• Competitor rules

    Please remember that any mention of competitors, hinting at competitors or offering to provide details of competitors will result in an account suspension. The full rules can be found under the 'Terms and Rules' link in the bottom right corner of your screen. Just don't mention competitors in any way, shape or form and you'll be OK.

How hot should my graphics card get?

birdface

birdface

birdface

Associate
Joined
13 Feb 2009
Posts
21
I'm just doing a new build and have a Powercolor ATI Radion HD 4870 1024 MB card. I notice it gets quite hot, even just running the computer in it's bios settings screen. By quite hot I mean I can only just stand touching the heat pipes. It's fan is running. I'm not used to these cards so would appreciate it if someone could tell me if this is normal or that there might be something wrong. I have the two PCIe power leads feeding the card which I assume is correct?
 
My gfx card gets extremely hot to the touch too and tbh, I wouldn't really worry about it until you get into the OS and have a look at the temps in the CCC.

I wouldn't presume that there's something wrong until I actually see that the temps are too high, or that it fails to start, fails to show display, image corruption, random restarts, etc.

Edit: just read through your post again and you are correct in that you need to have the two PCIe's connected.
 
Last edited:
I have same card as you and have recently changed from the stock cooler to the AC Accelero Twin Turbo http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-030-AR&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=787

Using GPU-Z to log temps from GPU core and VDDC whilst at idle and under load (running 3DMark06) gave these results:

Stock cooler
GPU idle = 44
GPU load = 59

VDDC idle = 37
VDDC load = 55

ACATT cooler
GPU idle = 30
GPU load = 44

VDDC idle = 37
VDDC load = 62

(These temps above recorded before overclocking the card)

As you can see the GPU temps are massively reduced as my load temp is now what the idle temp used to be (I have good case airflow too which helps), but the VDDC temps are slightly higher under load (plenty of other threads around discussing that one!) For the money I reckon the AC cooler was one of my best upgrades. Anyway hope that helps.
 
Give us some figures to go by & we will tell you whether it is running hot or not.
 
GPUs run very hot. The above temperatures are pretty cool really. Maxxing 59 at load is pretty good tbh.
 
My 4850 gets up to 60 degrees when on load, around 50 when idling.

Just brought a Lian Li BS-08B PCI Cooler so should lower when i recive it ;)
 
I'm getting concerned as my new 4870 1gb idles at 60 & peaks at just over 100 when at load so I'm getting concerned especially since its new.
 
My 4870x2 sits at about 79-80 degrees on idle. Fan is set to automatic (29%).

I also find turning up the front case fans makes no difference to it.

But when on load the temperatures don't rise by much. Ive seen 90 degrees once, rest of the time high 80's
 
I'd use something like Rivatuner to set up fan profiles. I've used Rivatuner with a 1950XT and my current 4870x2 and I've found it's much better at controlling temperatures than the Catalyst Control Centre.

The cards used to hit 90's but with Rivatuner, they never get more than mid-high 50's, and that's with stock cooler too.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom