Zalman Announces the VF3000F VGA Cooler

[btarunr]

Zalman released the VF3000F for the end users who wants to cool their latest VGA card from nVidia. The company's first Dual Fan VGA cooler promises you for the maximum performance with less noise. On top, VF3000F is specially designed for the Fermi Series from nVidia (GTX480/470/465) and comes with the dedicated RAM/FET Heatsinks to maximize the cooling performance on the GPU as well as FET/RAM with lower noise. ZM-STG2 will help the heat transfer from the heat source to the heatsink for efficient cooling.

Fanmate 2 will enable variable fan speed so users can choose either silent operation or performance setting. Please note that VF3000F comes in 2 different models: a model for GTX 480 and one for GTX 470 and GTX 465 graphics cards.



Features:

• Powerful Cooling Performance with Zalman's First Dual Fan Solution.
• Dedicated RAM/FET Heatsink.
• Ultra Quiet Design with Special Fin design.
• Excellent Peripheral Component Cooling.
• High Performance Super Thermal Grease ZM-STG2.
• Fan Speed Control with Fan Mate2

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[RejZoR]

It appears there is no hope for exhaust coolers like those found on reference HD5850/GTX470/GTX480 or like Akasa Vortexx Neo... Or a water cooling solution like Corsair H50 / H70. That would be nice.

 

[scaminatrix]

I like the colour, it's hard trying to find a nice green gfx card/cooler to finish a green build.

It appears there is no hope for exhaust coolers like those found on reference HD5850/GTX470/GTX480 or like Akasa Vortexx Neo... Or a water cooling solution like Corsair H50 / H70. That would be nice.

Me thinks they're expecting us to rely on case cooling for airflow :shadedshu Not all of us have got Raven's

EDIT: Actually, that's what I would like, an enclosed unit like the H50 as an aftermarket GPU cooler.

 

[pantherx12]

Is it just me or have zalman dropped the ball in the last few years?

 

[scaminatrix]

At least there's an ATi-friendly version of this cooler.
Nvidia only on a GPU cooler made me think WTF
Suppose it's sensible, less wasted accessories, etc.

 

[overclocking101]

it looks kinda like a kids toy to me

 

[gvblake22]

WOW! Look at those full coverage board heatsinks for the memory and VRM! That is niiiiice! This is a perfect package, something I think Arctic Cooling could have done years ago with their first "Xtreme" cooler and done very well. Props to Zalman for making the effort. This is a great product, especially if they can get versions out for other high-demand cards (like the 5850/5870 and GX 460).

 

[scaminatrix]

it looks kinda like a kids toy to me

My son's convinced mobo's look like toys, he says they look like a town with train tracks (dimms) houses (vrms).
Maybe that's their trick, they're securing the 3-11 year old market!

especially if they can get versions out for other high-demand cards (like the 5850/5870 and GX 460).

There is one for ATi, and they come in more colours. Not bad.

 

[Ren7on]

It appears there is no hope for exhaust coolers like those found on reference HD5850/GTX470/GTX480 or like Akasa Vortexx Neo... Or a water cooling solution like Corsair H50 / H70. That would be nice.

Men, you need to catch up... theres one for a while now from CoolIT, the OMNI. Is an universal enclosed water cooling solution for GPUs.

http://www.coolitsystems.com/index.php/omni.html

I'm have the ECO A.L.C. and works great, I imagine this will also perform well.

 

[_JP_]

This one also has been on their site for a while now too.
About time they release this version since there were already two, launched a bit late if you ask me, but the nVidia version (VF3000N) only supported the GTX260/275/280/285, with Fermi cards already out...didn't make sense. The other (VF3000A) is for ATis but only for HD 5800 series, which is disappointing because I wanted a stylish cooler for my HD 5770! (but I agree that this one is a bit flamboyant too...)

 

[gvblake22]

There is one for ATi, and they come in more colours. Not bad.

But that doesn't come with the full, one piece heatsink for the memory and VRM chips!

 

[_JP_]

But that doesn't come with the full, one piece heatsink for the memory and VRM chips!

That's because only nVidia has the habit of making those, I never saw an ATi card that supported one of those or that had one from factory.

 

[gvblake22]

That's because only nVidia has the habit of making those, I never saw an ATi card that supported one of those or that had one from factory.

nVidia doesn't make them, the third party heatsink manufacturers do. Swiftech and D-Tek have some that go with their water blocks, but not a regular air cooled heatsink like the VF3000F.

Maybe you are referring to the single piece that is sometimes part of the stock/reference heatsink assembly?

 

[RejZoR]

Men, you need to catch up... theres one for a while now from CoolIT, the OMNI. Is an universal enclosed water cooling solution for GPUs.

http://www.coolitsystems.com/index.php/omni.html

I'm have the ECO A.L.C. and works great, I imagine this will also perform well.

It took like 6 months just to get Hydro H50 in Europe (at least Slovenia). Besides, i prefer air cooling as i don't have much space to place large heatsinks anywhere. But if the cooler is dumping the heat directly out, i'm fine with it even if it's slightly louder or not as effective.

I mean, i used to have HD4870 that was dumping all the heat inside the case. And it wasn't all that silent. Entire uATX case was so hot just because of it after 2 hours of gaming.
Same was with HD5850 with some "silent" cooler. Dumping the heat inside and the same end result. Now i have HD5850 with reference exhaust cooler and the inside of the uATX case is hardly warm after 6 hours of intensive gaming (non stop weekend L4D2 for example).

 

[newtekie1]

That's because only nVidia has the habit of making those, I never saw an ATi card that supported one of those or that had one from factory.

The reference HD4890, HD4870, HD4870x2 all used monosinks.

But regardless, just because it doesn't come with the reference cooler, that means aftermarket coolers can't use one? That is a poor excuse.

I think the better reasoning would be that nVidia cards tend to stick to a more reference or close to reference design, while ATi PCBs are all over the place, making a monosink useless.

 

[_JP_]

Maybe you are referring to the single piece that is sometimes part of the stock/reference heatsink assembly?

Yup. Monosinks, like newtekie said.

The reference HD4890, HD4870, HD4870x2 all used monosinks.

I skipped those, didn't remember.

But regardless, just because it doesn't come with the reference cooler, that means aftermarket coolers can't use one? That is a poor excuse.

I think the better reasoning would be that nVidia cards tend to stick to a more reference or close to reference design, while ATi PCBs are all over the place, making a monosink useless.

I..didn't mean that. Of course they can, if they are able to. As for reference design, I also have been noticing that detail, maybe because nVidia cards don't leave much for imagination, it's already as good as it gets?

 

[KainXS]

bright green

didn't see that coming

 

[pantherx12]

maybe because nVidia cards don't leave much for imagination, it's already as good as it gets?

Most of the time non reference cards are made to be cheaper

 

[wolf]

It appears there is no hope for exhaust coolers like those found on reference HD5850/GTX470/GTX480 or like Akasa Vortexx Neo... Or a water cooling solution like Corsair H50 / H70. That would be nice.

considering there are many solutions out there now that are triple slot, I see your point, they mayaswell make 2-3 slot exhaust coolers that are more effective than the stock ones.

I miss the days of grabbing an aftermarket arctic cooling cooler that exhausted out the back of the case.

 

[phanbuey]

considering there are many solutions out there now that are triple slot, I see your point, they mayaswell make 2-3 slot exhaust coolers that are more effective than the stock ones.

I miss the days of grabbing an aftermarket arctic cooling cooler that exhausted out the back of the case.

I think exhaust coolers can be alot better than they are now. If they used the GTX 480 cooler on the 470 that card would be quiet as hell and run much cooler. I just thing OEM cooling's whole philosophy is "cool it as little as possible without it breaking".

I think nv did a good job with the 8800 series and the gtx200 series coolers. Those were really quiet, but they could have done a little more cooling tbh.

 

[wolf]

I think exhaust coolers can be alot better than they are now. If they used the GTX 480 cooler on the 470 that card would be quiet as hell and run much cooler. I just thing OEM cooling's whole philosophy is "cool it as little as possible without it breaking".

I think nv did a good job with the 8800 series and the gtx200 series coolers. Those were really quiet, but they could have done a little more cooling tbh.

+1, especially about the 480 cooler on the 470, it cant really add that much more cost can it?

keep in mind they know very well how big the market is for aftermarket air/water cooling is too for enthusiasts, if they put kickass cooler on their cards, less would spend on aftermarket solutions.

I tossed up wether to do aftermarket to my 5870 and 5850, but they just didnt need it, the stock coolers were completely ample, especially the 5850. and if you can deal with a bit of noise they were far more than what is required.

 

[erixx]

- First, why do Zalman products look like bloody old time cars?
- This solution was already on one OEM card and got bad reviews.
- Don't know if the 'monosink' are any good. My VRMs *seems* not hotter than the core.

 

[pantherx12]

Monosinks are better than individual heat-sinks as you'll automatically have a greater mass to distribute heat too, also greater surface area.

Win win!


Also does anyone else think this

with the stock fan removed and two 80mm fans cable tied to it would do better?

Because I think it would.

 

[wolf]

Monosinks are better than individual heat-sinks as you'll automatically have a greater mass to distribute heat too, also greater surface area.

Win win!


Also does anyone else think this
http://www.ocmodshop.com/images/reviews/heatsinks/zalman_vf1000_led/thumb_zalman_vf1000_42.jpg
with the stock fan removed and two 80mm fans cable tied to it would do better?

Because I think it would.

ive done that, it does work better, I put that cooler on an 8800GT and a 9800GTX.

 

[pantherx12]

ive done that, it does work better, I put that cooler on an 8800GT and a 9800GTX.

You've used the new vf3000 then?