yullbarez

Commendable
Jan 17, 2019
201
3
1,585
Hi, i have Sapphire R9 280X Tri-X OC 3GB GDDR5 384-Bit model GPU. It has overheating problem. It hits 97-98 degrees even at %50 load. I don't know what to do. I think it needs new thermal paste and clean but i'm afraid to damaging it because i've never done it before.

What should i do? Thanks.
 
Solution
13 years ago, and if it was an office type computer the GPU, if it came with one, would have been 35W or so and 256mb-512mb of RAM. So cooling wasn't an issue. If you have an empty expansion slot you can add a blower to pull air out there. Antec Cyclone is one. Some times expansion slots have solid blanking plates that can be replaced with vented ones. Sometimes the air can get in but has no way out. Once the air has a path to get past the GPU, look at the power rating of the fan Watts. You may be able too find a more powerful fan in the same size. If there's room a thicker fan will be better. Most MB can handle up to about 1 Amp. Be sure it's an ATX layout computer. 13 years ago BTX was a thing and MB/case swaps are just about...
Starting at the GPU itself is always a good idea. But you also need to have a lot of cool air going to the fan/s on that old high powered card. Air doesn't usually blow straight out the back of a fan. There is a dead spot behind the motor, and centrifugal force spreads it away in a big cone. You can use an incense stick to see where the air is actually going. You may need a more powerful intake fan or 2 to feed that thing. Having the cover off/on will change things also
 

yullbarez

Commendable
Jan 17, 2019
201
3
1,585
P
Starting at the GPU itself is always a good idea. But you also need to have a lot of cool air going to the fan/s on that old high powered card. Air doesn't usually blow straight out the back of a fan. There is a dead spot behind the motor, and centrifugal force spreads it away in a big cone. You can use an incense stick to see where the air is actually going. You may need a more powerful intake fan or 2 to feed that thing. Having the cover off/on will change things also
My case likely not have any air flow. Only have 9mm fan as it's 13 year old case. GPU directly flows the case floor and there's a no way to get rid of the hot air.

My case looks like main problem. I'll try to add fan that blows right to the GPU itself.

Thanks.
 
13 years ago, and if it was an office type computer the GPU, if it came with one, would have been 35W or so and 256mb-512mb of RAM. So cooling wasn't an issue. If you have an empty expansion slot you can add a blower to pull air out there. Antec Cyclone is one. Some times expansion slots have solid blanking plates that can be replaced with vented ones. Sometimes the air can get in but has no way out. Once the air has a path to get past the GPU, look at the power rating of the fan Watts. You may be able too find a more powerful fan in the same size. If there's room a thicker fan will be better. Most MB can handle up to about 1 Amp. Be sure it's an ATX layout computer. 13 years ago BTX was a thing and MB/case swaps are just about impossible if that's the case
 
Solution