6600GT AGP cooling

Varun · Post by **Varun** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:51 pm

Hello, this is my first post to SPCR although I have read a lot of posts to make my current PC much more pleasing to the ear.

I desperately need to upgrade my GeForce 4 Ti4200. Though this has been a great video card it is starting to show its age. A while back the fan quit on the card and I installed the Zalman ZM80A-HP http://www.zalmanusa.com/usa/product/vi ... 5&code=013

It has worked great on my Ti4200.

I was looking at the eVGA 6600GT AGP, but have heard that the fans are quite loud. I also took a look at the Gigabyte passively cooled 6600GT but have heard reports of some pretty high temperatures for that card.

I would rather purchase a cheaper card like the eVGA one and put the Zalman ZM80D-HP http://www.zalmanusa.com/usa/product/vi ... 8&code=013 on it but I am not sure if it will fit. The Zalman page is very unspecific about this cooler.

The final option is the Zalman VF700-AlCu, though Zalman says that the AGP versions of the 6600GT are a bit iffy as far as installation, plus I would rather have a passively cooled one for silence.

Here is my system summary
AXP-M 2500+ @ 2.2GHz
1GB Corsair VS PC3200
120GB Samsung SP1213N HDD
Antec Sonata w/2x120mm fans - the front fan blows right on the AGP slot so passive works pretty well in this case.

If anyone has some input or pointers, it would be most appreciated. I'm sure I can get a 6800 vanilla passive heat sink, however the 6800 is about $100CAN more than the 6600GT and I am sure my CPU is going to be the weak link anyways, and the performance gain from the 6800 to the 6600GT is pretty small unless you crank up the AA/AF.

xenithon · Post by **xenithon** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 7:37 pm

The zalman ZM80's don't fit unfortunately. You have two options IMO:

1. get the Gigabyte passive 6600GT
2. get a standard 6600GT and a VF700.

I run my 6600GT with the VF700: installations was a breezer, and on silent mode it is virtually inaudible.

X

Varun · Post by **Varun** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 8:54 pm

I went with the Gigabyte passive - with my Sonata front fan blowing right on the AGP slot I think my temps should be ok, plus I don't void my warranty.

Thanks for the info.

kadiir · Post by **kadiir** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 6:46 pm

It's a moot point, but Zalman (USA anyway) said that the ZM80D is not sufficient to cool a 6600GT.

On 7/26/05, <removed> wrote:
>
> Dear Jeff,
>
> We recommend VF700-Cu for your card.
>
> ZM80D-HP will not provide sufficient cooling performance for your VGA card.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Support
>
> Zalman USA, Inc

kad

Techno Pride · Post by **Techno Pride** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 8:02 pm

The ZM80D-HP is enough to cool any card that Gigabyte dares to sell passive. That includes the 6600GT.

The ZM80* fits on AGP 6200/6600 cards with some awkward modifications.

Varun · Post by **Varun** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:09 pm

I agree - if Gigabyte can get by with the passive cooler they have attached, I am sure the dual heatpipe Zalman with it's large surface area would be able to cool even better.

http://www.giga-byte.com/VGA/Products/P ... 128VP.htm#

However with the AGP versions of the 6600GT having the core in such an odd location I'm sure it would be a lot of work to get it to fit.

I'm getting my card tommorow, so I'll let you know how the temperatures are.

Techno Pride · Post by **Techno Pride** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:28 pm

ZM80-A on a 6600 (505/675MHz)

temps don't go beyond 75C. The Sonata intake fan (yateloon @ 5v) is helping to cool it

http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewto ... highlight=

Varun · Post by **Varun** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 10:14 pm

Is that a PCI-E or AGP card you have the ZM80A-HP on?

Techno Pride · Post by **Techno Pride** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:30 am

AGP. You can see the HSI heatsink as well

Varun · Post by **Varun** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 9:05 am

Nice, sticks out the side but I've got lots of room in my case. Hopefully the stock heatsink works out for me though.

Varun · Post by **Varun** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:48 pm

Installed, running at stock speeds for now (500/560) idles around 50C, 80C under load. Pretty much what I expected.

DyJohnnY · Post by **DyJohnnY** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:28 pm

http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=23878
this rules, running on my 6600gt @ 560/1100 - AGP [if it could ever get any harder to mount a cooler]
takes 2 pci slots but 65load and 56 idle in an open case is pretty good, and chipset fan is louder than everythin else i have mounted.