Inno3d Frostbite RTX3080

[MikeTimbers]

If anyone has any experience with one of these cards, I could do with a little help. I have no manual and can't find one on Inno3D's site.

The memory is running really hot. Despite a factory watercooler, the GDDR6X is hitting 110C when the memory is under load. Is this just a matter of swapping thermal pads as I've seen with other RTX cards?

The card has RGB and a cable that doesn't look like a 3-pin fan cable but it's certainly not either 5v or 12v RGB. Is it just a matter of plugging into a motherboard fan header?

 

[Jay85]

Need pics of the cable you're talking about to see what it is you're talking about.

It's a 3080 so no memory chips on the back of the card, the memory chips should be cooled by the block on the core side of the pcb. It sounds like to me its not making proper contact with the block or the thermal pads used are really rubbish.

If Inno3d allow disassembly without loss of warranty i would open it up and see whats what.

 

[MikeTimbers]

Seems Alphacool (block manufacturer) use a different cable than the motherboard manufacturers

And my motherboard (Maximus IX Formula) only has 12v so this card's block is not compatible.

The cable looks like the one on this Alphacool product

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/alph...igital-rgb-led-ring-16mm-black-wc-0b1-ac.html

 

[MikeTimbers]

extra info. The underlying card is apparently a reference card. The VRAM should be cooled by the block. I guess I'm going to have to remove it (major hassle, drain loop, remove card, etc.) and dismantle to check the thermal pads are doing any kind of job. Apparently needs 1mm thermal pads. Any recommendations?

 

[MikeTimbers]

Card disassembled. I should have taken pics! Dried thermal paste blobs under the backplate in random spots. Thermal pads applied even where the "missing" RAM is on a 3080 and some torn. Way too much thermal paste on the core.

I've done the best I can to clean it up but I've ordered new pads and paste so will have to do it all again in a few days

 

[stooeh]

I saw a review(kitguru?) comparing the EK vs Corsair vs Alphacool 3080 blocks and the ac one did worst on the VRAM temps but not 110 bad! Hopefully some good pads/paste and a refit will bring it back to how it should have been out of the box!

 

[MikeTimbers]

I just want to get them down to sub 110C!

The card will run Folding@Home at 88C on the VRAM as is but when I tried a little NiceHash (which I know the cards aren't designed for) it went to 110C very fast.

 

[Gavster]

extra info. The underlying card is apparently a reference card. The VRAM should be cooled by the block. I guess I'm going to have to remove it (major hassle, drain loop, remove card, etc.) and dismantle to check the thermal pads are doing any kind of job. Apparently needs 1mm thermal pads. Any recommendations?

I used Gelid GP extreme 1mm thermal pads, they are rated at 12 W/mK

 

[MikeTimbers]

Overclockers delivered some Thermal Grizzly minus pad 8 and Kyronaut thermal grease.

With the factory-fitted pads and paste the card was unable to mine, period. Running Folding@Home some units were taking the VRAM to 110C.

With the new Thermal Grizzly, the VRAM even when mining only goes to 76C! That's still significantly above the gpu core (40C with hot spots at 53) which appears to be the result of a strangely designed block but at least it doesn't throttle.

To be very clear, I can't be certain the factory did a bad job as I bought this card second-hand but the previous owner says he didn't ever remove the block.

WARNING: If you buy a factory Inno3d Frostbite, assume the thermal pads and paste will need to be replaced as a matter of urgency.