Additional fan vs better GPU cooler

DeadlySurfer

DeadlySurfer

DeadlySurfer

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6 Jul 2009
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I have an Antec 300 case and a ATI 4850. I want to cool it down, so would it be more benificial to get a better GPU cooler or add the optional side fan?

I know it depends a lot on which cooler and fan, but talking in general, which would be best?
 
An after market cooler will do a better job than just another fan moving air over the entire board.

the aero7 thing dropped temps on my 6800gt by over 20 degrees, like wise the thermaltake thingy fitted on my friends 8800gt reduced temps from 80degrees in games down to about 65.
 
Exhaust ones help to reduce the hot pocket that can form underneath the card, also removing hot air directly rather than letting it circulate around the case it always a big benefit.

But really, they reduce temps just buy using more expensive/better suited parts to cool the hot bits of the GPU. i.e. copper parts, heat pipes, more fins, etc.

The Manufacturer of the GPU really just wants to get away with supplying with the cheapest available option that will cool the card sufficiently enough for it not to break to help reduce costs. This is why many OC GPUs from resellers will have an alternate cooling solution to the stock OEM fitting (e.g. gainward cars).

I had 2 x 120mm fans pointed around my gtx260 and they didn't help reduce its temperatures at all really - but that's probably because its cooler is a sealed plastic shroud. if you have a card with an exposed PCB and cooler fins, an additional fan may help. Worth giving it a shot.


Why? is your GPU too hot? are you planning to OC the unit? or are you just after a quieter, cooler system?
 
Well, my card's been tripping out lately, I've realised it's getting to hot. So I'm looking for this to help.

Can you reccomend any good coolers for the 4850? I haven't got tonnes of cash to spend, but then again I'd rather buy something that will cool it rather than a plastic thing that just makes it hotter.
 
Thats where i become unstuck. no idea about ATI after market coolers. i imagine there will be a range in the shop though.


Before splashing out on a cooler, try cleaning dust off the card, case and the cooler fins/fan (soft paint brush when the pc is off is my preferred method of removing dust).

Set up a spare fan or two blowing over the card and see if your problems go away.

If you have some spare thermal paste, try reseating your current cooler. After market paste is often better than what the stock cooler will be using (cost again)

Just thinking a GPU shouldnt really get hotter with age... unless its cooler or the system case is being clogged with dust or something. Or maybe its just more modern games stressing it more... the Trine demo made my 260 hotter than games like L4D!
 
Thermalright T-Rad2 + 120mm Noctua NF-P12 is a good mix - my XFX 4850 XXX never gets above 60 deg, even with the fan stepped down to just above stalling speed. It was previously hitting 90+ under load, while sounding like a harrier jump jet, on the OEM HSF. That temp change was without adjusting the case cooling - two 120mm Noctua NF-S12s at just above stall speed.

System = as close to silent as is expected from a non-silence-optimised case I imagine. It's certainly not intrusive!
 
Thanks guys.
Sh4rky, I'll try cleaning it up a bit and see if it helps.
And thanks Steven , I'll check out those items and order when cash is in my hand :)

Just thinking, they wont be too big for my Antec 300 case?
 
:) I was looking at that for my 260.... Ive got used to the silence provided by this 8800gt with thermalright cooler. Not sure i can go back to the quiet (but loudest thing in my pc by far) stock 260 cooler...
 
Done a bit a research, and the Artic cooling accelero twin turbo, apart from sounding like a Sci fi space ship, seems pretty good.

The temps seem reasonable, just not sure space wise. It takes up two PCI slots, but apparently a bit more, so 3. My 4850 takes up 2 anyway, plus my soundcard. I have seven slots, so one left over.

My antec 300 case is kinda small for how big it is, it seems it would be quite tight. Plus on youtube there was a video of an installation and it looked, shabby. The heatsinks kinda, wobbled when in place etc.

Anyone tried this or got better reccomendations?

Thanks
 
Can't talk about the accelero, but the Trad without a fan takes up little more space than the OEM cooler.

02052009_004resizeed.jpg


[excuse the circled ramsink - the pics was to show how I couldn't get a regular ramsink to fit that one module]

However, you can see from that pic that while the heatstink itself fits within the profile of the second 'slot' that originally housed the OEM cooler, the 120mm fan takes up a further 25-ish mm. That's what makes it 3-ish PCI slots.

Bear in mind that the new cooler will replace the stock cooler - so it won't take up five slots, it will take up three - one for the card, two for the cooler and fan. So you'll have seven slots, minus three for the GPU, minus one for the soundcard = three spare slots - I expect the accelero would be similar.

It's also slightly larger than the card itself:
02052009resize.jpg


It extends a few mm above the top of the card - but I expect the Antec 300 has space for that, and the 120mm fan, it's a bit bigger than my Coolermaster 335, I think. You can put 2x92mm fans on it if you'd rather, by the way - you can see the screwholes for mounting them in the above pic, they would seem to fit within the radiators area nicely.

And yes, I know that picture shows the GPU with the NF-S12 fan -I put the NF-P12 on a few weeks later.

I know that's not an accelero, but hopefully it will give you an idea of what's involved :)
 
Wow, that's great man, it gives me a good idea of what I'd need to do and what to look for. :D

I didn't think about the whole PCI slot thing too much, I understand now :rolleyes:

I'll check around at the different coolers now, most likely something similar to the accelero, it has good temps.

thanks again man, the pics were a great deal of help too.
 
Ok, I've come to the conclusion that I can't get away with not spending a bit of cash. Yes, £30 is expensive for me :p

I like the looks of the AC Twin Turbo, and the Scythe Musashi. Similar in price, and you can put on big fan on the Scythe.

Any one had any useage of either?
 
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