4890 Going To Thermalright VGA Cooling & MX-3 - Overclock.net

LoneWolf3574 · 08-14-09

Well I took the plunge and ordered a Thermalright T-Rad2 GTX and a 4890/4870 VRM R2 for my ASUS EAH4890 VoltageTweak from SVC.com. I just was fed up with the squirrel cage fan sounding like a plane readying for takeoff and the rather high temperatures I get when I run a GPU test or play Crysis (80C+ & 75C respectively).

I even went ahead and ordered some Arctic Cooling MX-3 from Petra's Tech Shop. This will be the first time I have ever used anything besides Arctic Silver 5 and after having seen all the reviews floating around on this stuff, I figured I'd give it a try. I even plan on applying the MX-3 to Megatron, so I'll be sure to take some screenies before and after. Normally I spread the thermal grease on the heatsink and cpu heatspreader, so if anybody knows of a method that Arctic Cooling recommends (haven't seen one on their website) let me know.

I'll keep you updated as to my results.

Tator Tot · 08-14-09

I use the dot/pea method. But it really doesn't seem to matter much with MX-2, I've spread it in the past, and used dot, every time it comes out more or less the same.

WannabeArchimedes · 08-14-09

I'd love to see your VRM temp results with the Thermalright VRM-R2 cooler, I've been thinking of buying one as soon as I have money for it. The iandh custom VRM sink just isn't enough (though the vRAM sink is good).

I'm personally kinda leery about spending that much on a new TIM though...the last stuff I bought was some Tuniq TX-2 because it was only $4 for the same performance as MX-2, $13 for a new TIM is out of my price range.

Josh81 · 08-14-09

I don't really care about TIM price, because it should last a long time unless you're one of those people who tries out 500 different methods to apply the paste.

HOLY FREAKING COW that vrm cooler is expensive...30$!?

My xfx has a heatsink maybe 1/4 inch tall and it cools the VRMs fine with my musashi

LoneWolf3574 · 08-22-09

Well the results are in and lets just say that it was a much more involved upgrade than I originally thought that it was going to be. While I had originally planned on removing my cpu heatsink to apply MX-3 to it, I had no idea that the VRM-R2 would make contact with my 120x38mm Panaflo (which I had also planned on making a shroud for). Ultimately, I changed the fan from a push to a pull configuration and based upon what I have read in the forums here, that's going to cost me 1-2C in the end. I did think that I could place the whole thing in my lower PCI-E x16 2.0 slot, nope, the gpu heatsink fans hit the top of the PSU and wouldn't allow insertion into the slot.

I did add 2 110cfm blue LED CoolerMaster fans to the top of my case as exhaust fans, hopefully these will help with getting rid of some of the heat generated by the T-Rad2 GTX exhausting into the case instead of out the back like the reference cooler. So the T-Rad2 GTX has 2 92x25mm 26cfm 1500rpm Thermalright fans supplying cool air to the heatsink and the VRM-R2 has a 80x25mm 25cfm 2000rpm MadDog fan blowing cool air from the front through the cpu heatsink out the back

. That doesn't appear to be making that big of a difference atm.

I must say that with the GPU (DispIO) & GPU VRM load temperatures I'm impressed, but the GPU (MemIO) & GPU (Shader) load temperatures were pretty close to where they started.

Just a little bit of information before I list temperatures. The T-Rad2 GTX fans are at ~40% & VRM-R2 fans are at 100% during idle, while all fans are at 100% during load.

Stock IDLE/LOAD:
GPU (DispIO) - 57C/81C
GPU VRM - 54C/103C
GPU (MemIO) - 62C/85C
GPU (Shader) - 58C/85C

T-Rad2 GTX & VRM-R2 with MX-3 IDLE/LOAD:

GPU (DispIO) - 48C/73C
GPU VRM - 42C/75C
GPU (MemIO) - 53C/84C
GPU (Shader) - 48C/80C

I've gone ahead and attached screenshots of before idle/load and after idle/load. I hope that this can be of some help to someone else who decides to do this upgrade.

rx7racer · 08-22-09

So the biggest and most worthy improvement was going with the VRM-R2. Interesting, I'm combing over your info cause I have got to get some better cooling for these 4890's myself but I run CF which hinders me greatly.

+rep for the follow up.

Can you post a pic of how it all looks inside the case. I'm curious about clearances.

WannabeArchimedes · 08-22-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneWolf3574

Well the results are in and lets just say that it was a much more involved upgrade than I originally thought that it was going to be. While I had originally planned on removing my cpu heatsink to apply MX-3 to it, I had no idea that the VRM-R2 would make contact with my 120x38mm Panaflo (which I had also planned on making a shroud for).

First of all, thanks and +rep for the follow up info. I was originally planning to get a VRM-R2 because a review showed slightly better results, but it seems it is likely I will also run into clearance issues like you did - from your info and the limited pictures I've seen, it seems like it won't work with a lot of 38mm HSF setups, and possibly might conflict with RAM modules with heatpipe risers on them as well (like my OCZ RAM).

Quote:

I did add 2 110cfm blue LED CoolerMaster fans to the top of my case as exhaust fans, hopefully these will help with getting rid of some of the heat generated by the T-Rad2 GTX exhausting into the case instead of out the back like the reference cooler.

If you don't mind a bit of a hackjob mod, I took all the slot covers off the rear of my case and ziptied an 80mm fan on the backside of my case to vent that hot air, seems to be working very well for me and might help out your temps a bit. I only have my graphics card and a sound card though, so if you have more of your motherboard slots used up you might not have the space for a fan.

Quote:

I must say that with the GPU (DispIO) & GPU VRM load temperatures I'm impressed, but the GPU (MemIO) & GPU (Shader) load temperatures were pretty close to where they started.

Just a little bit of information before I list temperatures. The T-Rad2 GTX fans are at ~40% & VRM-R2 fans are at 100% during idle, while all fans are at 100% during load.

Could you give me some details of what settings you used for Furmark, and how long you tested to get your temps? Also, what are your ambient temps? Your GPU temps seem kinda high compared to what I've seen with mine. I did lap my T-Rad2, though I'm only using Tuniq TX-2. I'll see if I can run a test and post some pics of my temps to compare.

LoneWolf3574 · 08-23-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by WannabeArchimedes

First of all, thanks and +rep for the follow up info. I was originally planning to get a VRM-R2 because a review showed slightly better results, but it seems it is likely I will also run into clearance issues like you did - from your info and the limited pictures I've seen, it seems like it won't work with a lot of 38mm HSF setups, and possibly might conflict with RAM modules with heatpipe risers on them as well (like my OCZ RAM).

TBH, IDK if you will run into the same issue IF you go with the VRM-R1. I got the VRM-R2 because the product picture Thermalright showed had a fair amount of clearance between the R2 and HSF, even though it is a 25mm (different motherboard, duh). As far as those OCZ Reapers go, I don't think there will be an issue with interference by the VRM-R2 and none by the VRM-R1.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WannabeArchimedes

Could you give me some details of what settings you used for Furmark, and how long you tested to get your temps? Also, what are your ambient temps? Your GPU temps seem kinda high compared to what I've seen with mine. I did lap my T-Rad2, though I'm only using Tuniq TX-2. I'll see if I can run a test and post some pics of my temps to compare.

Sure thing, I use Furmark 1.7.0 and setup for a stability test at 1280x1024 for 30min, MSAA @ NONE and windowed. My ambient started at 26C (~78F) & finished at 27C (~80F). My T-Rad2 is unlapped and MX-3 was applied as half a rice size with the heatsink being twisted several times as far as the mounting screws would allow (ie not much, lol).

The GPU temperature I couldn't agree with you more, I thought it would be lower, that's why I've been asking about the black rubber and white plastic washers. I've got an email out to Thermalright about that and will post after I get feedback. Seems kinda useless to just have them hanging there doing nothing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rx7racer

So the biggest and most worthy improvement was going with the VRM-R2. Interesting, I'm combing over your info cause I have got to get some better cooling for these 4890's myself but I run CF which hinders me greatly.

+rep for the follow up.

Can you post a pic of how it all looks inside the case. I'm curious about clearances.

I've include some attachments showing inside my case before & after, after installation of the VRM-R2 & T-Rad2 GTX, and the fan that replaced my panel side fan. This fan is 120x25 vs 120x38 I had before, it seems that every time I put the side panel back in place, the VRM-R2 would knock it off (rubber mounts) and so I had to go with a thinner fan. Also, this fan blows directly onto my 4890, supplementing the rest of the fans and helping to cool the MemIO and Shader heatsinks more. I found this out unintentionally when I had the side panel off, taking photos and noticed that those temperatures went up about 3C at idle.

I do have a Zalman ZM-MFC1 PLUS controlling the 3 blue LED Coolmaster fans, both Thermalright T-Rad2 GTX fans and the SilenX 120x38mm you see in the right of the second photo.

EDIT: Sorry about the wiring mess, I'm working on a plan for that where I don't have to cut my case up. I just don't like cutting it at all, especially when I plan on using the case for a couple of "generations" of builds.

LoneWolf3574 · 08-23-09

Well I got a reply back from Thermalright, although I wasn't expecting one until tomorrow.

Quote:

Dear ****,

Thanks for your mail and sorry for the late reply.
I have double checked our online guides and the manual, we are sorry that the manual has some typing error.
Please follow the online guide @
http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_pa...er_t-rad2.html

The sequence should be cooler, hard white washer, VGA, black soft washer then the nut.

Best regards
***********
Lea-Min Tech., Co., Ltd.
(Thermalright, Taiwan)

They still didn't answer my question as to why the hard white washer is loose. I'm thinking something may be getting lost in the translation, but the installation that WannabeArchimedes and I used is correct. After a PM with him, he has the same thing I do, loose white washers. It just seems to me that you don't want the washers crushing under the nuts. Oh well, I'll deal with it atm until I feel the need to remount the heatsink.

WannabeArchimedes · 08-25-09

Well I got around to replicating your test, one thing I noticed using Furmark at 1280x1024 only loaded my GPU to 98%, anyways here's my results:

Ambient temps were around ~25C the whole test, it never varied by more than half a degree. This was as close as I could get to your test conditions, but it shouldn't make too much of a difference.

GPU Temp: 57C Max
GPU (Dispio): 54C
GPU (Memio): 55.5C
GPU (Shadercore): 50.5
VDDC's: High 80's/Low 90's

(edit: for a small update, running other tests that fully loaded my GPU got my GPU temp to 60C and all my VDDC temps to mid-high 90s. I think I my GPU is a bit bottlenecked at the moment)

So yeah, there's something wrong with your setup. I don't think it has anything to do with the loose white washers, since both of us have the same problem with that. I really recommend first checking to make sure the Trad2 is fully secure, and doing a reseat if it seems like it is secure already. If it still has such high temps after a reseat, you should probably lap it. My T-Rad2 had a pretty bad uneven spot right in the middle of the mounting surface, plus there was a very noticeable roughness (like milling grooves or something), so I'm sure my lap job helped.

I also really think you should try to put a fan on the outside of your case over the rear slots to help vent the hot air.

Anyways, good luck, I hope you can achieve the same great GPU temps I'm enjoying! (I just need better VRM temps).

		Overclock.net - Overclocking.net > Graphics Cards > ATI > ATI Cooling
4890 Going To Thermalright VGA Cooling & MX-3

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)