Should I upgrade my Apogee GT?

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prasvt

Gawd
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Dec 8, 2005
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Hey guys..so I have the Swiftech Kit in my sig. With my Q6700 @ 3.6ghz, it's worked great. But now I'm running a Q9650 @ 4.2ghz, and idle temps tend to be a bit high - 50 50 39 39 idle (yah i know, freaky cores 0 1 / 2 3 temp split).

I was just wondering if it would be worth it to upgrade the waterblock to something new like a GTZ or other blocks that may be good.

As an FYI about my setup, the pump and res sit next to each other in the 5.25 bay area and the 3x120mm radiator is mounted to the ceiling of my Cosmos S. Case temps tend to be quite cool for the most part, and the cpu is the only chip in the loop (no gpu or chipset).

It just feels like the GT may be a bit overwhelmed.

Anyway any suggestions would be great.
 
the gtz is probably a better block, but if you were looking to save a little cash, the xspc x20 extreme was very competitive with the swiftech gtx.
 
Slightly OT, but do the cores read closer in temperature under load? Tjunctions that won't read properly at idle are pretty common on that chip series. Intel only uses Tjunction to determine when the chip throttles itself, so that makes sense. A properly calibrated Tcase reading will give you a more accurate idle temp on a Q9650.
 
No, cores 0,1 are always 10C higher than cores 2,3 . I've read of other Q9650 owners with the same weird chips. I can't tell if it's a sensor issue or just the chips themselves. And how would I properly calibrate the TCase reading?

As for the waterblock ...keep in mind that I'm still a relative newb in terms of knowing what's good and what isn't in the WC world.

So if you guys think there'd be a significant improvement in temps, it may be worth it.
 
I have just replaced my Swiftech GTX with a GTZ.

They are exactly the same size, but unscientifically, it appears to my eye that the GTZ has a bit more substance to the block.
The flow through the block is faster.
Now as far as temperature goes, I used the GTX on a Q6600 and I now have the GTZ on an i7......so I can't do a direct comparison; but the i7 runs very cool.

Used GTX anyone??
 
I'll read through it, Jeremy - thanks!

Magoo - well I'm guessing the GTX and GTZ are both better than the GT <- it appears this one is almost 2 years old? I bought the Apex GT kit so this was the block it came with. Aside from replacing the rad, the res and pump are quite good.

So aside from Swiftech, what are the other high performing socket 775 blocks?
 
Your title about changing out the Apogee GT WB really caught my eye. Like all CPU cooling alternatives (air included) it depends on many factors. Factors like CPU OC', pump (or in the case of air cooling, the airflow to the CPU HSF's and the case fans), what you do with your boxen (as in how much load you put on your system and for how long at a time), how many other restrictions are in your system (or in the case of air, case cooling fan size and placement (in other words, your case air flow), what your normal ambient is, placement of the rads, etc. :)

At present I have 2x Q6600's stock OC' . They both DC 24/7. They both have Apogee GT's, MCP350's and MCR220's. The rads have two high speed Yate Loon fans pulling under a Sunbeam fan controller. My ambient temperature reading by two indoor/outdoor thermometers (nothin' like a little redundancy :rolleyes:) are about 21c to 23c's Both these boxen use the GPU2 clent on core #3 and the WCG client on cores #0, #1 and #2 ;) My temps on both boxen never get any higher than 40c no matter what. My core temps are all within 3 degrees of each other.
So in the long run, IMHO, if you're not into doing some serious OC'ing, you don't live in the desert and your rads aren't under a blanket or in a drawer somewhere it'd be a waste of time, $ and hassle to switch out WB's.

Before any super duper geek gets their shorts in a twist, I'll grant you that switching blocks would maybe/probably reduce the OP's temps 2c or 3c's, but if you're not into all the things I mentioned above "who gives a shite" If your temps are under 50c's (at the hottest reading, for 24/7) and you don't have other restrictions in the loop (such as GPU WB'c, chipset WB's, etc) Besides most people, myself included, are studying ways to cool the new 130w I7's :D You could also use the money, IMO, you flushed for a new block and the other stuff nesseccary to switch blocks (sometimes clamps, barbs, TIM, distilled water, etc) for some other upgrade like a better pump, a bigger rad (good for expansion or adding more blocks, etc), better fans or if you already have good fans a blingy "top flight"" fan controller, etc. :D

OH yeah I just remembered. I was doing a lot of SMPing 24/7 before I got a CUDA capable vga card and before I was introduced to WCG. Both my quads were OC'ed to 3.0 Ghz (9x333) on stock vcore. I can't remember ever having any temp issues and believe you me, I can be "temp anal" to the max sometimes :rolleyes:

DCing for the CURE
 
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