zalman900/8800gt

[valo123]

I just installed a zalman 900 on my BFG OC 8800gt. At first I was idling at 49C then I added filters on my case and that upped the temp to 55C. After installing the zalman 900 i'm idling at 35C and am 45 under load...

Did I mention it's extremely quiet? 715/1767/2000

 

[ja1484]

No argument here. Got the same setup on my 8800GT, although my temps tend to be more around 41/42 idle, 59/60 load.

Mine's one hot puppy though - did ~55 idle on the stock cooler and 108 under load with the default 29% fanspeed profile. Even bumping the fan only got it down into the 80s - and I have an excellently ventilated case and a perfectly normal amb. temp in the house.

By the way, according to word on the street, you'll want to run your memory no higher than 1950. Apparently, 2000 may kill the card.

 

[valo123]

Thanks for the info, I'll down it.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

great little cooler.

the only thing keeping me from chaning my bfg cooler is that the BFG warranty doesn't cover changing heatsinks

 

[LOUISSSSS]

did the vf900 come with installation instructions for the 8800gt?

 

[error8]

Originally posted by: ja1484

No argument here. Got the same setup on my 8800GT, although my temps tend to be more around 41/42 idle, 59/60 load.

Mine's one hot puppy though - did ~55 idle on the stock cooler and 108 under load with the default 29% fanspeed profile. Even bumping the fan only got it down into the 80s - and I have an excellently ventilated case and a perfectly normal amb. temp in the house.

By the way, according to word on the street, you'll want to run your memory no higher than 1950. Apparently, 2000 may kill the card.

I haven't heard of anyone killing his card because of the ram running at 2000mhz. Just because a person told us all about this thing it doesn't mean that it's true. So if your memory it's rock solid at 2 ghz after some serious testing with ati tool and other programs, keep it there.

 

[zorrt]

How comes people are saying setting the memory at 2000mhz may fry it. Read it in other forums too.

 

[error8]

It just looks like a rumor. Of course that if you keep your memory to high and the card starts showing signs of instability, and you ignore them, the memory will fry. But if the memory doesn't show any problems, I don't see how it will fry.

 

[valo123]

Ehh, I might as well down the mem, there's no use in chancing it. Yes, it comes with very simple instructions. You will need a few additional heatsinks however.

 

[ja1484]

Originally posted by: error8
It just looks like a rumor. Of course that if you keep your memory to high and the card starts showing signs of instability, and you ignore them, the memory will fry. But if the memory doesn't show any problems, I don't see how it will fry.

This "rumor" came from johnnyGURU.

Not exactly internet hearsay.

And it has to do with the memory interface, not the memory itself. Apparently, it's a problem with degradation over time above 2000Mhz. Card works fine for a few weeks, then craps out. The chip themselves are fine.

Supposedly, this is the reason all the top end OC'd from tactory cards (XFX Alpha Dog, BFG's high end, etc.) all stay @1950 or lower on the memory. eVGA does have their SSC at 2000, and JG is predicting big RMA numbers on that line over the coming months.

I'm taking the wait and see approach, staying at 1950 for now. If the sky doesn't seem to fall, I might go up - the memory on this card is stable at 2000.

 

[ja1484]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
did the vf900 come with installation instructions for the 8800gt?

It doesn't come with instructions specific to the 8800GT, just the general installation instructions.

I can write up a set for the 8800GT here though if you need 'em:

1) Remove the stock heatsink.
2) Attach the vf900 and ramsinks.

All done!

 

[Muzzy]

Good read if you want to install the VF900. Wish the author reduces his pics though.

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulleti...owthread.php?p=1450038

 

[Jetster]

I have a quest, is it possible to plug the 3pin fan connector of vf900 directly onto the 4pin connector of 8800gt board? and let the video card control the speed, anyone tried that?

 

[ja1484]

It is not possible. Yes, I've tried.

It does come with a fan controller that you can mount pretty much anywhere you want. Useless bulk in my opinion. Just keep it clean, plug it into a spare motherboard header if you have one. It's very quiet, near silent, anyway.

 

[firewolfsm]

Can a VF700 cool an 8800GT?

Overclocked?

 

[ja1484]

Originally posted by: firewolfsm
Can a VF700 cool an 8800GT?

Overclocked?

In my experience, no. From what I've been able to tell, you NEED something with heatpipes to dissipate quicky enough. I've seen a big, noticable gap between coolers with HPs and coolers without.

That said, Gigabyte ships an 8800GT with a vf700 AlCu as the stock cooler, so I imagine it's at least "good enough" for stock clocks.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: firewolfsm
Can a VF700 cool an 8800GT?

Overclocked?

yes, it just depends how far you want to overclock...