The TRUTH about GPU temperatures

Hey guys,

So I'm looking for some bottom line advice here.

I'm getting really tired of constantly worrying about my GPU temps, every card I've ever had has tun 10-20 degrees higher than what most people seem to say is acceptable for those cards. Wherever I post I get told that my temps are too high. Now I'm running a hd5870, and doing my benchies with Bioshock 2, it hits 75 degrees after an hour. I post that up, and lo and behold everyone says it's too high!

My case has a giant fan about half the size of the side panel on the side, a 2x 120mm fans, one for intake, one for exhaust at the top. The I've added an 80mm fan pointed straight at the GPU, still I get these temps!

So I'm wondering, what the hell do I have to do to lower the GPU temps!? Is this number of fans not enough!?

I'm starting to wonder if my temps are fine, because I'm doing MORE than what is recommended by the manufacturer to keep this thing cool at stock clocks, yet everyone still says it's too hot!

So can someone tell me, REALLY, is my card too hot?

It's currently idling at 38 degrees, it hits 88 degrees after 15 mins on furmark, 75 degrees after an hour on Bioshock 2. Those are they only tests I've been able to do with all the doom-saying about my temps making me worry since this was a £300 card!

Is my card REALLY in danger? Should I stop worrying? I wanna know the full score here cuz if this card really is running hot then I don't know what the hell it takes to cool it on top of the stock cooling (which at factory clocks SHOULD be enough) and it should not have been approved for release since if it's overheating like everyone says then it's poorly designed and inherently faulty.

Anyway rant over. Any opinions please?

Thanks

James

75C for a 5780 is normal mine hits 78C with max settings on Dragon Age. 38 idle is ok, mines 36C but dual screen idle for me is 48C because the card clocks higher when multiple screens are detected.

Arma 2 hits 80-85 after a while too, I've had a lot of people say thats too high too!

That's completely fine. My 4870x2s hit >85C all the time.

kutuup, you can buy an aftermarket cooler (any kind of cooling device bought after the device), and that'll take temps down a good 15-20degrees.

My 4870 hits 85 in Crysis on very high/Warhead on Enthusiast, 4x AA, 16X AF. Don't worry unless the thing crosses 90. Even then, the real danger temp is 110. Says so in the ATI Overdrive manual.

Furmark stresses the hell out of any card. It is designed to be that way. It causes the video card's temps to sky rocket and power consumption to dramatically increase as well.