What's the best low noise/passive cooler for a regular GeForce 6800? (I?ve got a Coolermaster ATC-201 case with plenty of active cooling, so I?m leaning towards a passive VGA cooling solution.)
Here are the top coolers I'm looking at:
1) Zalman ZM80D-HP Noiseless VGA Cooler: This is a dual-heatpipe passive cooler (fan optional). Zalman states it will not work with 6800 GTS or Ultra (no mention of 6800NU). Cons: Installation is difficult. Requires good airflow. Heat not exhausted from case. Poor documentation on manufacturer?s website.
2) Arctic Cooling NV Silencer 5: Most popular aftermarket cooler for high-end videocards. NV Silencer uses a special blower fan configuration (like in a 1U server) that blows air along the length of the card and exhausting out the PCI slot. Very good cooling performance (on lower 6800 models only). Cons: Build quality seems uneven. Noisy when fully cranked up (according to some ppl). Seems to be a copy of the 6800 Ultra reference cooler design (and offers no better performance).
3) Zalman VF700-CU Copper VGA Cooler: This is a radial fin design like Zalman?s popular CPU coolers. Very effective but still quiet. Cons: Pricey. Active Fan. Heat not exhausted.
4) Logisys All Copper VGA Cooler Model CF206: This looks like an OEM design that just substitutes the aluminum for solid copper cooling performance. Rated as very good cooler. Very good price. Comes with RAM heatsinks. Cons: Loud (relatively). Unknown company. Few reviews. Heat not exhausted from case.
Any and all experiences welcomed!
Here are the top coolers I'm looking at:
1) Zalman ZM80D-HP Noiseless VGA Cooler: This is a dual-heatpipe passive cooler (fan optional). Zalman states it will not work with 6800 GTS or Ultra (no mention of 6800NU). Cons: Installation is difficult. Requires good airflow. Heat not exhausted from case. Poor documentation on manufacturer?s website.
2) Arctic Cooling NV Silencer 5: Most popular aftermarket cooler for high-end videocards. NV Silencer uses a special blower fan configuration (like in a 1U server) that blows air along the length of the card and exhausting out the PCI slot. Very good cooling performance (on lower 6800 models only). Cons: Build quality seems uneven. Noisy when fully cranked up (according to some ppl). Seems to be a copy of the 6800 Ultra reference cooler design (and offers no better performance).
3) Zalman VF700-CU Copper VGA Cooler: This is a radial fin design like Zalman?s popular CPU coolers. Very effective but still quiet. Cons: Pricey. Active Fan. Heat not exhausted.
4) Logisys All Copper VGA Cooler Model CF206: This looks like an OEM design that just substitutes the aluminum for solid copper cooling performance. Rated as very good cooler. Very good price. Comes with RAM heatsinks. Cons: Loud (relatively). Unknown company. Few reviews. Heat not exhausted from case.
Any and all experiences welcomed!