Zalman ZM80C-HP Video Card Cooler

[JH68]

I was thinking about adding the Zalman ZM80C-HP Video Card Cooler with the fan to my 9800 pro and was wondering if anyone has used it or has it? Or any other coolers i should look at for my video card? Adding will void the warranty right?
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Rig

 

[Nebor]

I have one on my 9800 Pro. I'd say it's one of the best solutions, certainly the most silent. There's an Artic Cooler one that SVC has, check that out too. If you do go w/ the Zalman, get the 92mm Op1 fan that goes with it, as it may aid your overclocking. The card works fine @ stock speed w/o the fan though. And your warranty is gone as soon as you remove the factory heatsink.

 

[mosco]

I was think of getting one of these with a case that probably wont have very good cooling(antec overture). Do you think it cools enough for a hot case or is that not an option, this is on a radeon 9600 Pro btw.

 

[Nebor]

Well, when you think about it, the zalman solution won't make your case any warmer or colder than the stock cooling solution. Your card puts a given amount of heat. Nothing is going to change that. Your cooling solution just moves that heat off the card and into... the air, I guess.

So the zalman won't make your system any hotter than the stock fan, I wouldn't think. Does that make sense? Make sure it will actually fit in a small case though, it's pretty big when mounted to a card.

 

[mosco]

yea, thats what i was thinking, it shouldn't make a difference. Combine that with the optional fan and it should be fine as long as it fits.

 

[HFC]

Actually I believe the cooler can only take so much heat from the card until the heat is taken away from the cooler. So if the case is running hot, the cooler alone might or might not be sufficient. You still need to move heat away from the card/cooler area by fans or whatever.

 

[mosco]

Another option appears to be the http://svc.com/arcovgasilsu.html

It does have a fan but it is supposed to be pretty quiet. It does take up another PCI slot and it shoots the hot air out of the case. It only works with radeon cards i think.

 

[Dug]

Well, when you think about it, the zalman solution won't make your case any warmer or colder than the stock cooling solution.

That's incorrect. If the video card emits enough heat then the surface area of the Zalman will increase the case temps more than the stock heatsink and fan. This is because the Zalman heatsink will retain the heat for a longer period of time and across a broader area.

And yes it does increase my case temps more than the stock heatsink and fan did.

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: Dug

Well, when you think about it, the zalman solution won't make your case any warmer or colder than the stock cooling solution.

That's incorrect. If the video card emits enough heat then the surface area of the Zalman will increase the case temps more than the stock heatsink and fan. This is because the Zalman heatsink will retain the heat for a longer period of time and across a broader area.

And yes it does increase my case temps more than the stock heatsink and fan did.

Maybe my logic is flawed but this is my point of view on the matter:
basic thermodynamics says that if the core/memory putts out X Watts of heat then whether you are dumping it into the case using the stock fan or with a Zalman cooler, you are still dissipating X Watts.

Once a thermal equilibrium is reached between the heatsink and the case, the amount of heat being dissipated remains constant (X Watts). The only difference in temperature would be while the GPU is warming up or cooling down (not at equilibrium).

I think that the net effect is that it a good heatsink lowers GPU temp but slightly increases the case temp. Now assuming that your case ventilation is good, the temperature increase may be negligible.

Again I may be wrong about this in that there may be some phenomenon I'm not taking into account.

 

[Dug]

Yes, its that there is no fan blowing across the Zalman. If there was, then it wouldn't make any difference.
I'm not disputing the amount of heat generated will be the same. It's where that heat goes that matters.

No one in there right mind would put a giant heat source in their case and say it wouldn't increase temps. But that's what is happening with the Zalman. It gets very hot and is disappating heat on two large surface areas. More of the surrounding air is being effected.

If you have really good case cooling, its not that big a deal. But the whole idea with the Zalman is to decrease noise, so it's likely that there isn't great cooling in the case, because of noise factors.

 

[johnjkr1]

Read this review on firingsquad..the sapphire's use that same Zalman

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/sapphire_radeon_9800_xt_ultimate/

 

[BoomAM]

The best Radeon Cooler is a Artic Cooling VGA Silencer.
Cheaper than the Zalman.
Better OCs out of them.
Cool better.
Easyier to install.
Reduces case temps.

I had a ZM80C-HP on my 9700pro. My CPU temps went up by 4*c, and i couldnt OC for sh1t. Even though i had a 92mm fan blowing on it.
I replaced it with a VGA Silencer, which is quieter than the Zalman combo, and allows me to OC alot. And the CPU temps have dropped below what i used it get on average before i added either cooler.

 

[BG4533]

I have this cooler on my 9800np. I have decent airflow and case temps around 26-27c normally. With no fan directly on my card and the Zalman I can reach core speeds of 390. With the side Panaflo L1A in my Antec Plusview 1000 turned on the core will reach 425.

About voiding the warranty, unless you physically damage the card, you are doing nothing to it that is irreversable. You can always throw the original HS on and try to RMA it, it shouldnt look any different. Of course that isnt the most ethical thing to do, but still an option.

Brian