Does the "ACX" cooler on GTX 780 really make sense?

[PCJake]

Hey everyone, I'm going to be getting a GTX 780, and I'd like to get this one - it's got EVGA's ACX cooler on it, and it does keep the card quite a bit cooler. HOWEVER, my concern is that it will heat up the inside of my case significantly, given that it exhausts air downwards, rather than out the rear of the case like the stock cooler. I don't want hot GPU exhaust getting sucked into my CPU cooler :|

I can see where having a case fan exhausting air out the side panel would work great with this card, but I don't want to open up the side panel on my Corsair 550D if I can avoid it. What do you guys think (just theoretically, since people haven't really had a chance to get their hands on this card yet)?

Necroed thread. -Admin DrPizza

 

[BallaTheFeared]

You either need a decent case with good air flow, or an open bench, otherwise it's going to cook your guts.

It's basically dumping 210w into your case, if you can't efficiently remove that then... Well I think you know, you'll lose the benefit of the better cooler, and everything else is going to heat up as well.

It's the same pro/con for any aftermarket card designed like that.

Pro: Better cooling; quieter

Con: Heat dumps into case

 

[5150Joker]

Balla is right and in addition, if you ever want to go SLI, then 2x of those will just add more heat dumped into your case. In that sense, the stock cooler has a big advantage.

 

[blackened23]

In my opinion - For a single card it's no big deal unless your case is for small form factor. You will be fine. If you're going SLI, reference is usually better, I agree there.

I generally always run aftermarket cards for the higher overclocking ability and have never had issues with excessive heat output, in fact my temperatures overall are far lower than it would be with a reference card. With better overclocking as well. But, it depends entirely on your case form factor. If you're using a mATX or mITX case, that's a no go - but if you're using a full ATX case with good air flow you're 100% fine. Especially with single card, there are no worries unless you have severe airflow issues in your case. OTOH, as I mentioned earlier - reference is generally better for SLI.

 

[Wall Street]

I have always found radial fans to be more effective and have a better noise profile than blowers. I have found the temps of radial fans (like the ACX) to be lower and have not seen evidence of heat buildup in the case. Then again, I think blowers would be better for people who don't use case fans, but I doubt that many people here don't adequately vent their case.

Blowers are harder to clean from dust clogs. Also, blowers seem to move less air from my experience because they need to push the air all the way from the back of the card to the front and then out of a fairly constrictive backplate. Radial coolers exert their force over a bigger surface area.

To prove my point, the ACX is quieter and cooler than the stock 780 cooler despite the GTX780 SC using more power.

 

[BrightCandle]

Its a classic trade off. The default blower design removes the grand majority of the heat from the case using the card, it has no external dependency on its environment really other than adequately cooled air to begin with. The standard radial fan design however dumps all that heat into the case, and you need to remove it.

I would only go for a radial design if I knew the case cooling would be sufficient. In the case of SLI you also need the cards to be separated by at least a slot and have a lot of case cooling.

But if you have that cooling than the radial fans allow for a cooler card at a lower noise level, but be aware those case fans are going to add to the noise, its not necessarily quieter in the end.

 

[tviceman]

Pretty much what everyone is saying here. I have never been a fan of EVGA because most of their cards were based off nvidia reference designs. However, the ACX cooler looks to be very competent and for only $10 more. I think it's worth it if you're not going SLI. If you are going SLI, and have a motherboard that slots space between the two cards, then it's worth it if your case has good airflow.

 

[Imouto]

This cooler has shown an outstanding ability to keep the card out of throttle zone. Dunno if you can do the same with ref one setting a custom fan curve but stock performance is amazing.

 

[paul878]

Personally I would want all that hot air out of the case, especially if you are overclocking the cpu.

 

[wand3r3r]

The choice is pretty simple as mentioned above.

A. If you have a couple case fans and a decent case, ACX for sure.
B. If you don't have any fans and have a soundproofed or smaller case, reference Or if you will go SLI, reference.

The reference card is hitting 70's or 80 so it's a warmer card. Custom coolers do better than reference if you have air movement through the case.

Benefits of reference: heat goes straight out but (usually) louder
Custom: Quieter and cooler

 

[Rvenger]

I have a reference based GTX 780 and it does hit 80c on auto fairly quick. Definitely faster than my Titan did.

 

[Kenmitch]

The Corsair 550D looks like it would have decent airflow with the right fan configuration to me. Might not be the best choice for the ACX cooler style but might be doable.

What's your fan configuration currently?

I'd think the side panel as intake would feed the card cooler air, thus making it expel somewhat cooler air than it would if you tried exhaust on the side. Hot air rises so as long as the upper fans have good enough airflow it shouldn't matter too much what style of cooler you choose for your gpu.

 

[PCJake]

The Corsair 550D looks like it would have decent airflow with the right fan configuration to me. Might not be the best choice for the ACX cooler style but might be doable.

What's your fan configuration currently?

I'd think the side panel as intake would feed the card cooler air, thus making it expel somewhat cooler air than it would if you tried exhaust on the side. Hot air rises so as long as the upper fans have good enough airflow it shouldn't matter too much what style of cooler you choose for your gpu.

I'm going to have two NF-S12A 120mm fans on the front of the case, an NF-A14 140mm as the rear exhaust, and I have another NF-A14 that I will test as a bottom intake fan. Those are the two configurations that I'm considering (one with the bottom intake, and one without). Also, I will test both configurations with and without the side panel fan cover on. The top fan cover will stay on.

I suspect that removing the side panel fan cover (even without adding fans to it) will lower my temps noticeably. In theory, just leaving the vent open should work better with the reference cooler, since the card's intake fan could pull in cool air directly from the side vent. On the other hand, if I were to add an exhaust fan to the side panel, the ACX cooler would make more sense, as the side panel exhaust fan could then pull the hot air being blown out of the card straight outside the case.

 

[Kenmitch]

Guess you'll have to try it out and see. Good luck on your adventure

Any reason why using the upper fan mounts is not a option?

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

If you don't mind the noise there are fans that exhaust heat via the adapter slots.

example

 

[PCJake]

Guess you'll have to try it out and see. Good luck on your adventure

Any reason why using the upper fan mounts is not a option?

Yeah, my cat sits up there ^_^ Can't blame her.

If you don't mind the noise there are fans that exhaust heat via the adapter slots.

example

That's pretty cool, I didn't know there was such a thing. Seems like that would mix with the ACX cooler pretty well.

 

[Kenmitch]

Yeah, my cat sits up there ^_^ Can't blame her.

That's pretty cool, I didn't know there was such a thing. Seems like that would mix with the ACX cooler pretty well.

Ok I see the reasoning now. Is keeping the top cover on more for just in case the cat decided take a leak or more for his/her comfort?

That slot cooler I doubt would help much at all. Most likely it's noisy also.

 

[blastingcap]

I have always found radial fans to be more effective and have a better noise profile than blowers. I have found the temps of radial fans (like the ACX) to be lower and have not seen evidence of heat buildup in the case. Then again, I think blowers would be better for people who don't use case fans, but I doubt that many people here don't adequately vent their case.

Blowers are harder to clean from dust clogs. Also, blowers seem to move less air from my experience because they need to push the air all the way from the back of the card to the front and then out of a fairly constrictive backplate. Radial coolers exert their force over a bigger surface area.

To prove my point, the ACX is quieter and cooler than the stock 780 cooler despite the GTX780 SC using more power.

A radial fan *is* a blower aka squirrel cage fan. You mean axial fan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_fan

Anyway I agree that if you have a well-cooled case and one video card, it doesn't really matter either way (assuming of course you don't do crazy overvoltage/overclocks on CPU and GPU). If your case isn't so well-cooled or if you are running multiple cards, I would prefer reference blower-style aka squirrel cage fans. This goes double if the cards do not have much room between them, like on older mobos where they aren't separated by an additional slot, or if you are using triple-slot video cards (although rare, they exist).

I accidentally left the front intake fans disconnected in a recent build, though I had the rear and side fans going, and man, the temperatures were absolutely crazy with my axial-fan cards. After connecting the front intake fans they settled down to acceptability. So if you are using axial-fan cards make sure your case is well-cooled!

 

[Kenmitch]

I do have an idea if it helps. I don't have the case but was looking at images of both the top and the side covers on Corsairs website.

What I was thinking is if you wanted to use the upper fan mounts to supply adequate cooling something like the following might work.

What about using the side cover as a raised top cover to protect both the cat and the internals from leaks? Not sure of the width of the side cover compared to the width of the case tho. Looks like it might be same size or very close to me. I'd think that even 1" of gap from the top cover to top of the case would be enough to allow adequate airflow.

I'd think that you could mod it with just 4 screw holes and some plastic spacers such as these.

Or possibly metal ones like these

Just a thought and something to consider if needed.

If you did decide to try it and messed up the replacement parts seem cheap enough to me. http://www.corsair.com/us/parts/case-parts.html?p=2

 

[blastingcap]

snip

Honestly if you guys are serious about cooling, take a pair of pliers or nibbling tool or dremel and cut out your rear fan grill. Tape up the top of the case so nothing goes in or out of the top of the case. Buy or build a three-slot 120 or 140mm fan mount to go in your 5.25" bays. Get a tower CPU cooler like a Hyper 212+ or something like that to help direct air out the back as well. And upgrade all of your case fans. Here's a link to show you how:

http://www.overclock.net/t/337486/cheapo-air-cooling-mods-that-really-work#post3934032

What you want is a very powerful "wind tunnel" going from the front to back. Having side fans is okay too but if your front-to-back airflow is powerful enough, that's all you really need.

To be perfectly honest, Anandtech forums are not your best choice of forum for air cooling discussions. Overclock.net has eHume and some other legendary cooling gurus and a very active air and water cooling subforum. It's like crickets here at AT in comparison. eHume does come here every so often, but it's rare.

 

[PCJake]

Ok I see the reasoning now. Is keeping the top cover on more for just in case the cat decided take a leak or more for his/her comfort?

That slot cooler I doubt would help much at all. Most likely it's noisy also.

Both reasons. Well, except that she wouldn't take a leak/dump on it, but if you've ever had a cat then you'll be familiar with an all-too-common third form of..expulsion? Trying to be delicate ^_^ And I know from experience that it's not a matter of "just in case." It will happen, 100% guaranteed. Hence the appeal of the 550D's top fan cover and buttons on the front.

I do have an idea if it helps. I don't have the case but was looking at images of both the top and the side covers on Corsairs website.

What I was thinking is if you wanted to use the upper fan mounts to supply adequate cooling something like the following might work.

What about using the side cover as a raised top cover to protect both the cat and the internals from leaks? Not sure of the width of the side cover compared to the width of the case tho. Looks like it might be same size or very close to me. I'd think that even 1" of gap from the top cover to top of the case would be enough to allow adequate airflow.

I'd think that you could mod it with just 4 screw holes and some plastic spacers such as these.

Or possibly metal ones like these

Just a thought and something to consider if needed.

If you did decide to try it and messed up the replacement parts seem cheap enough to me. http://www.corsair.com/us/parts/case-parts.html?p=2

Interesting - I'm having a bit of trouble visualizing it, but I think I understand what you're suggesting. A raised cover would be better than no cover, but I can guarantee that if there's even the slightest gap in the top that leads into the case, then there will be problems.

Also, you're right about the replacement parts being cheap, and I'm glad about that - a little plastic tab broke off the side panel fan cover last night when I removed it, and it won't lock into place now. Hardly an issue, both covers only cost around $8, but I'm still going to call Corsair tomorrow and see if they'll send me just the side cover.

 

[Aikouka]

I own a 550D and use a 660Ti with a... (not sure what to call it, so I'll just say...) non-blower. I considered putting fans on the side panel, but I really don't like it. It's too darn close to the inside and I feel like I'd need to put a grill on the fan. I also don't really like fans being connected directly to the side panel. Makes it rather annoying to take off... especially with how mine's used as a gHTPC and it sits close to the wall.

All in all, the Corsair cases that I've seen aren't good for airflow. My 800D has poor airflow, and I recall the 900D not doing that well in ambient tests either.

 

[PCJake]

All in all, the Corsair cases that I've seen aren't good for airflow. My 800D has poor airflow, and I recall the 900D not doing that well in ambient tests either.

Well, I have to disagree here. I just spent all day putting my parts in my 550D (so much more pleasant to work with than my Cosmos 1000), and my CPU idle/load temps have dropped by 5-10°C. After running P95 for twenty minutes my CPU averages about 75°C and peaks at 78°. That's with a Core i7 930 at 4.2GHZ, 1.35V. I've got two front 120mm intakes and one 140mm rear exhaust. The side and top vents are both closed.

It's also much quieter than my Cosmos setup was!

 

[lavaheadache]

Cards like that 780 with open air coolers like that in multi card config's can really cook cases. Even good ones. I was shocked how hot my 500R was after 30 mins of gaming with my old 7970 lightnings.

 

[3DVagabond]

We have had lots of similarly designed coolers before this one. It's not any different.