How loud is the 8800GTX's fan? Other cooling options?

J

joshley

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
136
Howdy!

OK, a simple question to all who own a 8800GTX:

How noisy is the fan?!

I hear it's very quiet, but I'm very very serious about my silence as the computer is going to be used for recording delicate vocal audio in a small room. Previously I've had passively cooled GPU's, but I'm VERY keen on the Water Cooled BFG 8800GTX because then I can use my main beast machine for gaming as well! But it's very expensive, much more than the already excessive normal 8800GTXs!

Does anybody have any experience putting one of these things in an acoustically lined case? Is it still audible then? Or does anyone know if it would get too hot? Does anyone have any db info on it? Are the water cooling options offered by BFG and Galaxy the only other options for cooling this beast very quietly/silently? Have I exceeded the number of questions allowed in one paragraph, and if the limit was 5 does that make that question some sort of paradox?

Thanks!
Josh
 
jcll2002 said:
if youre really serious about silence, go with water
Click to expand...

Yes, that is definately what I want to do. I should point you to my other thread on water cooling conroe systems. I've spent the day putting a spec together for a new build (well, today and most evenings over the last few weeks reading reviews and articles as I always do when spending any money, much to the my lady's dismay!). I've Googled (oh, wait, we're not allowed to say that anymore are we? Oh well) "water cooling core 2 duo", "watercooling conroe" and so on and bloody so forth but I can't find any info on water cooling a core 2 duo e6600, especially info on such things as whether I can hook up the BFG Water Cooled 8800 to, say, a Zalman Reserator 2. I really don't quite "get" the whole watercooling set up process well enough yet :confused: :(
 
jcll2002 said:
if youre really serious about silence, go with water
Click to expand...

The problem is there is no good water available at the moment.

All I have seen is aluminum aquacomputer junk, a poorly designed (and also aluminum) AwardFabrik block, and the DangerDen/BFG block. I havn't seen the internals of the BFG/DD block, but atleast it is copper. The problem is I doubt it can be purchased by itself.
 
i do know that swiftech is releasing a converter kit for the mcw60. wonder how it will do.
 
joshley said:
Yes, that is definately what I want to do. I should point you to my other thread on water cooling conroe systems. I've spent the day putting a spec together for a new build (well, today and most evenings over the last few weeks reading reviews and articles as I always do when spending any money, much to the my lady's dismay!). I've Googled (oh, wait, we're not allowed to say that anymore are we? Oh well) "water cooling core 2 duo", "watercooling conroe" and so on and bloody so forth but I can't find any info on water cooling a core 2 duo e6600, especially info on such things as whether I can hook up the BFG Water Cooled 8800 to, say, a Zalman Reserator 2. I really don't quite "get" the whole watercooling set up process well enough yet :confused: :(
Click to expand...

Read these:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=119699
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=75873
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=41495
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=54331
 
jcll2002 said:
i do know that swiftech is releasing a converter kit for the mcw60. wonder how it will do.
Click to expand...

Should be fine, if you can figure out how to cool all the other shit that is normally cooled by the stock HSF besides the core.

Personally, I'm anxious to see Eddy's EK full cover solution.
 
It's night and day compared to my X1900, the 8800GTX is inaudible compared to it.
 
Sphere said:
It's night and day compared to my X1900, the 8800GTX is inaudible compared to it.
Click to expand...

I'm coming from passively cooled graphics cards (Radeon 9700 Pro... !!). Basically it's another £150 to guarantee silence. Silence is incredibly important to me, so I may end up going with the Water Cooled 8800GTX. I hear the x1900s were very noisy, so being quiet compared to that may or may not mean a lot, difficult to tell I guess unless I have it here in front of me - but then that means I'd have bought one so it'd be too late! Does the fan noise vary at all depending on how much it's being pushed?
 
Compared to a stock X1900XTX, it is like zero db. Under a fair amount of load the card becomes audible to the point where I WILL watercool it but is barable.
 
The fan at idle/desktop is inaudible. I am a silent PC fanatic and all my gear has low noise cooling installed so I'm definitely on the fussy side.

When gaming in general, you can't hear it. HOWEVER - games that stress GPUs such as Oblivion will see the fan speed up.. the sound is a "hissing" or air rather than a big noisy buzzing etc.

So far after 2 days the only times I've gotten the fan to start up is with Oblivion with all settings and HDR maxxed out, and CS:S with all settings maxxed and HDR on.

If I turn down settings in either game the fan slows down again.

It most defintely would benefit from a quieter HSF solution, I'm giving thought to a Zalman Reservator for it but I'm not sure yet if the VGA block from the Reservator will fit the 8800.

1000
 
It is near silent!!!! I put my ear right next to the thing and could barely hear it. that was in a caseless rack with a water cooled cpu and no other fans going. I upped mine with Ntune to spin at 80% because the idle temp of 64c wasn't very comforting to me although it's well within safe limits. Now my card idles at about 56C and tops off at about 78C. I could go 100% and the noise wouldn't bother me since I have such a load cpu fan but I rather not push the fan too hard.
 
Thanks 1000,

Interesting to hear from a silent PC fanatic like myself regarding the 8800! What made you plunge for one of these given your desire for silence, had you read some statistics somewhere on the noise levels? I couldn't care too much about noise when I'm playing games, the key thing is when I'm recording vocals, which will be reasonably graphics unintensive! So from what you're saying, the normal 8800 could work in my system? I'm quite excited now! Is it really that inaudible? Does anyone else have a quiet set-up with the 8800, perhaps an HTPC?

I was going to buy the Zalman Reserator 2, but now Chris.C has pointed me to the links above which has left two things running through my mind:

1) Will the Reserator be any good whatsoever?
2) Good info but... WTF?!? Even trying with the beginners guide, building a custom water cooling set up is a whole other new project in itself. It looks bloody daunting, I haven't a clue where to start! I wanted to get my new PC ordered, but this will take another few weeks of patient learning to figure out everything I need. Why does quiet computing have to be so difficult!! :(

But still, a man's gotta do...
 
Lord_Exodia said:
It is near silent!!!! I put my ear right next to the thing and could barely hear it. that was in a caseless rack with a water cooled cpu and no other fans going. I upped mine with Ntune to spin at 80% because the idle temp of 64c wasn't very comforting to me although it's well within safe limits. Now my card idles at about 56C and tops off at about 78C. I could go 100% and the noise wouldn't bother me since I have such a load cpu fan but I rather not push the fan too hard.
Click to expand...

Thanks Lord_Exodia, that was promising until you mentioned you have such a loud CPU fan! :p How can you be sure of it's quietness over the loudness of the CPU fan?
 
joshley said:
Thanks Lord_Exodia, that was promising until you mentioned you have such a loud CPU fan! :p How can you be sure of it's quietness over the loudness of the CPU fan?
Click to expand...


:p :p

That's my rig. LOL I also saw the card in a Dead silent Rack which had a water cooled CPU and no other fans running. The fan was whisper silent.

But yes on my rig I can't really tell but I did hear it in a environment that can give me an accurate reading on how silent it is. :D
 
lol Fair enough! The rack you mentioned is definately of great interest however, maybe I will plunge for the cheaper option and a nice, super quiet Zalman HSF, rather than the incredulous task of custom water cooling my system, which is ideal, but long winded and scary!!!
 
joshley said:
lol Fair enough! The rack you mentioned is definately of great interest however, maybe I will plunge for the cheaper option and a nice, super quiet Zalman HSF, rather than the incredulous task of custom water cooling my system, which is ideal, but long winded and scary!!!
Click to expand...

I think you will find the only true solution will be one that covers the GPU and the NVIO. Just my opinion but they have the stock heatsink cooling it as well.
 
<My $0.02>I'm still waiting for my Conroe, and I too am thinking about water. In all reality, you need to remember one thing: Some people measure good and bad results with water to be a difference of 10 degrees. I used to think I would worry about tubing size and go 1/2" high flow. Then I realized even the smaller tubing worked really well with a good setup. You and I are looking for silence first and foremost, so I would say that you should probably build a system to one of two specs: Either so over the top it will cool anything overclocked for a sizeable amount of money or something that will afford you the ability to do mild overclocking and still be dead silent for not a lot of dough.

You seem to be looking at option two. I also think that a well put together kit can achieve some great results for you. The Swiftech kits come to mind as being some great parts for some competitive prices. I know I can EASILY drop $300 on a pump, three blocks, and tubing for my heatercore system. That's all 1/2" too. The BFG card comes with all three common sizes for us yanks, so you have some flexibility and they obviously feel comfortable with even the flow from a 1/4" pump, meaning the Zalman would technically work. If you do, go with the Reserator 1 rev. 2, not Reserator 2. Haven't heard a good thing yet about 2 really. Noisier, not as efficient.....

Here are some award winning kits that you can add your water cooled card or choice to and have a winning combo. Read some reviews and make your own choice:

Corsair Nautilus
Zalman Reserator 1 Rev. 2(Black model)
Swiftech Dual 120/Apogee kit

Either way, you should be happy with your results if done properly and any of these are more than compatible with your choice of cards. Hope that helps you. I'm sure I'm flame bait now since I am not advocating the massive overclock and don't live underwater, but your intended application sounds like it needs something else. Good luck and keep us posted.<End My $0.02>
 
OK, the big prize goes to the bod who can confirm whether the Zalman Reservator 2 (with the new style radiator);

1. Can fit the 8800gtx
2. Requires RAM waterblock for the 8800GTX
3. Can cool a 8800gtx and Duo Core 6600 adequately/safely

1000
 
brasherman said:
<My $0.02>I'm still waiting for my Conroe, and I too am thinking about water. In all reality, you need to remember one thing: Some people measure good and bad results with water to be a difference of 10 degrees. I used to think I would worry about tubing size and go 1/2" high flow. Then I realized even the smaller tubing worked really well with a good setup. You and I are looking for silence first and foremost, so I would say that you should probably build a system to one of two specs: Either so over the top it will cool anything overclocked for a sizeable amount of money or something that will afford you the ability to do mild overclocking and still be dead silent for not a lot of dough.

You seem to be looking at option two. I also think that a well put together kit can achieve some great results for you. The Swiftech kits come to mind as being some great parts for some competitive prices. I know I can EASILY drop $300 on a pump, three blocks, and tubing for my heatercore system. That's all 1/2" too. The BFG card comes with all three common sizes for us yanks, so you have some flexibility and they obviously feel comfortable with even the flow from a 1/4" pump, meaning the Zalman would technically work. If you do, go with the Reserator 1 rev. 2, not Reserator 2. Haven't heard a good thing yet about 2 really. Noisier, not as efficient.....

Here are some award winning kits that you can add your water cooled card or choice to and have a winning combo. Read some reviews and make your own choice:

Corsair Nautilus
Zalman Reserator 1 Rev. 2(Black model)
Swiftech Dual 120/Apogee kit

Either way, you should be happy with your results if done properly and any of these are more than compatible with your choice of cards. Hope that helps you. I'm sure I'm flame bait now since I am not advocating the massive overclock and don't live underwater, but your intended application sounds like it needs something else. Good luck and keep us posted.<End My $0.02>
Click to expand...

Thanks for those links! I'm being lame and opting for bed at this early British hour of midnight (I was out last night, it's ok!!), but I will have a good look over them tomorrow. You've thrown a spanner in the works about Reserator 1 rev. 2, I just assumed Reserator 2 would be better, will look into that, cheers.

1000 said:
OK, the big prize goes to the bod who can confirm whether the Zalman Reservator 2 (with the new style radiator);

1. Can fit the 8800gtx
2. Requires RAM waterblock for the 8800GTX
3. Can cool a 8800gtx and Duo Core 6600 adequately/safely

1000
Click to expand...

1) Do you mean the Water Cooled 8800GTX, or using it's own GPU block on a standard 8800GTX?
2) In my research of this somewhere, I read the words "RAM only"... but I can't remember where and in exactly what context!! :p
3) This guy had a happy time with a 6700
 
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