Need opinoin - aftermarket zalman video card cooler

[novak]

Hey guys Im lookin to get an opinoin on this, Im not sure what I should do.

so I have an EvGA Nvidia 7900GT and I had the stock cooler on it but I took off the stock and put an aftermarket Zalman VGA Cooler on it.

Now when I had the stock cooler on I was running 43C on idle and after playing a game for hours so it never changed.

With the Zalman I am idling at 37C which is nice but when I play a game my temp shoots up to 45C - 50C so what would you do?

I don't know if I should put the stock back on because the temp stayed the same or if I should keep this cooler on because it idles nicer. Does the higher temp while game play going to effect the card that much or, I haven't seen any problems or effects while playing with the higher temp.

Thanks

Antec 900 Gaming Case
Xinfinity SLI 500W PSU
EvGA Nvidia 680i SLI
Intel Core 2 Duo E6400
Cosair 2 x 1GB DDR2800
EvGA Nvidia 7900GT
2 Seagate 320GB Sata 3GB/s Raid 0

 

[Fredstech]

FIrst off did you put 99% silver thermal compound

If so when did you apply it because it takes a few days for it to set

But other than that i agree that doe s kinda suck
what model zalman fan did you put

 

[Fredstech]

When i put my Zalman cpu fan it took about two days for it two perform well

 

[novak]

I dont trust anything else besides Artic Silver and I haven't told you haha but I have the crappy high temp because I tried to install it into my EvGA 680i motherboard but boing to many resistors on the board so I had to rage all out war on the heatsink and took off 20+ fins on one side to get it to fit nicely so it fits buttttt I have high temps pretty sure because half of the fins are missing on one side lol.

Is the high temps while gaming really going to kill my card faster or make it crappier? techniclly the lower idle will make up for the higher temps? Thanks

 

[Fredstech]

Well yes the higher temps will affect the card when playing games but like you say it is idling lower so i say pretty much balances out

Unless you really get alarming temperatures your card will be fine till you need to upgrade to a dx10 card

 

[Fredstech]

On second thought looking at you r temps again those are pretty damn low


My 79000gs idles at 48C and load is from 50-55 and ive read that these temps are normal and harmless. I'm sure 7900gt is about the same
Video cards can take alot of heat just look at threshold temps

 

[novak]

Yeah same I am waiting for the 8800GTS to come down in price just a bit more before I go and spend the money on it. It's not my video card is not running well it is running fine and I see no changes in the graphics or anything that would show me that the card is being damaged.

That's what Im just assuming that it kind of equals out, it idles at 37C and then goes high but I can't even be sure if the temp is shows being 50C is true because I am playing Mediavil total war and right as a tap out 2 seconds after the temp shoots down from 50C to 38C so it seems good enough for me

 

[novak]

your GS really idles that high? hmm I would think it would be lower than my GT, yeah my stock never went above 43C at all even while playing but I like the lower idle temp so I guess I will keep it on for now and your right about that, being that the thresholds on the video cards are very high which they can take a lot of heat

 

[Fredstech]

Ya i know my 7900gs does idle high
the weird thing is that i have a 80mm fan 1mm to it's side a 120mm fan about 5cm in front and a super cyclone blower 10cm away sucking air from underneath it

I am thinking on buying a Zalman fan for my card because it does wonders on my cpu 33C idle on amd 3200 at 2.2ghz

 

[novak]

Same the damn Intel stock cooler 55C ide, suckkkks! bough tthe Zalman 9700 for my Core 2 Duo, idle at 34c, and while playing games dont go above 37C, wonders.

Yeah you should look into the zalman cooler, I think I have like the Zalman CFU something I dunno ask me and I'll look it up for you on newegg but it is nice, idles at 37C like I said so it's pretty good

 

[novak]

I'll get my pics on the pc and see if I have any good ones and if I do I"ll post one up for ya.

 

[chuckshissle]

First of I have the zalman cooler for my 7800GTX to get rid of the stock cooler that sounded like a jet engine. Yes, the temps got higher and at 70c full load on gaming the cards still runs fine with no issue. The noise is virtually gone.

 

[chunkymonster]

I dont trust anything else besides Artic Silver and I haven't told you haha but I have the crappy high temp because I tried to install it into my EvGA 680i motherboard but boing to many resistors on the board so I had to rage all out war on the heatsink and took off 20+ fins on one side to get it to fit nicely so it fits buttttt I have high temps pretty sure because half of the fins are missing on one side lol.

Is the high temps while gaming really going to kill my card faster or make it crappier? techniclly the lower idle will make up for the higher temps? Thanks

Wait a minute! Did I read that right? Are you saying you cut some of the cooling fins off of the Zalman heatsink to make it fit? And, are now worried about the high temps?!

Get the fvck outta here...you're killing me...worried about high temps after cutting off some cooling fins...put the stock cooler back on and STFU!

 

[novak]

Yeah I was posting because I wanted to know if those temps were normal, I doubt it would run any cooler if I had the fins on, but I wanted to see what other people thought.

Your post seems to have helped me the most, I am greatly appreciated of your help, Thanks!!!