Cooling for GTX 480 SLi or GTX 680..?

[Trackr]

So, I have a decision to make:

Either I get the new Arctic Plus III cooler for my GTX 480s (that's 150$ combined).. and overclock past 900Mhz..

Or get GTX 680 SLi.

There are two questions here:

1.) Will GTX 680 SLi run as cool/loud as the Plus III coolers can make the GTX 480s?
2.) The money issue.

So, I can probably sell my GTX 480s for 500-600$. Plus 150$. But then I'll be stuck with the heavy power consumption for good because I won't be able to sell the GTX 480s before they drop to 150$.

Or, I could sell the GTX 480s for 500-600$, and spend another 400-500$ on the GTX 680s.

I could spend 150$ on a sinking ship or 450$ on something new..

Also, I'm not even sure if the GTX 680 really are twice as powerful as GTX 480s, nor if they are as cool/not power hungry with stock coolers..

What do you think?

 

[DisgustipatedAP1]

Get GTX 680 SLI. The 480's always run hot and spending more on aftermarket cooling for them isn't really worth the money.

If you're in the US, you'll be lucky to get $200-220/each for your 480's.

 

[hdgamer]

Aftermarket cooling is a bad idea for the GTX480 believe me I tried it. Unless you put it under water, the aftermarket coolers aren't sufficient enough to handle the high wattage and heat. My GTX480 sli gets hotter with the aftermarket coolers than with the oems. This is due to the fact that the air blows directly on the gpu's and not through the heatsink outside the case. I currently have them in a silverstone FT02 so the air is blowing up out of the case and it still overheats. Only way to rectify this is to underclock the cards. Go with a GTX680 and save yourself the headache.

 

[|-Goku-|]

Aftermarket cooling is a bad idea for the GTX480 believe me I tried it. Unless you put it under water, the aftermarket coolers aren't sufficient enough to handle the high wattage and heat. My GTX480 sli gets hotter with the aftermarket coolers than with the oems. This is due to the fact that the air blows directly on the gpu's and not through the heatsink outside the case. I currently have them in a silverstone FT02 so the air is blowing up out of the case and it still overheats. Only way to rectify this is to underclock the cards. Go with a GTX680 and save yourself the headache.

I used the Arctic Plus III that the OP is thinking of, and I never had a problem. Much lower temps

But I switched to water cooling in SLI.

Back to the original question. Get the 680

 

[heatlesssun]

A single 680 will match or surpass 480 SLI in practically everything and be much cooler and quiter while doing it. The only drawback is if you need the GPU compute power, but for gaming its a great upgrade. When one card can replace two and provide equivalent and better performance for less power that's a great upgrade.

 

[Trackr]

A single 680 will match or surpass 480 SLI in practically everything and be much cooler and quiter while doing it. The only drawback is if you need the GPU compute power, but for gaming its a great upgrade. When one card can replace two and provide equivalent and better performance for less power that's a great upgrade.

No, I think GTX 480 SLi will outperform a single GTX 680.

But will it really run less hot and quieter on stock cooling.

Stock cooling is crap.

 

[Astrodave]

You'll never get $500-600 for your 480's. My guess is you'll be lucky to get $200 each. Very lucky. More likely $180 each. Not to mention a single 680 will offer nowhere near the performance of the 480's from what I've been able to glean so far with my own research. Also if you are a 3DVS user like me you'll need to get that stupid $100 dongle which will add to your cost. You might want to rethink this.

 

[heatlesssun]

No, I think GTX 480 SLi will outperform a single GTX 680.

But will it really run less hot and quieter on stock cooling.

Stock cooling is crap.

I'm seeing a lot of benchmarks where the 680 and 590 are very close, overall 480 SLI might be a bit faster but not by much and if you throw in the better oc'ing of a 680 I bet that from a playing experience a single 680 would be just as good and probably a little better because of no SLI issues.

 

[thesecond]

My gtx 480 sli is slower than almost every 680 bench I've seen. Plus it gets choppy. I have sli disabled for mass effect 3 to get rid of the stutter.

I'd go with 680's. Quieter, cooler, less power, much faster. I can't wait to offload my 480's. The difference in noise alone is enough to convince me.

 

[Ajiki-kun]

I'm going to jump on the 680 bandwagon here; mostly because I'm now filled with seething bias against the 480, mine of which I just returned to TigerDirect. That piece of magma is their problem now.

I'd say that, for you, assuming the 480 sli ~= 680 in performance, the kicker should be that the 680 has the 2gb vram.

Though, I wouldn't add on the whole "better upgrade path" argument because by such time you decide to buy another 680, the current 680 will also look a bit faded in comparison to either the refreshed version, the non-references (which will probably make use of that spare phase), or even 700 series.

Despite that, 680's still a better choice than putting even more money into 480 by cooling.

 

[Brahmzy]

Do not use aftermarket coolers when in SLi. Specifically been there, done that. That 2nd card gets a TON of hot air blown on it. I had the 3-fan AC coolers on my 570's and there was a 15 degree temp difference between the two card. I was actually way better off going back to the stock coolers.

Single card, absolutely the AC coolers kick ass - SLi, different story. I've even seen some warnings about SLi use from the manufacturer. Depends on the design of the cooler, but in most cases you're going to be sending all of the heat from your first card right into the fans of your second and super-heating it.

Also, why invest additional cash into an obsolete solution?

 

[BababooeyHTJ]

I'm seeing a lot of benchmarks where the 680 and 590 are very close, overall 480 SLI might be a bit faster but not by much and if you throw in the better oc'ing of a 680 I bet that from a playing experience a single 680 would be just as good and probably a little better because of no SLI issues.

There are also quite a few games where GTX480 sli will mop the floor with a single GTX680 like Stalker Clear Sky or COP, Metro 2033, and Just cause 2 especially in 3d.

 

[sirmonkey1985]

There are also quite a few games where GTX480 sli will mop the floor with a single GTX680 like Stalker Clear Sky or COP, Metro 2033, and Just cause 2 especially in 3d.

true but is the asinine amount of power and heat you are going to create worth it? personally i'd just go with the 680 and profit off not having to give the electricity companies more money.

 

[BababooeyHTJ]

true but is the asinine amount of power and heat you are going to create worth it? personally i'd just go with the 680 and profit off not having to give the electricity companies more money.

Its not going to make that much of a difference in your electric bill, well the idle power consumption might. I think that the GTX480 power consumption was a bit over blown. They do run hot but thats nothing that a pair of Antec 620s won't take care of.

Its a compromise though.

 

[heatlesssun]

There are also quite a few games where GTX480 sli will mop the floor with a single GTX680 like Stalker Clear Sky or COP, Metro 2033, and Just cause 2 especially in 3d.

I've had 3 way 480 SLI and while the performance was good, yeah on the hot side. I'll take one 680 over 480 2x SLI any day.

 

[skcorpio]

true but is the asinine amount of power and heat you are going to create worth it? personally i'd just go with the 680 and profit off not having to give the electricity companies more money.

How much power consumption difference at idle?

 

[nicklemarr]

Here, you'd lucky to get $200 for a 480. I vote GTX 680 hands down.

 

[BababooeyHTJ]

How much power consumption difference at idle?

Honestly, with gtx480 sli according to my ups I was pulling anywhere between 150-200w or so just surfing the web. Right now my ups is reporting 130w, I've seen it at 100w while idle.

 

[Trackr]

Here, you'd lucky to get $200 for a 480. I vote GTX 680 hands down.

Why do people keep saying this? Are you jealous or something?

GTX 580s are still selling for 400$, the average sale price on eBay for a 480 is 250$ (check for yourself).

Besides, international buyers would pay a lot more. You just have to set it for a week and not allow US bidders.

There's a lot tricks to eBay I think people aren't aware of.

 

[hdgamer]

I used the Arctic Plus III that the OP is thinking of, and I never had a problem. Much lower temps

But I switched to water cooling in SLI.

Back to the original question. Get the 680

In SLI with those coolers, you're blowing hot air from the top card directly down to the gpu on the next card. That's why that one is always 15-20C more hot than the other card. Doesn't make sense. Only way I could maintain decent temps is by underclocking my cards so they wouldn't overheat.

 

[heatlesssun]

Why do people keep saying this? Are you jealous or something?

GTX 580s are still selling for 400$, the average sale price on eBay for a 480 is 250$ (check for yourself).

Besides, international buyers would pay a lot more. You just have to set it for a week and not allow US bidders.

There's a lot tricks to eBay I think people aren't aware of.

I think most here understand that you can sell in the general market and get good money for GPUs, it's that people HERE wouldn't pay those kinds of prices.

 

[computersmakemeQQ]

680 should be close/ match your 480's. It also runs cooler, draws less power, is sexier D) and is somewhat future-proof. If that exists.

Somewhere down the road you can always sell/ SLI.

There aren't any games that can really challenge sli'd 680's.

 

[Trackr]

I think most here understand that you can sell in the general market and get good money for GPUs, it's that people HERE wouldn't pay those kinds of prices.

Well, of course no one here would pay that. This is [H]. I wouldn't try to overprice anything on you guys.

But several people in this thread have clearly stated that I would not be able to get more then 200$ for the 480s.. Wouldn't be able to meaning anywhere.

 

[Tinmann]

Well they have been popping up on Newegg and other retail sites new for $220.00. I'm water cooling mine and OC'ing until they die You might get $200.00 or more depending on circumstances but how long are you going to have to wait to make that sale?

 

[BababooeyHTJ]

I think most here understand that you can sell in the general market and get good money for GPUs, it's that people HERE wouldn't pay those kinds of prices.

I sold a GTX480 here for $200 last week. I've seen others listed at the same price. I bet that they sold.

 

[Trackr]

I sold a GTX480 here for $200 last week. I've seen others listed at the same price. I bet that they sold.

Well, I suppose that makes sense.

I bought the second one for 300$ one year ago.