Swiftech Intros Hybrid Water Cooling Solutions for NVIDIA GF100-based Graphics Cards

[btarunr]

Swiftech released a pair of hybrid cooling solutions for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480, GTX 470 and GTX 465 graphics cards, that are aimed to provide better cooling compared to full-coverage water blocks. The principle revolves around treating the GPU as a separate thermal zone from the rest of the card, so that water-cooling can focus on cooling the GPU, while heat from the GPU isn't transferred to the rest of the relatively cooler heat producing parts (such as memory chips, VRM FETs, etc.). Swiftech's offer includes MCW-GTX480 and MCW-GTX470 (which should be compatible with GTX 465 reference design, too). These consist of the MCW80 GPU water block that's designed to handle the thermal loads of GF100, and a full-coverage aluminum heatsink that covers all critical heat-producing areas on the PCB, including the memory chips and the VRM. The heatsink is further designed such that the user can mount an 80 mm fan onto it, for even higher cooling performance. The sets are priced lower than most full-coverage water-blocks, the MCW80-GTX480 is priced at $99.95, while the MCW80-GTX470 goes for $98.95.



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[MomentoMoir]

This hybrid thing is relevant to my interests.

 

[pantherx12]

I need a copper one for ATi XD

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

I'd be curious to see this and a full block cover on the same card at 900 mhz core to see if there's any difference in the required voltage. I know that's a lot of metal but I'd still think a copper block with water flowing would cool the vrm better. This might be focusing too much on the core temp when I've seen time and time again the limiting factor on GF100 is the vrm efficiency.

 

[D4S4]

now that looks pretty f****** neat. A+ for the design. have no idea how it will perform, tho

 

[Animalpak]

full cover is better anyway

 

[MomentoMoir]

Sure, but full cover is usually 30-40 bucks more.

 

[HillBeast]

That is actually a good idea to NOT have the GF100 pumping it's stupid amounts of heat into the more sensitive RAM and MOSFETs. I bet having the MOSFETs on separate cooling, it'll actually reduce power consumption as they won't be so hot and operating inefficiently.

 

[mlee49]

I hope everyone realizes that all reference 470/480's can just use the stock back plate. You dont have to buy this additional $50 item.

I used two MCW80's with my 470's and they worked fine with the reference plate. Even kept the fan on at 30% to help cool the vrm/memory chips.

 

[timta2]

I hope everyone realizes that all reference 470/480's can just use the stock back plate. You dont have to buy this additional $50 item.

I used two MCW80's with my 470's and they worked fine with the reference plate. Even kept the fan on at 30% to help cool the vrm/memory chips.

Yep, just installed my MCW60 on my GTX 480 a hour ago. I just had to order the G80 adapter from Swiftech.

This new Hybrid part looks sweet too. I wouldn't mind getting rid of the fan on mine and using (what looks like) the bigger and/or more efficient heatsink for the other components. But I guess I'm not willing to spend the extra money to do that right now. Besides $100 is a lot of money towards a nice full EK block, no?

 

[MomentoMoir]

I hope everyone realizes that all reference 470/480's can just use the stock back plate. You dont have to buy this additional $50 item.

I used two MCW80's with my 470's and they worked fine with the reference plate. Even kept the fan on at 30% to help cool the vrm/memory chips.

You mean stock VRM plate? Most 400 cards dont come with a back plate even though you can purchase one through eVGA for reference boards. Even though i know what you meant, i believe the plate they are selling is a bit beefier.

 

[mlee49]

Sure VRM plate or whatever its correctly called. Since the 400's have all the mem/vrm chips on the front of the card it doesn't matter which its called, back plate front plate vrm plate graphics card heatsink whatev.

 

[largon]

How on earth do you install a MCW80 which has flat 50mm × 50mm base on a 400 serie card that has it's frontplate installed? The mounting "nubs" at the corners of the gpu are higher than the top of the IHS and only 45mm apart preventing contact as the cooler will just sit on the nubs.