Crazed modder straps CPU cooler to Nvidia GTX 960 with a 3D-printed bracket, breaks 3DMark benchmark record

A CPU cooler mounted on an Nvidia GTX 960

(Image credit: TrashBench)

A YouTube modder and Redditor has successfully attached a CPU cooler to an Nvidia GTX 960 using a 3D-printed bracket, bringing temperatures compared to the stock cooler down by 10 degrees and breaking a 3DMark Fire Strike benchmark record in the process.

The daring tinkerer, whose modest YouTube channel trades under the name TrashBench, took to the platform to reveal how they used a CPU cooler, some zip ties, and eventually a 3D-printed bracket to create one of the most novel yet surprisingly effective GPU cooling solutions we've ever seen.

"Had a spare CPU cooler and figured I’d chuck it on my 960 for a laugh," they revealed on Reddit. The first solution? Remove the GTX 960's stock cooler and simply strap the CPU to the card using some zip ties. The video reveals a precariously poised Cooler Master heatsink bound by some luminous yellow cable ties, a hilariously rudimentary first attempt.

I tried zip-tying a CPU cooler to my GTX 960. It got hotter. So I made a mount. Now it’s colder than stock. from r/hardware

"It looked dumb, ran hot, and nearly rattled itself apart," TrashBench reveals. A second run of 3D Mark's Fire Strike test yielded temperature increases of more than 10 degrees, likely caused by poor contact with the GPU's heatsink.

Undeterred, TrashBench fired up the 3D printer and "whipped up a proper bracket." The third run with the 3D-printed mount finally showcased the awesome power of the CPU cooler when properly in contact with the GPU, delivering a 13-degree improvement over the GTX 960's stock cooler and a 20-degree improvement on the cable tie attempt.

What's more, the monstrous combination even broke the 3DMark Fire Strike record for GTX 960 and Intel Core i5-12600KF processors, with a new top overall score of 7642, beating out the previous record of 7458. Not only that, the CPU cooler solution runs quieter than the GTX 960's stock cooler, but TrashBench puts this down to the "trash" fan running at low speed.

While the hardware combination is something of an eyesore, the actual physics behind the performance makes perfect sense. GPU coolers, by nature, have a much lower profile than CPU air coolers, which are equipped with fins and can measure upwards of 15 centimeters in height. TrashBench confirmed the CPU cooler in play weighed 470 grams, compared to the 270-gram factory cooler taken from the GTX 960, a battle of physics with only one winner when it comes to shifting heat.

And TrashBench isn't done. "I think I'll have to try it on a 4080 next," they quipped at the end of the video. Engaging further on Reddit, TrashBench also agreed that a GPU with a more sophisticated cooling system (the 960 is from 2015, after all) might not yield such a drastic improvement, promising to try a more potent cooler on a 2070 Super. In fact, TrashBench is even considering more thorough benchmarking to weigh stock GPU coolers, comparing them directly with similar-sized CPU coolers for fairer testing, a project that might even give our GPU Benchmarks Hierarchy a run for its money!

You can watch the full two-minute video below.

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Stephen is Tom's Hardware's News Editor with almost a decade of industry experience covering technology, having worked at TechRadar, iMore, and even Apple over the years. He has covered the world of consumer tech from nearly every angle, including supply chain rumors, patents, and litigation, and more. When he's not at work, he loves reading about history and playing video games.

17 Comments Comment from the forums

bit_user

The article said:
And TrashBench isn't done. "I think I'll have to try it on a 4080 next," they quipped at the end of the video. Engaging further on Reddit, TrashBench also agreed that a GPU with a more sophisticated cooling system (the 960 is from 2015, after all) might not yield such a drastic improvement, promising to try a more potent cooler on a 2070 Super. In fact, TrashBench is even considering more thorough benchmarking to weigh stock GPU coolers, comparing them directly with similar-sized CPU coolers for fairer testing
The only reason this worked is that the GTX 960 wasn't a very high-end card. As you go up the range, they start incorporating vapor chambers and coolers that are generally much better than CPU air coolers, or else how do you think air-cooled GPUs manage to burn more power and hold lower temps than CPUs???
Reply
Unolocogringo

Nothing new.
I installed a CPU cooler on my Voodoo Banshee and again on my record holding TI 4200 back when they were new.
Reply
BillyBuerger

I have a Scythe mini-Ninja mounted to my RX 6500XT. Not to run cooler but to run more quiet. Works great but not thermally difficult. I personally think there should be a new form factor so that GPUs can be mounted similar to motherboards so they can have large tower coolers that can work with normal case airflow instead of trying to force these high power components into an add-in card where airflow is all over the place.

My attempt at a new case layout...
Reply
DingusDog

Unolocogringo said:
Nothing new.
I installed a CPU cooler on my Voodoo Banshee and again on my record holding TI 4200 back when they were new.
Pics or it didn't happen.
Reply
bkojic

bit_user said:
The only reason this worked is that the GTX 960 wasn't a very high-end card. As you go up the range, they start incorporating vapor chambers and coolers that are generally much better than CPU air coolers, or else how do you think air-cooled GPUs manage to burn more power and hold lower temps than CPUs???
By being that much louder. I used to run a similar setup on a GTX 980Ti, much cooler and quieter than the OEM one.
Reply
Typhon666

That is totally dumb and here is why. Water cooling….. also weight and bulky cooler vs thin and water…. Maybe I should become a journalist and talk about how I stubbed my toe and I make shift use of duck tape into a Band-Aid.
Reply
Eximo

BillyBuerger said:
I have a Scythe mini-Ninja mounted to my RX 6500XT. Not to run cooler but to run more quiet. Works great but not thermally difficult. I personally think there should be a new form factor so that GPUs can be mounted similar to motherboards so they can have large tower coolers that can work with normal case airflow instead of trying to force these high power components into an add-in card where airflow is all over the place.

My attempt at a new case layout...
A few things I've wanted to see.

When MXM was still a thing, that would have been nice to see common on desktop motherboards. That would fit your solution nicely and get the low power highly binned GPUs into the hands of Micro ATX.

The other major one I wanted to see was a backside PCIe slot for the GPU, plus a right angle. GPU on the back of the motherboard effectively, leaving the front sides remaining PCIe slots fully available. They already make plenty of dual chamber chassis for the PSU to be behind the tray. And a version that only had half height slots on the front would neat as well, to maintain a normalish width of a case. Solves that 3 3/4 GPU width. Why even have slots on the board of a gaming motherboard if they are just covered up by GPU.

And to add to that idea, CAMM2 memory would allow for a full coverage block for CPU/VRM/Memory with relative ease.
Reply
bit_user

bkojic said:
By being that much louder. I used to run a similar setup on a GTX 980Ti, much cooler and quieter than the OEM one.
I find that claim dubious. We don't see CPU air coolers that can cope with that amount of heat, except on huge workstation and server CPUs that have large contact area. A GPU die is even smaller than a CPU IHS and GPUs don't tolerate heat as well as CPUs do. Sure, you get some benefit by going direct-die, but I think any CPU air cooler would quickly heat soak and leave the GPU thermal-throttling.

TL;DR: pics or it didn't happen. Let's see some screen shots with temps and power figures, too.

I had an EVGA GTX 980 Ti FTW, which was a 275W card with 2 fans. I found it remarkably quieter than my previous 2-fan card that used 100W less. I doubt any CPU air cooler is going to generate much less noise than that, unless it maxes out way earlier.

So, in my experience, at least up to that power level, an air-cooled GPU doesn't have to be loud. It's probably just a question of whether the manufacturer is willing to spend the big bucks on a high-end cooling solution.
Reply
bit_user

Eximo said:
The other major one I wanted to see was a backside PCIe slot for the GPU, plus a right angle. GPU on the back of the motherboard
They make PCIe cables, so you can place & orient your GPU however and wherever you want. IMO, that makes a lot more sense than manufacturers having to offer even more motherboard variants than they already do!

Eximo said:
And to add to that idea, CAMM2 memory would allow for a full coverage block for CPU/VRM/Memory with relative ease.
I hate CAMM2 for desktop. It makes about as much sense as the M.2 form factor for SSDs did. The slots waste more board space and you can't effectively cool the chips on the back side.
Reply
Unolocogringo

DingusDog said:
Pics or it didn't happen.
A search of my forum posts should solve your doubts. But everything before 2000 was lost in a forum change.
But I also have a 8 inch member.
I can send you a pick of it if you need proof. :cool:
Reply

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