Upgrade 8800GTX to lower system temperature/improve stability

[iainmacleanny]

Hi,
Needs some advice regarding overheating gfx cards...
I have a system which performance wise isnt too bad however I've started to see problems whereby when under stress it overheats (~80/85 degrees) and shuts down. Adding more fans or moving it to a more ventilated area isnt really an option and I've already removed 1 of my graphics cards...
So what card can I buy which would have a similar (if not better performance) but run at a lower temperature? Looking to spend $150-$200 and was considering the GeForce GTX 460.
Any ideas?

Thanks
Iain

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad QX6700 Extreme Retail (4x2.66GHz 1066FSB 8Mb)
Memory: Corsair Twin2X CM2X1024-6400C4PRO
Graphics: XFX Nvidia 8800GTX 768MB PCIe HDCP
Case: SILVERSTONE TJ07 Black CASE (NO PSU)
Motherboard: Asus Striker Extreme 680i SLI (1333 FSB Conroe)
CPU Cooling: Zalman CNPS9700 LED Aero Flower Cooler (All CPU)
Hard Drive: 150Gb Raptor X 10000 16mb E-SATA(2x)
Storage HD: 250Gb Hitachi Deskstar T7K250 7200 8mb SATA II
Sound Card: Creative 7.1 X-FI ExtremeGamer Fatal1ty
OS: Windows 7
Cooling: Antarctic Cooling (3-5 Fans digital controlled+VGA|HD Cooling)
PSU: Enermax Galaxy Modular 1000W PSU

 

[geekapproved]

Your cpu is hitting 80-85c?

How long has this been a problem, I mean why are you addressing it just now, obviously you've had this system for a LONG time.

Is this something that just started happening?? If it just started happening obviously there is some kind of problem you need to address other than video cards.


I've never heard of a 8800GTX, are you sure it's not 8800GTS or GT? Either way a GTX460 1gb will be slightly faster than 2 of those in SLI at 1680x1050.

I don't know if your mobo is Xfire capable but the AMD cards tend to use quite a bit less power than the Nvidia cards. The HD6850 would be on par with the GTX460 1gb and uses approx. 33w less.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-6950-1gb-geforce-gtx-560-ti-gaming-graphics-card,2857.html

What resolution is your monitor?

 

[wolf201]

whats your room temperature at? i would try elimination the heat problem before buying new video cards.

 

[-Fran-]

Get a new HSF for your CPU, I'd say that would be a better purchase if you're fine with the FPS'es from the 8800GTX. Well, that's assuming 80°C and not 80°F u're talking about.

Anyway, a single 6850 should last you plenty and consume a little less than the 8800GTX I think (the 8800GTX is above the GTS450, right?).

Cheers!

 

[iam2thecrowe]

id get some AS5 thermal paste, remove the heatsinks from GPU and CPU, clean the old thermal paste off and reapply AS% thermal paste. Also clean the dust out of your fans and heatsinks with compressed air, also clean out the power supply. You should now be good to go! Just to add, an 8800gtx should be capable of 85 degrees without shutting down, but use msi afterburner to create a faster fan speed profile to lower temps, just to confirm that temps are indeed the issue. The default fan profile only cranks the fan up to max at about 90 degrees.....

 

[jerreece]

If your CPU is seeing 80C or higher you have a very serious problem with your CPU cooler. A CPU should never be run @ 70C or higher. You probably need to remove the CPU cooler and clean it out (may be full of dust). Clean off the heatsink and CPU with isopropyl alcohol and reapply thermal paste (Arctic Silver 5 is great) and reattach.

Changing your video card should have little affect on your CPU temps, as even the 8800GTX vented it's heat primarily out the back of the case.

If your video card is what's pushing above 80C and causing shut downs you may need to remove and clean it out. The 8800GTX is old enough that it's way overdue for a thoroughly cleaning if it's never been dusted.

 

[christop]

yeah I would clean your cpu heatsink and add new thermal paste.

 

[ionut19]

If eider your CPU or your GPU is hitting that temperature clean the heat sink and reapply the thermal paste. If you want to change the video card i suggest you buy the 560ti and not the gtx460, even more so if you have/had 2 8800gtx. The 560ti is only 250$. You can sell the 8800gtx and add the money to the new graphic card.

 

[iainmacleanny]

Thanks everyone, spot on responses... The PC had been in storage for around a year before I started using it again and I had been a little lazy about checking it out/cleaning it up. Turns out the fan was pretty blocked with dust... All cleared up now and have reapplied thermal compound between the cpu/heatsink. The temperature is a bit better, hovering 55 idling and around 70 deg under stress. I suspect however on hot days it will easily breach 80 odd.
I guess I may need a new fan?
Anyway I'll do some research (and if I need help post to the right forum ;-) ) , thanks again for the help!
Iain

 

[geekapproved]

Is the fan spinning? It still shouldn't be that hot. Maybe it's not spinning fast enough, I don't know.

 

[sykozis]

Is the fan spinning? It still shouldn't be that hot. Maybe it's not spinning fast enough, I don't know.

Relax....his temps aren't dangerous to his processor.

Also, if you've never heard of the 8800GTX, you shouldn't be using the name "GeekApproved".... The 8800 series had what amounts to 7 different cards....


8800Ultra (G80)
8800GTX (G80)
8800GTS 512 (G92)
8800GTS 640 (G80)
8800GTS 320 (G80)
8800GT (G92)
8800GS (G80?)

 

[SHARKMEAT]

I may add the GTX8800 was the best cards Nvidia ever made bar none, and it still can kick alot of newer video cards that selling for a arm and a leg....CHEERS

 

[iam2thecrowe]

i agree the 8800 series was the best, the gtx was like 2x more powerful than anything out at the time. My 4 year old 8800gts is as fast as a gt240 which people are still buying as a gaming card....

 

[iainmacleanny]

Found that the fans werent running at full speed as well, once sorted that out, idles at ~40, running prime for a while seems to max out at 80 odd. Still not great but ALOT better. Considering swapping out the Zalman for a newer fan to reduce it further...

 

[geekapproved]

Relax....his temps aren't dangerous to his processor.

Also, if you've never heard of the 8800GTX, you shouldn't be using the name "GeekApproved".... The 8800 series had what amounts to 7 different cards....


8800Ultra (G80)
8800GTX (G80)
8800GTS 512 (G92)
8800GTS 640 (G80)
8800GTS 320 (G80)
8800GT (G92)
8800GS (G80?)

Kids, what can ya do? Can you tell me exactly how your post helps in ANY way? Yeah, didn't think so.


No I never heard of the 8800GTX, despite having the 8800GTS 320mb and 8800GT (256mb), which you left out of your little chart by the way. Oh yeah, you also forgot the 9800GT 512mb. Yeah I had one of those too. I was probably selling video cards while you were still playing with big plastic keys that hung over your crib.



Oh and I never said the temps were dangerous to his processor, that does not mean you want to run it at 85c to where it shuts down fool. I have same cpu at 3200mhz and it never goes over 60c.

 

[SHARKMEAT]

The pair (sli) of 8800GTX's can play MOH at 1920 X 1440 at 44 FPS only 15 slower than the sli GTX460's I got....now that is smooth game play you don't need 120 or 170 to have a good game....But I can't beleave you never heard of the $599.00 8800GTX's in your long life of computer work ?. lol...CHEERS

 

[ionut19]

Kids, what can ya do? Can you tell me exactly how your post helps in ANY way? Yeah, didn't think so.


No I never heard of the 8800GTX, despite having the 8800GTS 320mb and 8800GT (256mb), which you left out of your little chart by the way. Oh yeah, you also forgot the 9800GT 512mb. Yeah I had one of those too. I was probably selling video cards while you were still playing with big plastic keys that hung over your crib.



Oh and I never said the temps were dangerous to his processor, that does not mean you want to run it at 85c to where it shuts down fool. I have same cpu at 3200mhz and it never goes over 60c.

The 8800gtx was top dog and after a wile nvidia released the ultra witch was a 8800gtx overclocked. And you forgot to mention the 1Gb model of 8800gt. Keep your arguments on private, you can fight there as much as you want(goes for bought of you).

 

[SHARKMEAT]

The 8800gtx was top dog and after a wile nvidia released the ultra witch was a 8800gtx overclocked. And you forgot to mention the 1Gb model of 8800gt. Keep your arguments on private, you can fight there as much as you want(goes for bought of you).

I got two of the 8800GTX OC/OC2 ver (total of 4) when they came out, and after that alone came the Nvidia's GeForce GTX 8800 Ultra......CHEERS

 

[iainmacleanny]

Best answer selected by iainmacleanny.