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Three Aftermarket Graphics Coolers On GeForce GTX 480

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  • Gtx
  • Cooling
  • Geforce
  • Graphics
Last response: in Reviews comments
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November 8, 2010 4:00:03 AM

Today we're testing three of the largest graphics card coolers available: Arctic Cooling's Accelero XTREME Plus, DeepCool's V6000, and Zalman's VF3000F. Can these products bring performance to the table commensurate with their large triple-slot size?

Three Aftermarket Graphics Coolers On GeForce GTX 480 : Read more

More about : aftermarket graphics coolers geforce gtx 480

November 8, 2010 4:11:22 AM

You just can't mess with the Accelero.
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November 8, 2010 4:30:33 AM

Wow, I can't believe the Accelero and the Zalman were basically neck and neck, with no tangible victory in cooling. I always thought the Accelero would be better, but Zalman actually pulled this one off.

However, what would be AMAZING, is to have a follow-up to see which of these two solutions work best in SLI, assuming EITHER work well in SLI. I think that is the big question, especially since we never expected bad temps.

Also can you please add the voltages used for each overclock? It might give people, especially stock GTX 480 owners, a better idea of what these can handle, since cards will always vary when overclocking.

Holy ***, stock voltages! That is crazy! Please post up your VID (stock voltage) for us. Either you have a golden GTX 480, or the VID is a lot higher than it needs to be, which is pretty common.

Great article, I love to see these kind of side articles/reviews, and it was well done.
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November 8, 2010 5:53:11 AM

You mean Zalman VF3000F, not Zotac VF3000F on page 7.
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November 8, 2010 6:21:02 AM

Given that this entire article is based on cooling you really should have included all GPU temps - as vram / vrm cooling may be the difference between the Accelero and the Zalman (as I know my Accelero Twin Turbo on a 5850 struggled with vram temps in Furmark)

On this my guess would be the Zalman would smash it
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November 8, 2010 7:10:14 AM

How was the 480 at just under 60C when my 470's are always idling at 86C in a Antec twelve hundred..?

I mean sure this case isn't the best cooling case but there's never really much hot air in the case and with a sidepanel fan blowing on the two cards i just cant see how.

Unless.. you guy's test in a cool room at about 15-20C or the fan speeds are maxed 100% of the time.
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November 8, 2010 7:16:30 AM

joytech22my 470's are always idling at 86C


Well, there's your praablem.

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November 8, 2010 7:51:27 AM

Oh, Zalman's cooler looks weaker than Accelero but the later actually outperforms a bit. That's amazing.
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November 8, 2010 7:51:32 AM

Don, what is your view on how to apply thermal paste. There are numbers of ways people talk about: a pea in the middle, several peas, line in the middle, several lines, and old school spread method. You use spread method when you apply the RAM/VRM sink on Zalman, I presume you use the same method on other parts, too. Maybe Tom can do a comparison test on different ways of applying thermal paste.
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November 8, 2010 8:12:25 AM

These look good and would help me out quite a bit with a 465/470, but I wish I could get them in a design that would help maintain the existing footprint. My GF100 doesn't run quite as hot as some reference card designs, but that sure as hell doesn't mean that I'm happy with the leaf blower lurking in my case. Maybe I find a way to make the Zalman work.
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November 8, 2010 9:20:59 AM

I think the Zalman one wins here. It performs slightly better, costs slightly less, weighs less and is shorter than the Arctic cooler. As for noise they're trading blows. Being shorter, the VF3000 does not increase the length of the GTX 480, unlike the accelero which may theoretically cause incompatibility with some cases. Being lighter, it strains the PCB much less. The fact it performed so close to the Arctic cooler with only 2 fans surprised me.
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November 8, 2010 9:29:54 AM

Is it a new habbit to NOT arrange them in order, just kinda throw them up there?
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November 8, 2010 9:34:44 AM

Zalman VF3000F: My 2 cents...

I have its twin brother for ATI. I must say its an amazing cooler. I use it with the stock heat plate on the 5850. I hit 1ghz easy and I prob could push it harder if I wanted. The best part is I can barely hear it even when its on full blast.
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November 8, 2010 11:04:27 AM

What are the fan speed %s at idle and at load?
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November 8, 2010 11:13:34 AM

my water cooling is way better idle 32c and load 50c
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November 8, 2010 11:14:47 AM

did i mention that i do not loose my sli capability, some mobos don't have the pci slots place to accommodate those air coolers
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November 8, 2010 12:00:37 PM

And how much did your full WC cost?

It would have been nice if the TFII's cooler could have been tested too for comparison as it is only a dual rather than tri slot solution.
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November 8, 2010 1:35:00 PM

joytech22How was the 480 at 65.8*C (you might want to try reading better) when my 470's are always idling at 86C in a Antec twelve hundred..?I mean sure this case isn't the best cooling case but there's never really much hot air in the case and with a sidepanel fan blowing on the two cards i just cant see how.Unless.. you guy's test in a cool room at about 15-20C or the fan speeds are maxed 100% of the time.

60*C is the CHANGE VS AMBIENT. This means how much hotter it is vs the ambient temperature. Assuming a 20*C room, that means they hit 85.8*C on load.
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November 8, 2010 1:40:17 PM

Th-zDon, what is your view on how to apply thermal paste. There are numbers of ways people talk about: a pea in the middle, several peas, line in the middle, several lines, and old school spread method. You use spread method when you apply the RAM/VRM sink on Zalman, I presume you use the same method on other parts, too. Maybe Tom can do a comparison test on different ways of applying thermal paste.


I used to to do the spread, but in comparison to the dot in the middle method, it's a PITA. And I remember one time I couldn't get a heat sink on properly and had to take it off, using the dot method, and it actually spread quite well. In either scenario I can't imagine the temperature vary by more than a couple degrees Celsius.
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November 8, 2010 2:04:44 PM

The VF3000F is great. I got one for my GTX 470 which was idle at 44C and around 80-85C load. Then again I wasn't doing it any favors having overvolted it to 1.087v and clocks at 850/1700/1900. The stock fan was horribly loud and still getting very hot even without overclocking/volting so I got the Zalman and threw it on. 33C idle and 63C load with the fan at the lowest setting! Great job by Zalman and I managed to get the memory clock to 1975.
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November 8, 2010 2:09:12 PM

Stock clocks for my GTX 470 are 607/1215/1674. So the gains are pretty good and the 70 for the Zalman VF3000F was well worth the decrease in temps and sound.
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November 8, 2010 2:09:26 PM

Can you give some examples of motherboards with the 3 slots in between?
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November 8, 2010 2:33:02 PM

gabwerkzYou mean Zalman VF3000F, not Zotac VF3000F on page 7.


Doh! Thanks, Fixed.
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November 8, 2010 2:34:36 PM

joytech22How was the 480 at just under 60C when my 470's are always idling at 86C in a Antec twelve hundred..?


Do keep in mind that our temperatures are listed as the DELTA (difference) between ambient and the GPU.

Having said that, idling at 86 degrees is high. Are you talking Celsius? We are...
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November 8, 2010 2:36:35 PM

Th-zDon, what is your view on how to apply thermal paste. There are numbers of ways people talk about: a pea in the middle, several peas, line in the middle, several lines, and old school spread method. You use spread method when you apply the RAM/VRM sink on Zalman, I presume you use the same method on other parts, too. Maybe Tom can do a comparison test on different ways of applying thermal paste.


Nifty idea!

For the record, I use the old-school spread method. I prefer to use a very thin, even coat... the amnount of thermal paste should be as little as possible to do the job. You want to maximize contact between the GPU and block, not put a barrier between it.
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November 8, 2010 3:35:52 PM

What amazes me is that there is people out there that still manage to get 900mhz on stock cooling and higher still with cap mods and still stable enough to game on :o 
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November 8, 2010 4:16:25 PM

Quote:
As you can see, all of these aftermarket coolers do a much better job keeping the power-hungry GF100 cooler and quieter than the reference model.


Cooler yes, but they are all basically 50 decibels at idle and the differences at load are all small. It would be good to show your testing methodology there also. How close to the source are you measuring? Sound clips would be great.
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November 8, 2010 4:57:37 PM

ProximonCooler yes, but they are all basically 50 decibels at idle and the differences at load are all small.


it may seem small but remember that decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, not a linear one. The reference 480 cooler is a lot louder than the Zalman or Arctic Cooling models. Also keep in mind that the base level is affected by the noise from the system, it's hard to isolate that.


ProximonIt would be good to show your testing methodology there also. How close to the source are you measuring? Sound clips would be great.


Sound was measured 2" from the top of the card in an open case desktop (not tower) system.

I'm not sure sound clips would be all that useful, seeing as how it adds a whole bunch of variables: how perfect is the mic? What level is playback? etc.
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November 8, 2010 5:04:55 PM

Since these aftermarket coolers aren't external exhaust and they take away more heat from the GPU, should I be worried about the more heat being pumped into the case?
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November 8, 2010 5:26:31 PM

cleeve said:
... it may seem small but remember that decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, not a linear one.


If I knew that I had forgotten. Now I have to go look it up. :p 

I understand on the variables, but I also think that there are other sound characteristics that can be a factor. The whine from the fan bearing might be way more annoying than the air flow, although both are the same loudness.


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November 8, 2010 5:30:08 PM

ProximonThe whine from the fan bearing might be way more annoying than the air flow, although both are the same loudness.


That's true. I wish I had something that could measure sones, I think that takes into account the frequency response of the human hearing range.
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November 8, 2010 5:50:53 PM

Hmn, I'll keep Zalman and Arctic cooling in mind if I ever feel brave enough to take the shell off of my Video card.
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November 8, 2010 5:53:36 PM

Cleeveit may seem small but remember that decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, not a linear one. The reference 480 cooler is a lot louder than the Zalman or Arctic Cooling models. Also keep in mind that the base level is affected by the noise from the system, it's hard to isolate that.Sound was measured 2" from the top of the card in an open case desktop (not tower) system.I'm not sure sound clips would be all that useful, seeing as how it adds a whole bunch of variables: how perfect is the mic? What level is playback? etc.

Couldn't you just put a fanless card in there and use that as a base for comparison on the charts.
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November 8, 2010 6:17:55 PM

p.8 conclusion of the Zalman VF3000F:
"But this is no worse than the Accelero XTREME Plus, with its permanent thermal adhesive."

actually, there is a big difference:
for the Accelero XTREME Plus, you only need to buy a new accessory set (only the heat sinks from the accessory set use thermal adhesive), the cooler itsef can be used without a problem with other cards ...
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November 8, 2010 7:07:57 PM

AMW1011Wow, I can't believe the Accelero and the Zalman were basically neck and neck, with no tangible victory in cooling. I always thought the Accelero would be better, but Zalman actually pulled this one off.


i have a feeling the aluminum fan shroud helped alot. as it helps direct air as well as add to the cooling surface. i know it makes a huge difference in an automobile. i have no idea what the case is that they used and that is something that SHOULD have been included!
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November 8, 2010 7:14:27 PM

bl4c said:
p.8 conclusion of the Zalman VF3000F:
"But this is no worse than the Accelero XTREME Plus, with its permanent thermal adhesive."

actually, there is a big difference:
for the Accelero XTREME Plus, you only need to buy a new accessory set (only the heat sinks from the accessory set use thermal adhesive), the cooler itsef can be used without a problem with other cards ...


I know, but the problem is that if you do that you essentially have to junk the card it was previously attached to because the stock cooler won't fit over the glued heat-sinks.
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November 8, 2010 7:15:56 PM

f-14 said:
i have no idea what the case is that they used and that is something that SHOULD have been included!


Yes, I should have noted that in the article. I'll edit that in.

It was in an open testbed though, and results will always be different on a per-case basis.
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November 8, 2010 7:18:42 PM

IzzyCraft said:
Couldn't you just put a fanless card in there and use that as a base for comparison on the charts.


That's a good idea izzy, surprised it never occurred to me. I will do that in the future.
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November 8, 2010 8:48:48 PM

AMW1011to see which of these two solutions work best in SLI, assuming EITHER work well in SLI.


They work great in SLI. I have Sparkle Calibre 480's (Accelero's) and get 55C top card and 49C bottom in BC2.
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Anonymous
November 8, 2010 8:49:45 PM

The one thing I always liked about the stock cooler over these was that it blows all the hot air out of the back of your case. What is the effect of these coolers or the temperatures of the rest of your system now that half the air is being blown back inside?
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November 8, 2010 8:51:38 PM

Quote:
The one thing I always liked about the stock cooler over these was that it blows all the hot air out of the back of your case. What is the effect of these coolers or the temperatures of the rest of your system now that half the air is being blown back inside?


These coolers will likely raise the internal temps above what the stock cooler would.
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November 8, 2010 9:00:44 PM

CleeveThese coolers will likely raise the internal temps above what the stock cooler would.


OK, then I don't get the point of them if it means that keeping other overclocked components cool will be harder. Also from the looks of the 'fins' on these coolers, most of that hot air will be being kept in the case to keep being recycled by the cooler. Suppose it is not a problem if you have an open bench setup like in the article.

Not trying to be negative on purpose, but these things are expensive and just don't seem worth it.
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November 8, 2010 9:02:35 PM

CleeveThese coolers will likely raise the internal temps above what the stock cooler would.


If you have a case with good cooling, then it doesn't matter. Get some fans man. Some quiet ones, of course.
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November 9, 2010 12:08:21 AM

Concerning the Accelero, you say:

"This isn’t a terrible thing, but it is a little disappointing for folks who like the idea of a generic heat sink that can migrate with them to their next purchase (especially after spending that much money on the aftermarket upgrade). "

Well, actually you can migrate the heat sink. Just buy another kit that comes with more little heatsinks. The real problem is that if you want to use the GTX 480 or want to sell it, it will almost only accept another accelero or something that can fit with those little heatsinks in place.
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November 9, 2010 1:08:40 AM

tpi2007 said:
Well, actually you can migrate the heat sink. Just buy another kit that comes with more little heatsinks. The real problem is that if you want to use the GTX 480 or want to sell it, it will almost only accept another accelero or something that can fit with those little heatsinks in place.


Exactly. I replied to a similar question about 8 posts ago with basically the same thing.
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November 9, 2010 2:04:35 AM

Does this void the warranty, say on an EVGA card with limited lifetime warranty?
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November 9, 2010 2:46:37 AM

gbean02Can you give some examples of motherboards with the 3 slots in between?

I have an ASRock X58 Extreme MB with the 16x PCI-E slots 3 apart.
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November 9, 2010 2:49:29 AM

To clarify, there are two other slots between the 16x slots which leaves enough room for a SLI/xfire configuration that uses triple width cards.
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November 9, 2010 6:15:19 AM

I am quite impressed but how about reliability issue with this coolers?
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November 9, 2010 8:20:41 PM

CleeveI know, but the problem is that if you do that you essentially have to junk the card it was previously attached to because the stock cooler won't fit over the glued heat-sinks.

thanks for the reply, i hadn't thought of that ... if you look it that way, it might be worse :D  ... a missed change, they should make the heatsinks detachable
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