Akasa Vortexx Neo

PMol · 6 Aug 2011 at 11:02

After reading up on GPU coolers, I decided to get a Vortexx Neo, because my GPU was running at about 80c on idle (95c under load). I started using MSI Afterburner to make better use of the fan, and managed to get it sitting around 60c idle and about 85c under load. The first image is not quite accurate, because I had just run the fan up to 100% to see how noisey it was, then dropped it back to 35% (about as loud as I could tolerate)

before by PMolkenthin, on Flickr

IMG_1236 by PMolkenthin, on Flickr

IMG_1237 by PMolkenthin, on Flickr

IMG_1238 by PMolkenthin, on Flickr

IMG_1244 by PMolkenthin, on Flickr

A quick comparison of old and new...

IMG_1248 by PMolkenthin, on Flickr

Stock cooler off. It was pretty messy in there...

IMG_1251 by PMolkenthin, on Flickr

IMG_1253 by PMolkenthin, on Flickr

After a good clean....

IMG_1257 by PMolkenthin, on Flickr

Thermal paste and heat pads in place...

IMG_1261 by PMolkenthin, on Flickr

Cooler fitted....

IMG_1264 by PMolkenthin, on Flickr

The end result..

after by PMolkenthin, on Flickr

It idles around 40-42c and under heavy load 65c (ish) and the fan is inaudible over the rest of the fans in my machine. Im very pleased with it.

joxang · 6 Aug 2011 at 11:15

That's pretty decent for an old £15 cooler. Not many aftermarket coolers vent out the back either. You probably could have got much better temps with something more 'standard', but from the sounds of it your case doesn't have much airflow as it is so that design is probably for the best...

PMol · 6 Aug 2011 at 11:48

joxang said:
That's pretty decent for an old £15 cooler. Not many aftermarket coolers vent out the back either. You probably could have got much better temps with something more 'standard', but from the sounds of it your case doesn't have much airflow as it is so that design is probably for the best...

I'm not sure I agree with that. My case is an Antec Nine Hundred Two, and the airflow is pretty good.
Just out of interest though, what other cooler would you recommend??

pcpietrek · 6 Aug 2011 at 12:36

This is very good GPU cooler, shame it doesn't fit 5850. Zalman V3000 is very good as well but cost twice as much and dumps hot air inside the case so you need to have good airflow.

joxang · 6 Aug 2011 at 12:41

80c on idle (95c under load)

Is what made me think your case didn't have good airflow. Also looking at this pic:

https://flic.kr/p/aasmBA

it doesn't seem like there's much air blowing at/across your gpu? Are those three bay devices right in front of the gpu? Might be wrong.
The more popular coolers I was thinking of were the Zalman V-series and the AC accelero series, and also the thermalright T-rads. But like ^ said they all dump hot air in the case, which needs good airflow.

PMol · 6 Aug 2011 at 13:27

That fan module thing right in front of the GPU is empty (although it doesn't look like it in the picture), so the air should blow straight in accross the GPU and MoBo. That said, adjusting the speed of that fan doesn't appear to have any effect on the GPU temperature, not sure why?!?!?

joxang · 6 Aug 2011 at 13:41

PMol said:
That fan module thing right in front of the GPU is empty (although it doesn't look like it in the picture), so the air should blow straight in accross the GPU and MoBo. That said, adjusting the speed of that fan doesn't appear to have any effect on the GPU temperature, not sure why?!?!?

Ah my bad thought you had HDDs in there. Aftermarket cooling temps I've seen for a 4870 are around 55 load I think. Maybe you have air-bubbles on the gpu? What paste are you using? Usually people put a pea-sized blob in the middle of the gpu and let the cooler squash it down.

Avathar77 · 6 Aug 2011 at 13:48

I had a 4850 with a Ac twin turbo. Brilliant cooler for the £26 i spent at that time, it was between twin turbo and Neo from the research I have done.
Any how that card died and now I have another 4850 with a Neo on it from MM, had to give it a good clean but it is just as same as twin turbo apart from Neo being just a tad bit louder.

PMol · 6 Aug 2011 at 21:57

joxang said:
Ah my bad thought you had HDDs in there. Aftermarket cooling temps I've seen for a 4870 are around 55 load I think. Maybe you have air-bubbles on the gpu? What paste are you using? Usually people put a pea-sized blob in the middle of the gpu and let the cooler squash it down.

It's quite possible that I didn't use enough paste. I put a tiny blob in the middle and spread it around. I used the paste that came with it, but I do have a tube of Arctic Silver 3. Maybe next time I have a fiddle inside my PC i'll re-do the cooler. Thanks for the advice.