[Celeron_Phreak]

Well my 6800GT arrives tomorrow and I'm going to be playing with it like mad tomorrow night. A few questions about it though:

1. What drivers are the best to use with this card? For benchmarks and gaming.
2. I hear XFX uses thermal pads on the HSFs. Should I test the card before applying thermal compound?
3. Do you think my 400WATT Antec will hold up with it until friday/saturday when my Fortorn 530WATT arrives?
4. Should I just OC it to Ultra speeds or beyond or should I softmod it?
5. If my GPU temps on it are close to or at 60 degrees C, should I RMA the card?

I'll be getting an NV Silencer 5 for it sometime. But until then, I want the best performance from it I can get with the stock cooler.

Can't wait for this baby to arrive .
~C.P.

[Needitcooler]

1. 67.03, 71.20
2. No. Apply thermal compound immediately
3. Yes
4. Absolutely. No need to softmod. I don't think that is really an option anyways. Most people just overclock and/or flash an Ultra bios.
5. No, you should just get that NV5 as soon as possible.

[Swatdog]

Originally Posted by Needitcooler

1. 67.03, 71.20
2. No. Apply thermal compound immediately
3. Yes
4. Absolutely. No need to softmod. I don't think that is really an option anyways. Most people just overclock and/or flash an Ultra bios.
5. No, you should just get that NV5 as soon as possible.

Wouldn't the GT get too hot if you set it to Ultra speeds? I don't know how good the stock coolers are...

[Celeron_Phreak]

I'm running Ultra speeds and it only gets up to 77C. Same temps as it was when running stock speeds. I also removed the RAM thermal pads and put AS3 on the memory and GPU.

~C.P.

[Swatdog]

Whats the stock speeds of the Ultras anyway? I know GTs run at like 350/1000.

[Celeron_Phreak]

Ultras run at 400/1100. Not that much faster than the GTs. From what I've read, the Ultras only have looser memory timings and a slightly higher clock.

[Swatdog]

Originally Posted by Celeron_Phreak

Ultras run at 400/1100. Not that much faster than the GTs. From what I've read, the Ultras only have tighter memory timings and a slightly higher clock.

Yeah all that can be fixed by flashing the GT with an Ultra BIOS.

[Sentential]

Originally Posted by Celeron_Phreak

Ultras run at 400/1100. Not that much faster than the GTs. From what I've read, the Ultras only have tighter memory timings and a slightly higher clock.

Tighter? You mean looser

[Celeron_Phreak]

whoops sorry about that *clicks edit*

[Swatdog]

So, when I do get my 6800 GT and OC/flash it to an Ultra, what are the temps ranges that I should probably stick with? 70c-80c max?

[termin@tor]

Originally Posted by Celeron_Phreak

Well my 6800GT arrives tomorrow and I'm going to be playing with it like mad tomorrow night. A few questions about it though:

1. What drivers are the best to use with this card? For benchmarks and gaming.
2. I hear XFX uses thermal pads on the HSFs. Should I test the card before applying thermal compound?
3. Do you think my 400WATT Antec will hold up with it until friday/saturday when my Fortorn 530WATT arrives?
4. Should I just OC it to Ultra speeds or beyond or should I softmod it?
5. If my GPU temps on it are close to or at 60 degrees C, should I RMA the card?

I'll be getting an NV Silencer 5 for it sometime. But until then, I want the best performance from it I can get with the stock cooler.

Can't wait for this baby to arrive .
~C.P.

1. Latest ones you can find. Go to nvnews.net, go to the forums, then go to the ForceWare Drivers section. You will find the latest drivers at the top in a sticky. Currently, it's the 71.80
2. It's your choice, but for me, it would be a waste of time. Just remove the nasty thermal pads and apply some good silver based thermal compound.
3. 400W should do it. But you already got the Forton so
4. I think softmodding is completely useless. It's called a "GT" for a reason -- it's NOT an Ultra. No extra power connector. Not enough capacitors to run at such high voltages. And why loosen your timings??? Just overclock as high as you can. You could try the 1.4V softmod for the core, and see if that works for you. It doesn't work for me and I get freezing in Half-Life 2.
5. Hell no! 60 C is a very good temp under load (with air cooling). I would start worrying if my temps go over 85-90C, though most cards would run fine with that kinds of temps too! And, btw, what are you waiting for? Get the Silencer 5 ASAP.

[Washuu]

Even if 60C is a normal temp for a graphics card of this nature, it would be so much better for its health if it were alot lower.

[Swatdog]

How much better is the Silencer 5 than the stock cooler?

[termin@tor]

Even if 60C is a normal temp for a graphics card of this nature, it would be so much better for its health if it were alot lower.

That's true with almost everthing Too bad it's so difficult to achieve lower temps sometimes

How much better is the Silencer 5 than the stock cooler?

Well, without the Silencer, I was getting around 57-58C idle and around 67-68C full load. Now I'm getting around 51C at idle and 64C at full load which is playing Counter-Strike: Source for 4 hours straight at pretty much all the highest settings.

[Swatdog]

Originally Posted by termin@tor

That's true with almost everthing Too bad it's so difficult to achieve lower temps sometimes



Well, without the Silencer, I was getting around 57-58C idle and around 67-68C full load. Now I'm getting around 51C at idle and 64C at full load which is playing Counter-Strike: Source for 4 hours straight at pretty much all the highest settings.

And you have a 6800 Ultra, or a GT?

[termin@tor]

Originally Posted by Swatdog

And you have a 6800 Ultra, or a GT?

eVGA 6800 GT

[speed bump]

2 things

Number one check out the links in my sig and post your 3dmark scores.

Number 2 is I would see if you can return the 530 and get one of the new Fortron bluestorm models as they have alot more 12v amperage which both your 6800 and winnie love to hog.