What heatsinks with a GTX 260?

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Monkeypillow

Gawd
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Aug 30, 2006
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I have 2 new GTX 260s that I need to cool, but aside from the GPU itself, I don't know what I need to cool these things.

Out of all of this, what should I buy and how many?
 
Also, does anyone have a picture of a bare 55nm GTX 260?

I'm talking with Gary from Sidewinder Computers and he's helping sort out issues I'm having with heatsinks.

http://www.thetechlounge.com/news/13397/Naked-Bare-Nubile-55nm-GTX-260216-Pixellated/
How would I find out which card and which board revision I have so that I can order the proper type and number of heatsinks? Is thee a way to tell if I have the 55 or 65nm version? These are EVGA core 216 GTX 260s that I bought from Dell during their recent sale.
 
Monkey ive got a 55nm XFX 260... I got the eznotech copper ramsinks, make sure if you do order them you get the 7.5 gram ones not the 4.5. I think theres really only two options those or swiftech as far as quality ones.

http://www.jab-tech.com/Enzotech-Forged-Copper-VGA-Memory-Heatsink-BMR-C1-pr-3724.html - Ramsinks

http://www.jab-tech.com/Swiftech-MCW60-R-VGA-cooler-Rev-2-pr-4271.html - Water block

Those should work fine with the 260 the ramsinks fit right on top of the BGA chips from pictures ive seen. Ill have my setup up by sunday probably... Just have to finish school BS
 
Ogre67 said:
Monkey ive got a 55nm XFX 260... I got the eznotech copper ramsinks, make sure if you do order them you get the 7.5 gram ones not the 4.5. I think theres really only two options those or swiftech as far as quality ones.

http://www.jab-tech.com/Enzotech-Forged-Copper-VGA-Memory-Heatsink-BMR-C1-pr-3724.html - Ramsinks

http://www.jab-tech.com/Swiftech-MCW60-R-VGA-cooler-Rev-2-pr-4271.html - Water block

Those should work fine with the 260 the ramsinks fit right on top of the BGA chips from pictures ive seen. Ill have my setup up by sunday probably... Just have to finish school BS
Click to expand...

Nifty. Are the RAM chips all that I need to worry about cooling? It looks as if each card has 14, so I assume I'll need 4 packs?
 
Monkeypillow said:
Nifty. Are the RAM chips all that I need to worry about cooling? It looks as if each card has 14, so I assume I'll need 4 packs?
Click to expand...

Actually, if you are using the swiftech mcw 60 you are going to need the low profile ram sinks, otherwise the tubbing is so close it absurd...

And you need like 16 actually.. Didnt find out this till to late myself, the 65nm had the backplate which cooled the ram so I thought one package would be enough.. So you need minimum 14 for the ram, 2 more for other spots on the card and I bought some small heatsinks for the rest of the card.

So you need minimum 1 pack of the high profile, 1 pack of low profile to cool a card.

Also I am not sure if other blocks are better but im really not happy with the MCW 60 by swiftech and the design. Im going to have to go get some really thin metal ties to get them in there to be really safe and secure... Other plastic ones are just to thick.

I think overall im going to switch to metal screw ties instead of the plastic ones... Not because the plastic are not good, I think they rock, but they are too think and sometimes hard to get them really tight because of their design and close quaters.
 
Ogre67 said:
Actually, if you are using the swiftech mcw 60 you are going to need the low profile ram sinks, otherwise the tubbing is so close it absurd...

And you need like 16 actually.. Didnt find out this till to late myself, the 65nm had the backplate which cooled the ram so I thought one package would be enough.. So you need minimum 14 for the ram, 2 more for other spots on the card and I bought some small heatsinks for the rest of the card.

So you need minimum 1 pack of the high profile, 1 pack of low profile to cool a card.

Also I am not sure if other blocks are better but im really not happy with the MCW 60 by swiftech and the design. Im going to have to go get some really thin metal ties to get them in there to be really safe and secure... Other plastic ones are just to thick.

I think overall im going to switch to metal screw ties instead of the plastic ones... Not because the plastic are not good, I think they rock, but they are too think and sometimes hard to get them really tight because of their design and close quaters.
Click to expand...

Well, I wish I'd known that beforehand. It's not that big of a deal. If my stuff won't fit, I can get a pack of low profile heatsinks later. I would think that one pack would be enough for both cards as you'd only need two for each RAM chip that's in front of the fittings.
 
Monkeypillow said:
Well, I wish I'd known that beforehand. It's not that big of a deal. If my stuff won't fit, I can get a pack of low profile heatsinks later. I would think that one pack would be enough for both cards as you'd only need two for each RAM chip that's in front of the fittings.
Click to expand...

Ya if you are doing 2 cards youll be fine with one low profile pack.. I went with my original pack and ordered in a low profile pack so they will be mismatched but ohh well.
 
You'll also need enough airflow (or an extra fan) blowing over those heatsinks. And, as people have pointed out, you need heatsinks on both sides...

All this hassle is why some people just get full cover waterblocks and never worry about heatsinks or airflow. I also had the MCW60 and hated the hassle. Sure, for the people into absolute performance it might make the GPU core 1c cooler, but then you have everything else to worry about. If you're not into that, consider full cover waterblocks and be done with it.
 
I want the GPU only block simply for the ability to upgrade cards later, and not be stuck with a couple of $120 paperweights.

Plus, it's a little late for that suggestion. The backside doesn't need to be cooled, as I have the 55nm revision.
 
echn111 said:
You'll also need enough airflow (or an extra fan) blowing over those heatsinks. And, as people have pointed out, you need heatsinks on both sides...

All this hassle is why some people just get full cover waterblocks and never worry about heatsinks or airflow. I also had the MCW60 and hated the hassle. Sure, for the people into absolute performance it might make the GPU core 1c cooler, but then you have everything else to worry about. If you're not into that, consider full cover waterblocks and be done with it.
Click to expand...

See I think this is bad advice, especially when alot of the new full coverage blocks dont even fit the 55nm 260's. When you get down to it total cost for block + ramsinks on mine was right around 60 ish, getting close to full coverage, but when the next GPU comes around I can just switch it over. Full coverage blocks this is not the case and by the time you want to switch the card and the block are worthless. However I will say if youve got money to burn and cost really isnt a issue the full coverage block will be the winner, but suffers from all the things I listed above.
 
Ogre67 said:
See I think this is bad advice, especially when alot of the new full coverage blocks dont even fit the 55nm 260's. When you get down to it total cost for block + ramsinks on mine was right around 60 ish, getting close to full coverage, but when the next GPU comes around I can just switch it over. Full coverage blocks this is not the case and by the time you want to switch the card and the block are worthless. However I will say if youve got money to burn and cost really isnt a issue the full coverage block will be the winner, but suffers from all the things I listed above.
Click to expand...

Different people have different priorities and requirements.

You are correct if your main priority is pure cost-efficiency. However, if that was the top priority, I would argue that air cooling is the most appropriate option as it is, by far, the most cost-efficient cooling system.

Other people hate messing around gluing a couple dozen metal heatsinks. Some don't like the looks. For others the main priority is silent computing, and having to provide enough case airflow using fans to cool those heatsinks defeats the purpose of watercooling for silence. To each, their own.
 
So far, I've done this to one board.
GTXColors.jpg


Red dot = BMR-C1 http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/enbmfocobgar.html
Blue dot = MOS-C1 http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/enmofocomohe.html
Green dot = I don't know what to put here. It does need cooling, though -- there were thermal pads on the stock heatsink for them.

To be perfectly honest, I don't really know what these components are for the most part, I just tried to provide cooling for the components that were cooled by the stock heatsink with an adequately sized heatsink.

What should I use for those two components I have marked with green dots?
 
Ogre67 said:
Actually, if you are using the swiftech mcw 60 you are going to need the low profile ram sinks, otherwise the tubbing is so close it absurd...

And you need like 16 actually.. Didnt find out this till to late myself, the 65nm had the backplate which cooled the ram so I thought one package would be enough.. So you need minimum 14 for the ram, 2 more for other spots on the card and I bought some small heatsinks for the rest of the card.

So you need minimum 1 pack of the high profile, 1 pack of low profile to cool a card.

Also I am not sure if other blocks are better but im really not happy with the MCW 60 by swiftech and the design. Im going to have to go get some really thin metal ties to get them in there to be really safe and secure... Other plastic ones are just to thick.

I think overall im going to switch to metal screw ties instead of the plastic ones... Not because the plastic are not good, I think they rock, but they are too think and sometimes hard to get them really tight because of their design and close quaters.
Click to expand...

What did you end up putting where? I'm not sure where you're getting 16 from -- where are those 2 other spots on the card?

Also, bump.
 
Ok just got mine setup (for good this time).. Ok heres what I used all in all and had 4 heatsinks left (low profile)

On the top 4 i used low profile, but for two of them you MUST use the low profile or the tubing wont fit (MCW60 with 3/4 OD tubing) If you put the full size there it will not work with that tubing size. The tubes actually touch the low profile still.

Ok so in that pic everywhere that has a red dot got a ram sink. Since I had extra I used the normal ramsinks on those clusters of blues on the right hand side and the mosfet coolers on the one where the normal heatsinks wouldent fit on the blue. I didnt cool the greens tho, but I guess if they are actually sometime I could put some more on.. On the left hand side near that blue I put a mosfet on all of those since they looked similiar and I had the extra. All in all I used over 16 heatsinks... 1 low profile 2 reg and mosfet (expensive after all) and I used all except 4 of the low profiles and I think I pretty much got the whole card. I meant to take a pic for ya monkey but i forgot till it was already in the computer. Minimum youd need 16 for the 15 reds and 1 blue from what I understand and peeps like to put more on the other pieces as well.

Also if you read my other thread about the mcw60 and bad temps, there were some plastic spacers on the install that I ended up ditching... The waterblock was getting contact just not enough to properly cool.. .Went from 50 ish idle with having to stop it during load (otherwise going over 80) to 35 idle 45 load on the GTX 260... I remounted that waterblock 5 times before I took out those spacers so I dunno if the 55nm are thicker by a mm or so thats preventing the proper contact or what. this was with the "kit" for the gtx260/280 cards from swiftech too.
 
Ogre67 said:
Ok just got mine setup (for good this time).. Ok heres what I used all in all and had 4 heatsinks left (low profile)

On the top 4 i used low profile, but for two of them you MUST use the low profile or the tubing wont fit (MCW60 with 3/4 OD tubing) If you put the full size there it will not work with that tubing size. The tubes actually touch the low profile still.

Ok so in that pic everywhere that has a red dot got a ram sink. Since I had extra I used the normal ramsinks on those clusters of blues on the right hand side and the mosfet coolers on the one where the normal heatsinks wouldent fit on the blue. I didnt cool the greens tho, but I guess if they are actually sometime I could put some more on.. On the left hand side near that blue I put a mosfet on all of those since they looked similiar and I had the extra. All in all I used over 16 heatsinks... 1 low profile 2 reg and mosfet (expensive after all) and I used all except 4 of the low profiles and I think I pretty much got the whole card. I meant to take a pic for ya monkey but i forgot till it was already in the computer. Minimum youd need 16 for the 15 reds and 1 blue from what I understand and peeps like to put more on the other pieces as well.

Also if you read my other thread about the mcw60 and bad temps, there were some plastic spacers on the install that I ended up ditching... The waterblock was getting contact just not enough to properly cool.. .Went from 50 ish idle with having to stop it during load (otherwise going over 80) to 35 idle 45 load on the GTX 260... I remounted that waterblock 5 times before I took out those spacers so I dunno if the 55nm are thicker by a mm or so thats preventing the proper contact or what. this was with the "kit" for the gtx260/280 cards from swiftech too.
Click to expand...

I'm not entirely sure of what you're saying about the components that I labeled with a green dot.

I tried fitting ramsinks on the mosfets, but it wouldn't cover all three in a cluster, one was always half exposed. Plus, it wouldn't be in a grid formation, and I like uniformity :p.

I'm still having trouble seeing how you only used 16 heatsinks consideing you cooled almost everything the original heatsink covered. It sounds like you're saying you wouldn't have to cool those mosfets, but I'd think you would, given that the stock HS did.

I've only got 5/8"OD tubing, and the regular ramsinks won't work. I'm holding off on applying anything to that entire row since I don't know what I'll end up doing for fittings. Those plastic barbs are kinda flimsy, and they'd make running tubing between two cards awkward, so I'm going to see if there's not a way to get my compression fittings on there.

Edit: I didn't have any problems with the nylon spacers. In fact, I still had some threads from the screws showing. Is there not a backplate with this block? I swear I'm seeing my board flex, but it might just be me assuming the worst.
 
Monkeypillow said:
I'm not entirely sure of what you're saying about the components that I labeled with a green dot.

I tried fitting ramsinks on the mosfets, but it wouldn't cover all three in a cluster, one was always half exposed. Plus, it wouldn't be in a grid formation, and I like uniformity :p.

I'm still having trouble seeing how you only used 16 heatsinks consideing you cooled almost everything the original heatsink covered. It sounds like you're saying you wouldn't have to cool those mosfets, but I'd think you would, given that the stock HS did.

I've only got 5/8"OD tubing, and the regular ramsinks won't work. I'm holding off on applying anything to that entire row since I don't know what I'll end up doing for fittings. Those plastic barbs are kinda flimsy, and they'd make running tubing between two cards awkward, so I'm going to see if there's not a way to get my compression fittings on there.

Edit: I didn't have any problems with the nylon spacers. In fact, I still had some threads from the screws showing. Is there not a backplate with this block? I swear I'm seeing my board flex, but it might just be me assuming the worst.
Click to expand...

Well im saying minimum youd need 15 (16 if you count the lower blue dot in your pic) to cover all 14 ram chips and the other red dot (dunno what it is but runs hotter than any of the ram chips by feel of the ramsink).. I used 20 total of the normal sized ones and some mosfet heatsinks as well to get everything covered.

The things that are blue dot marked on the right hand side I used the regular sized heatsinks to cool 2 at a time... There are 5 groups of 2 that you can do that way... the other one I put a mosfet heatsink on.

For the ones labeled with the green dots, ive never seen pics of people cooling those and didnt put sinks on mine so dunno. Just was thinking i migh put those extras I have on there.

The nylon spacers werent keeping me from screwing the block down, plenty of thread was showing, it was keeping me from getting the block to contact all the way to the gpu because the nylon spacers were stopping it from touching... Also about the flex, be really careful how tight you screw it down, the first time I ever put the block on I was over zealous and really flexed the card a lot... I had it in the case and looked and thought WTF!!... if you loosen it a bit the flex will decrease. Im not saying having it loose, just hand tighten it down plus may half a turn with some pliers and thats it. The nylon spacers wont stop you from tightening those screws more, it will just start causing the card to flex instead, thats how I flexed mine to begin with.

Ocing my 260 right now and gettin some good results... at 800 core 1600 shader 1200 mem and solid. So pretty happy.
 
I'm not touching it with pliers. If I were to tighten it by hand until it stopped turning without much force, would that be enough.
 
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