Aftermarket cooler customizing on XFX 587X-ZNFC

[92frabe]

Hi there!

In my ignorance I bought an Accelero Xtreme 5870 for my XFX HD 5870 card, not realising that there were reference cards and non-reference cards. Mine is a 587X-ZNFC, which means that it's a non-reference card, and therefore the cooler won't fit. Or at least, the VRM heatsink won't and I'd have to chop off 1/4 of one of the ramsinks to get them both on there.

I've realised that it will be very hard to find a cooler that actually fits my card, and that I'd probably have to make som sort of modification anyway. My question is, could/should I go with the stock VRM heatsink (or maybe buy some chip heatsinks instead), chop off 1/4 of a ramsink and mount the Accelero Xtreme? Or should I forget entirely about an aftermarket cooler and try to overclock my card a little (~72-75 degrees C on load with stock cooler on 100 % atm)?

 

[Deejeta]

If height of the vrm heatsink is an issue. Put each one on a bench grinder and grind them down to a more suitable height.
Had to do this with my 4850 many moons ago.

 

[Pr3d4t0r]

yeah vrm's arent that important aslong as the chip is kept cool it wont matter that much.

just chop them down enough to fit or buy aftermarket ones that arent as high for super cheap

 

[92frabe]

Thank you for such quick responses!

yeah vrm's arent that important aslong as the chip is kept cool it wont matter that much.

just chop them down enough to fit or buy aftermarket ones that arent as high for super cheap

So I'll just go ahead and use the stock VRM heatsink (maybe apply some new thermal tape), chop off 1/4 of a ramsink and mount the thing then!

I'll post some benchmarks when I'm done!

Edit: I decided not to keep the stock VRM heatsink, see further down.

 

[dragoonk]

You should go with the mod of the VRM heat-sink if you believe you would be happy with the end result. I'd probably mod it. Just make sure to keep every heat-sink, and don't take anything off just cause it doesn't fit. Find ways to mod it.

Good Luck!

 

[92frabe]

You should go with the mod of the VRM heat-sink if you believe you would be happy with the end result. I'd probably mod it. Just make sure to keep every heat-sink, and don't take anything off just cause it doesn't fit. Find ways to mod it.

Good Luck!

I think I'll try to follow your advice and mod the VRM heatsink after all. The trouble with the Accelero Xtreme one is that it's too wide and it also has a U shape (shallower in the middle for the VRMs). I'll have to take a closer look, but in a worst case scenario I might end up with an L-shaped heatsink. If that's the case, what do you suggest I do? The stock cooler basically is a black plastic thing (honestly, it doesn't look anything like a heatsink) and only has some thermal tape/padding that sticks it to the VRMs. I guess I could buy some thermal tape and go for the same thing on the modded Xtreme heatsink?

I'll get back to you when I have a plan for how to modify everything.

 

[dragoonk]

For starters, you could take a pic of the Accelero and the VRM heat-sink and post them here so I can see for my self and offer the best advice possible, if you can.

 

[92frabe]

For starters, you could take a pic of the Accelero and the VRM heat-sink and post them here so I can see for my self and offer the best advice possible, if you can.

Yeah, wish I could, but I have no decent camera. The OC3D review on the Accelero Xtreme 5870 contains quite a lot of pics.

Here's a picture I found of my card with the stock VRM heatsink.