that lip is at the top of your card so hopefully it will fit with that plate still attached.