Cooling finally came...

[Descent]

It's great! My whole system runs MUCH cooler.

The fan is nice and quiet, and the heatsinks keep my RAM and MOSFETs icy cool.

I'm going to upload some better pictures later, but this is all I have for now.

Card:

Sapphire Atlantis 9700 Pro

Cooling:

Vantec IceBerq 4 all copper VGA cooler
Vantec Copper plated anodized aluminum heatsinks (For bottom RAM)
Zalman BGA memory heatsinks (for top RAM)
Zalman Tiny ass, shit-ass BGA RAM coolers for MOSFET heat spreader

Please not that the Zalman heatsinks are actually bright blue, but I have a Kodak camera, so they look like shit.

I would recommend this solution to anyone who wants to prolong the life of their video card, or if you want your case to run cooler. This is an especially good solution for the 9700 series, because they come with nasty stock cooling, the worst part being the heat spreader for the MOSFETs. The little dinky Zalmans actually keep the heat spreader quite cool, I was very surprised.

You can buy the parts here:

Vantec IceBerq 4 (Don't get the pro, it's extremely loud):

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=35-110-106&depa=0

RAM Heatsinks:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=35-118-220&depa=0

 

[tzedek]

i have a couple questions

how do you tell the temp of your vga card? i mean other than putting your hand around it. is there a program or soemthing.

and how does the ram heatsinks attach on there?

 

[Descent]

The only way I know of is touching it, but the new X800's have a thermal diode on the die...

The RAM sinks attach via thermal conductive glue pads. Simple, and mess free. The GPU cooler attaches via two small push clips on the HSF that snap into two small holes on the video card's PCB. I suggest that you put some of these coolers on when you get your TI4200, it makes your whole system run cooler, as well as give you sick overclocks.

 

[tzedek]

i was thinking about getting that silencer thing, that exuasts the hot air out of the case. looks like a good system, plus its quiet

 

[Descent]

I've heard it's great! Go for it!