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Fifth Horseman

· Hydro Therapist
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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Wanting to get a few opinions on this, If i installed a universal GPU block on a card and I needed to cool the VRM's could I get away with not gluing mini heat sinks to my card and just install and dual 140mm or 120mm pci slot cooler and have it blow directly onto the entire PCB. Would that cool it well enough or are the mini heat sinks really needed. I noticed on a lot of gpu designs that most do not even touch the heat sink.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fifth Horseman View Post

Wanting to get a few opinions on this, If i installed a universal GPU block on a card and I needed to cool the VRM's could I get away with not gluing mini heat sinks to my card and just install and dual 140mm or 120mm pci slot cooler and have it blow directly onto the entire PCB. Would that cool it well enough or are the mini heat sinks really needed. I noticed on a lot of gpu designs that most do not even touch the heat sink.
You need the heatsinks. All GPU coolers heatsinks touch the VRMs and Memory these both need to be actively cooled and need heatsinks.
 
You can get away with it most of the time, however, is there a specific reason why you do not want to put those mini heat-sinks on at least VRM's?

Few fans blowing at the card 10 cm away is not quite as effective as the GPU cooler blowing at them from 20 mm away. so without heatsinks I woud suggest try to avoid any kind of over-clocking. BTW the cheap aluminium heatsinks from e-bay work well and come with the two sided thermal tape already attached. They are like only couple dollars per bag with free shipping included - just take a little while to arrive.


There are the ones I'm talking about.
 
I guess I should of specified when I said they touch VRMs I was speaking about High end gpus. Maybe lower power lower end cards don't.

What is the card that your trying to cool op
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
It would be a 280x. But from what i can tell when i took apart the cooler does not appear to actually contact those points. It looks like it just use an air channel to cool those spots.

Its a reference style cooler FYI
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fifth Horseman View Post

It would be a 280x. But from what i can tell when i took apart the cooler does not appear to actually contact those points. It looks like it just use an air channel to cool those spots.

Its a reference style cooler FYI
Hmm and it doesn't touch the VRMs that is strange. Especially seeing googling that card and finding post about the VRMs overheating. My 290s VRMS overheat with water blocks lol (well they did till I used different pad and also a pad on my backplate.

Honestly the best thing to do would be try it. Run aida64 and see whats going on with them VRMs if they are very hot then add the sinks if not don't. I would personally add sinks though.

Your card wont fry from the VRMs overheating a few times to test it.
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by cyberlocc View Post

Hmm and it doesn't touch the VRMs that is strange. Especially seeing googling that card and finding post about the VRMs overheating. My 290s VRMS overheat with water blocks lol (well they did till I used different pad and also a pad on my backplate.

Honestly the best thing to do would be try it. Run aida64 and see whats going on with them VRMs if they are very hot then add the sinks if not don't. I would personally add sinks though.

Your card wont fry from the VRMs overheating a few times to test it.
Well from what testing ive done it seems that my case airflow might be helping out with that that back of the card where the vrms are if i touch them they do not feel very warm. The gpu core on the other hand gets very very hot, under load overclocked it can hit 90*c . I guess i will test and see, i do know the new corsair and nzxt brackets use fans to cool the vrms.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fifth Horseman View Post

Well from what testing ive done it seems that my case airflow might be helping out with that that back of the card where the vrms are if i touch them they do not feel very warm. The gpu core on the other hand gets very very hot, under load overclocked it can hit 90*c . I guess i will test and see, i do know the new corsair and nzxt brackets use fans to cool the vrms.
They do however they also use the little heat sinks AFAIK. However testing it would be the best option esp as no one can tell you what temps your okay with on VRMs, My VRMS hit 85-90 with Air that wasn't okay with me. With my EK block they hit 55-60, That wasnt okay with me, with my mod they never go over 40c thats okay with me
smile.gif
but everyone is different.

Honestly under 90c should prevent throttling, under 80 should be fine, under 60c better for better OCing.
 
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