ATI Heat Questions

Jathyr

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Apr 2, 2006
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I just bought a x1800 XT and I'm not sure what clock settings are safe nor do I know how hot this card can be in a safe range.

If anyone can help me with this problem, what about cooling the card better? I have a lot of fans in my case and a really nice PSU but I don't know how I can get better intake for this thing.

Right now it runs at 65 degrees C...

help!
-Jathyr
 

Jathyr

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Apr 2, 2006
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also I'm wondering about replacing the stock cooler... is the accelero X2 any good? has anyone used this product and know anything about it?

any input would really be appreciated!!!
 

Mobius

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I would think that at much over 65C you'd start to see artifacts and crashes.

However, in general, if an overclock is stable, and doesn't crash your box, then who cares what temperature it is? While it's true that heat-death is an inevitable result of heavy overclocking, the time it takles for that heat-death to occur is much longer than the usable life (2 years) of a GFx card.
 

kerriritter

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i had an x1800xt briefly, about one month the first of this year, and it did run what i feel is hot - idling right around 65c, and into high 70's and even low 80's when gaming.

i think the card could handle that, but it was just a bit much for me and i returned it and got a x1900xtx as they came out around then too.
 

Misrach

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As a reference point: my 7800GTX 256mb card tops out at 72C, so if you can get an X1900 card to stay around 70C, you're doing well. I hear that you can expect up to almost 90C without much worry. Though some may disagree, I think that anything around 90C or less is okay, but any higher and you might want to think about 3rd-party coolers or a better case.

I'm looking to buy an X1900 very soon, and the research I've done on the X1900 seems to indicate that you can expect temps at load over 80C, though with the right tweaks (ATiTools, for example) you can lower the temps down to around 70C. The main issue is the fan control: apparently, the default settings make the card run a tad hotter.

I read a very positive review on the Acclero X1 and X2 coolers. The cards come pre-applied with thermal paste, so there's no application involved -- though you will probably have to remove the old compound. It runs very cool, around 10C cooler, but the fan does blow the air back into the case. That said, this doesn't seem to impede its performance. My guess is that you will need some good air circulation to dissipate the heat a bit, which means that those with cramped cases might want to reconsider. The rest of the installation involves securing the cooler to the card via incluced screws and washers.

The big selling point of the Acclero coolers: they're whisper quiet, around 2000 rpms. Just remember that removing your stock cooler generally voids the warranty (some will still honor it, however), so you might want to wait a few months after purchase to make sure that the card isn't defective in the first place.
 

Vokofpolisiekar

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Feb 5, 2006
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Well, my 1900 is running at 72 max. It used to be 90, but ATiTool fixed that due to custom fan speeds. I feel that GPU's can run easily in the 90C range if we keep in mind heat build up over time, but anything above 95 will be pushing it too far.

I do prefer anything below 85C.
 
also I'm wondering about replacing the stock cooler... is the accelero X2 any good? has anyone used this product and know anything about it?

Forget replacing the cooler the one on the XT is pretty good actually.

The thing to do is replace the thermal layer with some good arctic ceramique, it will help.

And BTW, 65-80C is quite common on these, and they can handle it, around 100C is when you worry.
 

bluntside

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Mar 22, 2006
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What he said. I have a x1900xtx it idled around 65 70*c , just rip off the cooler, scrap off the thermal goop, and replace it with Arctic Silver 5!
You will see a significant drop in temps, Apply on the core and on the ram moduals.
-Good Luck- :wink:
 

bluntside

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If U r planning on returning it, with the aftermarket cooler then yes, Just place back the original cooler. Its only void if u get caught
Just like going 90mph in a 65mps zone, it all matters if you do it smart, Dont be dumb, do it smart :wink:
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