Subject: RAMSinks on graphics cards
By: Maggot (IP: 69.118.194.*)
Written on: 05-01-2006 09:49
My Question:
Just how necessary is RAM chip cooling?
My plan w a refurbed Gigabyte GV-N68T256DH (that's an AGP version of 6800GT) is to take off the awkward (tho snazzy) OEM cooler, slap a water block on that hot GPU and ... well, I hope to ignore the RAM. Please don't begrudge me my post to maximumPC where I've hung around 6-7 years!
They won't have the same perspective that I see here: you guys are already up to speed!
Thread posted here:
http://tinyurl.com/3cwdk
It was badly stated a few days ago here:
http://tinyurl.com/3cwdk
I wrote the question like this:
The following is a full copy of my question,:
=========
The Actual Question is 2/3 the way down if you don't feel patient.
My happy news is there's a Gigabyte GV-N68T256DH disassembled on the table before me. THis 6800GT 256MB ...AGP! a vanishing breed! So it goes for >$400 ... but I got a refurb !! This seemed to me, at the time, a coup: no less, at total $230. But I think there'll be more of these (for reasons I speculate abt on post #5). She's a beauty.
The gimmicky heatpipe ("SilentPipe, v.I" of which version Two "II" vents outside the box. This has a version One, as did Gigabyte's Radeon (X800?) boards. The cooler images are clear at
http://tinyurl.com/9wpt4
http://tinyurl.com/blg9a
IMO, the contrivance is a clever design but poorly executed fabrication since sloppy execution left the thermal paste glopped on, dried out in crusty heaps, even to the point of leaving gaps between chip and sinks. These small errors are rapidly catastrophic in a hot-running device like this. Lucky for us opportunists, the Gigabyte folks left the cautious config of early failure and shutdown. They won't smoke: they fail silently. Indignant dilletants will feel (justifiably) that plurging at retail $400+ should mean no troubles and so they are anxious that the warranty is not to be voided...
they RMA'd these crusty gems. Retailers will easily fix 'em but must concede that they're now refurbs! Caveat Emptor!But there is no risk if I have this right.
Guys who are DIYers, voiding all warranties in reach.. here's their reward for having a brain, confidence, and a bit of dexterity.
Or so I tell myself.
So I got it cheap. I'll play w the heat pipes elsewhere (I never owned one before) and I'll simply attach a water block to the GPU - 6800GT.
My Question:
Just how necessary is RAM chip cooling?
This complicated OEM cooler tries to apply a heatsink surface to the GPU AND also to all 8 RAM chips. These are in 4 pairs (total 256MB), and the pairs are arranged on PCB in a curve.
RAM sinks are an option- but I'd rather not (even tho I do have some A-S Epoxy & Zinc-Cu sinks. Still: it's a pain to glue 'em neatly, they're heavy and the torque pulls chips away from board. Plus, I never heard anyone convincingly argue the need for VGA ramsinks. I've never seen data to support their use.
But then, I've been out of the loop on OCing VGA boards for a year.
Please advise me whether the Gigabyters (and other OEMs) are seriously right in heatsinking these ram chips..or is it mostly just fer show?
What a shame it'd be to smoke this board after all this bragging!
Thanks |
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