Difference in heat sinks and new GPU!

[solinvictus01]

Hi eveyone,

I'll be buying a new GPU in the next few months and I was wondering what I should get. Now, I've already set my eyes on the new GTX 680 but I don't know who to buy it from.

I currently have a MSI R6970 Lightninig in a Corsair 500R case with two Noctua 140mm fans in exhaust on the side panel. When playing Crysis 2 at an ambient temp of 60-65F the fans in my GPU crank up to 80-85%. It's ridiculously loud. I can't really stand it. It feels like my card is about to explode. As for temps, I'm looking at 80-82C. I think that's very hot considering how MSI claims that the cooling system in this card is superb.

But that's not really the point. What I want to know is what is the difference between a heat sink design used in the MSI Twin Frozr GPU's vs the one used in EVGA GPU's

If the difference is big, shoudl I go for an EVGA GPU? Or should I wait until ASUS releases their DirectCU II GTX 680?

Thanks for the help!

 

[zakattak80]

first of all whats your case and hows the air flow? don't now how many ppl post complaints about a card getting hot while its in a case with no venting.

 

[J_E_D_70]

Not directly addressing your question, but could your temps and resulting GPU fan noise be a result of using your side fans as exhaust?

The 500R is designed with the side fan blowing in to feed cool air to the GPU. The exhausts might be preventing the intakes on the front from ever getting to the GPU fan. Would be made even worse if your drive cages are still installed.

Just a thought.

 

[solinvictus01]

Not directly addressing your question, but could your temps and resulting GPU fan noise be a result of using your side fans as exhaust?

The 500R is designed with the side fan blowing in to feed cool air to the GPU. The exhausts might be preventing the intakes on the front from ever getting to the GPU fan. Would be made even worse if your drive cages are still installed.

Just a thought.

Possibly, but when I removed the 200mm fan it was directed as an exhaust. I could be wrong though. I can try to change the side fans from exhaust to intake.

 

[solinvictus01]

Not directly addressing your question, but could your temps and resulting GPU fan noise be a result of using your side fans as exhaust?

The 500R is designed with the side fan blowing in to feed cool air to the GPU. The exhausts might be preventing the intakes on the front from ever getting to the GPU fan. Would be made even worse if your drive cages are still installed.

Just a thought.

Just reserached and you're right. I'll change those fans to be intake. I also have two top Notcua 120mm fans. I'm thinking I should turn those to exhaust? Don't know much about airflow as you can probably tell.

 

[bystander]

Are you overclocking the MSI Lightning much? The reason I ask is that the card has reviewed well on most sites. If you push an OC, all cards get louder.

Atm, almost all GTX 680's are equally loud, or rather, equally quiet as almost all of them are the same design with the same cooler. However, they are pretty quiet. Look at the load temps compared to some other cards: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-680-review-benchmark,3161-17.html

 

[solinvictus01]

Are you overclocking the MSI Lightning much? The reason I ask is that the card has reviewed well on most sites. If you push an OC, all cards get louder.

Atm, almost all GTX 680's are equally loud, or rather, equally quiet as almost all of them are the same design with the same cooler. However, they are pretty quiet. Look at the load temps compared to some other cards: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-680-review-benchmark,3161-17.html

Not really overclocking the GPU. I have gone from 940Mhz to 950Mhz. Not really a big OC.

Thanks for the charts!

 

[J_E_D_70]

I'm certainly not an expert, but everything I've read points to the top fans as being exhaust (warm air rising and all).

Saw a great guide somewhere with nice graphics showing various configs but can't find the link. Anyone have a good one?

Edit: Bingo! http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/cooling-airflow-heatsink,3053-4.html

 

[solinvictus01]

I'm certainly not an expert, but everything I've read points to the top fans as being exhaust (warm air rising and all).

Saw a great guide somewhere with nice graphics showing various configs but can't find the link. Anyone have a good one?

Edit: Bingo! http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/cooling-airflow-heatsink,3053-4.html

You sir, are awesome! Thanks!

 

[solinvictus01]

Best answer selected by solinvictus01.