Accelero Xtreme GTX 280 mini review and support

[tjmagneto]

System specs would be nice for tjmagneto. Glad you have enjoyed the thread, I just hope that the cards will still fit after all your trouble.

It's going to be close. I have a Thermaltake Element S case that I was able to install both cards with their stock coolers and run in SLI. The motherboard I have is a ASUS P6T and right now I have a soundcard residing in the PCI slot between the PCI-e slots 1 and 2. The card will have to go most likely. As of right now I have the slot 2 card out for installing the cooler so I should know pretty quick on how cramped it is going to be.

 

[tjmagneto]

Question:
Will you be able to SLI these?

I don't expect any more trouble once I get them in the computer, so SLI should be no trouble. I hope...

 

[tjmagneto]

I ran into another snag and it's those darn capacitors along the edges hitting the fins of the heatsink and not letting me seat the bugger. Any thoughts besides grabbing a Dremel and notching out the offending areas?

BTW, refer to the photos posted earlier of the 275 to see what I'm talking about. Thanks for posting it

 

[OnBoard]

It's going to be close. I have a Thermaltake Element S case that I was able to install both cards with their stock coolers and run in SLI. The motherboard I have is a ASUS P6T and right now I have a soundcard residing in the PCI slot between the PCI-e slots 1 and 2. The card will have to go most likely. As of right now I have the slot 2 card out for installing the cooler so I should know pretty quick on how cramped it is going to be.

If your motherboard looks like this, then tehy'll fit fine. There are just quite a few P6T versions out there
http://www.hardware.info/en-US/news/ymick5qXwpiaaJY/Highend_Nehalem_motherboard_by_ASUS/

I ran into another snag and it's those darn capacitors along the edges hitting the fins of the heatsink and not letting me seat the bugger. Any thoughts besides grabbing a Dremel and notching out the offending areas?

BTW, refer to the photos posted earlier of the 275 to see what I'm talking about. Thanks for posting it

So the capasitors are higher than the PCI-E power plugs? Don't see any other alternative than to make some notches if the caps are so high. GTX 275 seem to give most trouble for people edit: though the fins bend quite easily, so if it's 1mm clearance thing, you could just bend them in right spots.

 

[trt740]

Hey we think we have it bad this 4870x2 is supposed to be a total bitch to install.

Accelero XTREME 4870X2

 

[OnBoard]

Hey we think we have it bad this 4870x2 is supposed to be a total bitch to install.

Accelero XTREME 4870X2

I was waiting for some installation pictures. Someone in this thread got one, but haven't seen a thread. The ATI forum thread only has couple in case pics:
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=1421268&postcount=17

---

Got myself hold of an old TNT2 card, that has a promising heatsink on. Have to try if I can mount it to the NVIO chip. Backplate however don't have holes for the right side, so not sure how and if it'll work.

Not that I need to do it, as supplied sink works fine on my card. But ever since I saw the image of SB sink used in that place it has haunted me to try it

 

[clerick]

I was waiting for some installation pictures. Someone in this thread got one, but haven't seen a thread. The ATI forum thread only has couple in case pics:
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=1421268&postcount=17

---

Got myself hold of an old TNT2 card, that has a promising heatsink on. Have to try if I can mount it to the NVIO chip. Backplate however don't have holes for the right side, so not sure how and if it'll work.

Not that I need to do it, as supplied sink works fine on my card. But ever since I saw the image of SB sink used in that place it has haunted me to try it

Thats my picture and let me tell you: the card was a total bastard to install. The x bracket on the hd4870x2 is too short for the new holes from the accelero and you have to JAM it in at full force with the screw driver and twist. I had bruises on my fingers from trying to force the card in.

Check out the testamonies on review pages: everyone hated the x bracket install part.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/9...ME_4870X2_VGA_Cooler_ATI_Radeon_HD4870X2.html

http://www.heatsinkfactory.com/arctic-cooling-accelero-xtreme-4870x2-vga-cooler.html

 

[trt740]

anyone try the Enzotech S/b cooler yet on the NVIO chip? http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/encnfoconohe.html

 

[Hayder_Master]

nice thread , it is GT 200 cooling and feed back thread grate work

 

[OnBoard]

nice thread , it is GT 200 cooling and feed back thread grate work

Thanks, need to gather the info now a bit more, as it's scattered across so many pages.

anyone try the Enzotech S/b cooler yet on the NVIO chip? http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/encnfoconohe.html

I just did an NVIO chip installation and the correct lenght from corner to corner is exatly 50mm. That sink has holes with 54.6mm and 59mm, so you have to drill new ones.

Will be adding some additional info for different cards needed to make them compatible, as suggestted by trt740. But time for some pictures first

 

[OnBoard]

So went a head and removed to supplied NVIO sink and took a sink from TNT2 card, as it looked promising (not so much after all) and added couple memory sinks:

First up, took a picture with 8500GT in the second PCI-E slot to show people how much room there is

And now for the NVIO sink installation that took way too much time and effort

Finally got it installed here. Holes were 6cm a part, so had to drill new close ones first (5cm). Secondly it's too high.. (again it looked like it would fit ). The upper bolt also has to go under the backplate and lower bolt over the backplate

So after some hacksaw action it fits under Accelero. That small triangle under the core is a bit of antistatic wrapping I put under the sink corners to protect NVIO chip while bolting it on.

And here is Riva TNT2 that parted it's heatsink for the operation. Slight difference in size

What did I gain with all this? Probably nothing. Just wanted to put a heatsink there, after i saw a SB sink installed. Turned out I didn't have my ASUS P5B-E Plus SB sink anymore, so had to use something else.

Hope was to maybe have more memory OC room, if the Accelero supplied thick thermalpads (for the 2 RAM chips under NVIO sink) were the limiting factor. With a quick test didn't gain any MHz, so I think that backside memory under the backplate limit the OC, or the memory on this card just don't like more than 2500MHz.

 

[trt740]

So went a head and removed to supplied NVIO sink and took a sink from TNT2 card, as it looked promising (not so much after all) and added couple memory sinks:

First up, took a picture with 8500GT in the second PCI-E slot to show people how much room there is
http://img.techpowerup.org/090620/GPU_sandwich.jpg

And now for the NVIO sink installation that took way too much time and effort

Finally got it installed here. Holes were 6cm a part, so had to drill new close ones first (5cm). Secondly it's too high.. (again it looked like it would fit ). The upper bolt also has to go under the backplate and lower bolt over the backplate
http://img.techpowerup.org/090620/IMG_2927.jpg

So after some hacksaw action it fits under Accelero. That small triangle under the core is a bit of antistatic wrapping I put under the sink corners to protect NVIO chip while bolting it on.
http://img.techpowerup.org/090620/IMG_2929.jpg

And here is Riva TNT2 that parted it's heatsink for the operation. Slight difference in size
http://img.techpowerup.org/090620/IMG_2931.jpg

What did I gain with all this? Probably nothing. Just wanted to put a heatsink there, after i saw a SB sink installed. Turned out I didn't have my ASUS P5B-E Plus SB sink anymore, so had to use something else.

Hope was to maybe have more memory OC room, if the Accelero supplied thick thermalpads (for the 2 RAM chips under NVIO sink) were the limiting factor. With a quick test didn't gain any MHz, so I think that backside memory under the backplate limit the OC, or the memory on this card just don't like more than 2500MHz.

Looks pretty darn good to me, it seems so simple for A/C to create one thats universal, heck their a cooling company. If you can do it certainly they can. Hey onboard look at this galaxy board it almost looks like no NVIO cooler is used at all, all it shows is a ram heat sink( the square) a shim and the cooler , granted this is on a 275 gtx with digital power making it run cooler and we cannot see the back of the card. http://xtreview.com/addcomment-id-8495-view-Galaxy-GTX-275.html

 

[OnBoard]

Looks pretty darn good to me, it seems so simple for A/C to create one thats universal, heck their a cooling company. If you can do it certainly they can.

Yep, would work with 2 screws like supplied now. Only the other hole to the opposite corner. Then cut the extra of the NVIO sink and use it as a memory sink for the 2 RAM. No extra material needed and works on all GTX versions.

If you look at the second last picture you see how tiny the "post" is between the NVIO and RAM on GTX 280.

 

[trt740]

Yep, would work with 2 screws like supplied now. Only the other hole to the opposite corner. Then cut the extra of the NVIO sink and use it as a memory sink for the 2 RAM. No extra material needed and works on all GTX versions.

If you look at the second last picture you see how tiny the "post" is between the NVIO and RAM on GTX 280.

I see that it's small on my 260 gtx 55nm as well but it's reference. At least I think it is will tell you as soon as my cooler gets here.

 

[OnBoard]

Hey onboard look at this galaxy board it almost looks like no NVIO cooler is used at all, all it shows is a ram heat sink( the square) a shim and the cooler , granted this is on a 275 gtx with digital power making it run cooler and we cannot see the back of the card.

The middle picture doesn't show VRM cooling either. Both must be there, just aren't displayed. That digital stuff gets very hot at least on HD4870, so don't know if it's a step up or down. (they are again so small that it's hard to cool them, like in 65nm cards)

 

[trt740]

The middle picture doesn't show VRM cooling either. Both must be there, just aren't displayed. That digital stuff gets very hot at least on HD4870, so don't know if it's a step up or down. (they are again so small that it's hard to cool them, like in 65nm cards)

I don't think it's cooled by anything but air, and that enzo heatsink does need another hole and I think the hole would need to be throught a few of the pins in the corner. What i would do is glue it to the chip then glue the front of it to the base of the big middle post. that would give it two contact points. Also these would be great little coolers for the mosfits /VRM /on a 280 gtx , they are smaller than they look but cool really well , way better than Zalman and are smaller but better made. I used them on several 4870 cards. http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/misimi.html and here are the tweak monster ram heatsinks used before http://www.jab-tech.com/Tweakmonster-BGA-Ramsinks-pr-1526.html

 

[trt740]

A little follow up I promised. Those VRM temps were too high for my liking, so I went ahead and tried what adding more heatsinks on top of the VRM sink would do.

Heatsink arsenal I have. Accelero TwinTurbo sinks are too high to fit between the VRM sink and the cooler, but those blue zalman ramsinks fit just fine. Only have two of them left (really like them), so I used ZEROTherm VGA FET sinks. Those 3 biggest ones are too high, but rest work.
http://img.techpowerup.org/090324/IMG_2897525.jpg

Here they are installed right on top were the VRM's area. Also the Accelero thermal paste spread can be seen. They used a bit too little of the paste, not enough to cover the Accelero base even. But temps were good, so I didnt even bother changing the paste. I would have added a bit more MX-2 though if I had it. Batteries on top left corner, just ran out of juice before this pic
http://img.techpowerup.org/090324/IMG_2899.jpg

Then the results:
Idle with the added sinks, tiny drop. ----------|---------- Idle before added sinks
http://img.techpowerup.org/090324/Accelero_more_vrm_sinks_idle_3Dclocks.jpghttp://img.techpowerup.org/090323/Accelero_GTX280_idle_3Dclocks.jpg

FurMark 180s load with added sinks. 21.4C ambient. Tiny drop again.
http://img.techpowerup.org/090324/Accelero_more_vrm_sinks_FurMark_load.jpg

FurMark 180s load without added sinks. 21C ambient.
http://img.techpowerup.org/090323/Accelero_GTX280_FurMark_load.jpg

Then I wondered what would 100% fan speed do for the VRM are. Seems it helps, but still not even close to the 100C with stock cooler. Core temp went down even more, but the efficiency of the cooler is enough even with low fan speed.
http://img.techpowerup.org/090324/Accelero_more_vrm_sinks_FurMark_load_100fan.jpg

So doesn't look like extra sinks did much anything. The supplied thermal pads must be to blame, they are quite thick, so that the VRM sink don't hit the surface mount components.

This will have to do for a while. I'm sure those temps should be fine but I might chop the stock cooler rear off and use it as a VRM cooler. Having stock backplate on, it'll fit nicely with the original screws.

Only thing I don't know yet can it be mounted with just (unconductive) thermal paste, but seeing how flat the thermal pads have gone in the stock cooler, shouldn't be a problem. edit: read below the stock cooler cutting on posts #11 & 12.

How do you think your temps would have been if you would have simply removed the thermal pads and used an adhesive paste to make direct contact with the VRM and the supplied A/C heat sink.

 

[OnBoard]

How do you think your temps would have been if you would have simply removed the thermal pads and used an adhesive paste to make direct contact with the VRM and the supplied A/C heat sink.

Doesn't work like that, surface mount components are in the way (too high), like mentioned in the end.

 

[trt740]

Doesn't work like that, surface mount components are in the way (too high), like mentioned in the end.

Sorry missed that So basically it the thermal pads are too thick, and the heat sink doesn't work right because it doesn't directly touch the VRMs. thanks !!!

 

[OnBoard]

Cooling solutions for 55nm GTX 260 / 275 / 285

Please don't quote below guide without credit or link to this thread, thanks.

Accelero Xtreme GTX 280 only works for 65nm GTX 260 / 280 straight out of the box. Other versions of the GT200 family need a bit of extra work / sinks.

GTX 280 runs its VRM pretty hot, as covered in this review on first page. If you don't want to hack the stock cooler, you can use Enzotech MOS-C1 Forged Copper Mosfet Heatsinks:
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/enmofocomohe.html

They are however too high. You need to cut couple mm of, to fit under Accelero. They work for 65nm GTX 280 and also for 65nm GTX 260, although 260 with its lover core voltage works ok with the supplied VRM sink too.

VRM-wise, I was idling at about 42C, a couple degrees warmer stock, loading about 65-67C which is +/-1C from stock. So thus far I'm good to go, I'm running 666/1458 1188 on 1.06v on a 65nm 216core GTX260 and the temps are top notch

Installed on a GTX 280 by undetermined http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=1435605&postcount=234:

Scythe USA SCVCH-1000 VGA Chip Heatsinks:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185083

Those go along way with any of the 55nm cards, as they run out of memory cooling with the supplied sinks.

Here's TuxBrothers GTX 285 with the Scythe sinks http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=1414772&postcount=91:

For GTX 285 / 265 55nm, you could also go with Thermalright GTX 285/260 VRM-Heat sink:
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/thgtx28vrsi.html

They are meant for Thermalright HR-03 GTX cooler as additional sinks, but work with Accelero as well. Page has a installation PDF that explains the usage.

Installation instructions here on GTX 265 55nm:
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=1448131&postcount=321

General VRM cooling:
Microcool Silver MicroSink are quite small and fit under the Accelero without modifications. "these can also be grouped in sets of 4 or 9 units for larger integrated components where a low-profile design is necessary to eliminate any clearance issues.
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/misimi.html
For example GTX 285 that has those single mosfets in the VRM area and above/below NVIO sink in GTX 275 / 285.

GTX 275 is the problem child of the family with this cooler:

The purple circled component is much higher than in other cards and you can't use the supplied NVIO sink with them. Also non reference GTX 285 might have similar layout. If you card is any other color than black, you may have this layout.

If you can't use the supplied NVIO sink, then you have to get creative.

This Enzotech CNB-S1L Low Profile Forged Copper Northbridge Heatsink could be one option. Although you'd need to drill closer holes with 50mm distance, for it to fit.
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/encnfoconohe.html

Example of Enzotech Copper Heatsink on NVIO chip by Drewsillac on GTX 275 http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=1442405&postcount=297

Cheaper option would be to use any low profile southbridge cooler, like done here by thebeephaha on GTX 285 http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=1431564&postcount=209:

Or take any about fitting NB/GPU sink and spend some time modding it, like I did here http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=1440464&postcount=261:

Other possible problems

Missing spacer tape:
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=1425490&postcount=150
You can use glue stick for example to connect the spacers to the feet while assembling the cooler.

Heatsink makes contact with SVideo port:
There are couple fins that touch the svideo-out port a bit. No need to cut a slight bend will do fine on them (or dremel some off for cleaner look). The first 3 on left of the image. On below 3 slot picture you can see my bend on the fins.

Takes three (3) slots:
If you want to SLI, or have another card on other PCI-E slot , the motherboard needs to have 2 slots space between them. 8500GT in the second PCI-E slot to show people how much room there is.

Accelero Xtreme doesn't make contact with the core:
If your card has a GPU brace, you need to remove it first (those cards that don't have a backplate might have it).

Capacitors make contact with the sink on some GTX 275/285:
Reference design GTX 275 has four capacitors at the end of the PCB that are too high to fit under the Accelero sink. Also newer GTX 285 cards that use GTX 275 PCB have the same thing. Some dremeling/cutting of the fins or bending them on right places is needed. Problem area show in this tjmagneto picture http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=1440637&postcount=273

Supplied memory sinks don't stick
You need to use an eraser on the memory chips, until they don't feel slippy anymore. Memory chips have a slight roughness to them after they are clean. I used a white soft eraser, it gets oily after couple swipes so have some paper ready (to erase) to get a clean surface on the eraser again. Once you get one clean, you'll know what to do with the rest. After that I cleaned the chips with alcohol dipped cotton swabs.

Thanks go to all who provided pictures, without then this post would look dull

 

[trt740]

Thats exactly what was needed. With the info you just gave several headaches can be avoided and even thought it seems like a pain in the ass it really isn't. This cooler is worth the trouble the glue stick trick, Nvio modes and the Vrm soultions are the best .

 

[OnBoard]

Above post took quite a while to compile, hope it's of help to someone. Link to it also added to 1st page of this thread.

Will be editing it if needed and adding more stuff to it, once available (hoping I might get some pictures of trt740 55nm GTX 260 installation)

 

[tjmagneto]

Here's a couple photos from my 275 project.

The first one is of when I first stripped down. I eventually did remove the core frame.



In the next picture I have a combo of Thermalright and Arctic Cooling heatsinks and they all clear very nicely. The main offenders are the tall caps with the red on them. I took the stock AC NVIO heatsink and hacksawed the bugger until it fit as you see. There are spacers where the screws are holding it in place in order to keep the heatsink level.



I'm taking a day off from the fun before I wrap it up.

 

[Drewsillac]

So, if I want I should just cut out a bit of the first 3 fins to get it to fit the Svideo.
Also, I did order that Copper heatsink....
I get it on Monday, I guess I'm going to be drilling holes, eh, on the 275 GTX?

Great... there goes the warranty.... It's getting worse and worse each day for me....

False advertisement as far as I'm concerned...

Don't worry, I'll send pics your way come monday...

 

[theorw]

WOW!VERY NICE!!!
I have to admit though that ati makes cooling and ocing much easier by using simpler PCBs...
I lost count of how many small chips u have to cool...LOL!
Nice research though!Well done!!