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ZALMAN NEW VF3000-A GPU COOLER - PERFORMANCE INFO AND BENCHMARKS

They gather dust: Like all components in a PC case.
I've found them to be worse than my normal case fans, maybe i've just been unlucky.

They Dont cool very well: Complete rubbish tbh, they cool very good especially when you compare the Nvdia GTX 4 series cards.
Did you even look at the test done on the Zalman? As a comparison I say again they don't cool very well :rolleyes: I can only assume you aren't bothered about heat....... oh wait you bought a 4 series gtx....:D

Anything over 40% is distractingly noisy: This was not the case when i had a ATI 5 Series card.
Well then you should have kept it, as mine is noisy once over the 40% mark and unusable over 60%


And AMG why wouldn't i overclock? Its the only way to get get my money's worth out of these cards.


Face the facts the stock coolers on the graphics cards are right 'up' there with intels stock coolers on their processors. They work but are nothing compared to what could/can be done.

I'm actually surprised anyone would feel the need to defend them..... they are stock coolers ie inexpensive made to a price.
 
Really interested in this for my recently bought Asus 5870 V2, but I'm concerned as to whether the V2 is a custom PCB and so won't take one of these properly. Any ideas?
 
me too but I don't maon, as long the coolers stop the cards cooking themselfs than I m happy and they are not so loud that I can hear it over my headset, I m happy, plus the fact that the screws appear stuck.

as for the intel stock cooler now that is just bad as far as stock cooling goes
 
I don't need em personally. but thats me, you have different requirements to me.


if heat really was a issue than I would. But since its not than its fine as it is :p.

just makes me wonder the price of a 3rd party cooler is a it better just to get one with a custom cooler anyway?
 
Just about to fit mine after some scran, Here are some sensor log temperatures from GPU-Z.

Stock 725MHzCORE/1000MHzVRAM- Stock fan profile:

GPU Temp =76.0
FAN SPEED=31
FAN RPM=2143

GPU TEMP#1= 76.5
GPU TEMP#2= 78.5
GPU TEMP#3= 76.0

VOLTAGE=1.0875v

VDDC PHASE#1= 79
VDDC PHASE#2= 80
VDDC PHASE#3= 81

OC'd 1000MHzCORE/1200MHzVRAM - Aggressive Fan Profile

GPU Temp =74.0
FAN SPEED=91
FAN RPM=4650

GPU TEMP#1= 74.0
GPU TEMP#2= 79.0
GPU TEMP#3= 75.5

VOLTAGE=1.3125v

VDDC PHASE#1= 119
VDDC PHASE#2= 120
VDDC PHASE#3= 117

:eek:
 
Stock 725MHzCORE/1000MHzVRAM - Zalman Lowest RPM:

GPU Temp =44
FAN SPEED=
FAN RPM=lowest

GPU TEMP#1= 44
GPU TEMP#2= 46
GPU TEMP#3= 47

VOLTAGE=1.0875v

VDDC PHASE#1= 51
VDDC PHASE#2= 53
VDDC PHASE#3= 54

OC'd 1000MHzCORE/1200MHzVRAM - Zalman Lowest RPM

GPU Temp =67
FAN SPEED=
FAN RPM=Lowest

GPU TEMP#1= 67
GPU TEMP#2= 67
GPU TEMP#3= 71.5

VOLTAGE=1.3125v

VDDC PHASE#1= 113
VDDC PHASE#2= 120
VDDC PHASE#3= 118

OC'd 1000MHzCORE/1200MHzVRAM - Zalman Highest RPM

GPU Temp =61
FAN SPEED=
FAN RPM=Highest

GPU TEMP#1= 61.5
GPU TEMP#2= 61.5
GPU TEMP#3= 64.5

VOLTAGE=1.3125v

VDDC PHASE#1= 91
VDDC PHASE#2= 97
VDDC PHASE#3= 95

That is running with the shroud off, I didn't like it (Might stick it on next time i clean out my case for comparison). Running the two 92mm fans from my fan controller.

Sitting idle (25C) lowest fan setting, As quiet as my akasa apache.

Running OC'd (1.3v) with fans on full rpm - not even nearly as loud as my sharkoon silent (Ha) eagle 2000 on full, Now my PC is very quiet when gaming, Happy days.
 
Cesar your VDDC cooling (while overvolting to 1.3125V) with the new cooler is not very good at all - still at 110-120C with the fan on low? And on high its 91-97C?

Ace's results were much better iirc.

edit: yeah his VDDC were 40-50C at 1.175V with the fan on medium, yours are 50-55C with the fan on low - but your voltage is 1.085V

these results are much better too:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=252635

you sure you got the vddc heat sinks on there?
 
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I think that may be because i used the supplied grease from Zalman.

1.3v is a lot of voltage, I normally game on profile 1 or 2, 2 is 980core/1200vram/1.2v, The temperatures for that on lowest fan rpm is 95/100/99. Still not great.

I may reapply the vram heatsinks with better thermal paste, I don't have enough to cover it all just now.

If you look at Ace's kombuster, He is only getting 37 FPS, I hit 87 FPS, How is that ?

I ran kombuster at his settings 850/1200 @1.174v and got avg 70C and drawing 60A - His is only drawing 38A ! Even on full fan speed i get 65C vram temps.
 
This is running the same settings as the guy with the 5870 on xtremesystems:

25ft1z4.jpg


Not a huge difference tbh, He is running on an open bench too.
 
Thx for running more tests Cesar - very informative.

The xtremesys d00d was getting 64-68C on the VDDC at 1.25V (assuming fan on high) - would you mind comparing your results at that voltage? Thats what I currently use, and my VDDC max out around 100C with the stock fan going about 70%, which is pretty loud, and the main reason I am considering getting one of these zalmans.
 
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@ 1.25v Core 1000MHz - VRAM 1250MHz - Fan Full RPM

s2zi3t.jpg


I think i may re apply the thermal pads to the vram and the core/vram FET if there is better out there ?.

Temperatures, while being reasonable and quiet, I was hoping for better to be honest.

At least i can run 1000MHz @1.25v now instead of 1.3v, That makes a big difference and, I have still to see what my maximum core speed ~ voltage is so i might have some more OC'ing headroom yet.

No more turbine's while gaming so, Result !
 
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