Cooling

[Jhaemes]

Since it's been warm for summer my graphics card has started showing faint lines across the screen, so i'm wondering if it's worth getting a slot cooler, or maybe ghetto modding a 120mm fan under it, or even getting a proper cooler for it?

I'll be upgrading it eventually (not sure when) to a 7850, so I don't want to spend too much.

 

[Cleeecooo]

What is the card?

If it's an old one and is already out of warranty, i'd take the cooler off and clear all the dust out of it and then reapply the TIM

 

[Jhaemes]

GTX550ti, had it about 6 months now. I did notice a little coat of dust on the underside of the fan, cleaned that off though.

 

[Something Else]

if its a EVGA card they dont void the warranty if you take the cooler off, i could be wrong though.

if your going to be upgrading this year then i wouldnt bother doing anything with it, if its already been damaged from getting too hot then there isnt any point upgrading the cooling as the damage is done, just get saving

also i assume you dont live in the uk as the "summer" has been total carp as far as i can tell

 

[varkanoid]

Summer ? Warm ? Definitely not from the UK.

Which 550ti do you have ?

EVGA let you change the cooler without voiding warranty - confirmed.

Don't forget its not just what the cooler is on your GPU but how the air flows through your case.

eg do you have a side mount for a fan in your case ? Usually these blow onto the GPU.

 

[Jhaemes]

The EVGA one, I do live in the UK! We've been having 20c plus temps for the past two days

I don't have a side fan on, just got the front intake, back and top exhausting. Temp wise the card hasn't gone over 85c, but usually after an hour of gaming the lines start.

 

[Diagro]

20c is not warm... Was in spain at 39c and that was warm

 

[Something Else]

i would suggest RMA if it hasnt overheated, also try setting a custom fan profile if the noise isnt too bad

 

[Jhaemes]

Not fussed about noise, since I have my Sennheiser 201's on.

I'm not sure it has truly overheated, wouldn't it have bluescreened or shutdown mid game?

Or are the lines across the screen the sort of warning that it'll overheat and die?