Crossfire "Breathing" Space - Any ideas...?

[alexp999]

Okay, I'm gonna be getting another 3870 to go Crossfire in the next couple of weeks.
Now I ideally I want to get another one of the HIS Iceq3's and flash it with the Turbo BIOS again.
The only problem I forsee, is that my mobo only has one spare slot, in between the PCI-E slots, which atm is taken up by the cooler of the 3870. If I get another one is it going to block the intake and cause the top 3870 to overheat? The Iceq3 cooler can draw air in from both sides of the fan, but I don't know if it will be enough.

Does anyone else have a setup like this? Nvidia/ATi, just two double slots on top of one another.

The only other thing I thought of was I was looking at the Sapphire 3870 Toxic, which is only a single slot cooler with a vapour chamber.
How do these perform in relation to the Iceq3 coolers, and could I flash the sapphire with the HIS turbo bios, would it work? would the clocks be too much for a single slot cooler?

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

[Wile E]

This has been a question many gamers have had on this issue.

Yes, the top card will run warmer, but there are a few way you can help mange it.

Do some good cable management, to get all of your cables out of the path of the airflow.

If your case has the option of adding more fans, add them. If not, you can also look into replacing your current fans with higher flowing units.

All-in-all, it not that big of a deal. Many, many people run Crossfire with no real issues. All it takes is a little proper planning.

[alexp999]

This has been a question many gamers have had on this issue.

Yes, the top card will run warmer, but there are a few way you can help mange it.

Do some good cable management, to get all of your cables out of the path of the airflow.

If your case has the option of adding more fans, add them. If not, you can also look into replacing your current fans with higher flowing units.

All-in-all, it not that big of a deal. Many, many people run Crossfire with no real issues. All it takes is a little proper planning.

Well I gotta a 120mm fan blowing stright at the GFX cards from the front and no cables cutting its path.

So you think it will be okay to get the HIS Iceq3 one again?

Cheers.

[Wile E]

Well I gotta a 120mm fan blowing stright at the GFX cards from the front and no cables cutting its path.

So you think it will be okay to get the HIS Iceq3 one again?

Cheers.
I don't see why not. Many have done it. Do you have the option for a side-panel fan? that would help a lot as well. Would be a nice insurance policy, so to speak.

[alexp999]

Here is my mobo from the foxconn site.

http://www.foxconnchannel.com/Upload/Mainboard/200605300302270921_975X7AB-8EKRS2H.jpg

Dunno why they couldnt have put them an extra slot apart. Oh well, excellent mobo in any case.

EDIT:

There is a side fan but it is 92mm hole in line with the CPu so wouldt help gfx cards at all. I'll take somes pics of my cable management and inside. let me know if you think it will be okay.

Cheers.

[alexp999]

Here are some pics. I reckon there will be a gap of about 5mm between the fan intake on the top card and the pcb of the bottom card.

http://img.techpowerup.org/080606/DSC00341.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/080606/DSC00346.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/080606/DSC00352.jpg

There is also a 120mm in line with the CPU at the front supplying that with air, so the bottom one should be good to go straight to the graphics cards.

[Wile E]

Wow, that is tight. They should've put another slot in between them. I've seen setups like that before, but I really don't know how well they run. Maybe a Toxic is the best choice, and put it in the top slot. That's a tough call tho.

[alexp999]

Wow, that is tight. They should've put another slot in between them. I've seen setups like that before, but I really don't know how well they run. Maybe a Toxic is the best choice, and put it in the top slot. That's a tough call tho.

If I got the toxic, could I flash it with the HIS turbo BIOS?

[Wile E]

If I got the toxic, could I flash it with the HIS turbo BIOS?

There's no way to guaranty it, but it's probably worth a shot.

[alexp999]

Here is the best pic I could get of the gap. I have noticed I can control the height a fair amount by using the PCI-E cable to lift one end and adjust the height of the plates at the other. I could maybe squezze 10mm gap for the fan max, between the two cards.

http://img.techpowerup.org/080606/DSC00355.jpg

Only thing I'm worried about the Toxic, is whether or not it could cope with the clocks on the Turbo BIOS if it did work.

And the fact that it will be blowing in the opposite direction to the case fans and dumping heat, inside the case.

Whats better? A his iceq3 with 5mm gap on the bottom and the intake on the top sde of the fan. Or a sapphire toxic, which is only single slot, but blows the opposite direction to all my fans and leaves the heat in the case.

The toxic is actually nearly £20/$40 cheaper, and obviously the turbo bios doesnt cost anything. But does the sapphire bios have something special programmed in for the vapour chamber, or would I be best off just editing the bios and setting the same clocks as the turbo bios.

Anyone here on TPU have any experience with the Sapphire 3870XT toxic? Does it cool okay? How does it clock? i want it to be able to run at 850/2380. (core actually runs at 837 in gpuz). or anyone been able to install a his turbo bios on a sapphire toxic?

Obviosuly if i get the toxic, it will be going in the slot the current 3870 is in now and I will but the HIS in the lower slot. then the toxic would have a whole PCI slot of gap, if that is enough?

Any ideas?? Greatly appreciated, I always leave thanks for useful posts!

:confused::confused::confused:

[alexp999]

Just seen there is a review of the toxic here on tpu. :slap: doh, lol.

Looks like it keeps itself cool, can manage 850(actual clock) and exceed 1200Mhz, so the only down side is that it is noisier than the HIS iceq3.

What difference would there be between 43dB (HIS) and 46dB(toxic)

So looks perfect for my setup, long as my CPU doesnt overheat, cus of it... :confused:

[alexp999]

If I do edit the bios or flash with the HIS bios, can I use my other 3870 to boot the PC and then reflash using ati windows flash tool if it goes wrong?