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Re: the subject.
I've been wanting to get a new cooler for my eVGA N584 for ages..It just is too loud over my system, even w/ all fans turned up (250mm side, 120mm back, 120mm front, in Armor stock; 2x120mm Delta M's on the rad; everything normally 7v'd for quietness though).
I've come up w/ a few choices, and I wanted to see what people have to say. Note: this card (+ entire system for that matter) in all likely hood will end up in a rebuild pseudo-HTPC in my living room in the coming months, as I plan on upgrading to a Q6600 system soon...
1. AC's Accelero S1 - $29 - Lots of surface area, decent weight (290g +/-) - fins aluminum, ability to slap a 120mm, dual 92mm, etc on it. They apparently have a 'Turbo Cool' module, but I'd rather zip-tie something on...I have to have some sort of ghetto rigging somewhere. Seems to cool decently passively, performance increases greatly with some form of active cooling (duh
).
2. Thermalright's new V2 cooler - $35 - ALL copper goodness, same weight as S1 (290g), more compact (should fit smaller cases). Can use up to 92mm(x25) fans, although I imagine it wouldn't be too hard again to shoehorn a 120mm on there.
3. Add a GPU block to my loop. Probably Swiftech's MCW60, since that's what I currently run my rig on...Cost: ~$40 for the block, another ~$10-20 for ramsinks, not that they'll help.
4......Any other ideas for something under ~$40 range (+/- a bit)? Not really interested in the Zalman's, although I understand they have a couple new coolers coming soon. The VF10000 (or w/e it is) looks like it could be a worthy contender.
A few more notes. I like upward compatibility; so the waterblock has got an edge here. I can currently use it on up to the G80, likely more since all it would need is a new adapter plate for newer stuff. But with my case setup, I'm certainly not starved for airflow - air cooling the card would be fine. Also, like I noted earlier, the 7900 will probably end up in an HTPC rig once I go QC, so on that note air cooling gets a nod. Also, the size of the AC for example isn't really an issue, note I said "pseudo' HTPC - I will in all likely hood go w/ a small tower, ie: Lian-Li PC60 or similar..Most current HTPCs don't do it for me - for one thing, they pretty much MUST have 120mm front and/or rear. But I digress..
If I went water now, I'd either have to remount the stock cooler later, or get a cooler for the rebuild then...Either way really. Also, I'm not sure my current 2x120 setup would handle a Q6600 (o/c'd of course!) and ~G90 (sorry ATI but 2 furnaces in one rig is too much)...Wouldn't be too hard to add a secondary 1x120 or something tho.
Last: debating whether or not to void my eVGA warranty during all this too (ie: not sure if either air choice would cope well, water of course would)...Always had the itch to do the paint volt mod, but didn't since I had 2 crappy cards, and lost interest since. Then again given my luck with 7900s, I am hesitant to do so, since that would kill any RMA possibility for me (hey I went w/ them pretty much due to their warranty).
I've been wanting to get a new cooler for my eVGA N584 for ages..It just is too loud over my system, even w/ all fans turned up (250mm side, 120mm back, 120mm front, in Armor stock; 2x120mm Delta M's on the rad; everything normally 7v'd for quietness though).
I've come up w/ a few choices, and I wanted to see what people have to say. Note: this card (+ entire system for that matter) in all likely hood will end up in a rebuild pseudo-HTPC in my living room in the coming months, as I plan on upgrading to a Q6600 system soon...
1. AC's Accelero S1 - $29 - Lots of surface area, decent weight (290g +/-) - fins aluminum, ability to slap a 120mm, dual 92mm, etc on it. They apparently have a 'Turbo Cool' module, but I'd rather zip-tie something on...I have to have some sort of ghetto rigging somewhere. Seems to cool decently passively, performance increases greatly with some form of active cooling (duh
).2. Thermalright's new V2 cooler - $35 - ALL copper goodness, same weight as S1 (290g), more compact (should fit smaller cases). Can use up to 92mm(x25) fans, although I imagine it wouldn't be too hard again to shoehorn a 120mm on there.
3. Add a GPU block to my loop. Probably Swiftech's MCW60, since that's what I currently run my rig on...Cost: ~$40 for the block, another ~$10-20 for ramsinks, not that they'll help.
4......Any other ideas for something under ~$40 range (+/- a bit)? Not really interested in the Zalman's, although I understand they have a couple new coolers coming soon. The VF10000 (or w/e it is) looks like it could be a worthy contender.
A few more notes. I like upward compatibility; so the waterblock has got an edge here. I can currently use it on up to the G80, likely more since all it would need is a new adapter plate for newer stuff. But with my case setup, I'm certainly not starved for airflow - air cooling the card would be fine. Also, like I noted earlier, the 7900 will probably end up in an HTPC rig once I go QC, so on that note air cooling gets a nod. Also, the size of the AC for example isn't really an issue, note I said "pseudo' HTPC - I will in all likely hood go w/ a small tower, ie: Lian-Li PC60 or similar..Most current HTPCs don't do it for me - for one thing, they pretty much MUST have 120mm front and/or rear. But I digress..
If I went water now, I'd either have to remount the stock cooler later, or get a cooler for the rebuild then...Either way really. Also, I'm not sure my current 2x120 setup would handle a Q6600 (o/c'd of course!) and ~G90 (sorry ATI but 2 furnaces in one rig is too much)...Wouldn't be too hard to add a secondary 1x120 or something tho.
Last: debating whether or not to void my eVGA warranty during all this too (ie: not sure if either air choice would cope well, water of course would)...Always had the itch to do the paint volt mod, but didn't since I had 2 crappy cards, and lost interest since. Then again given my luck with 7900s, I am hesitant to do so, since that would kill any RMA possibility for me (hey I went w/ them pretty much due to their warranty).