Should I apply better TIM on Sapphire 7950?

M

mista ting

Gawd
Joined
Apr 13, 2006
Messages
742
17.jpg


^^how much of a difference would it make if i apply better GPU thermal paste on the 7950? what results could i expect? 3-5c? or more? would it be worth the hassle?
 
Where did you get those thermal pads? I want some for my own 7950 :p

I have read of temp drops of 5 - 8 degrees, as well as as low as 1 - 2 degrees. I imagine you will see s small benefit, but not a huge one.
 
The problem with the stock TIM isn't with the quality, but rather quantity. It's usually applied excessively and smeared all over resulting in unoptimized heat transfer. If you change the TIM then I would change out the thermal pads for some Fujipoly pads while you're at it.
 
i changed the tim on my msi 7970s and all 3 cards had over 5c droop and 1 had about 8c droop
 
I got 5-6c swapping the TIM on my 7970, and I only used some very old AS Ceramique I had in my junk drawer - not even the revised Ceramique 2, it was the original formula that was all I had lying around.

Barely a step above the cheap generic Radio Shack white paste and still dropped 5c :).
 
I do that at day one actually. Just run some game title screen with vsync off for 30 minutes and then shut down. Let it cool for 10 minutes and unscrew and clean/replace the TIM with IC diamond 7.

When I got my HD 7970s, one had barely enough white thermal paste the other was covered all over including the socket itself. That one took a good amount of isopropyl alcohol to clean.

But overall you will get a good 5C drop in most cases.
 
On the subject of cooling 7950s, has anybody used an arctic accelero xtreme? I'm looking at one now, simply because I am upgrading other components of my rig. I want a quieter more effective cooler, so that I can OC higher and still not have the cooler so loud. My current card is a 7950 950mhz edition (DualX cooler). Does anybody have any (rough) benches on the difference between DualX cooling and the arctic one? Core temps, VRM temps? I can hit 1215mhz at 1112mV (very low voltage I know) but the core reaches 75 degrees @ ~80% fan speed (very loud) and VRM temp reach 90 and keep climbing (I know 90 is still actually safe for VRMs, but it's pushing it). Will the cooler help a lot with both VRMs and core temps???

I have a good deal on the cooler (43 euro) so I think it's worth it). 1215mhz stable at 1112mV, I'm thinking 1250mhz should be possible with this cooler and it will be quieter and cooler. Any advice or input on this matter?

Thanks. I'm going to reapply thermal paste too, stuff from the dark rock pro 2 (bequeit!) CPU cooler.

Oh, the 7950 is fun!!!
 
I understand them wanting a slab of butter they just stick on the chip and let it melt but I have to agree some of them look like they forgot the pad and some look like they put on 2 or 3.
I guess a good tim might cost 2 cents instead of the 1.

With the arctic doesn't this heat everything else in the case.
Why don't they try to do some exaust like they did in the older models?
Seems to pool the heat around the card.
 
But doesn't the DualX cooler expel heat around the card too? My own expels heat out the rear but also upwards, directly onto my CPU's heatsink.
 
Generally, you can use any non-conductive thermal paste you'd like......

The results will all be within a degree or two of each other.

There are tests around though where peanut butter did about as good a job as anything else.

If you want to strip down the GPU and put on new paste....fire away, but the results won't be tremendous.

Just remember to clean the chip well, apply the new paste appropriately.....there are numerous methods......and use a non-conductive paste.:D
 
Gumbi10 said:
Is this answer directed at me? I was asking about the accelero xtreme :)
Click to expand...

The DualX cooler is already very good and i dont think the Accelero will give you much better cooling. You could purchase one of those PCI slot blower fans to excel heat directly from the card. The goal is to exaust the heat and not push it around the case heating up other components.
 
I dunno, my card gets quite hot. At 1112mV I can support 1215mhz. But not for long. The core clock is abou 75 degrees and fan is at ~80%. VRM (the hotter one) is at 80 degrees and slowly rising to 90 plus. At 80% the fan is too loud for my liking.

And why are lower voltages harder to cool on some cards? Makes no sense to me. I am pushing 1215mhz on ~1.1v and I can barely cool it. I can cool 1100mhz at 1070mV handily enough, though. Other people are getting same or even slightly lower overclocks, but they new much higher voltages (like 1.2/1.25). There's no way I can cool anything above 1.12v. I don't NEED TO (because 1.12 pushes 1215mhz) but can people explain why some cards need lower voltages but push out more heat for those voltages?
 
Gumbi10 said:
I dunno, my card gets quite hot. At 1112mV I can support 1215mhz. But not for long. The core clock is abou 75 degrees and fan is at ~80%. VRM (the hotter one) is at 80 degrees and slowly rising to 90 plus. At 80% the fan is too loud for my liking.

And why are lower voltages harder to cool on some cards? Makes no sense to me. I am pushing 1215mhz on ~1.1v and I can barely cool it. I can cool 1100mhz at 1070mV handily enough, though. Other people are getting same or even slightly lower overclocks, but they new much higher voltages (like 1.2/1.25). There's no way I can cool anything above 1.12v. I don't NEED TO (because 1.12 pushes 1215mhz) but can people explain why some cards need lower voltages but push out more heat for those voltages?
Click to expand...

Thats a pretty impressive overclock and would explain the warm temperatures.
All cards are built differentlly and each has its maximum potential.
 
Hmm. That doesn't explain why some cards have a stock voltage that's way higher than even my overclock voltage, and can cool it. The thing is, if I have sooo much voltage headroom, I can overvolt to 1.3v safely (maybe a bit less) which would probably put me at 1350mhz which is insane. But I can only cool 1.1v as it stands so that's not going to happen.
 
Domini said:
The DualX cooler is already very good and i dont think the Accelero will give you much better cooling. You could purchase one of those PCI slot blower fans to excel heat directly from the card. The goal is to exaust the heat and not push it around the case heating up other components.
Click to expand...

You are obviously not an owner of an Accelero . If you want the absolute best cooling its worth every penny. I ran1.3 volts @ 1230mhz 24/7, the card does not get above 63C. Fans at 100% are barely heard, Amazing cooler and will get you the best clocks.
 
Gumbi10 said:
Hmm. That doesn't explain why some cards have a stock voltage that's way higher than even my overclock voltage, and can cool it. The thing is, if I have sooo much voltage headroom, I can overvolt to 1.3v safely (maybe a bit less) which would probably put me at 1350mhz which is insane. But I can only cool 1.1v as it stands so that's not going to happen.
Click to expand...
You are assuming that your GPU can handle 1.3v and a high clockrate, my assumption is you have a high ASIC, you may not be able to get there. It wont be a limit by the temps either, just the chip itself.
 
I have the same card as Sonda5, a marginally higher ASIC score. He is stable 1200mhz at around 1.1v just like me. He has benched 1370mhz on water (VRMs and core temps all below 50 - he has an insane cooling setup). So ya, I am thermally limited IMO, not voltage-limited. I have clock speed headroom too.

Hey, thanks for that! Yeah, I'm thinking its worth it. What are your VRM temps like? I know VRM 1 gets hot and I've read that the Arctic cooler doesn't actually have the best VRM cooling. Then again I've read other posts that say it has to be mounted right for best results.
 
Anyone have any benches of VRMs at high voltages? It seems core temps seem well in check :)
 
Gumbi10 said:
Anyone have any benches of VRMs at high voltages? It seems core temps seem well in check :)
Click to expand...

'Yes but I used copper heatsinks on mine

Model: Powercolor AX7950 3GBD5-2DHV4 (7950 Version 2 Reference Board)

Mods:
Arctic Cooling Accelero Xtreme 7970
Enzotech MOS-C1 Copper Heatsinks on VRM's
SEKISUI #5760 Thermal Tape
Arctic MX-4

GPU Voltage: 1.3v (1.252v after vdroop)
Max GPU Temp: 62c (26c Ambient temp)
Max VRM (1 and 2) Temp: 74c

GPU Clock: 1230 mhz
RAM Clock: 1666 mhz (Elphida, stock 1.6v)


ASIC 63.2%
1uu0Zxj.jpg
 
Thanks a lot man. Those numbers are very relevant, and inspiring too :) do you mind me asking what your ASIC score is?

Where did you get those copper heatsinks? How much? How much of a difference do you think they make vs standard (aluminium?) ones?
 
Gumbi10 said:
Thanks a lot man. Those numbers are very relevant, and inspiring too :) do you mind me asking what your ASIC score is?

Where did you get those copper heatsinks? How much? How much of a difference do you think they make vs standard (aluminium?) ones?
Click to expand...

ASIC score is at the end of my post above the pic, 63.2%

Newegg, Amazon and FrozenCPU sell the copper heatsinks. I got mine from FrozenCPU.com, had the best price at that time ($17 for 10) and they are a 10 min drive from me :)

The aluminum ones that were included with the Accelero were too big for the awkward angles for my VRM layout, I actually ended up frying my 1st 7950 due to it making just a little contact with the coil at the top left so I cannot comment on that. But if you do not have the layout mine are at you will be fine long as you run the fans at 100%. They do a good job on cooling the VRM's at that speed.
 
Sorry, should have looked.

Hmmm. That comment scares me a little bit, about the VRM:(

In any case, the VRMs are fine even at 90 degrees (or higher even) based on what I've read.

I hope I can get those in the EU. The thermal tape is only 75cents delivered worldwide, 7 dollars for the tape. For what do I use that? Doesn't glue come with the Arctic gear?
 
Gumbi10 said:
Sorry, should have looked.

Hmmm. That comment scares me a little bit, about the VRM:(

In any case, the VRMs are fine even at 90 degrees (or higher even) based on what I've read.

I hope I can get those in the EU. The thermal tape is only 75cents delivered worldwide, 7 dollars for the tape. For what do I use that? Doesn't glue come with the Arctic gear?
Click to expand...

You will be alright if you be VERY careful with the aluminum heatsinks and tape off anything that may even come just a little close to contacts. They include protective tape with the accelero too. The vrms will be fine till 115c but I don't know anyone running it that hot. Will probably kill the card a lot quicker.

You are correct about the glue. It comes with the accelero but depending on the age of it will depend on how well it works according to arctic. I have seen folks who it works flawlessly for and others that can't get it to stick. Hell even saw someone who had it sticking perfectly and 2 days later one of the heatsinks on their vrms fell right off during use. I just wanted to avoid that entirety and purchased the thermal tape to stick the heatsinks on the vrms and ram. The glue does have much better thermal transfer abilities than the tape though. But my temps are great so it didn't matter.

I believe frozencpu ships internationally. Those copper heatsinks were a breeze to install verses the aluminum ones. Easy to do 1 heatsink per vrm. They also include their own thermal tape but the sekusi was better.
 
Last edited:
Gumbi10 said:
Sorry, should have looked.

Hmmm. That comment scares me a little bit, about the VRM:(

In any case, the VRMs are fine even at 90 degrees (or higher even) based on what I've read.

I hope I can get those in the EU. The thermal tape is only 75cents delivered worldwide, 7 dollars for the tape. For what do I use that? Doesn't glue come with the Arctic gear?
Click to expand...

The glue that Arctic gives out with the Accelero is very good and comes off easily when you are done or need to RMA......you just have to follow the directions to a "T".
Aectic epoxy is also very very good, but very very permanent.

Also remember, an Accelero will make a card a three slot card, so unless you have an ETX MB you won't be able to Crossfire easily, if at all.
 
You killed a 7950 :/ You're scaring me now. I wouldn't want the adhesive to be permanent, so I'd be happy with just Arctic's stuff.

I have a Z77x-d3h, if I want to CF I'll just stick the stock cooler back on ant run at lower clocks.

I'm almost ready to buy, might well order this weekend. I just think ~43 euro for the cooler is too good to pass. I think I can hit 1250+MHz on it handily enough.

Quick question (again!), how high we're you able to go OC-wise before you installed the Xtreme? As in, how much of a difference did it make performance-wise?

Thanks again for everything, you've been very helpful.
 
By the way, is part of your PCB and PCI connector at the very bottom burnt, or is that just the light?
 
Gumbi10 said:
By the way, is part of your PCB and PCI connector at the very bottom burnt, or is that just the light?
Click to expand...

lol I can see what you see now that you mention it, it's just the light, my workbench has some powerful LED lightbulbs directly above. The shadow was me :). Powercolor has a don't ask don't tell policy on modifications for their cards, even if its your fault if there is no physical damage and everything is still intact they will replace the card. When I RMA'ed it they gave me no issues, just had to wait a week for the turnaround time. They also don't mind if you change the TIM, some manufactures give even that grounds to void your warranty.
 
Thanks!

As it stands, I'm stable 1250mhz 1145mV, but the heat off the VRMs is insane, reaches 100 deg after 2 mins Valley bench. I'm hoping the Arctic Accelero can help to VASTLY improve temps, especially on the VRMs.
 
magoo said:
The glue that Arctic gives out with the Accelero is very good and comes off easily when you are done or need to RMA......you just have to follow the directions to a "T".
Click to expand...
Eh, can't say I'm a fan of the included thermal glue that Arctic uses. Looked like it was nice and secure, held for a few months, then one day I'm blowing out dust and three RAMsinks and one VRM heatsink fly off the card :eek:

magoo said:
Arctic epoxy is also very very good, but very very permanent
Click to expand...
Yup, that's what I used to replace the failed Arctic thermal adhesive. Just make sure you get "Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive," NOT "Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive"

The silver version is electrically conductive, Alumina is ceramic-based so it's safe to use on bare chips and in tight spaces where it might bridge connections.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top