SPCR

What is the consensus on how to cool these cards silently? The preeminent Accelero S1 doesn't seem to be compatible?

I use an Accelero S1 Rev.2 on my HD 4870 with no problems. With two 100x25mm Scythes running at 7V, ATITool's fuzzy cube loads it to a max of 47 degrees Celcius.

I also run mine with an Accelero S1 rev.2. Works fine with a fan blowing on it. I also unscrewed the VRM / Memory cooling plate from the stock cooler and left that to cool them, work much better than those stick on tiny heatsinks that comes with aftermarket coolers.

ooo nici has a fast machine now.

hows it going!

Fine, fine. Not counting the fact that i have a ten hour shift starting in about six hours I'll post the system in the gallery once i've got the cables clean Still running your Reserator?

The artic cooling twin turbo for the 4870 I have it on mine now and let me tell you it is one awesome cooler, dead quiet and cools excellent and leaves a small footprint...

I use Thermalright coolers on my HD 4870 and so far I’ve been very pleased with their performance, they don't leave a small footprint though.

Edit:

Picture added. http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/4373/dsc01164wn0.jpg

double post

I really like your thermalright setup, that backplate looks verry practical over the exhaust fan.

FYI You could also look at the Nvidia 260 GTX 216 core cards. They have roughly the same performance as the 4870 and use less power. AFAIK, there are no aftermarket coolers for them right now though. Thermalright HR-03 GTX is on the way which should fix that nicely (no ETA yet though).

KyonCoraeL wrote:I really like your thermalright setup, that backplate looks verry practical over the exhaust fan.

Thanks KyonCoraeL, well, the HR-11 brings down the GPU temp with an additional ~5C. The card idles at 41C and loads at 55C. I’m using a Slipstream 1200rpm fan and it runs constantly ~650rpm. Card runs at stock speed by the way.


I’m currently tinkering with a modification on the HR-11 in an attempt to make it more effective, if it turns out well I’ll post it.



As an aside,
What I like about this card is that it do not extend the length of the motherboard, the X2 and the 260/280 cards are ridiculously long IMO, and if you have a Solo you’ll have to cut in the case.

On the back of your card there is an additional copperish heatsink, would you mind telling what is it and why it's there?
AFAIK there are no VRMs to cool on the back of the 4870 card, but the ones in the front would sure need the best available.
Also, could you please tell if there is any special precaution when mounting the HR-11?

Since this topic is to discuss cooling the HD4870, I have a question for you. Which would be best on an Accelero S1, the Turbo Module or a 120mm fan?

Holy Satan, thats like a 6-slot solution (when space considered for fan airflow). It best be worth it..... I thought the S1+ 120mm fan (hanging via cable ties) used a load of space but thats taking the buscuit.


Andy

Tzupy wrote:On the back of your card there is an additional copperish heatsink, would you mind telling what is it and why it's there?
AFAIK there are no VRMs to cool on the back of the 4870 card, but the ones in the front would sure need the best available.

Its there to cool the card and it serves it purpose, that area becomes hot.

Tzupy wrote:Also, could you please tell if there is any special precaution when mounting the HR-11?

No special precautions


@ Andy, the setup takes up three PCI slots leaving room for a soundcard.



Added:
This of course depends on the motherboard, should you have one of those latest Asus boards then you can forget about this setup. The Asus engineers was on the herbal pipe whilst designing those boards putting the PCI slot above the PCIE slot, bad call and totally of the rockers.

So keep this in mind case you’re eyeballing one of those “premiumâ€

Is it possible to use a HD 4870 completely fanless (with Accelero S1 rev.2 or Thermalright HR-03 GT)?

For the HD 4850 it is possible, because Gigabyte has a fanless 4850 card: http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/VGA ... uctID=2900

What about 4870?

No, it's not possible to run the S1 fanless on a 4870. I've tried. If you have casefans nearby, maybe. Just don't open the case with the system running..

@walle: obviously it's there 'to cool the card and it serves it purpose', but could you please explain what components is it applied onto, since the VRM MOSFETs are on the front?
It would be also nice to mention what exactly that heatsink is, where did you buy it from, so that your fellow SPCR members can get it too. Thank you.

@ekerazha: if you'll have a look at this page from an Xbitlabs article on aftermarket coolers tested on a 4870, you'll understand why your question was kind of silly.
Link to Xbitlabs article, temperatures page: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cooler ... hi_12.html
With all aftermarket coolers (with fans not at maximum) the VRM temperatures soar close to the failure point.
Fanless, even a cooler that's twice as large and potent as the Accelero S1, but lacking proper VRM cooling, would be equally disastrous.
BTW, the stock VRM design of the 4870 should allow a 4th phase for the GPU voltage regulation, but only 3 are actually used.
Big mistake IMO, a 4th phase would have increased efficiency, better distributed the power loss in the VRMs and also offered extra surface for thermal transfer.

IMO there is only one solution to the VRM cooling issue for the (stock design) 4870: a heatpipe based heatsink similar to the Thermalright HR-09.
Such a solution should fit in the narrow space between the PCB and aftermarket heatsink, and wrap the heatpipe to a heatsink on the back of the card.