MSI GF4 Ti4600 : Expensive Baking Plate?

[MagicBox]

I've had this video card for about one and half a year now. I haven't modded the cooler. However, the system is 'powered' by an AMD1800 Palomino. I've already discovered on this forums that this is the 'hottest' AMD core. What is the problem I have? Cooling!

This is the situation: About a year ago when I put my system together, the only thing that was different back then was the PSU and the GFX card. PSU was a 300 watt brandless make. The GFX card was a GeForce1 from creative. Unfortunately its little fan had died, and I replaced it with a bigger fan found on an old 486DX66 HSF. Worked perfect for that card. The point: Case temp was around 33C ,the CPU around 43C. I distinctively remember those numbers as I've watched the temperature of my system a lot (newishness).

I upgraded the GFX card to the above about a year ago (never taking a look at temperatures). Recently, I upgraded my PSU for OC purposes to an Enermax 465 watt. Before, I noted temps of 55C case temp, 65C CPU temp under (3D) load. So with the new PSU I ordered two 80mm case fans, and a Coolermaster HSF

After putting everything together, I had a 10C drop for both case and CPU temps. Resulting in 45 / 55 under load. That's still way too high, considering the temperatures I measured when I first built this system.

So in the end, I think the GF4 card screws up cooling significant. Unlike the CPU heatsink, you'll burn your fingers to it. I haven't OC'ed the GPU. And if I do, I can only up it 4Mhz (300Mhz default) untill the GPU starts stuttering (temporary termal shutdown). This means, that even at stock speeds, the thing is damn close to its limits.

Is this a known problem with GF4 cards? What should I do? I've looked around for VGA coolers.. but my impression is that they offer nothing but fancy looks, as well as noise.

I'm tempted to put an old TNT2 card back in the computer, just to see what effect it has on overall temperature.

Also, is a 10C difference between CPU and case temp good? Bad?

I would have expected that with the new casecooling and PSU, I'd have gotten much better temperatures.

Any info is welcome. Thanks!

-Magic

Edit: Spelling, grammar, typos

[Neil2094]

The Geforce 4 TI 4600 is a great card. Do not doubt yourself for buying it! Those temps are fine. I would personally prefer them a little lower but that just me.


You could always stick a fan in next to your card :thumb:

You could get a PCI slot case fan installed under your graphics card. They are not too loud and are cheap and don't need any case modding.

I'm tempted to put an old TNT2 card back in the computer,

-don't do that.

with regards to your fans how have you got them setup? As this and many people will tell you has a huge impact on your case cooling. You should have the ones on the front and side pulling air in and the ones at the back + top taking air out. Easy. :thumb: When you have done this you can easily make that 4 mhz a much larger number : peace:

[MagicBox]

Thanks for your reply, Neil.

Yeah, I made sure I put in the case fans properly. I have one 80mm fan on the front of the case, inhaling air. One in the back under the PSU to exhaust the hot air. They are Sharkoon fans and came with an adjustable resistor (which I conveniently installed too, in some empty PCI slots). My ears start whistling after an hour, if every and each fan runs at max speed. But it cools the thing down. :D The PSU also has a 2nd fan in the bottom of the PSU, which is controlled with a knob on the back of the PSU, running at max speed.

My case doesn't allow more fans (without modding), and I made sure they blow into the right direction. Also, I made sure no cables would obstruct the airflow from the bottom front to top back. Though the GF4 card is pretty long, and might prevent optimal airflow.

I noticed though (for the heck of experimentation) that if I removed the front cover of my case, the temperature of CPU and case would drop by about 1C. My case has 4 5.25 bays, of which only the top two bays are filled. The bottom bays are empty and are coincidently lined up with the CPU. So after some crazy thought, in addition to the bottom front fan, I could mod the lower two bay panels to accomodate two more inhaling fans (More noise! :eek: ) and force a stronger front-to-back airflow through the case. However that wouldn't solve the heating problem with the GF card.

I'm very happy with this videocard and I'm sure it will stay with me till the end of this year till it's time to upgrade to the top-of-the line that time.

As for trying this TNT2.. no I wouldn't try to play any 3D game with it.. it'd be to just try and find out how much effect the GF4 has on the case/cpu temp.

Your idea of a PCI fan sounds good. Are these special fans that actually have an exhaust in the PCI bracket? Or just a regular kind of fan that's held by a solid PCI bracket.. I have two PCI brackets filled (Currently occupied by the fan controllers for back and front, thus two free PCI slots under the GFX card).

Might sound like a weird idea.. but if I do put two more fans in the lower drive bays, and an exhaust PCI fan, AND deliberately obstruct airflow from bottom to top, to create two somewhat independant air channels, this could actually work.

What'd you think..?

-Magic

[Mista K6]

Here's what ya need mate:

http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/Produc...uctCode=370003

These are evidently pretty good and had low dB ratings, so that ringing should lessen a bit :thumb: :p . : peace2: Mista K6

P.S. I'm getting one myself, as my Ti4200 runs hot too.

[Neil2094]

The link Mista K6 has provided is exactly what I'm talking about : peace2: :thumb: I have one my AMD PC to be honest I can't hear it. It helped drop my temps by a lot. For low price these things are great to have.

Good luck with it all :)

[MagicBox]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I've placed an order for that PCI fan. It gave me a good impression ;)

I'm also considering a new case as the one I have could be 3 years old if not more. And I'm sure that a well selected case could provide me with better, and more silent cooling. (by installing more, low-noise fans). And it would provide room for a watercooling system if I ever get that crazy :smokin: But I wouldn't think about that until I got a Gigabyte G7-N400 Pro with a 3200+ Barton, which are on my wishlist. And by the time I would buy it, prices would hopefully have dropped big-time. That system would need a solid foundation.

Just like anyone else I have this dream PC in my mind and basically I started a new upgrade cycle by purchasing a quality PSU. So.. cooling was my next point of focus :cool:

I have two more questions about cooling, but those deserve a new thread.

I hope that with this PCI fan I can crank up that GF4 some more ;)

Thanks!

-Magic

[ZEROKOOL]

it seams to me ur doing everything just right, but i cant help wonder why ur rig is so hot...i got a p3dell optiplex150 (old junk pile i maxed out) 1ghz with a dvd-rom and a 48x burner, 3 hdd's a ti4200 (oc'd from 250/500 to 312/616)a firewirecard, a pci ide card, a TV decoder card (hot as **** right on the heatsink) and a audigy2....not one fan, only the POS green tube sorta thing thats on the cpu that runs at about 500 (yes 500) rpm im guessing, but i feel no brease ATALL infront or behind this "fan" and since ur having such probs i figured id see what temps im getting...48c on cpu...41 ambiant case temp, 51 hdd temp (middle drive) 39c cdrom temp and a wopping 71c vid card temp (back side of gpu core) its been running stable like this for atleast 8 months...and i routienly play 3-5 hour sessions of ut2k3 or C&C generals...and always have the hdd's at full till...uploading or d/l...so im wondering why ur case is having such a hard time keeping cool... my case is sealed up tight, and is silent as a church mouse, u should be just fine....or maybe i got a miracle case?? (ambiant house temp is 72F near the pc):?: :?: :?: :?: maybe i got the hotplate and urs is just fine...:steam: :steam: :steam: :drool:

[MagicBox]

Yeah, apparently GF4 cards run pretty hot. I managed to mod my current case, so temps have dropped by 10C already. I used to run on 65C CPU, 55C mobo. Now it's about 55/45. Ambient temps are crazy here though with this heatwave we're in. It's around 40C in this room.

This PCI fan should help out the GFX card some more though!

-Magic

[ZEROKOOL]

[QUOTE]It's around 40C in this room.

think ur thermometer is broke...thats about 140F...inside? or in the case? does ur system reboot cuz of heat? mine doesnt yet (100+F outside daily 24/7) or do u just want it cooler?

[alanmuvo]

I hust upgraded my cooling 2 a 2700 alaska fan, as my 1900 athonxp was runnin @82 degrees in the few moments it was stable, an ive got all the cooling fans an all. try remounting your processor with a new thermal pad as mine had nearly burnt away.

broght mine down 2 55 in windows.

An im usin a radeon 9200 graphics card thats passivley cooled