Video Card Cooling

Is Corsair considering gpu air or water cooling? Am considering purchasing a system for my 7970s and would hold off if you guys have something on the boards to release in the near future...

 

A larger 600T type case would be perfect to put the additional cooling system in.

I'm not a video card expert, but isn't it true that the mounting system for GPU coolers is even less standardized than CPU coolers? Plus GPU coolers also cool other things like memory chips? Isn't GPU cooling even more of a niche market than CPU cooling, since replacing the factory GPU cooler might be a warranty voiding thing? I'm not sure, you tell me.

You are right on every point, parsec.

 

On graphics card, you need to cool the core AND the memory chips AND the VRM, sometimes VIVO too.

Because of that, graphics card is a much bigger heat generator than any CPU.

 

Either stay on the air, or go full custom water.

CPU cooling was previously a "niche" market. Corsair seems to have done pretty well with the H Series of cooling systems.

 

There are now full cover waterblock fittings that will accommodate my cards. If Corsair comes up with a radiator that can be modular to accept these waterblocks, they'll get my business...I'll even test it for them. Will purchase one at some point, anyways. Did not go to BRAND X to get my CPU cooler because Corsair had something I wanted...well, NOW I need something to cool my overclocked GPUs...

CPU cooling was previously a "niche" market. Corsair seems to have done pretty well with the H Series of cooling systems...

 

Very true, my point really is that Corsair may not want to spend the resources to get into that market, as my perception of it is that it is rather small. Does replacing a video card's stock cooler void the warranty?

 

OTOH, that may indicate that there is a market segment waiting to be filled, by the likes of Corsair. The problem I see is how do you use usually large after-market coolers with multiple video card systems, where there is no clearance between cards?

Good point. The marketing department weighs the demand and profit scenarios for sure. It was an extremely tedious and difficult procedure to obtain my video cards as there is a huge demand for them at the moment. They are enormously expensive but innovators have to have them! The double dissipation cooling solution works remarkably well but tweaking your build is a big part of the fun! There are many, many enthusiasts just itching for the forthcoming Keplers, too!

 

My mobo has a generous spacing between vid cards. There is a Crossfire bridge due to be released in a week. The Komodo HD7900 series waterblock cooling solution addresses the problem...looks very sleek.

What you're talking about then isn't a closed loop system like Hydro series, but what exactly? A pump + radiator combo, to which you can connect any GPU water block? And how would they warranty that?

 

On top of that, cooling multi HD7900 GPUs isn't an easy task, and you need at least a full 240 RAD (unlike Corsair's slim radiators) for the GPUs alone.

I really can't see a way to introduce any pre-made solution for that, for what you want you have for example EK H3O sets that you can modify to your needs.

Actually, it IS an easy task...just didn't mention the brand of the radiator and pump.

AKA "The Mod"

 

http://www.overclock.net/t/1203528/official-nvidia-gpu-mod-club-aka-the-mod

Yes, but it's only on the GPU core, you still need to provide sufficient cooling to the RAM and especially the VRM.

 

Second thing, the temps aren't spectacularly lower, neither will it be quieter because you need air cooling for the VRM and the rest, as mentioned above.

 

It is nothing like a full cover high flow block you find in a custom loop, and looking at the temps, it's just a waste of resources IMHO.

You dont need cooling on the mem unless your doing crazy high oc, alot of cards are able to retain the stock fans...like mine. Stock fans do not rev up as their speed is dictated by chip temp. No high temps no high fan speed. Cooling for pcb can be obtained by a fan blowing onto the pcb.

 

20c off idle and upwards of 30c off loads is not " aren't spectacularly lower", they are insainly lower tbh. As for noise, there is none, your rad fan will spin at 800-1200 rpm, youll have a hard time hearing them. The shroud fans on the card if retained will not rev up past min 20%.

 

I know because ive been running the mod of over a year now, the first card had no cooling at all on the pcb and still works fine today. Of the 40+ cards now modded not one single issue, not one blown card, Nothing .

 

All cards are quieter, all cards are cooler than stock. That is only the green team. The ati section has their own club and all cards there have the same results as the green team cards.

 

Not talking you into anything, but facts are facts, read the club posts and you cant say everyone of them are wrong

 

Inaddition to the comment about "full cover block", you cant buy a block for the price of a closed loop cooler let alone barbs, tubing , pump , rad, fluid AND there is no maintance so you are right that its nothing compaired to true watercooling. IDK about waste of resorces as a cooler can be had for $49, thats pretty darn expensive .... right. While on topic of waste of resorces, would you say the same about this closed loop cooler if it was attached to your cpu, that its a waste of resources because a "real cpu block" is better. Who would argue with that, of course its better, its also alot more expensive.

You dont need cooling on the mem unless your doing crazy high oc, alot of cards are able to retain the stock fans...like mine. Stock fans do not rev up as their speed is dictated by chip temp. No high temps no high fan speed. Cooling for pcb can be obtained by a fan blowing onto the pcb.

 

20c off idle and upwards of 30c off loads is not " aren't spectacularly lower", they are insainly lower tbh. As for noise, there is none, your rad fan will spin at 800-1200 rpm, youll have a hard time hearing them. The shroud fans on the card if retained will not rev up past min 20%.

 

I know because ive been running the mod of over a year now, the first card had no cooling at all on the pcb and still works fine today. Of the 40+ cards now modded not one single issue, not one blown card, Nothing .

 

All cards are quieter, all cards are cooler than stock. That is only the green team. The ati section has their own club and all cards there have the same results as the green team cards.

 

Not talking you into anything, but facts are facts, read the club posts and you cant say everyone of them are wrong

 

Inaddition to the comment about "full cover block", you cant buy a block for the price of a closed loop cooler let alone barbs, tubing , pump , rad, fluid AND there is no maintance so you are right that its nothing compaired to true watercooling. IDK about waste of resorces as a cooler can be had for $49, thats pretty darn expensive .... right. While on topic of waste of resorces, would you say the same about this closed loop cooler if it was attached to your cpu, that its a waste of resources because a "real cpu block" is better. Who would argue with that, of course its better, its also alot more expensive.

 

I think I know what you're trying to say, but I'm not sure. Are you saying that you can water-cool only the GPU and still air-cool the vram, etc?

 

Are you saying that you have used your approach for 40+ video cards successfully?

 

What is IDK mean?

 

Thanks.

Here is how it works, the cpu cooler is attached to the chip or IHS, this is what now cools the processer and it does a very good job of that. You still need to cool the rest of the card so when ever possable you retain the original stock fans from the card. If the stock fans can not be kept then you must use a fan blowing at the pcb to mimic the cooling provided by the stock cooling fans that are no longer there.

 

Now here is the part thats up for debate. How much cooling is needed to keep the card safe, if any at all.

 

Ive not modded 40 cards myself. The mod club has in total over 40 cards that have been modded now using these self contained coolers. Some people are able to keep the fans, some use 120mm pointed at the pcb and some use nothing at all other then to cooling the processer.

 

My 580gtx ($600 card-ive taken the risk), others are tri sli 580, many sli 480 and alot of single cards from 560ti and everything between.

 

90% of the users have used the zipstrap method but some have used custom brackets and secured them using other methods but the basic idea is the same of using a closed loop cooler to cool the card.

 

This is new idea (in practice) to cooling the cards. Its not my idea but ive been pushing the idea hard. The original idea came from this forum and from that i was led to a post of another user who simplified the process by using zipstraps. As crazy as the idea sounds it works and works well. Zipstraps can mold to any pcb will work with any venders card. This mod will not damage your card and the card can be returned to stock for RMA if needs be. The cost to do it is for whatever you can find the cooler on sale for, most use 620s' as the waterlines are longer and have better flex to them and they go on sale for $49 all the time. Zip straps cost about $1.99 for a bag of them. The whole process takes about an hour of your time.

 

The whole idea for me was to stop the noise, better cooling was a bonus.

 

Ive done two cards now. A 560ti from zotac with no fans cooling the pcb at all. The card would oc like crazy and temps were never above 48c (the chip will dictate your oc not the cooler), im not saying this is for crazy oc, this mod is to reduce noise, that is its primary goal.

 

There is also a club for ati cards if that is the card of choice

 

here is a pic of my zotac 560ti with a H70 cooler. I ran this card for 3 months before using the cooler on my Asus Matrix Platinum 580gtx, the card that is in my pc right now with the H70 attached.

 

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6126/5994712499_e4ccd8bab9_b.jpg

_IGP9531 by cravinmild, on Flickr

and my matrix

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6214/6313837844_851ebc1406_b.jpg

IMGP0339 by cravinmild, on Flickr

 

Read the link in the above post, there is a ton of info to be had within it. Do the mod, dont do the mod, read it or not but this mod is being done almost every other day now. It works

Okay then, there is a difference in our perspective.

You say it's $49, okay, I had local prices for H80 and H100 in mind, H100 here costs basically the same as full cover block ($160). So that puts the "resources" thing behind us.

 

Also I pointed out that cooling the RAM is a minor thing, but cooling the VRM is a must, especially on powerful cards like 560ti or 580.

 

If you have it working, you have it working, I won't dispute that :)

I was just expressing my doubts. In the end I had a dual turbine blower from a Ford Sierra in my PC so I'm not against interesting ideas myself ;)

Tinkering is fun isnt it WOOT. Id never done a mod befor this. Id sleeved a few fan wires but nothing to this degree. Once i read the thread of the dude who used zipstraps something clicked in my head, i just knew that id just read something amazing. I tried to put it off for like weeks but it was like an itch, i could not get the idea out of my mind. In the end the itch to do it won. My matrix card took about a month and then i could not stand it. Had to be modded. The dual fan design took me a bit longer to figure out but it worked in the end. Different people have different expectations for the mod. For me i needed to keep the cards stock looking but others are fine with a naked pcb.

 

If not for tinkerers then we would still be using square stone tires lol

cravinmild, that is a clean implementation of a H70 on a video card. Plus retaining the original cooling fans of the card is pretty amazing. A triple slot card does make things easier, but the dual slot card looks just as good if not better. I imagine the square pump of the H60, etc, would not work as well as the smaller, round pump housing of a H70. Regardless, nice work.

The 620s'/H70 do have a better footprint over the new corsair models but they do work just as well, but are harder to retain the stock fans for sure. The advantage of the H80/H100 for this mod is that they are compatible with Corsair Link tech. The advantage of monitoring the liquid temps, fans speed control off the pump itself is a very attractive over the cheaper 620 units.

 

I have a H100 on the cpu and would hope that when i upgrade to a H80 for the gpu that both will work on the Link Commander unit........i hope. The ultimate in full system control imo

 

Thanks, im glad you like it. Ive recived several great comments on the Zotac 560ti card with the H70 mod. A very stock looking card, unfortunatly its not the case for most cards with the mod done as most stock fans are on the back of the pcb. You can keep the stock fan for component cooling but the shroud more often than not is removed. Some who dont mind voiding the warranty will cut the hole around the pump area and then are able to retain the shroud, it looks very good when done this way.

 

It wont be long before these are marketed and youll see more attractive offerings in the looks department. Hopefully by the end of the year.

Hmm if only there was a way to add a little block for the VRM, then the stock cooler can be scrapped altogether.

yes, i agree, just cant thing of how. At first i though of some type of gel pack the water lines would travel through and cool at the same time, this would allow for molding to any vrm config. That is beyond my abilitys saddly.