Opinons on what to do for second 4870 cooling?

rpaulg87

Distinguished
Mar 12, 2009
138
0
18,690
I recently went crossfire and added a second 4870, the first one is a MSI brand one, and I replaced the stock cooler since the bearings on the fan was unbearable, with a Acccelero S1 w\ turbo kit, LOVE it, whisper quiet and the cooling DESTROYS the stock cooler. However, on my second 4870, which is a sapphire (which might I note has much bigger capicators, and seems to be a better built 4870) there is no way I can fit a Accelero S1, and even more so NO way I can fit it with the turbo fan kit. The issue is, I have a Wireless PCI-E card, and then a PCI Sound Blaster X-Fi Gamer. So I'm not sure if I can even do anything...the Wireless card blocks maybe 35% of the fan hole for the Sapphire card, but dosen't seem to be cooking it, though I will say the Sapphire card feels 2x as hot as the Accelero S1 cooled 4870, but I think thats simply since it has the stock cooler on, I'm sure the MSI was orignally just as hot.

Here's a picture to give you an example of what I'm talking about, is there any aftermarket, quieter, better cooler for the 4870, that wouldn't be any "taller" than the stock one? You'd think they'd make some low profile ones...oh and please in advance don't recommend the Scythe Musashi, couldn't stand that cooler and the S1 ran circles around it in performance and "stability", not to mention the first fan on it stopped working 3 days after it being mounted :p.

IMG_0260.jpg


Thanks in advance!

*Edit* Even in the picture you can notice the huge difference in the capicator size, as well as other things, on the Sapphire (top) compared to the MSI card (bottom).
 

cokenbeer

Distinguished
Jun 28, 2008
201
0
18,680
Dunno how much clearance you have, but I've seen pics of that cooler mounted the opposite way, so that the heatpipes wrap around the card and the cooling fins are on the back.
 

rpaulg87

Distinguished
Mar 12, 2009
138
0
18,690
Nifty. Only issue I see is if you mount it the other way...then even if you put a fan on it, the VRM\Ram modules, voltage regulators, etc, wouldn't be getting any air....you'd have to rig something else up..:-\