6800GT IDLES at 62 degrees @12v with Zalman VF700 AlCu...WTF?

M

mdlestat

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
132
What is going on?

I installed the VF700 last night, including Arctic Silver 5, and the thing isn't running so much as a single degree cooler than the stock MSI cooler/fan...around 63-64 (~45 deg. case temp.)

I'm pissed.

I didn't believe it when I first saw the temp climbing--higher and higher--thought I had somehow mis-installed this nothing-to-it mod. Took it off, re-cleaned everything, re-applied AC5, and tried again-- Same result.

All wires were connected?--yes.
Maybe the 5v lines are bad?-- nope.
Try 12v-- SAME TEMPS (OK-- it's 62-63 instead of 63-64 :rolleyes: )

How can this thing be giving me the EXACT same numbers that the stock heatsink gave me on my MSI 6800GT?

What the fuck.

Someone please help me here-- this makes absolutely no sense to me-- I should be a full 10 deg. cooler at least.

(PS-- running 71.84 with 400/1100 OC)
 
Was it the early edition reference design cooler that came on your MSI card or was it the all copper modified version (you know, big circle and a fan)
 
your case temp seems kinda high. My case temp is at 26 celsius and my 6800 GT is idling at 49 degrees at ultra clocks.

Are you using one of the newer driver sets? there is a bug with them and if you bump your 2d clock up to 400+ it may resolve your temp problems.
 
Whoa-- I had the clock set right at 400 for 2D, thinking that that was the threshold to circumvent the bug-- so I just set it to 410, and my temp dropped to 53 degrees! (with a 41 deg. case reading)

Shit-- and I got all worked up... but I still have a problem though-- because I used these clock settings with the MSI HS too-- (which was indeed the heavy-ass copper one, Balderdash) which had the same temps. Does this mean that the Zalman isn't any better than the stock MSI unit?

I mean-- don't get me wrong-- the stocker was a LOT nicer than any other stock fan I've ever owned (damned noisy on any but the lowest fan setting though) but I figured that the Zalman would outcool it-- which, seeing how the temps are consistent between the two, doesn't appear to be the case at all. They look to be performing identically.

Oh-- and as for the case temp, I know it's high-- it's b/c I have a shitty $22 case with a single 80mm exhaust fan right now-- I'm waiting for the Antec P180 to get it's dumb ass released...this is just a placeholder solution for my rig until then.
 
mdlestat said:
I'm waiting for the Antec P180 to get it's dumb ass released...this is just a placeholder solution for my rig until then.
Click to expand...

p180? hmmm ive never heard of this. can you link me to the source in which you heard about this new case? speculation on its release date and price range? what ARE the specs on that case anyway?
 
The stock reference design for the 6800GT is an aluminum block, you lose about 5-10c just by switching to an all copper block and and keeping the reference fan casing (see eVGA's reference design copper block market item for an example).

I'm betting that the MSI's larger fan, all copper heatsink solution for the GT, after the first shipment of reference design cards were sent out, is at least as good if not better than the eVGA copper block for reference disgn cards. So, the MSI cooling system is likely already 10C cooler than non-modified cards with aluminum blocks.

As to wether or not your aftermarket cooling system will be better, or not, you should try it under load now. Maybe it works more efficiently there, where it really counts, and maintains a lower temp under load.

Go set the AA all the way up and AF all the way up and then run some benchmark for a few minutes and see how hot the card gets then.

Then let us know what you find out back here.


EDIT: I just did a quick look at newegg to see what cooling system you bought, it appears that the item you bought has copper and aluminum in it, and a large radius, however, it also appears that the main benefit for that particular model is quietness, if it works as good as the old all copper MSI unit and does it with less sound, then it appears that all is well.
 
Here's a link to the thread I started a while back in the case forum about the P180

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=870872

Thanks for the good post, Balderdash-- I didn't know any of that stuff--

Now I can see how the full-copper MSI unit would compete well with my AlCu Zalman so well...

In reality, my goal is silence before cooling-- I want to be able to run the Zalman at the 5v setting (inaudible) and still maintain efficient cooling, which it appears I will be able to do seeing my true temps.

What free benchmarks are the best to run for current-gen cards? (Yes--I'm too lazy to sift through everything in here :p )

**edit**

You just addressed what I was posting about while I was writing up my response--(the quiet-factor) hehe
 
mdlestat said:
What is going on?

I installed the VF700 last night, including Arctic Silver 5, and the thing isn't running so much as a single degree cooler than the stock MSI cooler/fan...around 63-64 (~45 deg. case temp.)

I'm pissed.

I didn't believe it when I first saw the temp climbing--higher and higher--thought I had somehow mis-installed this nothing-to-it mod. Took it off, re-cleaned everything, re-applied AC5, and tried again-- Same result.

All wires were connected?--yes.
Maybe the 5v lines are bad?-- nope.
Try 12v-- SAME TEMPS (OK-- it's 62-63 instead of 63-64 :rolleyes: )

How can this thing be giving me the EXACT same numbers that the stock heatsink gave me on my MSI 6800GT?

What the fuck.

Someone please help me here-- this makes absolutely no sense to me-- I should be a full 10 deg. cooler at least.

(PS-- running 71.84 with 400/1100 OC)
Click to expand...


its the drivers guys
*points at the PS in the quote :rolleyes:

any way your card is find its the drivers reporting higher than it realy is
read the release notes
 
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