In search of a good HSF for my 7900GTs

[newtekie1]

Well I have 2 eVGA 7900GTs running @ 600/1600, and they do ok. However, the stock eVGA heatsink is kind of lacking, IMO. At least it cools the RAM unlike the regular 7900GT cooler, but I kind of want more.

The problem I am having is the only coolers I have found that seem to work with my 7900GTs are the Zalman coolers, and I don't really like them. I was hoping there was a solution that would cool the RAM and exhaust out the back of my case as 2 7900GTs running at those speeds are actually putting out a lot of heat into my case and I can see the affect on my CPU and motherboard temps.

So anyone have any suggestions?

[tkpenalty]

Well I have 2 eVGA 7900GTs running @ 600/1600, and they do ok. However, the stock eVGA heatsink is kind of lacking, IMO. At least it cools the RAM unlike the regular 7900GT cooler, but I kind of want more.

The problem I am having is the only coolers I have found that seem to work with my 7900GTs are the Zalman coolers, and I don't really like them. I was hoping there was a solution that would cool the RAM and exhaust out the back of my case as 2 7900GTs running at those speeds are actually putting out a lot of heat into my case and I can see the affect on my CPU and motherboard temps.

So anyone have any suggestions?

VF900 CU+ AS5 + two single slot blower fans.

Question answered.

[s1rrah]

the iceberq 6, from vantec, is what you need. they are cheaper than the zalman coolers, perform a bit better and come with nice copper ram-sinks.

buy one for each card; they should be fine for SLI setup and they get the heat out the back of your case. do some research on vantec's site to be sure ... but the profile is rather slim and so i think they'll be fine for SLI.

this is a *seriously* underrated and under-discussed GPU cooler; the silent-pc review puts it as about 1 degree *better* than the zalman VF900 and also much better at improving overall system temps since it gets the heat out of your case:

silent-pc review (read the whole thing): http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Vantec_IceberQ6/index.shtml

my own review: http://www.overclock.net/nvidia/131668-iceberq-6-minireview-quite-decent-air.html

i'm using the iceberq 6 with a single 7900GT card that is volt mod'd to 1.5v with clock/mem speeds of 700/852 and my temps are lower than stock timings w/ stock cooler. check my sig for my temps.
...

the zalman coolers are good, but they aren't as good for overall system temps as the iceberq 6.

also, the NV silencer cards kick serious booty but i'm not sure if they work for SLI.

[tkpenalty]

Those coolers are a rarity unfortunately.

[newtekie1]

I do believe the iceberq6 is what I was looking for. Thanks.

[s1rrah]

Those coolers are a rarity unfortunately.

don't know really which cooler your talking about, but the iceberq 6 is not that much of a rarity.

you get one right now at directron.com for a paltry 29.00 US: http://www.directron.com/ccba6c.html

(that's where i got mine, BTW)

[s1rrah]

I do believe the iceberq6 is what I was looking for. Thanks.

post a review once you get it all worked out; haven't heard from anyone using the iceberq 6 in a SLI setup; would be nice to see the results ...

[newtekie1]

post a review once you get it all worked out; haven't heard from anyone using the iceberq 6 in a SLI setup; would be nice to see the results ...

Well I got them all up and running today. Installation was a breeze, took me about 10 minutes per card, but then again you already knew how easy it was.

My cards are eVGA 7900GTs clocked at 580/1580, and that is pretty much were I left them for my primary tests, haven't got around to overclocking them yet, they are clocked high enough for me right now.

Anyway, onto the important parts. My setup can be found to the left in my system specs.

Before the replacement my temps were:
CPU: 63C
GPU1: 60C
GPU2: 82C
Chipset: 40C

After the replacement my temps were:
CPU: 58C
GPU1: 49C
GPU2: 70C
Chipset: 40C

I was very pleased with these results. Those are load tempuratures. I loaded the CPU using Orthos SP2004's blend test. I loaded the GPUs with a ATITool artifact scan. I let them run for 2 hours before taking the readings. The GPU temps were taken using Core Temp for the CPU and NVidia Monitor for the rest.

My main goal with this was to lower my CPU load temps. These cards put out a lot of heat into the case, and now that the heat is exhausted out the back of the case, my CPU temps have gone down. I am very pleased with these coolers.

I do have a few complaints, though. Mainly with the bottom of the heatsink where it contacts the core. It is very poorly machined, I am tempted to pull them back off and lap them. However, I have to say they are much better than the eVGA stock cooler, so I guess I shouldn't complain that much. My other complaint is the little divit in the middle of the contact surface, you can actually see it in the close up pictures of the other review posted here. My other minor complaint is that the fans do not have speed monitors built into them.

The main issue with SLI is that you have to be careful with where you place the RAM sinks. I wasn't thinking when I applied them to the first card and put the one closest to the SLI connector a little close, so the SLI bridge just touches it when it is on. Had I been a fraction of an inch over in one direction I would not be able to get the SLI connector on the card.

I was pleased to see them using 3M thermal tape.

Pros:
Cheap
Fits virtually any card on the market
Good performance
All copper heatsink
Very quiet

Cons:
Heavy
Blue coloring might turn some people off to it
Contact area could have been lapped better
Contact area has a divit right in the center
Fans don't have RPM sensors

*I suck at reviews.

[s1rrah]

I do have a few complaints, though. Mainly with the bottom of the heatsink where it contacts the core. It is very poorly machines, I am tempted to pull them back off and lap them.

good to see you got a 10+ degree drop on your vid cards and also 5 degrees off of your CPU temps! 5 degree drop on CPU simply rocks.

second the vote on the need to lap; i'll most likely do mine the first time i absolutely *have* to take it off. also, i noticed the divet type thing in the middle too ... again, something that might be improved after lapping.

considering an SLI setup ... the need for a GPU cooler that exhausts the hot air is even more important than a single card setup. yes, the cards generate a *lot* of heat. have you held your hand over the exhaust ports at load?

glad it's working for you.

[s1rrah]

Contact area has a divit right in the center

here's a good image showing the divit you speak of; how this might affect temps is questionable really ...

Divit (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Vantec_IceberQ6/015.JPG)

it would take quite a bit of lapping to get that off, but if i manage to get rid of it completely, i'll post some results.

BTW ... what sort of thermal compound did you use when you mounted the cooler?

[newtekie1]

good to see you got a 10+ degree drop on your vid cards and also 5 degrees off of your CPU temps! 5 degree drop on CPU simply rocks.

second the vote on the need to lap; i'll most likely do mine the first time i absolutely *have* to take it off. also, i noticed the divet type thing in the middle too ... again, something that might be improved after lapping.

considering an SLI setup ... the need for a GPU cooler that exhausts the hot air is even more important than a single card setup. yes, the cards generate a *lot* of heat. have you held your hand over the exhaust ports at load?

glad it's working for you.

A 5C drop on the CPU made me extremely happy. Lapping would probably be nice, but the minor scratches shouldn't really affect heat transfer, if you would have seen the bottom of my eVGA heatsink, it was very bad. The divit does worry me though. I don't know why it is even there, the only thing I can think of is that is the center point for the lathe they used.

[newtekie1]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/newtekie1/eVGAHeatsink.jpg

That is the bottom of the eVGA heatsink. It looks terrible. I am surprised it was able to keep these things cool.