EVGA EGS 7900GTX

[custom90gt]

well I received my 7900GTX in the mail today (step-up from EVGA) and instead of studying for my test tomorrow like I should have, I ripped the stock heatsink off and installed my maze 4. I tried overclocking it, but the memory gets way too hot and needs active cooling (the ocz ramsinks aren't doing a good enough job even with great case air flow), so its stuck at 800mhz. The core will go up to 740 without any issues, and maybe even more once I have time to play with it. One great thing is with two instances of prime and rthdribl running with the card at 700/800, the temps never got above 36* (the 7800gtx I had would get all the way up to 40).
I also took the time to install 3dmark 05 and run it. I ran it on a 3 month old windows install with just installing the new drivers over the top of the old ones, and with the card at 700/800. This netted me a little over 11.5k points. Not too bad for zero tweaking and a minor overclock.
So on to the questions.
I thought nvidia was supposed to release some new drivers today?
any good suggestions for some active cooling on those ramsinks and maintaining a nice appearance? I have a slim 120mm antec fan that I can use, just gotta think of a good setup for it.

[custom90gt]

Something like this would be awsome http://www.frozencpu.com/slf-08.html, but without the 21 dollar price tag would be preferable. Anyone have any cool suggestions on how to make something like that (doesn't need to rotate, just be solid).

[shmadz]

I don't know what a maze 4 is but I am going to make a few assumptions, just tell me where I'm wrong. You probably have a watercooler that only touches the gpu and then you gotta cool the ram chips with air, right? This is one of the reasons I have been balking about water cooling, cuz I want the water to cool the cpu, northbridge, gpu and ram chips, and hell, cool down my 10,000 rpm hard drives as well.

I think the whole reason they came up with that crazy heatpipe cooler for this card is so that it could cool the ram chips as well. (800 mhz ram is crazy) what someone should make is a waterblock that makes contact all along the video card and not just on the gpu, but it would have to be a custom fit and would probably be WAY too expensive.

yah I know it's no help but at least I sypathize with your plight.

[custom90gt]

I don't know what a maze 4 is but I am going to make a few assumptions, just tell me where I'm wrong. You probably have a watercooler that only touches the gpu and then you gotta cool the ram chips with air, right? This is one of the reasons I have been balking about water cooling, cuz I want the water to cool the cpu, northbridge, gpu and ram chips, and hell, cool down my 10,000 rpm hard drives as well.

I think the whole reason they came up with that crazy heatpipe cooler for this card is so that it could cool the ram chips as well. (800 mhz ram is crazy) what someone should make is a waterblock that makes contact all along the video card and not just on the gpu, but it would have to be a custom fit and would probably be WAY too expensive.

yah I know it's no help but at least I sypathize with your plight.

you're right that the maze4 is a gpu waterblock that only touches the gpu. Dangerden does make a block that cools both the gpu and ram http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=189&cat=48&page=1 , but it is more expensive then I can afford, and its non-universal. But don't let that keep you from wcing, it is a blast and keeps everything nice and cool.
Once I get some active cooling blowing on my ramsinks, they will be running cooler then the stock heatsink would have done.

[Illyest]

I thought nvidia was supposed to release some new drivers today?

Nvidia released 84.25 betas on nvzone wednesday. I installed them cause they are supposed to offer a performance increase in Oblivion. Not sure I notice any differences yet tho. I''ve ran max settings with 82.21 and 84.25 and havent "noticed" a fps increase. But the 7900gtx hasnt flinched a bit :) :) :)

[eva2000]

try increasing PCI-E frequency from 100mhz to say 105-110mhz and see how far your mem clocks as OPPAINTER at xtremesystems.org reports you can get higher clocks with PCI-E frequency raised.. but DON'T go past 130mhz as you'll corrupt windows and need reinstall

[Illyest]

try including PCI-E frequency from 100mhz to say 105-110mhz and see how far your mem clocks as OPPAINTER at xtremesystems.org reports you can get higher clocks with PCI-E frequency raised.. but DON'T go past 130mhz as you'll corrupt windows and need reinstall

I saw that and tried it. No love for me :(

Still maxing out at 700/1760

[custom90gt]

try increasing PCI-E frequency from 100mhz to say 105-110mhz and see how far your mem clocks as OPPAINTER at xtremesystems.org reports you can get higher clocks with PCI-E frequency raised.. but DON'T go past 130mhz as you'll corrupt windows and need reinstall

Ill try that as soon as i get my ram temp issues under control.
I just ordered a NV-78 block since I dont want to add any more fans to my current setup. Expensive, but thats the name of the game sometimes.

[poogl3]

Ill try that as soon as i get my ram temp issues under control.
I just ordered a NV-78 block since I dont want to add any more fans to my current setup. Expensive, but thats the name of the game sometimes.

Maybe I am wrong, but I thought the NV-78 only cooled half of the RAM chips (those on the same side as the GPU). Will this be sufficient, or will you still need active cooling on the other four chips?

[oxid]

doesn't the 7900gt have memory only on one side?

[custom90gt]

Maybe I am wrong, but I thought the NV-78 only cooled half of the RAM chips (those on the same side as the GPU). Will this be sufficient, or will you still need active cooling on the other four chips?

the 7900 series have the ram on the same side so the NV-78 will cool all of them. The 256mb 7800gtxs were the only cards that they put the ram on both sides of the card.