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Best Cooling for 9800 PRO! HELP!

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{pdX}Canadatron

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Location
British Columbia
Okay I've been getting really crappy video performance lately and finally took my card out to have a look at it. Well the heatsink/fan were barely attatched,the thermal paste had let go, and there was dust all in underneath the heatsink! So I took the HS/F off and reapplied some "real" thermal paste and proceeded to reattatch the POS HS/F. Well one of the stupid little plastic studs that attatch the thing to the pc board broke and now I'm just pissed. What HS/F is best for this card? I'm wanting something that doesn't suck total tailpipe. Any ideas, or previous experience? I have to order online as my town sucks for getting good hardware. :mad:
 
All I'm able to find is the ZM80c, which is a copper version of that cooler, but then you STILL have to buy a Zalman 80mm fan that is tied to that heatpipe cooler. It's also only a single heatpipe.
 
The best would be any copper computer hsf, really. A little drilling but it works best.
 
actually, the link should point right to the heatsink unless i messed something up. its actually got 2 heatpipes, not 1. i dont know where you got the one from but w/e. aslo, you dont really need to get the fan for it. thats just svc's suggestion. it will work fine without it as far as i know. and you can always just put a regular 80mm fan on there seeing as its just one of those, but narrower :D hoep that helps some
 
Sorry for the confusion blackpaladin, I saw the one that you linked me fine, but I checked a Canadian online retailer and they only have the ZA80Copper with 1 heat pipe. The one that you showed me did indeed have the 2 pipes on it.
 
oh okay. just wondering about that... anyway, if you get the chance to, definetly pick up that HS. its supposed to work really well. actually, im gonna be getting it in a few days, so ill let you know how much more i can OC my 9800. i can get it only a little bit OC'ed right now b4 i get artifacts, so ill let you know how much more i can go with that on it :D
 
well if you want retail get a vga silencer.... works like a charm and real cheap.
 
A VGA Silencer, or a modified processor heatsink is probably your best bet if you want a high performance / low cost cooler for your card.

For Bang/Buck you can't beat a modified processor heatsink, although a little bit of work (an hour tops) is involved in fitting it for the card.

If you are looking for an easy solution with a minimal amount of work, then a VGA silencer is your ideal, especially since it's so inexpensive.
 
Another vote goes to the VGA silencer, especially one of the newer ones, otherwise, you might want to get a copper 1U CPU cooler. Drill 2 holes, each lining up with the mounting holes, then use a long screw, nut and nylon washer on the back to hold it to the card. The 1U usually outperforms the Silencer and the Zalman by a good margin and dosnt take up a PCI slot, but it's louder.
 
"Best Cooling for 9800 Pro! Help!"

Liquid Nitrogen, Dry Ice or maybe if you're a bit softcore, A Cascade Phase Change Unit.

Realistically: (I guess you are aircooled) An Arctic Silencer, replaced with a torin-style blower to stop backflow.

:)

~t0m
 
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