Accelero hd4870x2

Originally Posted by unrealsword

Ya. I have no problems overclocking. Running at 820/1000.

Stock voltages? I've pushed the card to 832 stable w/ 1.35V but the 90C+ on second gpu really got in the way of going any higher.

Yea stock voltage.

An update, my card crapped up. The VRMs were reaching temps near 100C while the GPU cores wouldn't reach 60C when OC'd to 820/1000. Graphics would hardlock while gaming, but the sounds and computer itself stayed functional, if I let it idle for a couple of minutes the ATIKMDAG.sys BSOD would pop up. It got to the point where the drivers wouldn't even recognize the card and would refuse to boot the PC while having the CCC drivers installed. Luckily I RMA'd the card to Asus and it looks like I'll be getting a TOP replacement card which is stock clocked higher than my previous card.

The cooler is nice, a bit of a bitch to put in, definitely needs new screws. Will current owners of the AC Xtreme get the longer screws?

Also is it possible to buy more of the thermal pads that are included with these coolers / other heatsinks?

Where can you see VRM temps? Does HardwareMonitor show it?

Originally Posted by TotalLamer

Where can you see VRM temps? Does HardwareMonitor show it?

Rivatuner.

Originally Posted by EGM92

An update, my card crapped up. The VRMs were reaching temps near 100C while the GPU cores wouldn't reach 60C when OC'd to 820/1000. Graphics would hardlock while gaming, but the sounds and computer itself stayed functional, if I let it idle for a couple of minutes the ATIKMDAG.sys BSOD would pop up. It got to the point where the drivers wouldn't even recognize the card and would refuse to boot the PC while having the CCC drivers installed. Luckily I RMA'd the card to Asus and it looks like I'll be getting a TOP replacement card which is stock clocked higher than my previous card.

The cooler is nice, a bit of a bitch to put in, definitely needs new screws. Will current owners of the AC Xtreme get the longer screws?

VRMs are rated to operate in temps up to 125C. I'm guessing somewhere the screws werent tight enough thus bad contact inbetween the core and the heatsink lead to an eventual "crack".

Arctic Cooling will send you eight 8mm M2 screws for free if you ask for it.

Screws and everything were properly tightened, not overtightened either. Everything was aligned properly as well. VRM's would stay cool, up until you started to game with them, idling at like 61C while at 820/1000, then as soon as you'd game, they'd climb really fast.

Any idea where to get thermal pads? I ruined 3 while putting my stock HSF back on.

My vrms only reach 100c in furmark. However I put a noctua 120 fan (hung it by zip ties) near the VRM areas and this seem to pull the heat out of them pretty well.

Im suprised that this huge heatsink block doesnt cool the vrms any better.

From guru3ds review

Originally Posted by EGM92

Any idea where to get thermal pads? I ruined 3 while putting my stock HSF back on.

Heres 2' x 2' block of 3M tape which is really good.

Heres a 1" x 3" block for $23 for long term cost efficiency.

Thanks for hte link.

I just got my cards back. I sent Asus 2, original HD4870X2's, that I bought for 300$ each and they send me back 2x HD4870x2 Tri-Fan editions in full retail packaging.

Originally Posted by EGM92

Thanks for hte link.

I just got my cards back. I sent Asus 2, original HD4870X2's, that I bought for 300$ each and they send me back 2x HD4870x2 Tri-Fan editions in full retail packaging.

I'm so jealous. Do they look new as well? Because Asus tri fan has been gone from newegg for a while now.

It was factory sealed, everything about the card screamed brand new. The Trifan edition is not as loud as the standard cooler, but definitely not as quiet as the accelero, not by a long shot. The Accelero @ 100% fan I could barely tell the difference between that and my case fans. The Trifan though @ 100% sounds what the stock cooler sounds at about 60% which isn't too bad. but I'm not going to put the accelero back on this cooler feels built solid compared to the accelero

I may have just bricked my 4870x2.... It was working perfectly fine before I installed the Accelero today.

I carefully went through all the new instructions with a set of the longer (M2) screws. Everything came together pretty well, and I threw my card back into the rig. The quietness of the Accelero was a beautiful thing! I tested a few games and benchmarks, and it was all gravy.

While cleaning up, I noticed that I had forgotten to put the springs under the X-bracket screws. I pulled the card out and installed the springs. Suddenly, I no longer get a signal from the video card on boot up. I'm afraid the gpu's might have died from the pressure of the screws.

Any ideas on this?

Argh, I should have just left it without the springs...

Update: Swapped a working 8800GTX and it boots up fine... ARGH

Seriosly you guys.....

that thing has the biggest cooler of all time. wow, ftw!

The fail is stong in this thread!

Originally Posted by snaggletooth

The fail is stong in this thread!

Yeah, I have not gotten around to installing the AC XTREME 4870x2 cooler on my 4870x2 for this exact reason.

I can't say I've tried installing the Accelero hd4870x2, so I really don't have the right to say anything, but good God damn!

Bricking a 4870x2 is SRS buisness! I've installed a couple S1 Accelero's, It can't be that much different.

So how noisy are those tri-fans? They should do the job cooling, but a pair of those must make a ton of noise.

Originally Posted by snaggletooth

I can't say I've tried installing the Accelero hd4870x2, so I really don't have the right to say anything, but good God damn!

Bricking a 4870x2 is SRS buisness! I've installed a couple S1 Accelero's, It can't be that much different.

I've installed a lot of S1's for friends on their 4850's, that was a extremely easy to do compared to this accelero. The X brackets are a massive pain. What I don't understand is what is making all these cards fail. Mine failed from a little overclocking but all temps were well within safe zones. I bought my original cards used and the previous owners had played around with them. While speaking to a guy who's been playing/modding with ATI cards for a long while now, he told me to keep on "the red play on the VRM". When I took apart my card there was no such plate, anyone know what he's talking about? He installs a lot of Twinturbo coolers on 4870/90's.

Originally Posted by vjcsmoke

So how noisy are those tri-fans? They should do the job cooling, but a pair of those must make a ton of noise.

XTREMELY quiet The fans at 100% are quieter than my Trifan card at 60%, which is as loud as the 80-90% fan speed of a reference cooler. I wish I could somehow just those fans on my Trifan instead, they're so much better, the airflow is great on them aswell. Trifan cards have an exhaust like other 4870X2's but it's useless as all the head is coming straight up, which you can feel coming out of the case. The accelero on the otherhand had only warm air coming up which rarely effected the CPU heat.