T-Rad2 installation Guide and Initial Thoughts

rjk · 23 Oct 2008 at 16:32

bledd. said:
Your Order has been packed and is in the process of being shipped.

i want pics bledd. dont let me down!

bledd · 23 Oct 2008 at 17:12

with clothes? full body?

rjk · 23 Oct 2008 at 17:43

well - topless would be good

an then one with the Trad installed...

MarcLister · 23 Oct 2008 at 21:50

So this cooler looks to be the best graphics cooler on the market? For 4870s? Getting a new PC soonish, when dosh becomes available.

Just need to find two decent 92mm fans.

Big.Wayne · 23 Oct 2008 at 22:10

I'm not convinced the T-Rad2 is the best cooler in the market but it certainly appears to be the slimmest!

Slim is useful for multi-gpu of course but also microATX/HTPC style builds that don't have space for gorgon coolers that eat up all the expansion slots!

lettuce · 23 Oct 2008 at 22:38

Was going to be getting one of these coolers for my 4870 PowerColor 1GB card, but since setting up 3 fan profiles with Riva, i dont think i need to get one anymore, at 28% fan speed the temps never go above 50c whilst browsing, and the fan speeds up to 40% for gaming and then the temps never go above 62c, and isnt that loud at all

Willbo · 23 Oct 2008 at 22:46

Results are in for the for the HD4870 1024MB....

Stock cooler - Idle

With T-Rad2 - Idle (After installing Vista)

Very Very Impressed, and with two red wing fans, I can hardly hear it...going to be defragging my machine and then having a chill on a game so will post more results after that.

Have some photos of the card installed, just need to get them on my PC, so will add them as soon as I can

As promised here are the pictures of the cooler installed

[img=http://img217.imagevenue.com/loc541/th_00375_DSC_0002_122_541lo.JPG]
[img=http://img225.imagevenue.com/loc346/th_00376_DSC_0003_122_346lo.JPG]
[img=http://img194.imagevenue.com/loc73/th_00378_DSC_0004_122_73lo.JPG]
[img=http://img210.imagevenue.com/loc177/th_00379_DSC_0006_122_177lo.JPG]
[img=http://img217.imagevenue.com/loc383/th_00382_DSC_0007_122_383lo.JPG]
[img=http://img130.imagevenue.com/loc1139/th_00383_DSC_0009_122_1139lo.JPG]

rjk · 24 Oct 2008 at 00:06

good work - now you HAVE to overclock it !

you find it fit ok etc?

Willbo · 24 Oct 2008 at 08:19

rjkoneill said:
good work - now you HAVE to overclock it !

you find it fit ok etc?

Fit perfectly, no need to use the smaller heatsinks under the cooler either, the chips were all on the edge so could use the larger ones. Only problem I had was that the cooler with the fans covered up 2 of my SATA connectors, on my Gigabyte board, but managed to connect them all up in the end

Haven't had chance to test it under gaming conditions yet but will do today.

So far, very impressed...can I use ATIs CCC to OC?

bledd · 24 Oct 2008 at 09:48

hopefully mine will arrive today

my mate dropped off his 24" tft for me to test my 8800gt on it, my pack of 16 xilence red wings arrived the other day, with 2x92mm's ready for this cooler

should be sweet

Willbo · 24 Oct 2008 at 10:04

red wings are absolutely great on this cooler, fit no problems, quiet and so cool

Will work a treat, as you can see by my temps

rjk · 24 Oct 2008 at 10:29

Willbo said:
Fit perfectly, no need to use the smaller heatsinks under the cooler either, the chips were all on the edge so could use the larger ones. Only problem I had was that the cooler with the fans covered up 2 of my SATA connectors, on my Gigabyte board, but managed to connect them all up in the end

Haven't had chance to test it under gaming conditions yet but will do today.

So far, very impressed...can I use ATIs CCC to OC?

i think you can - havent had an ATI card for a few years - i used traytools on my last one to overclock

just google overclocking an ATI card

NINJAEDIT* i think the latest RivaTuner supports it

bledd. said:
hopefully mine will arrive today

my mate dropped off his 24" tft for me to test my 8800gt on it, my pack of 16 xilence red wings arrived the other day, with 2x92mm's ready for this cooler

should be sweet

cool - post your results up!

just found myself a saturday project!

i just found two 92mm fans at work - im going to take them apart and cut it so that i have a bare frame
will use this as a fan shroud on my sharkoons - should give more airflow and less of a deadspot

will post my results up when i get it done

bledd · 24 Oct 2008 at 10:51

it's arrived at home, awesome delivery time ocuk

Willbo · 24 Oct 2008 at 10:54

rjkoneill said:
i think you can - havent had an ATI card for a few years - i used traytools on my last one to overclock

just google overclocking an ATI card

NINJAEDIT* i think the latest RivaTuner supports it

Will have a look later, will probably leave card at stock for a few days or until I get impatient/bored and try OC'ing it

Thanks for your original review and advice, very helpful!! Must be one of the best buys I've done for my PC and a must buy if you're getting a HD4870!

rjk · 24 Oct 2008 at 11:58

bledd. said:
it's arrived at home, awesome delivery time ocuk

quick - get it on!!!

Willbo said:
Will have a look later, will probably leave card at stock for a few days or until I get impatient/bored and try OC'ing it Thanks for your original review and advice, very helpful!! Must be one of the best buys I've done for my PC and a must buy if you're getting a HD4870!

i would leave it a few days for the tim to cure

let it go through a few thermal cycles

my idle temps have gone down by 3'C now

AtreuS · 24 Oct 2008 at 12:18

Mine has just turned up as well

Im out of TIM though so im gonna have to pop to homebase or something for some alcohol to clean the old gunk off my card.

edit: DAMN im out of silver as well! is the tube of thermalright gunk good stuff?

bledd · 24 Oct 2008 at 12:19

rjkoneill said:
quick - get it on!!!

not home till 5 butt

working all day like, inneh

rjk · 24 Oct 2008 at 12:42

AtreuS said:
DAMN im out of silver as well! is the tube of thermalright gunk good stuff?

cool - what card will you be running on

would be good to have a set of results in a graph from each user - i could add it to the OP

i would try the thermalright TIM - it seems ok

bledd. said:
posting all day like, inneh

FIXED

cpatain-chaos · 24 Oct 2008 at 12:43

sarge78 said:
Nice one rjkoneill! Great write up
Awesome looking cooler and great results too!

*ponders running a 4850 passively*

I ran a 4850 @ 750/2250 passively with an AC S1 idle mid 40's load mid 50-60

that's in a TJ08 matx case with 2 x 120mm ( intake and exhaust )

with a 120mm on the S1 idle was 30 and load never above 43

rjk · 24 Oct 2008 at 13:16

like i said in the thread - i ran my card at stock speed with the fans off and it went up to 80'C in three minutes of crysis benchmark

it carried on climbing so i had to turn my fans back on

not great considering my peak load temps with the fans on