What size fan to use with passive VGA cooler?

LH · Post by LH » Thu Dec 23, 2004 11:01 pm

If I wanted to cool a 9800 Pro AIW or a 9600 XT AIW with a passive cooler (Zalman, etc.), what size fan should I use to blow on the cooler? Would there be any reason not to use a Nexus 120mm fan (as opposed to a 80mm or 92mm Nexus)? I'm thinking more airflow is a good thing for the cooler, but maybe it might mess up the case airflow?

Any thoughts? Thanks.

smoothness · Post by **smoothness** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 11:54 pm

i'm not sure how much more heat the 9600xt AIW produces, but right now i'm using the single pipe cooler with my regular 9600xt without a fan, and it's doing fine. i even managed to get it to post for a whole year when i mounted it poorly the first time. hope this helps. i know for a fact that it's reccomended to use the zalman slim fan in order to cool the 9800pro.

JohnMK · Post by **JohnMK** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 11:34 am

Recommended but not necessary.

LH · Post by LH » Wed Jan 05, 2005 11:06 pm

Thanks for the replies!

Now I'm thinking about getting the AIW 9600, mainly because it is already passively cooled. Since I've never installed a heatpipe cooler on a graphics card before, I'm afraid of accidentally ruining a new $180+ graphics card... I'd think the 9600 would generate less heat than the 9600 XT, so I don't think I'd need any modding or additional cooling. So that'd answer my fan size dilemma and it'd be one less fan inside my case.

I don't really play any games, so I think a AIW 9600 should be fine. To be honest, I'm really getting it so I can record TV. It would probably be better to get two cards--one for graphics and one TV-tuner, but then I'd have to worry about compatibility and stuff.

smoothness · Post by **smoothness** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:08 am

it's always a better idea to pay more money for someone else to do it if you don't have the huevos yourself

. i've heard that there are multiple options for recording television - don't restrict yourself to an AIW. search around, and find the best option for yourself.