Best video card cooler?

DodgerDodger
edited December 2003 in Hardware
Ok, so I few days ago I was tinkering around with my video card, seeing how high of an overclock I could get, ect. It's currently a silky smooth 12 degrees in my room and my video card is overclocked to the max. But alas, the heating bill has gone up and the parents aren't to happy. So I need a new alternative to cooling this sucker down. So, what's the best grx card cooler? I'm looking at a 60 dollar price range. I am currently useing a Gainward Geforce 4 Ti4200 8X card and am planning on upgrading to a Radeon 9800 sometime after X-mas.
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Comments

  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    I like my zalman zm80c-hp.
    newegg has them for $29.99 and $34.99 shipped. scroll until you see it.
    don't expect a whole lot more from it than what you can achieve from simply adding some AS5 to your stock hsf IMHO
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5211
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited December 2003
    The CoolJag JAC313C 1U Copper Server Cooler.
    $18.00 USD @ http://www.1coolpc.com/jag.htm

    You'll need a couple minutes, some rubber washers, throughbolts, a dremel tool, nuts, a drill, a drillbit to match the diameter of the throughbolts and some AS3/5.

    http://mikhailtech.com/articles/mods/mx440mod/

    Mikhailtech did this modification to a GeForce 4 MX 440, but it can be done with any video card as long as there is sufficient clearence around the GPU.

    Here's a 9800 Pro with the CoolJag JAC313C 1U Copper server cooler installed :D
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    The Cooljag is awfully small though, don't you think Simguy? I like the AMD retail HSF better... :D
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    It looks a whole hell of a lot better though; no offense, Geeky.
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited December 2003
    The CoolJag is small enough it only encroaches on the 1st PCI slot.

    How many does the AMD retail cooler take up? 2? 3? :D

    The CoolJag puts out 24 CFM in a 63x63x26mm package @ 5200 RPM (+/-10%).

    Considering most VGA coolers put out what.... 10-14 CFM, it's a noticable improvement. Either way, overclocking is still limited by what the GPU can achieve. :)
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    Thrax:
    No offense taken. My mod is a mess, primarily because I was more interested in getting it working than I was in how it looked.

    Regardless, the AMD retail HSF takes up the first PCI slot on the NF7-S, so on a normal board, it would take up the first two slots.
  • DodgerDodger
    edited December 2003
    Yeah, I think i'll go for the zalman... looks like a little less hassle.

    EDIT: blah, i'm stuck between getting the Zalman or the cooljag...
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    SVC has that Zalman for $26.99 + shipping (Newegg is OOS)
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    SimGuy had this to say
    The CoolJag JAC313C 1U Copper Server Cooler.
    $18.00 USD @ http://www.1coolpc.com/jag.htm

    You'll need a couple minutes, some rubber washers, throughbolts, a dremel tool, nuts, a drill, a drillbit to match the diameter of the throughbolts and some AS3/5.

    http://mikhailtech.com/articles/mods/mx440mod/

    Mikhailtech did this modification to a GeForce 4 MX 440, but it can be done with any video card as long as there is sufficient clearence around the GPU.

    Here's a 9800 Pro with the CoolJag JAC313C 1U Copper server cooler installed :D

    Mod a 70mm or even a 80mm fan on that and you have some extra air on the memory on that card. If you don't have anything in the first pci, then try using a funnel which will increase the cooling a lot. NICE mod!
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    The zalman is more hassle, trust me. It's a pain in the ass to assemble and install.
  • DodgerDodger
    edited December 2003
    Well, i'm leaning towards the Zalman because it would work well with this case. You see, notice the side panel fan.... it's blowing outward. If I got the Zalman w/ fan attachment, the Z fan would blow hot air toward the side panel fan, and the side panel fan would take care of the rest. Hense, increasing air flow.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    There is one thing to note:

    If you have a case with front and back fans, the easiest way not to disturb the overall airflow with a column (3D ROW for anyone who wants to get technical a horizontally rotated column, it is a round airflow unless broken up) and net result if it is that the column gets broken up by the airflow up and back through case or the side fan sucks stuff out too well and casues the main airflow to be turbulent instead of airflow going out the side is to duct the AGP card HS out a slot, which means if you want the best results you put a pulling fan on the outside of your slot or use a fanned duct. That is why fanned slot ducts can be very handy, though WITH decent fans on the AGP HS as well as a fanned duct and not either\or.

    This is also why I use side holes only to suck air into ATX cases, or with light volume fans blowing IN. On a good ATX case, it might be a LOT better for airflow and cooling if the GPU was on the BACK of the card, fanned so venting would be toward the back fans. Most side blowholes with sucking fans are too close to FRONT of case.

    John.

    Maybe BTX layouts and cases designed to cool them will help with this conflict some IF they can have rear vent fan on back where CPU etc is supposed to go.
  • MJOMJO Denmark New
    edited December 2003
    Remember, Zalman throws in a free screwdriver. ;D

    It is a hassle to assemble the Zalman.
    But the provided manual is great.
    I have rarely seen documentation that good.

    Remember the Optional fan ZM-OP1 if your case lacks airflow.
  • dream-casterdream-caster
    edited December 2003
    What about Arctic Cooling VGA Silencer ?
  • DodgerDodger
    edited December 2003
    According to their comparisons the Artic Cooler is superior to the Zalman VGA cooler. Thanks, I am almost deffinently going for the Artic cooler now.:)
  • MJOMJO Denmark New
    edited December 2003
    The only problem is that they do not test the ZM80C-HP.
    The 80A can not be equipped with a fan, therefore it is only a passive cooler.
    The 80C can be equipped with a fan, that would lower the temp significantly.

    I would call it a tie between the Arctic cooler and the ZM80C-HP + optional fan.

    The Zalman mentioned in this thread is the 80C not the 80A.

    Here you can see the ZM80C-HP
    http://www.zalman.co.kr/english/product/ZM80C-HP.htm
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    MJO, the 80A has a fan, but you have to buy it separately. It's supposed to be used with the Zalman 92mm fan bracket.

    By the way, the 80A is better than the 80C; the C has less surface area than the A does, and uses a smaller fan (80mm vs. any size you want, 92mm stock) so...
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited December 2003
    Dodger had this to say
    According to their comparisons the Artic Cooler is superior to the Zalman VGA cooler. Thanks, I am almost deffinently going for the Artic cooler now.:)

    Like FlowFX for Radeon 9500+, minus the noise of course. :)

    It's an impressive cooler, and cools slightly better than the Zalman. Slightly being 2-4*C.

    Enjoy :D
  • MJOMJO Denmark New
    edited December 2003
    Geeky1: The fan is separate for the 80C as well.
    It is called ZM-OP1.

    The SilentPC review isn't equal.
    It is a passive heatsink versus a active heatsink and fan.
    It is no big surprise that the active solution is the best according to the review.

    BTW: I didn't know that a fan was available for the ZM80A?
    I have never seen it with a fan.
    Apart from a ghetto soulution with a 80mm fan attached with rubber bands.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    I have the optional ZM-OP1.
    I'm going to be removing my shim to get better contact this week sometime ...I'd do it today but my exacto is at work.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    MJO, you're SUPPOSED to use this fan with the 80A:
    http://www.zalman.co.kr/english/product/fb123.htm
  • GnomeWizarddGnomeWizardd Member 4 Life Akron, PA Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Here Is a link to the pics of when i Put the Zalman on my 9700pro and it was not hard at all. took 5 min or my time and cools very well I would def get the zalman if you want the best cooling. I am not ocing my 9600 XT so i just put A thermaltake Crystal Orb with bga ram sinks and its sweet looking and cools actually very well too.

    First Link is the 9600xt with the Crystal Orb
    http://www.tehgnome.com/9600%20Xt/

    Second is the 9700 Pro with the Zalman Heatpipe with Fan
    http://www.tehgnome.com/Card/
  • MJOMJO Denmark New
    edited December 2003
    Thank's for the link Geeky1.

    I have only seen the 80A tested as a passive heatsink.
    I have seen a fan being recommended anywhere, and I have read some reviews of the 80A.

    BTW: Zalman states that you only need active cooling on the 80C when using R9700Pro and above.
  • DodgerDodger
    edited December 2003
    Ok, now i'm confused. I'm hearing the Zalman is the best than I heard the Artic cooler is the best... has anyone actualy tried both and can honestly say which offers better cooling?
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    I've tried the Zalman ZM80A, and it's OK. I really think you should just do what I linked to at the beginning of the thread, though.

    http://www.short-media.com/forum/sh...=&threadid=5211

    That's anywhere between 1 and 5hrs work, depending on the heatsink you get and how much effort you want to go to.

    Hell, you could even just glue the heatsink on with Arctic Alumina Epoxy and be done with it in 5 minutes + drying time.
  • DodgerDodger
    edited December 2003
    Thread hijackers.:(
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited December 2003
    Thread Pruned.

    Okay, to get back on topic here.

    Dodger: The Arctic Cooler won't fit the Ti4200, so it rules that out. Honestly, get the Zalman and slap a 92mm Fan on it for active cooling. I wouldn't trust my video card to a passive cooler, especially with $400 riding on that decision to be quiet.

    For the 9800 Pro, Zalman recommends that you USE the fan for active cooling. In a flip between the Arctic Cooler and the Zalman with fan for the 9800 Pro, I'd go with whatever is cheaper. Both cool in the same range, and 1-3*C isn't going to make a whole lot of difference, unless you are planning on overclocking the video card out the wazoo.
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Well, this sucks. It looks like there aren't any video card coolers aside from the original copper Iceberq, Tt Blorb, and Tt Crorb that will fit on my AiW 9700 Pro.

    Here's what I'm thinking now:
    1) Cut off a small square of copper from a 1/16" thick plate I have.
    2) Lap it on both sides as well as the stock sink.
    3) Polish both sides of the copper plate and the stock sink with the Dremel polishing drum dipped in AS5.
    4) Carefully place copper plate centered on R300 core.
    5) Center, place, and affix stock sink to card, sandwiching copper plate between core and stock sink.

    Opinions?

    -drasnor :fold:
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited December 2003
    Drasnor, you could try the CoolJag 1U cooler I showed on page 1 of this thread, but you would need to chop some of the cooler off to get it to fit on the AIW...
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