ASUS STRIX GTX 970 - worth it to buy full cover waterblock?

[velis]

I can see that stock cooler only cools the GPU, there's no contact with VRM or RAM.

Exactly what would I gain if I cooled VRM + RAM as well as the GPU (80EUR) vs GPU only (49 EUR)?
http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist?gpu_gpus=1527

 

[Spanners]

I don't think it's worth it. You can add voltage but I think you'll be TDP limited in most cases. Unless you use a modded Bios I doubt you'll gain much from stock cooling. Even then I personally don't think the gains justify the expense/time/risk. Just my boring opinion though

 

[velis]

Yeah, I've seen tests of these cards. Usually it's not the temps, but wattage that throttles them.

TBH, this card never raises a peep, even under full tilt of FurMark. I'm seriously thinking about ditching water and just going for some nice air combo. Would even keep the warranty dooing so...

 

[RussianSensation]

Waste of $. GM204 after-market cards like Strix already run cool and quiet. If you want to spend $, get a 2nd 970.

 

[cytoSiN]

Waste of $. GM204 after-market cards like Strix already run cool and quiet. If you want to spend $, get a 2nd 970.

+1!

 

[Subyman]

Water blocks are never worth the money for price/perf. I you like to tinker and want lower noise then they are really fun.

 

[Madpacket]

The Strix runs very cool and quiet, even over clocked. No real gains with water cooling. My issue with this card is the VRM noise, it's much louder than the actual fans.

 

[velis]

I have heard no VRM noise.

I have however heard its fans for the first time today when I was playing Witcher 2 without headphones on. It wasn't loud, but it was audible. A bit like all the other fans on my WC radiators when they ramp up to 100% (they don't often). Of course, this immediately put me back on track for a WC solution.

So basically I'm now hanging between two approximately equally expensive options:
1. WC: 50 - 80 EUR depending on block chosen.
2. Air: 40 for case + 40 for custom CPU cooler. I have to change the case because the card is too high for my GD05 with its cooler. Any WC block would be low enough. Cutting the top plate would be too extensive for the structure to hold on existing case.

 

[velis]

One more observation regarding this card:
It has 1x 8 pin PciE power connector instead of 2x 6 pin as is "standard" for GTX 970.

However, there doesn't seem to be any change in behaviour whether 6 pin or 8 pin is connected to the connector.

Today I've been playing with overclocking settings and have set it to 115% power and 1500 MHz boost. Initially the card was powered by 6pin to 8pin adapter from my PSU, but later I tried out just the 6 pin as that's the only connector my PSU has. There was no change.

Just thought to mention this as I found no information about it on the internet. I even waited for nearly a month for the 8pin adapter to arrive. How silly of me

 

[cytoSiN]

One more observation regarding this card:
It has 1x 8 pin PciE power connector instead of 2x 6 pin as is "standard" for GTX 970.

However, there doesn't seem to be any change in behaviour whether 6 pin or 8 pin is connected to the connector.

Today I've been playing with overclocking settings and have set it to 115% power and 1500 MHz boost. Initially the card was powered by 6pin to 8pin adapter from my PSU, but later I tried out just the 6 pin as that's the only connector my PSU has. There was no change.

Just thought to mention this as I found no information about it on the internet. I even waited for nearly a month for the 8pin adapter to arrive. How silly of me

Interesting, but since those are grounds, you should probably use the 8pin.

 

[thilanliyan]

Today I've been playing with overclocking settings and have set it to 115% power and 1500 MHz boost. Initially the card was powered by 6pin to 8pin adapter from my PSU, but later I tried out just the 6 pin as that's the only connector my PSU has. There was no change.

I believe that's because the 2 extra pins are only ground. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[cytoSiN]

I believe that's because the 2 extra pins are only ground. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Yup, looks like it.

 

[velis]

Yes, the pins are only grounds, but they are there because of spec: the 6-pin is only meant to deliver 75W, while the 8 pin is specced for 150W. So those grounds are there to tell the card that it can suck 150W. I would expect it to complain if they aren't there.
Of course, my PSU can deliver 18A on that cable + supposedly more (power sharing in case of overload), so it doesn't matter to it whether there are 6 pins or 8, but the card has no way of knowing that. I suppose its electronics is made up so that it simply doesn't care.

 

[Magic Carpet]

My issue with this card is the VRM noise, it's much louder than the actual fans.

I have heard no VRM noise.

This is a problem with high on power electronics. Even my fanless Seasonic PSU has some electrical noise under load. They all emit "sound". Consider yourself lucky, if you don't hear anything.

 

[velis]

Well, by now I have also heard the coil noise. It's pretty quiet though.

Anyway, as for cooling solution, I decided to go for a compromise solution:

I just ordered this. It provides plenty of space to cool my CPU (I already have all the blocks needed ) It was a bit over 70 EUR, so that should say something about my (ir)rationality when making such purchases }))

But, it also provides plenty of space for the graphics card and sound dampening. Presumably this will be enough for me to not even want to cool the STRIX with water. However, if I at some point DO decide to do it, its right side provides plenty of playground for mounting a few radiators