Thinking about replacing my stock 8800GTX coolers

[mrblotto]

Hello all,
Been a while since I posted in this area, but with y'alls help before, my system is running faster and cooler. Thanx again!

Ok then,
I'm wondering if I may achieve a cooler vid card by replacing the stock ones with the Zalman VF1000 (as well as the ZM-RHS88 heat sinks.....uhhhh....as well....lol).

But my major concern is this: The stock coolers are 'encased' in a shroud, thus there is only one place for the warm air to go-out the exhaust vent to the outside of the machine. The VF1000 has no such 'directional exhaust'.

I've read a few reviews on them. One of the 'cons' is that these can be noisy (being a relative term I'm sure). I am not really looking for silence anyhow, so that is not really a concern.

There you have it sportsfans. As always, thank you all for your comments and opinions! Lemme know if you need any more info!

blah-toe

 

[eklock2000]

...Stock Coolers (plural, meaning SLI?). Forget it, if so, Zalman VF1000 duzn't work with SLI, blocks the bridge.

EK2K

 

[mrblotto]

The bridge? Oh, you mean the SLI connector bridge thingy. Hmmmmm......I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Originally posted by: eklock2000
...Stock Coolers (plural, meaning SLI?). Forget it, if so, Zalman VF1000 duzn't work with SLI, blocks the bridge.

EK2K

It does?

Proof?

 

[jonmcc33]

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster

Originally posted by: eklock2000
...Stock Coolers (plural, meaning SLI?). Forget it, if so, Zalman VF1000 duzn't work with SLI, blocks the bridge.

EK2K

It does?

Proof?

Looks like it will to me...

http://www.techpowerup.com/rev...an/ZM-VF1000LED/3.html

 

[Sheninat0r]

If you can get a ribbon SLi connector instead of a stiff one, you'd be fine with the VF1000s... I saw it in a review somewhere, but I'm too lazy to find it

 

[jonmcc33]

Originally posted by: Sheninat0r
If you can get a ribbon SLi connector instead of a stiff one, you'd be fine with the VF1000s... I saw it in a review somewhere, but I'm too lazy to find it

It would have to go quite high above that heatpipe and the ribbon connectors are L angled. I don't see it working...

 

[mrblotto]

I do have the ribbon/bendy type connector. I sent an email to the author in the link above as well. I do see it mentioned in the review:

"...(the normal screw option is needed if you have a CrossFire or SLI setup because the thumbs screws take up some room on the back of the card)..."

 

[jonmcc33]

I think the heatpipes would cause the problem if anything. Look at the pictures. It would be a very awkward bend and I think the ribbon would touch the heatpipe AFAIK. Wouldn't that melt the ribbon?

 

[mrblotto]

*goes off to write an email to Zalman*. I saw also that Thermaltake has a cooler that is compatible as well (TMG ND5 CL-G0099). It does have a shroud, so the hot air will get forced out the back of the machine........hmmmmmmm

Edit:

Searched the Zalman FAQ and stumbled across this: This concerns the 8800GTS but thats as close as I could find. I'll still send an email though.......Zalman's response does not fill me with confidence.....lol

Question (from 'Mo' on 9-29-07)
I have an EVGA 680i motherboard and 2 Geforce 8800GTSs in SLI and the top VF1000 blocks my SLi bridge (one of the heatpipes sticks out too far). Is this supposed to happen or not? And do you know of a solution? ASUS has a flexible SLi bridge but I don't know if its long enough for my EVGA motherboard.

Response: (10-09-07)
Hi, Mo!
Thank you for your interest in our products.
If you use the flexible SLI bridge, it should work.
Best regards,
Support / Zalman

 

[eklock2000]

Yeah, I was really anticipating this as my solution for aftermarket cooling on the 8800
GTX. I am also quite skilled with a dremel and was willing to "mod" the VF1000 until I saw the heatpipe right in the way. Suxors. I think I'm back to the HR-03 for now, cuz that can be used in SLI, if you've got serious room in your case.

Peace,

EK2K

 

[PCTC2]

Well, you can find 'long' Flexible SLI bridges from Asus on eBay for around 20-30 USD. and the GTX has two sli connectors so try both to see if it would fit.

 

[jonmcc33]

LOL @ Zalman "it should work". Remind me to never buy anymore Zalman products...

 

[mrblotto]

Originally posted by: jonmcc33
LOL @ Zalman "it should work". Remind me to never buy anymore Zalman products...

lol...yeah, that's what I thought too......

I sent an email yesterday (I think) to both Zalman and Thermaltake asking them about the SLi connectivity. Havent heard anything yet.

On a good note, when I emailed the author of the review a few posts above


http://www.techpowerup.com/rev...an/ZM-VF1000LED/3.html

I got a reply straight away. He pretty much said he didn't work with a SLi configuration and to please let him know Zalman's response.....

 

[mrblotto]

I read a couple reviews of the Thermaltake TMG ND5. In both reviews, the MAJOR con for this cooler was that the hot air exhaust gets blown BACK INTO THE COMPUTER CASE, not outside. That's right, the extremely hot air gets blown back into the computer case.....wtf? It's looking more and more like I'll just stick with the stock coolers.....lol.

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com...gpu-cooler-review.html

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Again -- I'm not inclined to promote my motherboard ducting enhancements -- but "it works for me." That gets the hot-air out the back of the case im-MED-iately.

It's too bad if there is a problem with the SLI bridge connector and the Zalman cooler. This is one way that the TR HR-03-Plus trumps the Zalman.

My ducted solution for the HR-03-Plus outperforms the Zalman cooler by about 2 to 3C, but I can imagine ducting the Zalman and getting a one-ups improvement.

On the SLI angle, I've had such good luck with my 8800 GTS -- now in the process of validating some over-clocks for it and flashing the VGA BIOS -- that I don't see the reason for SLI.

Yet, nVidia is promoting a three-VGA-card SLI configuration. But for the power-consumption, I just don't see the need -- personally -- anyway . . . . I'd be more inclined to use SLI with 8600 VGA cards. But why do that, when I have great performance with one 8800 GTS?

It's all about what you want, and whether you think the money spent and the trouble is worth the performance gains. I've heard IT people with sufficent career experience (I have my own, but watch what others are saying) -- remark that SLI sucks. I suppose I shouldn't advocate a position unless I've tried it. But as I said in the previous paragraphs . . .

 

[mrblotto]

If I had to do it all over again, I would've probably just stuck with the one GTX. I myself cannot see the need/reason for a 'Tri-SLi', that's going overboard IMO. But, I'll still look around and see if there's anything out there that can cool my cards better. Thanx for your input BonzaiDuck!

 

[BonzaiDuck]

As much as I'm of the opinion that Maximum PC Magazine has a lot of hype and reviews that favor manufacturers buying full-page advertisements, I continue to subscribe.

The issue that came in the mail today had a full-page Zalman ad promoting the VF-1000, and a very large color picture showing it installed on a VGA card.

I can see the SLI edge-connector on top of the card, and I find it difficult to believe that a flexible SLI-bridge-connector can't be made to span cards fitted with that cooler -- unless the PCI-E slots are too far apart.

 

[jonmcc33]

Originally posted by: mrblotto
I read a couple reviews of the Thermaltake TMG ND5. In both reviews, the MAJOR con for this cooler was that the hot air exhaust gets blown BACK INTO THE COMPUTER CASE, not outside. That's right, the extremely hot air gets blown back into the computer case.....wtf? It's looking more and more like I'll just stick with the stock coolers.....lol.

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com...gpu-cooler-review.html

Yeah, I don't know why today's hot video cards don't use DHES. I made sure to get an aftermarket cooler that used DHES for my X1900XT when I got the Thermaltake TMG-AT1.

 

[Deinonych]

Originally posted by: jonmcc33

Yeah, I don't know why today's hot video cards don't use DHES. I made sure to get an aftermarket cooler that used DHES for my X1900XT when I got the Thermaltake TMG-AT1.

What is DHES?

 

[Old Hippie]

Acronym Definition
DHES Department of Health and Environmental Sciences

That can't be it.

 

[jonmcc33]

Originally posted by: Deinonych

Originally posted by: jonmcc33

Yeah, I don't know why today's hot video cards don't use DHES. I made sure to get an aftermarket cooler that used DHES for my X1900XT when I got the Thermaltake TMG-AT1.

What is DHES?

...

Direct Heat Exhaust System

 

[Old Hippie]

Direct Heat Exhaust System

I see says the blind Old Hippie!

 

[BonzaiDuck]

As much as "DHES" is a very efficient removal of hot VGA exhaust, the stock coolers on VGA cards with this "slot-exhaust" design don't cool the GPU down as far as after-market coolers that don't depend on that kind of design -- provided that the warmed air STILL gets exhausted fairly quickly through some other means.