Any way to force GPU fan speed to lower than default minimum? Is it safe when idle?

1N07

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Feb 26, 2014
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So basically my GTX770 Gigabyte Windforce sounds like a god damn jet engine.

That's not a problem when I'm on my computer since I have my headset almost always on, but when I leave it on for the night so it can download stuff over night, it gets annoying with me trying to sleep like 1m away from it...

So...
Is there a way to force the GPU fans to rotate at a slower speed than the default minimum (17%) and is it safe?
 

1N07

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Well the noise levels I'm getting are weirdly high for only 17% fan speed... I can't be sure it's the GPU fans though.
I seem to remember it not being nearly so noisy, back when I had my GTX660 maybe a month ago.
Maybe I just remember it wrong... I do have 3 case fans and a Hyper EVO 212 so they do make some noise as well...

Anyways... It's not a big problem. I can sleep almost at any conditions. I just thought to ask if there were any simple things I could try.


So what about the risks? Any info on that? I remember reading something about the chip not liking it when the fans are forced to run slower than intended... That wasn't about GTX770 though.
 

Nicolay Setre

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Are you sure that the fans isn't makning contact with a wire, the frame of the card or the cards itself? High noise level at only 17% speed is rather unusual. How many rpm does the fan run at at 17%?

One of my pc's are using a Gainward 770 4gb card, and it runs at 38-42% fan speed at idle, and at that speed it is decently quiet. Under load on the other hand, it does indeed sound like a 5000watt vacuum cleaner. Which is super annoying, because all my pc's are optimized to be 99% soundless both at idle and under load, so a gpu like this kinda ruined the whole point of spending so much cash on high pressure fans with low noise levels.

Now, the Gigabyte Gtx 770 Windforce has the same noise (db) level under load as the gainward phantom i have: 50.3db at 100% fan speed, so i'v been looking for a solution to this problem myself.

Now, i belive the best option to get the card to run silently would be to get an aftermarket cooler for the card.

I suggest getting this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186097

Your card has as said before an max db level off 50.3, while this aftermarket cooler is at 23db and it cools better than the stock cooler.
Keep in mind that this cooler is quite long, so make sure that your case supports the length.

If you use this cooler it should reduce the noise with everything between 55-60%.
 

Nicolay Setre

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SapphireTri-XR9290-Noiseindb_zps112f51e2.jpg


GigabyteGtx770Windforce-Noiseindb_zps40f570ae.jpg



Sapphire Tri-X R9 290: 31.4 idle - 40.5 load

Gigabyte Gtx 770 Windforce: 38.2 idle - 50.3 load


Thats your card vs his card. So your card is 10db'ish quiter both at idle and under full load / fan speed, compared to his card.

And the "ARCTIC Accelero Xtreme IV" i mentioned earlier is still 17db quiter than yours, and about 27db quiter than his. But ofc, this is a solution than you will have to pay a few bucks for + 10 min of work to obtain.