5870 Vapor-x or Stock?

[c2explosive]

Hi all, I'll cut to the chase: basically (after some Blackjack ) I've come across the money to upgrade my gpu. However, I cannot decide between the Vapor-x 5870 or the stock 5870 due to all the reports of the vapor-x 'dumping' heat into the case. I have an HP elite 9180t (long story, would have much rather built my own) and the performance is great, although I'm not sure that it will be ventilated well enough to exhaust extra heat from the vapor-x. I've already installed a Coolermaster 700w Silent Pro and that helped a TON with the 4850 that came with the system. The back of the computer used to be too hot to touch under load, but now it is no problem at all.

My question is that do you think with this PSU exhausting heat so well I should just get the 5870 vapor-x (after all, the 4850 doesn't force heat out of the back, and will usually reach temps of 82C under load and my case has been fine) or the stock one because forcing heat out of the back should be more crucial. Or... Is there another card or alternative I should wait for?

Any advice is greatly appreciated, Thanks for taking the time to help!!

 

[dead_95]

if I were you wait 4 Nvidia 300 series cards.....it will come on the market around march or april maybe february

 

[edeawillrule]

As far as I know the Vapor-X version dumps air out the back AND into the case. And runs WAY cooler than any 4850 ever has.

So my recommendation: The Vapor-X version.

 

[c2explosive]

Thanks a lot for the replies guys, yeah I was kind of leaning towards the vapor-x the most... I want to get it for AvP in Feb. and I really want a new 5xxx gpu, I'm really impressed with their stuff that they've been putting out. I was just concerned that perhaps this card was for someone with like 5 case fans but you're right it should exhaust heat... but only about half as hot as the card that I have now (well not exactly half, that's a little exaggeration ), guess I'll have to wait for them to come in stock at Newegg in Jan!!!

 

[avenger386]

if I were you wait 4 Nvidia 300 series cards.....it will come on the market around march or april maybe february

i disagree, once the 300 series comes out i bet there are going to be supply issues...

plus they already missed schedule once (originally supposed to be out this year, if the silicon comes back bad that's at least another 10 weeks on top of March)

 

[bystander]

I've been using the Diamond 5870, which seems to look identical in design to the ATI and ASUS. I am not sure if there are some hidden differences, but this diamond 5870 runs at 70C underload with the fan at 31%. It is the quietest card I've had sinse they started adding fans to video cards.

I can't hear it, even under load.

As far as waiting for the 300 series from Nvidia goes. They could be better, they might not be, but the real point is there is always a next best thing around the corner. You can't keep waiting for the next release or you'll never purchase anything ever.

 

[c2explosive]

I agree, I believe I am ready to jump on a 5870 rather than wait for the 300 series. What is your opinion on the heat from the vapor-x blowing into the case? As stated before, it's a very nice computer... but no elite gaming tower with 5 fans exhausting heat. However, it handles my 4850 fine and that is not a closed gpu. I just want to be sure that if I'm spending upwards of $450, I don't purchase something that could perhaps be detrimental to my system, or not run as cool as I had hoped.


I would love to hear any other opinions on the situation and thank all of you for taking the time to reply .

 

[avenger386]

I agree, I believe I am ready to jump on a 5870 rather than wait for the 300 series. What is your opinion on the heat from the vapor-x blowing into the case? As stated before, it's a very nice computer... but no elite gaming tower with 5 fans exhausting heat. However, it handles my 4850 fine and that is not a closed gpu. I just want to be sure that if I'm spending upwards of $450, I don't purchase something that could perhaps be detrimental to my system, or not run as cool as I had hoped.


I would love to hear any other opinions on the situation and thank all of you for taking the time to reply .

i'd go with something like this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002Q5V704

do you plan to OC? if you have 2 or more intake fans and 2 or more exhaust fans i think the vapor-x would be good, otherwise you just heat the interior of the case and your other components HD CPU etc.
if you don't have a fan right next to the GPU i'd go with the stock

 

[c2explosive]

Yeah I only have the one large fan at the back and bottom of the tower and then the large fan that exhausts heat on my power supply, there's also some kind of air intake thing (my best guess) right below the gpu, it has directional arrows perhaps hinting at the pull of air in and then up. But like I said the 4850 gets to around 82c and the case seems to be o.k. because it exhausts heat quite well.

A drawback is that I do believe that it does not suck in enough cold air. I am leaning towards a stock 5870 so it vents better now.

 

[c2explosive]

Any other opinions? Vapor-x or stock with my case???

 

[and-none]

I think you should go with the Vapor-X. Lower dba, and heat reduction is definitely worth the few extra $$, and I believe that the fact that your case is ventilated well enough for a single slot 4850 is a testament to its circulation

It shouldn't have any adverse affects on your 5870 Vapor-X, so I'd say go for that.

Worst case scenario just return it within 30 days if you notice any detrimental affects on case heat right? ^^

 

[avenger386]

I think you should go with the Vapor-X. Lower dba, and heat reduction is definitely worth the few extra $$, and I believe that the fact that your case is ventilated well enough for a single slot 4850 is a testament to its circulation

It shouldn't have any adverse affects on your 5870 Vapor-X, so I'd say go for that.

Worst case scenario just return it within 30 days if you notice any detrimental affects on case heat right? ^^

and lose like 50+ dollars due to restocking fee and shipping....

that pretty bad considering you can get a graphics card for that price

 

[c2explosive]

I've been trying to push my 4850 a lot gaming and whatnot and even at 82C the case does not seem to be affected at all and lots of heat is pushing out of the back, I'm quite confident that these results will continue with the 5870 Vapor-X. True the restocking fee would be bad, but it simply can't be worse ventilation than a single-slot 4850 (boasting low 80s as oppose to the 5870 Vapor-X's low 60s) and the fact that it is slightly shorter than the stock 5870 may help too in my mid-tower (although I believe HP did have somewhat of an intelligent design, putting the HD cage below where the gpu will extend, leaving ample clearance).

I've been thinking about it and this is the card I originally wanted, it will run cooler, quieter, and leave room for OC'ing (if I ever need it). After thoughtful consideration as well as testing and listening to everyone's comments I think that there will be sufficient air circulation. I believe I am set on ordering it when it restocks in January

 

[rolli59]

From what I've seen, the big issue is the VRM's under the fan area with the tiny little stretched half penny of thin strip copper that tries and fails to cool the row of VRM's there.

Oh gawd, they couldn't afford a full penny of copper... oh gee why actually cool the overheating vrms !?! idiots!

So what I would do if I were to buy the crappy ati junk is look and see what cooler fixes that VRM cooling issue and go with that lickity split no matter how much air it dumps into the case- which is a lot anyway with the 5870 vents on top already and the tiny slot vents at the chassis connector area.- so it's spewing heat into the case anyway...

So screw the air going into the case, get something that cools that vrm row and then actually HAVE the OC potential of the 5870 ati has PR and Ad spam lied and tried to claim is present.

THAT would be sweet

( yes I hate crapas_ ati but it's in my interest that their crap get straightened out so I don't have to come across the next corpo pig lie and half baked junk non solution from the billions black hole bozos.)

Scour the internet to find out which aftermarket cooler can cool those VRM's properly - if this one you're talking about does go for it !

I am getting tired to read about your ATI hate in every thread on this forum. You should take that somewhere else. This forum is to help people with problems the best we can.