8800GTX + Thermalright HR03 Plus

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Blacklash

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jun 16, 2004
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I just installed a Thermalright HR03 Plus with a 92mm Panflo H1A fan on my 8800GTX. I am using a fan controller on the fan. I used Arctic Silver 5. I used Arctic Silver thernal adhesive for the ram sinks. It hasn't cured yet obviously and I am giving you early results. These will be stock and overclocked. All my case fans were at medium for the tests.

Idle, Stock clocks, fan @ medium speed = 44C



Rthdribl demo one half hour, fan @ medium speed = 48C



Idle, Card 652|2054 = 45C



Rthdribl demo one half hour, fan @ medium speed, card 652|2054 = 50C



Right now my card is cooler than a X1950Pro @ idle and load :p I am pressed for time and will definitely be trying for a higher OC later. More to come.

EDIT- ATiTool's stress test that causes my card to put out over 1,300 FPS heats it to 56C when overclocked @ 652|2054 after one half hour. That's medium fan speed. "Oblivion: Shivering Isles" - after 2 hours 1680x 4x AA + HDR,Transparency Supersampling AA, 16x AF, card @ 652|2054 = 55C. I made it a point to run around through dense foliage as much as possible.

BTW guys anyone seeking to lower their idle temps could use ATi Tool to set their 2d core clock to 300.

The best I can get out of this thing with my fan on medium is 41C. That's with the video card set to stock then reducing the 2d core clock to 300 via ATiTool:

 
^ Yes please.:)

All these awesome results are really urging me to get one, especially since I only use 1 video card and my X-Fi. My poor 8800GTX is suffering at 67C...AT IDLE!:(
 
This intrest me greatly. Currently my 8800 gtx idles from 51c - 61c depending on room temp with fan at 100% plus a two slot pci cooler right below it. Seeing as summer is comming and my room temp will get higher I really need to cool this $*(@) down.
 
I don't own a digi cam guys. I can tell you exactly how it's set up.

You may install the heatsink so the fins are above the GPU or so it's over the back of the card. I went with the former option because I wanted the fan pushing air through the fins to strike the base of the heatsink and the area around the GPU plus ram sinks.

I am using the MS HDA software driver under Vista x64 and don't have a sound card installed so there is nothing close to the fan. From my video card to the top of the fan measures three and one half inches. So it consumes a lot of space. Your last PCI slot on a full sized motherboard would be open. So you should be able to use a sound card.

If you have a large northbridge heatsink and tower CPU heatsink it might be a problem if you installed the heatsink so the fins go over the back of the card. I think it would clear a normal passive NB heatsink and the fan might strike a large tower CPU cooler.

You may find this helpful-

http://www.thermalright.com/a_page/main_support_installation_hr03-plus.htm

The below review should show you everything you want to know about size and space. He installed precisely like I did-

http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=381&type=expert&pid=1

Your results will vary according to your individual systems and ambient environment. The room where I was testing was 21C. I'd guess my results will be an around an additional 3-5C warmer in the summer with AC active in the same room. Typically that room is around 24C in the summer with AC.

EDIT- ATiTool's stress test that causes my card to put out over 1,300 FPS heats it to 56C when overclocked @ 652|2054 after one half hour. That's medium fans speed etc. I must say I am very satisfied.
 
My HR03 is sitting on my coffee table. I guess I should put it on my GTS and snap some pics.....
 
My 8800GTX idles atm @ 63 and loads @ 82 in a stock Lian Li V1100 Plus II. Should heat start become a problem then I'll give this cooler a shot.
 
Blacklash said:
Your results will vary according to your individual systems and ambient environment. The room where I was testing was 21C. I'd guess my results will be an around an additional 3-5C warmer in the summer with AC active in the same room. Typically that room is around 24C in the summer with AC.
.
Click to expand...

Yes it varies according to individual systems and temps but considering that my temps have never been as low as yours its worth a shot. My lowest temp idle was 47c with my room colder than the apocalypse. I couldn't tell you the exact room temp but it lower than 18c thats for sure.
 
Okay I decided to put my HR03 Plus on my 8800. here are some pics.


p660754192-3.jpg

Stock

p899619778-3.jpg

With cooler off

p756861390-3.jpg

With heatsinks on

p597644984-3.jpg

With the HR03 Plus attached

p1064719325-3.jpg

With at 120mm fan attached

p1060077426-3.jpg

In my main rigs case.

I will post more info when I have burned in the HSF.
 
Gotta love the zipties.:p Looks good though, besides the fact of how many slots it takes up.:(

Would you be able to plug the fan header of the 92mm or 120mm(whichever someone decides to put on) into the header on the card from the stock fan, or would it be too much for it?
 
Well the default fan's head had a 4 pin plug. My fan has a 3pin plug. So I would say no. But I guess you could splice it into the original header, but I think it would be to much. I guess it depends on the voltage draw of the fan.
 
Additional note for GTS users-

@ Newegg it says "For 8800 GTS card, a seperate HSI heatsink is required."

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835109136

The HSI heatsink covers the small chip near the front of the card and mounts with pushpins.

See the below link to understand precisely what it is-

http://www.thermalright.com/a_page/main_support_installation_hr03-plus.htm

Note newer releases of the HR03 Plus contain the new HSI heatsink which will install on a GTX or GTS.

From the linked page-

trhsicg1.jpg


The HR03 Plus I got from Newegg came with the old GTX only version.
 
devil_trigger said:
Gotta love the zipties.:p Looks good though, besides the fact of how many slots it takes up.:(

Would you be able to plug the fan header of the 92mm or 120mm(whichever someone decides to put on) into the header on the card from the stock fan, or would it be too much for it?
Click to expand...

My 92mm H1A sits down in the heatsink perfectly.

I used an adapter that came with an old case fan and attached it to a line from my PSU. It is a short cable with a male and female 4 pin connector and one three pin line coming off it. I have a zalman fanmate style fan controller between the fan and the line. When I tried attaching the H1A to my mobo it could not get enough juice to run properly.

You could connect the fan to something like a bay mounted Sunbeam rheobus and control it from that. You could do that with your case fans as well. Example-

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=363

BTW, I went back and did an edit on post 1 to note I used Arctic Silver thermal adhesive on the ram sinks.
 
Oh I know about connecting it to the psu directly, I was just wondering if it would draw too much power for the card. I figured if you could plug in the new fan to the card you would be able to control in windows. But oh well, I have a vantec fan controller I'll be connecting it to then.
 
Nice job, that last pic looks like the card is sagging a bit from the weight of the cooler?
It takes up 3 slots, too! OUCH.
 
i wasn't even aware the GTS version was availible, last i saw thermalright's website said "in the coming months".... guess i'll be spending some money!

being able to mount it both ways like makes an air cooled 8800 SLI set-up sound a little more attractive now as well.

hyt3k9 said:
Nice job, that last pic looks like the card is sagging a bit from the weight of the cooler?
It takes up 3 slots, too! OUCH.
Click to expand...

i had a big zalman cooler on my 6800gt that made the card sag a little... i propped it back up with a dowel rod and a wood screw. (using the existing hole in the corner of the card)
 
It might not even be bending the card, some cameras just warp the pics a little and make it seem that way. I forget what its called though.
 
Just another post to say that I also have the Thermalright HR-03 Plus on my BFG Tech 8800GTX and I love it. Mine looks exactly like the one pictured above, and I have it oriented the same way too! It works great, I haven't seen a temp above 55C even with STALKER in 1600x1200 every option turned to maximum (including dynamic lighting enabled), currently running my card at 650/2040.

Fantastic product, if you can deal with losing the PCI slots, this is a no-brainer.
 
Losing all those slots does suck, but since I use a bad axe 2 which only supports crossfire I will prolly get the HR-03 Plus to last me until I go crossfire. And the only pci card I use is my X-Fi anyway.
 
Damnit...

I've had this cooler sitting on my desk for almost a month now. I just can't decide if I need it or not. :( Stock cooler's quiet and keeps temps around 80ish load...
 
Losing slots I wasn't using doesn't disturb me. I'll take 55C max when under load in demanding games with all the candy on. I love having 45C idle too. (41-43 depending on ambients if I reduce my 2d clock via ATi Tool)
 
The guys @ Madshrimps had some issues w/ the little sinks falling off. Is this why you used the AS adhesive? I thought they couldn't be removed easily.
 
I didn't add any more adhesive to any of the sinks and at last check (last night) they were all still firmly affixed to the IC's. I made to apply a decent amount of force when sticking them on too, and give them just a little tiny bit of a twist too.
 
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