So i got some time this weekend, although it looks like im getting a cold =(.
Im in the process of upgrading my HTPC setup, and chose the GTX750Ti as my dedicated GPU for MADVR and LAV filters, but i also wanted to see how was Maxwell PWM design. So here some of my observations....
Short version, the MSI GTX750Ti Twin Frozr IV N750Ti is wonderful, not dead silent, but very quiet, even at idle, remember this is all subjective and we all have different standards into whats tolerable in terms of noise, so take my comments with a grain of salt.
Long version..... So i bought a bunch of cables six months ago to be able to test GPUs from modDYI, because im really angry that i cant control my GTX780 on software, but at the end i didnt use them as i just got tired of the issue and left the Accelero III run with the 7v adapter (this will be changed soon as im testing Accelero IV later on), the cables that i bought were 4pin gpu PWM female to 4pin standard motherboard header male, a splitter with small PWM gpu to twin standard fan headers, and so on... lots of cables that today got used to do some testing on the Maxwell GTX750Ti.
I wanted to know if the fans used by MSI could reach lower than what the user is restricted on MSI afterburner, the vbios, etc. So i unpluged the 4pin gpu fan header of the twin frozr cooler and connected it to my fan testing pc, to a true PWM fan header on my ASUS Mamximus VI Gene, aka CPU_FAN and ran fanXpert2 on it, here is a picture of the card connected and the run.
I also ran it on Fake 4pin, aka voltage controlled header for anyone wondering,
As you can see from the pictures the fans cant go much lower than what the vbios runs, so even if you were able to modify it, i don't think you will gain much.
I also bought an Accelero S1, since i expected the above already with my experience on GTX780, but before i bothered installing it... i decided to use more cables that i had from MODDYI, this time i used the 4pin GPU splited to 4pin GPU and 4pin standard PWM adapter then i added a noctua Y splitter so i could sustain the default fans while i was testing the Noctua NF-S12A PWM thats was meant for the S1.
I also tested the NF-S12A PWM on Asus Maximus Gene IV to see its PWM fan curve,
Now connected to the GPU, it doesnt go below 900rpms or around there, even when the PWM says 32%.... i also tested MSI afterburner 3.0 with no success, here is a HWmonitor pic of both the standard twin frozr IV and the splitter to NF-S12A.
Very noticeable the NF-S12A PWM at 900rpm, not noisy, but much more than the standard twin frozr setup, so i have decided against installing the S1, maybe in the future fully passive, but my setup has fans already so i dont see much point.... to me the cooler is good enough as it is, even you read those rpms its quiet imo, SPCR should be reviewing it soon, hope they found similar things to what i saw. I defently see the S1 as capable of handling the GTX750Ti, but to me unless you need a dead silent GPU, im not recommending it, for me the times of upgrading GPU to aftermarket coolers are over (i need to keep telling me this), im pretty happy with what MSI have accomplish and although i dont own all, from what i read and tested, i think its good enough, hope they sustain their policy toward quiet cards, and ill be throwing twin GTX880ti soon =).
For now it will remain like that, i still have to test it watching movies on my dedicated HT, maybe in the future if the cooler starts to be noticeable i might install the S1, ill post here if i do so, i still have some Scythe Gentle Typhoon AP11 500rpms that should end up pretty good since the NF-S12A PWM cant be drop down as much as I hoped, but as i said, i feel what MSI did is good enough, at least for me, i bet there will be people that wont be, but we all have different needs.
Now to Accelero IV and to see if Artic finally did something about controlling the fans on the GTX780.....