Is it worth buying an new cooler for a 7800GT?

[Bobthelost]

Would sticking an after market cooler, possibly the Zalman VF700 AlCU, onto the card provide me with any more leeway on overclocking? Or would i just end up with lower temps and a quieter GPU?

Examples welcomed.

 

[fbrdphreak]

The second option there.

You might gain a little OC, but I'd say only if you're seeing really high temps after only a little load.

 

[Bobthelost]

I ask now because i'm about to order the last bits for my computer tomorrow, then build it on tuesday. If i wait then i'll have to pay for more shipping, not to mention have to open up the case and try and find where i left my screwdriver set...

So one vote for minimal performance increase, but a notable noise/temp improvement.

 

[Wentelteefje]

Unless your card is running too hot (check this topic), it will not provide you with a significant higher overclock... You will gain some MHz's, no doubt, but it will not be that impressive... Mileages may vary of course, there are situations where aftermarket coolers do give you a much higher overclock...

It will, however, keep the card a lot cooler and will be a lot quieter too... Don't mention the reliability, because stock VGA coolers are unfortunately not quite build on longevity... I would replace it even if it weren't for the overclocks... Just to be sure...

BTW why not picking an AC NV Silencer...? I know, they might be a little more expensive, but they are very good too... The exhaust function of their coolers is a definite plus too...

 

[Fallengod]

Id say no personaly. Unless its just too hot. If youre overclocking, which is very pointless IMO, I guess you might want a custom cooler to help keep temps down.

My idle for my bfg 7800gt(which is Overclocked at stock), is 42C. Load is around 50C. Plenty cool for me.

 

[Bobthelost]

Are there any comparative reviews around of them going head to head?

 

[Wentelteefje]

If this is what you're talking about...

AT 7800GT Roundup: http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2636

PC Modding Malaysia: http://www.pcmoddingmy.com/content.php?review.313.0 (AC NV Silencer mounted on a overclocked XFX 7800GT)

EDIT:

Techgage: http://techgage.com/review.php?id=3576&page=1 (AC NV Silencer mounted on a 7800GT, and compared to water cooling)

 

[SergeC]

I have a VF700Cu on my 7800GT (XFX) - I got it for the relative silence and improved temps, rather than the overclocking aspect. Just the quietness is 100% worth it!

 

[Boris teh Spider]

Not to hijack, but I am wondering as well because my EVGA 7800GT CO @ 505/1115 reaches a max of 75C while playing fear which seems a little toasty. I was thinking about getting a NVSilencer, but taking the card apart seems a bit scary.

 

[Wentelteefje]

Actually, assembling such a cooler is a job that anyone can do... Check sites about it, you really can't miss... Disassembling your old cooler is in fact the hardest part of it...

75°C is indeed quite hot, it would prove useful to swap coolers... BTW that's a fairly nice overclock... For testing, F.E.A.R. is quite intensive, but something that's even more, is this RTHDRIBL... Check your temps after five minutes and tell them... In the meanwhile, I'll look up some sites that show the mounting in detail...

EDIT: This should be sufficient, I guess they took pictures every ten seconds to show the progress... By the way, it's the NV Silencer 5 Rev. 3 you should be getting, but probably you already knew that... Sorry then...

 

[Yreka]

Originally posted by: Boris teh Spider
Not to hijack, but I am wondering as well because my EVGA 7800GT CO @ 505/1115 reaches a max of 75C while playing fear which seems a little toasty. I was thinking about getting a NVSilencer, but taking the card apart seems a bit scary.

Its not that bad at all. Well, the CO is a little more tricky than the normal GT's but not too bad still.

I replaced my coolers with silencers to make the card(s) well.. silent. I didnt gain any OC, however it is alot quieter. It also dropped the operation temps of the cards about 5 degrees, and my case temps about 2 degrees.

 

[Boris teh Spider]

Thanks for the quick reply. I actually did try RTHDRIBL and reached a max of 77C after 10 minutes which was a bit too high so I am ordering the NVSilencer tonight.

 

[videopho]

Originally posted by: Boris teh Spider
Not to hijack, but I am wondering as well because my EVGA 7800GT CO @ 505/1115 reaches a max of 75C while playing fear which seems a little toasty. I was thinking about getting a NVSilencer, but taking the card apart seems a bit scary.

I've just posted elsewhere in this forum relatively the same subject. Anyway here I go again, it took about 30minutes including takeoff the existing cooler (5min), clean off some leftover thermal paste on top of the gpu and the surrounding GDDR3 memories (8 of them I think) and to install the new NV5, make sure you follow the its instruction very carefully since it's a bit tricky to follow, IMO. Otherwise it's not that difficult. Be sure to use coolbits or rivatuner to monitor temps on the video card. The temps on my 7800 Gt drops at least 8c-10c idle and as much as 15c in load. With NV5 in action, the highest temps I've seen in load (FEAR, HL2:LC) hovers around low 60c where it previously was mid 70c with stock cooler. So it's well worth it. See my sig for o/c speed.

 

[Yreka]

Here is a cool utility for monitoring temps.

Puts the temp in the systray, and has logging, 10min graph etc.

 

[ksherman]

Originally posted by: SergeC
I have a VF700Cu on my 7800GT (XFX) - I got it for the relative silence and improved temps, rather than the overclocking aspect. Just the quietness is 100% worth it!

I second that (though i am using a eVGA card) and the Zalman is amazingly unbelievable. I love it! I got it mostly for the quietness, as my computer is already virtually silent and the stock that came witht he 7800GT was a little bit too noisy for my tastes...

 

[Boris teh Spider]

After looking at that guide, and then looking at the 7800GT, I noticed the GT doesn't have that memory plate on the back. I am assuming you would just install the HSF without the metal plate thing on the back then?

 

[Yreka]

right, the plate is for the GTX

 

[killershroom1985]

Originally posted by: Wentelteefje
For testing, F.E.A.R. is quite intensive, but something that's even more, is this RTHDRIBL... Check your temps after five minutes and tell them... In the meanwhile, I'll look up some sites that show the mounting in detail...

Holy damn , this thing got me up to 76 and something started beeping on my motherboard....shut the program down :Q

 

[tommy2q]

my computer is almost silent and i want the quietest cooler for my xfx 7800gt. does anyone know which cooler is quieter? the ZALMAN VF700-CU 2 or the ARCTIC COOLING AVC-NV5R3 NV Silencer Rev.3 .
or is there something else better?