Non-Reference Coolers slow to market

Hauk

Platinum Member
Nov 22, 2001
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The latest GPUs ship with nearly inadequate reference coolers. Nothing new there.. but it remains a "hot" topic regardless. ;)

Why does it take so long for board partners to incorporate better cooling designs? Are they bound to reference design for a certain time? Are they in bed with aftermarket cooler manufacturers? Is it all about profit, knowing the product is new and will sell regardless? Why does it take so long to introduce non-reference designs?

The quickest response I've seen seems to have come with the 4850/4870 series. Several vendors already have non-reference designs hitting the market:


PowerColor HD 4870

MSI HD 4850

Sapphire HD 4850



Prior to this, board partner response has been slow. Sure, not everyone is buying the latest and greatest; but those who are should be caterted to as well!

IMO, it's a way to keep older product selling. Look at some of these coolers now available on our favored cards of yesterday. Who'd not have jumped on one of these things?


Front Page News on Asus Website.. the V-Cool series coolers

Asus 3870 X2

Asus 9600 GT Passive

MSI 8800 GT

EVGA 8800 GT

Visiontek 3870

HIS 3870

Asus 3650

Asus 8400 GS

 

AmberClad

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
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Originally posted by: SteelSix
Why does it take so long for board partners to incorporate better cooling designs? Are they bound to reference design for a certain time? Are they in bed with aftermarket cooler manufacturers? Is it all about profit, knowing the product is new and will sell regardless? Why does it take so long to introduce non-reference designs?
As far as I know, this is correct answer. It's so that AMD or Nvidia can eke out more profit by selling whole reference cards to their partners, instead of selling them the GPUs and allowing them to make their own cards.
 

Krynj

Platinum Member
Jun 21, 2006
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I hardly consider the stock cooler for my HIS HD4870 to be "nearly inadequate". I consider it to be quite the contrary. Might there be a cooler than performs better? Possibly. But, what, maybe a few degrees? When the stock cooler keeps the temps well within a very reasonable level, I see no reason right now to even consider a new cooler. Upping the fan speed through CCC profiles helps tremendously. Matured drivers will make controlling fan speed much easier I'm sure.

http://i23.photobucket.com/alb...uscakemix/cardtemp.jpg

Idling at 40% fan speed. Almost inaudible.
 

Hauk

Platinum Member
Nov 22, 2001
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Originally posted by: FetusCakeMix
I hardly consider the default cooler for my HIS HD4870 to be "nearly inadequate". I consider it to be quite the contrary.

http://i23.photobucket.com/alb...uscakemix/cardtemp.jpg

Idling at 40% fan speed. Almost inaudible.

Granted, some reference designs work well with appropriate fan speed settings and a roomy, well ventillated case. Nice case by the way.. ;)

nVidia has also done a decent job as of late with the G92 dual slots and GT200 series coolers.

 

Krynj

Platinum Member
Jun 21, 2006
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Thanks. I am quite sure this air-tunnel of a case helps keep the GPU cool. I fall in love with it more and more every time my head turns slightly to the right.