can i remove the backplate on a reference 5870 and still use it?

[almoststew1990]

It adds two inches or so to the cards length and basically won't fit in my case.

1) do the screws that hold the backplate in place also hold the cooler in place? Of does the x shaped chip 'bracket' hold the cooler in place?

2) if no, does the backplate have any cooling function?

3) if yes to 2) can I saw off the 'handle' part of the back plate without ruining whatever cooling it does?

 

[almoststew1990]

Unfortunately i only got a picture after i'd sawn off 3/4 of an inch, which made up the 'handle' part of the rear extension to the backplate. However the remaining backplate still extends out way past the actual cooler cover.

The card was idling at about 50 and 38c, so I thought I might as well get the whole cooler off and give it a dust out and put some new thermal paste on there. It turns out the screws holding the backplate on were also holding the cooler shroud (and fan) in place, but the four screws on the GPU bracket were keeping it from falling off mid game!


Idles at 37c and 37c now. I assume the memory is the one that hasn't changed as that had cooling 'pads' on that I didn't touch.