Question Temperature predictions? (RTX3060 / RTX3060ti in 2U case)

[Anomaly_76]

I recently put together a NAS in a 2U case. I planned on only using it for web / NAS / audio-video recording, but lately I've considered selling my gaming rig and just putting a better GPU in the NAS.

My gaming rig's RTX3060ti might fit with some cutting, but I'd rather not do all that, as it would likely mean sacrificing at least one of the intake fans. An EVGA RTX3060ti XC seems like a good fit. However, I am concerned about thermals.

The current 3600X / GTX1650S setup, with an ID-Cooling IS-55, peaks at 68C / 75C currently, idling at 40C and 47C, with four 80mm fans that are already slightly noticeable at idle when ambient temperatures rise.

I would like to add some pushers to create some extra exhaust airflow, but my options are limited due to space, if it's even possible.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what sort of thermal increases can I expect in this scenario by swapping the GTX1650 for an RTX3060ti? Will the machine simply run too hot to risk it?

This is the case, for reference.

 

[thestryker]

With a rack mount case like that the only way I think I'd try a higher power consumption video card would be if it had a blower cooler. Any standard coolers are going to be blowing the hot air around into the case where there isn't a lot of airflow due to minimal exhaust.

 

[Anomaly_76]

With a rack mount case like that the only way I think I'd try a higher power consumption video card would be if it had a blower cooler. Any standard coolers are going to be blowing the hot air around into the case where there isn't a lot of airflow due to minimal exhaust.

I should probably have clarified that I do, in fact, have an ID-Cooling IS-55. However, I wonder if this cooler and four 80mms can handle an RTX3060ti in this case.

Also, it is not actually rackmounted, as I built this to be an HTPC. The stand for my 75" Hisense sits on top of it.

Or did you mean a blower cooler for the GPU? The EVGA RTX3060ti XC has fans...

 

[thestryker]

Or did you mean a blower cooler for the GPU? The EVGA RTX3060ti XC has fans...

Blower cooler for the video card like this: https://www.leadtek.com/eng/products/graphics_cards(1)/WinFast_RTX_3060_Ti_CLASSIC_8G(30903)/detail

Also, it is not actually rackmounted, as I built this to be an HTPC. The stand for my 75" Hisense sits on top of it.

Doesn't matter it still has poor exhaust as rackmount cases are designed for flow through with high speed fans. If you're adding more power you're going to need to increase the fan speed which I'm guessing will be bad for the location.

 

[Anomaly_76]

The EVGA RTX3060ti XC has fans...

Blower cooler for the video card like this: https://www.leadtek.com/eng/products/graphics_cards(1)/WinFast_RTX_3060_Ti_CLASSIC_8G(30903)/detail

Both seem to have coolers with fans, so how exactly do these two differ? If not all coolers are equal, that's useful info. Does one style create more pressure than the other, perhaps?

 

[thestryker]

Both seem to have coolers with fans, so how exactly do these two differ? If not all coolers are equal, that's useful info. Does one style create more pressure than the other, perhaps?

A blower cooler pushes air out of the back of the case rather than pushing it into the case like every other cooler does. The tradeoff for this is that they're not quite as good at cooling as a standard, or flow through design. However in certain circumstances where there's low airflow or a tightly packed case where this tradeoff is still worth it.

 

[Anomaly_76]

A blower cooler pushes air out of the back of the case rather than pushing it into the case like every other cooler does. The tradeoff for this is that they're not quite as good at cooling as a standard, or flow through design. However in certain circumstances where there's low airflow or a tightly packed case where this tradeoff is still worth it.

So it's not so much whether there are vent holes at the rear, but whether the front and sides and sealed off?
And if so, can one be fitted to a card not factory built that way?

 

[thestryker]

So it's not so much whether there are vent holes at the rear, but whether the front and sides and sealed off?

Yes and no, the whole cooler design is done in a way which makes this work it's not just that they close it off. There's a different fan type and the fins are optimized for flow through the back.

And if so, can one be fitted to a card not factory built that way?

Not in any way that would be simple and at that point you'd be better off getting a case that's actually designed for what you're trying to do.

 

[Anomaly_76]

Yes and no, the whole cooler design is done in a way which makes this work it's not just that they close it off. There's a different fan type and the fins are optimized for flow through the back.

Not in any way that would be simple and at that point you'd be better off getting a case that's actually designed for what you're trying to do.

So sounds like if I were to do this, I'd be much better off to keep my gaming rig, or just snag a used A4000. I can't seem to find that Leadtek anywhere, and it may be too long anyway. Bummer. A4000s are hard to find, and pricier, even used. I'm sure there might be performance trade-offs too. Doesn't look like any of them have HDMI out, either.


What kind of difference do you think the blower-style makes in thermals? 10-15C? Better?

 

[thestryker]

What kind of difference do you think the blower-style makes in thermals? 10-15C? Better?

While gaming you're going to be at least doubling the amount of heat coming from the video card. It's really impossible to say how much of an increase there would be as it won't necessarily be a linear increase, but it won't be good.

So sounds like if I were to do this, I'd be much better off to keep my gaming rig, or just snag a used A4000. I can't seem to find that Leadtek anywhere, and it may be too long anyway. Bummer. A4000s are hard to find, and pricier, even used. I'm sure there might be performance trade-offs too. Doesn't look like any of them have HDMI out, either.

The amount of blower coolers available on any video cards is pretty low because the biggest with worldwide don't tend to make many. I think MSI has one 30/40 series model with a blower that's available everywhere and pretty much everyone else doesn't have any. Some OEMs sold them like Acer had a 3060 Ti that used a blower cooler. It's just one of those things where the type of case you have is meant to be used in a location where you don't care about noise so those 80mm fans can just operate at maximum to brute force the cooling. I wouldn't particularly recommend getting an A4000 as you'd be spending enough money you could just buy a better case for your use, but DP to HDMI adapters are pretty cheap and work well.

 

[Anomaly_76]

While gaming you're going to be at least doubling the amount of heat coming from the video card. It's really impossible to say how much of an increase there would be as it won't necessarily be a linear increase, but it won't be good.

The amount of blower coolers available on any video cards is pretty low because the biggest with worldwide don't tend to make many. I think MSI has one 30/40 series model with a blower that's available everywhere and pretty much everyone else doesn't have any. Some OEMs sold them like Acer had a 3060 Ti that used a blower cooler. It's just one of those things where the type of case you have is meant to be used in a location where you don't care about noise so those 80mm fans can just operate at maximum to brute force the cooling. I wouldn't particularly recommend getting an A4000 as you'd be spending enough money you could just buy a better case for your use, but DP to HDMI adapters are pretty cheap and work well.

I was thinking more in terms of a blower-style card vs a standard one, how much cooler it might run. Maybe I wasn't understanding your response.

That said, though, I get that this case wasn't designed for max cooling or silence. Silence isn't a big deal, as I pretty much have to run a window A/C year round, anyway. Which might actually turn the tables in my favor for cooling. But if I'm seeing 65-75C with the 1650 at ambient temps of 18-20C...

I agree on all points, though. However, the focus of this build was to save space and possibly reduce power consumption, not necessarily to game, just for an everyday web browsing / NAS box. And it does that quite well.

My gaming rig is a 5900X / RTX3060ti with 32GB and 2x1TB M.2s, in a Fractal Pop XL Air with six LL120s on a Commander Core. Stylish and fast, but pretty hefty and bulky.

I just thought I'd explore possibilities as to whether it would be worth the hassle to sell my gaming rig and upgrade the NAS for gaming, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Thanks for all the info. Saves me a lot of hassle, time and effort for maybe not quite as good a result.

 

[thestryker]

I just thought I'd explore possibilities as to whether it would be worth the hassle to sell my gaming rig and upgrade the NAS for gaming, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

I think you could do it, but you'd really have to plan the entire thing and likely move to a 4U case just to make sure you never run into issues. Definitely doesn't seem like a quick consolidation would work out for sure.