Zalman 8800GTX block, any thoughts?

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chanchan

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 14, 2005
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http://www.zalman.co.kr/eng/product/view.asp?idx=272&code=021

Looks promising any thoughts?

I'm probably going to buy this and try it out, priced quite competitively and would probably cost the same if I bought the Zalman copper air cooler + the aluminum RAM/mosfet cooler.

I noticed that the air coolers don't really perform that much better than the stock just that they save on some noise.
 
If you want a full coverage block the Swiftech Stealth Rev 2 is the way to go, followed by an EK full coverage block.

That said, you'll get better temps with something like the D-Tek Fuzion GPU block and UniSink or RAMsinks or the Swiftech MCW60.
 
silent-circuit said:
That said, you'll get better temps with something like the D-Tek Fuzion GPU block and UniSink or RAMsinks or the Swiftech MCW60.
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Also considering that these 2 blocks in question, they are interchangeable with more than 1 GPU though might need mounting hardware.
 
The Zalman block can be had for $80!
EK GTX block is $115
Swifttech is around $125
Koolance $94 + cost of nozzles

Considering this block is about 20-30% cheaper than the other competitors I think the price:performance ratio should be quite good.

I highly doubt these other blocks are 20% better performing.
 
My TT water cooling system is 3/8" so I should be fine.

I'm just wondering if the EK block or any block with copper is far superior to the Zalman since it is all aluminum, or like I said before I wonder if the performance is much different that it's worth paying the price difference.
 
Though I understand it isn't the best money can buy I am very happy with mine...I get a rock stable 650/1000 with a Zalman Reserator XT cooling this and an overclocked cpu as below...note the reserator is really tuned for silence...NOT performance...so I think good result.
 
chanchan said:
The Zalman block can be had for $80!
EK GTX block is $115
Swifttech is around $125
Koolance $94 + cost of nozzles

Considering this block is about 20-30% cheaper than the other competitors I think the price:performance ratio should be quite good.

I highly doubt these other blocks are 20% better performing.
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swiftech stealth is around $109 !
dtek fuzion / unisink combo only $75 ! and you can use the block for other cards once you upgrade .
 
swiftech mcw-60 w/g80plate and the ram/mosfet sinks will run you about $75 for the whole set. The sinks are all copper for the RAM and the HDCP chip. PWM sinks are aluminum. the actual WB itself it copper.

Beware of the Zalman block. Galvanic corrossion will likely occur without some sort of anti-corrossive, like Arcy said. I'll be honest with you, Zalman makes some great stuff, and I've really liked everything that I have ever used from them. However, just like the other companies out there, although I liked the products of theirs that I used...that does not mean that everything they make is a good product, or will fit my personal needs. This GTX cooler is one of those that I will avoid.
 
Okay everyone's saying $75 for Swiftech block + ram sinks, please provide links.

Everywhere I look you gotta buy block + G80 adapter + ram sinks, and that goes over $75, also the ram sinks that most sites link to don't have all the required parts for the 8800GTX.
 
A little aside here, but are there single-slot waterblocks like this (or like the stock waterblocks on the GTXes) for the ATi x1xxx series cards? (Specifically the x1950 XTX). If I go crossfire in the near future on my new board, I want to be able to use a second x1950 watercooled without loosing a PCI slot (which I currently need)...

My current x1950 I'm currently using the Swiftech block, but as I said the fact that it blocks a second slot would make it difficult to use on a second card in crossfire...
 
djBon2112 said:
A little aside here, but are there single-slot waterblocks like this (or like the stock waterblocks on the GTXes) for the ATi x1xxx series cards? (Specifically the x1950 XTX). If I go crossfire in the near future on my new board, I want to be able to use a second x1950 watercooled without loosing a PCI slot (which I currently need)...

My current x1950 I'm currently using the Swiftech block, but as I said the fact that it blocks a second slot would make it difficult to use on a second card in crossfire...
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Yep. Pretty sure there are EK, AquaComputer, and possibly other full coverage single slot blocks available for the X1950s. That said, you could get an 8800 GTS that would be just as fast (I think, not certain here), give you DX10 support, and avoid the massive power draw of 2x X1950 in CrossFire for about what you could sell your current card and add the cost of a second to that.
 
silent-circuit said:
Yep. Pretty sure there are EK, AquaComputer, and possibly other full coverage single slot blocks available for the X1950s. That said, you could get an 8800 GTS that would be just as fast (I think, not certain here), give you DX10 support, and avoid the massive power draw of 2x X1950 in CrossFire for about what you could sell your current card and add the cost of a second to that.
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Thanks for the suggestion, but I'll stick with what I have for now, I'm really waiting for a killer deal (I can hope :p if not an XTX than an XT, I'm pretty sure it'll crossfire) and I'm not that interested in DX10 until it stabilizes (DX10.1 fiasco anyone?) and/or has some good games coming out for it (current estimates for Crysis are next March, aren't they?).
 
djBon2112 said:
Thanks for the suggestion, but I'll stick with what I have for now, I'm really waiting for a killer deal (I can hope :p if not an XTX than an XT, I'm pretty sure it'll crossfire) and I'm not that interested in DX10 until it stabilizes (DX10.1 fiasco anyone?) and/or has some good games coming out for it (current estimates for Crysis are next March, aren't they?).
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Crysis comes in November. It's a confirmed release date. Could slip back, but seems unlikely given it's in public beta now. Also, even ignoring the DX10 support a GTS might be a better setup for you -- look in to some comparative benchmarks. The 8800s do scream in DX9.
 
silent-circuit said:
Crysis comes in November. It's a confirmed release date. Could slip back, but seems unlikely given it's in public beta now. Also, even ignoring the DX10 support a GTS might be a better setup for you -- look in to some comparative benchmarks. The 8800s do scream in DX9.
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Agreed. Crysis plays so smooth in DX9 with the 8800GTS.
 
Is there a solid release date for the next high-end Nvidia series? I've been lurking and waiting for these, and when I heard they might be awhile that's when I started thinking of CF for now. I was thinking of looking/finding a really cheap (sub $200) XTX or XT and just throwing them in CF to get some more framerates for another ~6 months until that next series comes out.
 
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