7900gtx Hsf

[advancedkill]

Hi

I have a 7900GTX graphics card, with the stock cooler. Would getting a new cooler reduce the temperatures of it? I only want to use air cooling, as everything else is too expensive and I don't like having lots of water in my computer. What cooler should I get and what TIM should I get? (I saw a nice guide on how to apply TIM in CustomPC issue 46)

Thanks!

 

[maverik-sg1]

Zalman for a really nice cooler that will drop GPU temps - but like any of these if you decide to use then make sure u get BGA ramsinks as well.

I think Artic do a decent one too.

Artic Silver Ceramique is a good all rounder the best Artic Silver 5 though but has a tendency to go hard over time.

You can make the stock cooler better by removing the thin plastic cover and using a fan to direct air over the now exposed fins.

 

[advancedkill]

Cool. I thought that I could get Arctic Cooling MX-1 (and not Silver 5) - I heard that it was the best. I was going to try and just remove the dust from the original HSF and clean off the old TIM and add new, better TIM. How would I clean off the old TIM from the GPU, RAM and HSF?

Thanks!

 

[maverik-sg1]

Lots of peeps use IPA (Iso Propyl alcohol) or you can use TIM cleaner rpoducts available from some stores - or electrical cleaner - just be gentle and all will be well.

Never heard of MX-1 - could be a new one thats really good also but check reviews first.

Cheers

Mav

 

[K404]

I use toilet paper to clean old TIM

 

[OV3RCLOCK3R]

I use toilet paper to clean old TIM

Me too

 

[advancedkill]

Thanks for all of the replies!

You can get MX-1 here:

Will just using toilet roll clean off the paste as well as proper TIM cleaner? I found this TIM cleaner here:

Would this cooler be better than the reference cooler? (Given that the reference cooler is basically a massive slab of metal heatsink)

Thanks!

EDITED AND REMOVED REFERNCES TO COMPETITOR WEBSITE TO EPUK - THIS IS A FORUM SUPPRTING A SHOP AND ITS A BREACH OF RULES.

PLEASE FIND MANUFACTURER LINKS AND DROP IN HERE FOR REFERENCE.

 

[Master_G]

What i do is use toilet roll or kitchen roll to wipe of most of the old TIM, then use a solvent such as meths or white spirit with some more kitchen roll to get the core completely clean.

I use AS ceramique on GPUs, as i like the fact that it is non-conductive, and so if i accidentally get it on a transistor around the core or something, it shouldnt cause any problems.

G

 

[advancedkill]

I thought most thermal pastes were non-conductive? Does Arctic Silver 5 or Arctic MX-1 conduct electricity?

 

[maverik-sg1]

I thought most thermal pastes were non-conductive? Does Arctic Silver 5 or Arctic MX-1 conduct electricity?

Youhave to be very careful when applying all but ceramique -manufacturers can show you fancy graphs of how non conductive their TIM's are but in reality if it has metallic (conductive) particles as part of the mix the potential to create a short is much greater than a TIM with non metallic (non conductive) materials such as ceramic.

 

[advancedkill]

Relating to my chemistry: We want a material that is covalently boded, so that the electrons are not free to move (i.e. two non-metals joined together). Unfortunately non-metals and covalent compounds are insulators, which isn't too useful for HEAT CONDUCTING paste. I think Silver 5 or MX-1 is fine, as long as I don't go and wipe it over all of the components.

 

[maverik-sg1]

Whatever you do, you do at your own risk - the advice is here but the decision ultimately is your own - with the amount of money at risk, lets hope it's the right one.