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Zalman VF1000 VGA Cooler is Available

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Has there been a published test to measure the impact on CPU temperature of the stock 8800 cooler versus the "internal" type such as the HR-03+ ?

I know it would depend on board/case/fan layout, but still, there has to be an impact on the CPU temperature by not exhausting the 8800 air outside directly.

 
Originally posted by: Stefx
Has there been a published test to measure the impact on CPU temperature of the stock 8800 cooler versus the "internal" type such as the HR-03+ ?

I know it would depend on board/case/fan layout, but still, there has to be an impact on the CPU temperature by not exhausting the 8800 air outside directly.
Click to expand...

First of all, the stock coolers puke hot air out into the case more than they push any out the back.

Second of all, this isn't a problem unless you already have case ventilation issues.
 
I'm the nutcase for air-cooling. But you don't need a PCI-slot exhaust to get "VGA air" out of the case fast without mixing with the other case-interior air.

The difference between copper and aluminum may be mostly weight, but remember that even the HR-03-Plus has a nickel-plated copper heatsink, while the fins are aluminum.

Zalman sells their product on the feature of noise-levels, although, in the past, they HAVE produced VGA coolers that performed among top competitors in the market -- per pure cooling performance.

What we need is a benchtest review comparison of the Zalman and the ThermalRight coolers. If the Zalman even comes close, it has a low-profile advantage, although the TR offers two alternate configuration options.
 
GPU chips are rated to run well above their load tempreatures with stock coolers. I realize that lower temperatures will extend the life of the gpu but in 3-4 years when 8800 will be eclipsed by $65 graphics cards, do I really care? It'll easily last before the upgrade.

GPU chips are rated to run well above their load tempreatures with stock coolers. I realize that lower temperatures will extend the life of the gpu but in 3-4 years when 8800 will be eclipsed by $65 graphics cards, do I really care? It'll easily last before the upgrade.

If you buy an aftermarket cooler to increase overclocking on GPUs, I also don't see that much benefit unless the price of the aftermarket cooler is cheap. In today's games, there is hardly any benefit. In tomorrow's games, 8800 won't be fast enough for a 15% overclock to matter.

To me the purpose of aftermarket cooling (other than chasing benchmarks) is to solve a heat instability issue if you have one or to lower noise. 8800 stock cooler covers these.

As far as your cooler for Q6600 the results are incredible but I have no problems whatsoever running my Q6600 @ 3.5ghz at 65-67*C in CoreTemp. The cpu is rated to run at 71*C, so unless there is throttling I dont see a problem (especially since mine runs under 1.35V). Similarly, it'll probably last me 2-3 years even at those temperatures.

Of course $130 to you might not be the same $130 to me. If you were making $1k a day, then obviously spending that much to lower temperatures was easily justifiable. When my last upgrade as a whole cost me $185, spending $130 on a cooler alone can't be justified.
Click to expand...

I don't think I pursue an aftermarket cooler to extend the hardware life. I'm not trying to be sarcastic here but if it doesn't work and if the warranty doesn't cover it I'll just buy another one. My ultimate goal is silence, high performance, and runs cool. I do not overclock my hardware. IMO with today's hardware technology overclocking is worthless or worthwhile. For those minority who are still overclocking is doing it for fun and hobby thing.

Though I must say, you seemed to be against overclocking GPU but you're okay at buying aftermarket cpu cooler to overclocking your CPU -- sounds like contradicting. It would be the same comparison if you were to put your overclocked Q6600 2-3 years from now. Your overclocked Q6600 would be eclipsed by a $65 CPU. If you think about it, you overclocked your cpu for fun and enjoyment or may be 1% bragging right 🙂
The same goes with me, I buy aftermarket cooler for the purpose of lowing down the temperature.



 
Here are the temps:

8800 GTX stock cooler fan running automatic mode:
idle 65C load 80C

With VF1000 fan running at 100% idle 55C load 65C
fan @ 75%; idle 57C load 66C
fan @ 75% combining Vantec Fancard @lowest idle 52C; load 59C -- This combining increased a little bit of noise. Vantec fancard: http://www.vantecusa.com/p_fancard.html

Having high air flow onto the VF1000 heatsink fins doesn't seem to have any affect the 8800GTX temp. However, having high air flow from the case exhaust fan does lower 8800GTX temp to some extent.
 
Thanks for the update nZone...the numbers seem on par or slightly better than the HR-03. Also, your numbers seem better than techpowerup's.

Are you gonna keep this thing? Is it much larger than the stock heatsink, smaller? Are you noticing higher case/mobo temps now that hot GPU air is not being vented outside the case?

Thanks,

EK2K

Anyone seen any other reviews on this thing?
 
Originally posted by: nZone

Though I must say, you seemed to be against overclocking GPU but you're okay at buying aftermarket cpu cooler to overclocking your CPU -- sounds like contradicting. It would be the same comparison if you were to put your overclocked Q6600 2-3 years from now. Your overclocked Q6600 would be eclipsed by a $65 CPU. If you think about it, you overclocked your cpu for fun and enjoyment or may be 1% bragging right 🙂
The same goes with me, I buy aftermarket cooler for the purpose of lowing down the temperature.
Click to expand...

Not at all nZone. My Q6600 is overclocked from 2.4ghz to 3.4ghz or which is a 42% boost. Faster cpu means faster extracting of files, faster loading of documents, installation, snappier response. On the other hand, my 8800GTS 320bm craps out at 621mhz from 513mhz stock or a 21% speed increase. The difference is my graphics card can't handle games at 1920x1080 with 4AA and no amount of reasonable overclocks will help me out. But at stock it's perfectly fine at 1600x1200 and 1920x1080 no AA. So I dont really care if it runs at 75 vs. 60 frames as long as it's smooth. With a faster cpu, I can tell the difference in every day use and not just games. That is why it makes a lot more sense for me to overclock the cpu for 24/7 operation. I am also not that big of a gamer so that explains it. 8800GTS only cost me $75 and that's why I got it. Also I tend to sell my overclocked cpus and recoup most of the cost of the purchase while none of the people who bought from me care about overclocked graphics cards. This allows me to upgrade on the cheap. Therefore, overclocking isn't about bragging rights for me.
 
Originally posted by: eklock2000
First review looks good...

http://www.techpowerup.com/rev.../Zalman/ZM-VF1000LED/1
Click to expand...

I cut to the chase and went to the "performance" page.

This thing is designed primarily to provide marginally better cooling with lower noise. If the room-ambient of the test is 20C or 68F, the load temperatures are nothing to rave at.

In earlier posts this summer I've shown that the TR HR-03-Plus without ducting and with a fan @ 2,000 rpm will reduce my 8800 GTS' GPU to the low 50's Celsius under load, or closer to the mid-50's Celsius without a fan -- but at 75F room ambient!! With ducting and no fan -- 51C @ 75F. With ducting and a smaller fan at 1,600 rpm -- 47C @75F

I can run a test again and present the data. That doesn't make this a bad bet, though, because it might be worthwhile for other reasons (such as the low profile). Keep in mind with my remarks however, that my 8800 GTS is probably consuming 50 to 75W less electrical power under load conditions. So it's possible that the Zalman could be as good, or even marginally better than -- the HR-03-Plus.

Again, I'd like to see a real PERFORMANCE COMPARISON with several other coolers, including the HR-03-Plus.

Someone else asked about interaction between VGA and CPU temperatures.

A VGA will change CPU temperatures by virtue of causing warmer air to mix with case intake -- that's why we discussed DHES back-plate exhaust and other things. This would be true WITH the Zalman (or HR-03-Plus) cooler) or WITHOUT it -- unless your rig has an efficient air-movement and exhaust strategy.

At one time, I speculated that since the VGA is about the hottest thing in a system, that circuit traces would carry heat as well. I don't think anyone has ever measured this sort of effect, but I can say one thing: getting the heat off the component and into the air and then out of the case as quickly as possible may make any such effects insignificant to nothing. But then -- that's why I ALWAYS buy an aftermarket cooler for a top-end graphics card . . .

 
looks like I was right, more of a quiet solution than super OC cooling extravaganza. Has anyone else noticed that Zalman's recent products have been on the real high end of the price spectrum? This cooler, the ZM-MFC2...all pretty pricey.

-z
 
Originally posted by: eklock2000
Thanks for the update nZone...the numbers seem on par or slightly better than the HR-03. Also, your numbers seem better than techpowerup's.

Are you gonna keep this thing? Is it much larger than the stock heatsink, smaller? Are you noticing higher case/mobo temps now that hot GPU air is not being vented outside the case?

Thanks,

EK2K
Click to expand...

I don't have the HR-03 Plus but comparing my results to the HR-03 Plus w/Fan (from various review sites) it seems HR-03 Plus has an upper hand on thermal performance. I guess it depends on how your point of view and how your system set up. I think my results are better than the techpowerup's IMO when I compare the test environment and the bench system specifications. They tested at a room temperature of 20C while my room temperature is 26.5C. While they have 2 120mm @ med pulling air out of the case, I have only 1 120mm@5v and a little help from 120mm fan on the Corsair HX620W. I have Q6600 B3 while they have E6420 @3.2. And I have a heat generator inside my case from the Ultra ChillTEC Peltier cpu cooler...

Yes, I am going to keep this VF-1000 heatsink. I like it due to the fact that the ramsink is secured by 5 screws and I don't have to worry about it falls off over time. Another reason is that it is small; the same size as the stock cooler; and it performs better. The VF-1000 heatsink is warmed to the touch; and as I put my hand near it I don't feel hot air at all. In fact, the stock cooler generates more hot air profusely through those shark-gills-type vents. There is no temperature increased inside the case or motherboard. My ambient inside case temp is always the same as the ambient room temperature thanks to the Zalman gaming case.

I use this configuration now: VF1000 fan@60% and removed the Vantec fancard. Temp idle is 58C; load 69C.

edit: I don't know if this has any affect on the outcome or not. I didn't use any alcohol or any proper material to clean the GPU core or the ram surface. I just cleaned the surface up with paper towels. During the installation I forgot to put in the rubber washers so I had to remove the VF1000 from the GPU core surface; and I didn't bother to clean up the surface either. I just inserted the rubber washers onto the bolt nuts and slap the VF1000 back on the GPU core 😛 By the way I use Antec AS5 for the installation.
 
The advantages of thermal paste, cleaning, etc. are like fleas on the backs of fleas. Noticeable, but marginal.

I'd need to go over the previous posts to see which graphics card you have -- 8800 GTX versus GTS.

I've had several Zalman heatpipe coolers for earlier-model nVidia VGA cards. At one time, the ZM80D beat the pants off an Arctic Cooling model that was well-promoted. But the difference was marginal. Noticeable -- hence "beat the pants off" -- but still marginal.

I might have sprung for this cooler to see how my ducting mods would improve on it, if it weren't for the fact that (a) I wanted to get my system up and running, (b) I insisted on getting a good third-party heatpipe cooler for it, and (c) ThermalRight has a good reputation in my personal experience, and was the only available choice for nV 8800 GT(X/S) cards.

I can even see how this VF1000 -- if the cooling is at least comparable to the HR-03-Plus -- would've made my ducting simpler and a bit easier -- possibly freeing up a PCI-E x8 slot.
 
Thanks to nZone and VonDuctEnstein for the nitty gritty. Johnny78 over at hardforum claimed some pretty good results...

http://www.hardforum.com/showt...d.php?t=1217781&page=4

"Anyway, I have good airflow in my case and with the stock fan at 100% and an additional slot cooler my 8800 ultra idled at about 57 degrees celsius and ran at load at about 70 degree celsius. Keep in mind I have my clocks set at 671 for the core, 1663 shader clock, and 2352 memory. I'm assuming these speeds are probably higher than your average 8800 so I would imagine my card is giving off more heat than your average 8800. With that said, my stock temps were pretty good.

So after installing the cooler and I checked my computer temps at idle and the GPU was now reading 49 degrees celsius. Hmm I said, looks pretty good. So, for my first set of tests I loaded Oblivion. I play this game at 1920X1200 with 16X AF and 16X AA with HDR enabled and I know these setting are taxing even for the most robust cards. Anyway, after about 45 minutes of gameplay I checked the temps and the GPU was at full load and reading 59 degrees celsius. After the game stopped, the GPU took about 5 mintues to fall back down to 50 degrees celsius."

59 at load is pretty awesome, if he's not spewing falsities. I agree with other's that a side to side would be pretty useful in making a decision. Reviews seem to be slow coming in?

PeaceOut!

EK2K

@ BonzaiDuck - I thoroughly enjoy hearing about your ducting adventures. I would be a fanboy if plexiglas was an option for me, not enough time to pick up another hobby tho. Have you ever considered piping in cooler air from either home AC or from say below the house? My crawl space stays around 60 deg. F year round.
 
Originally posted by: BonzaiDuck

I'd need to go over the previous posts to see which graphics card you have -- 8800 GTX versus GTS.
Click to expand...

I have PNY 8800GTX, one of the early model. It is a 300-A2 revision. Many people have said that A3 revision is much cooler.

 
That's really the only way we'll know how it really stacks up.

I made a deliberate decision to go with the GTS card, and not over the price consideration -- it was a decision based on power consumption. This rig is already consuming 282W at idle (the four hard disks in RAID 5 and the RAID controller card don't help.) It's a 680i motherboard, and those things use maybe 20+ Watts more than boards based on the Intel chipset -- maybe more -- because of the need to power some 49 PCI-E lanes.

I deferred buy two GTS cards, and now I think I'll forego making the system dual-graphics SLI. But I wanted to leave that option open, and the placement of expansion cards together with the choice of VGA coolers is critical.

The only way we can know for sure how it stacks up to the HR-03-Plus is a comparison review on a common bench configuration. Anything else we do is purely speculative educated guessing.
 
Whoa!! I was getting back to work today reworking our sticky for Heatsink Reviews, and thought I'd add the TechPowerUp link posted here.

I'm stunned at my oversight. They DID use an 8800 GTS VGA card for their test.

I'll have to say now that my HR-03-Plus -- in various configurations of ducting/no-ducting, fan and no-fan -- has it beat. I've been testing at an average of 75F room-ambient, and their test is around 68F room-ambient.

I"m assuming that various manufactures of the 8800 GTS card have the same temperature profile, more or less. I think that's not a bad assumption to make, except for variations in core and memory clock settings. My GTS is a BFG "OC" model with 640 MB. You'd think mine would be running a tad warmer than the Inno3D with 320 MB.

I'm really sorry that I missed this, and that I'm delayed in getting up a revision to the Heatsink Review (catalog) sticky. I've got my attention turned on a million things at the moment. Last week was jury duty; this week housecleaning and a social schedule.
 
EKlock2000 said:

"@ BonzaiDuck - I thoroughly enjoy hearing about your ducting adventures. I would be a fanboy if plexiglas was an option for me, not enough time to pick up another hobby tho. Have you ever considered piping in cooler air from either home AC or from say below the house? My crawl space stays around 60 deg. F year round. "

------------------------------

There are a pile of things one could do, but I want to keep those "things" inside my computer case. Another member has actually ducted an AC vent to his computer, with tremendous results. He's using water-cooling if I remember.

If one were going to hook up the computer to an AC vent just for air-cooling, I'd think it would be easier to cross the line into the water-cooling area and hook up an evaporative "nuclear tower" rig -- as much of an appendage as the Zalman blue-tower-thingie or the Thermaltake Rocket.

So you're concerned about the time to cut and shape Plexi? That's why I'm holding off going further since the foam-board mock-up is neat enough and works fine. I've cut about half my Lexan pieces, and because I had a duplicates of one panel, I used it when I rebuilt the trapezoidal duct. I'm just not sure I want to go from scratch on the box-duct that covers the CPU and VGA.
 
I've also been in the market for a replacement for my oversized GTX fan shroud ever since I discovered it wouldn't fit into my Shuttle SFF case (The GTX I have uses the Ultra oversized fan shroud).

Interested in getting the VF1000+RHS88. Curious if the thermal pads that come with the RHS88 are sufficient or if I should be investing in some real bonafide thermal paste combination.
 
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