• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

Is RX 9070 VRAM temperature regular value or hotspot?

I guess.. but I still think they could have done a better job with cooling. Its a sticky point with me, sorry.
 
I guess.. but I still think they could have done a better job with cooling. Its a sticky point with me, sorry.
To me the cooling is there but inadequately used for the sake of acoustics(?)... not sure why.
 
To me the cooling is there but inadequately used for the sake of acoustics(?)...
That is my absolute best guess too. I mean, mine are supposed to be off right now, but I don't like that idea.. I force them to run as slow as they will go until I need them to perform. My case fans and CPU fans are at 100% anyways, so Its not like the card is too loud lol :D

Edit:

It has a pleasant sound.. not all brash and industrial :)
 
To me the cooling is there but inadequately used for the sake of acoustics(?)... not sure why.
Probably because those temps are fine (albeit not great), so they didn't want to push cooling further and sacrifice the acoustics.

Like I said, every cooler on every 9070 XT seems to target 85 ˚C GPU hotspot and 90 ˚C VRAM by default.
 
That was 90C VRAM at less than 1100rpm...
Stupid!

I still believe that the subject is overblown for no reason.
Use the damn adrenalin fan curve to increase fan speed...!!

1000~1100rpm can create farts instead of adequate airflow

View attachment 393877
He left fans on Auto, fans went from short 1500 RPM to 1100 RPM, I guess he wanted to run the stock experience out of the box.
 
He left fans on Auto, fans went from short 1500 RPM to 1100 RPM, I guess he wanted to run the stock experience out of the box.
Stupid is the out of the box settings for the fans, not GN. Just to be clear.
Of course reviewers should show the stock behavior of a product.
But after it a recommendation does not hurt anyone, except the rumor.
I also understand that the story is more juicy and clickbait when you are exposing a manufacturer defect (even in settings) without any solution, which in this case is right there in adrenalin software.
 
I also understand that the story is more juicy and clickbait when you are exposing a manufacturer defect (even in settings) without any solution, which in this case is right there in adrenalin software.
I understand that as well but I see no clickbait IMO in the title.

Is it possible that this generation they added VBIOS coded settings for fans RPM/ at certain temps, to override Adrenaline or user settings? IDK
Also ignoring the VRAM temps, taking in consideration the HotSpot only and is not good enough.

Pulse 9070XT has plastic foil inside the back plate and no T pads. Judging by the pictures on their website Pure 9070XT will have the same, no pads and plastic foils. Maybe they have to override user settings in Adrenaline if users stays only on low RPM, that is why I'm thinking VBIOS maybe contains certain settings for fans but, again IDK, I can't read yet VBIOS.

Pure no pads.jpg
 
I understand that as well but I see no clickbait IMO in the title.

Is it possible that this generation they added VBIOS coded settings for fans RPM/ at certain temps, to override Adrenaline or user settings? IDK
Also ignoring the VRAM temps, taking in consideration the HotSpot only and is not good enough.

Pulse 9070XT has plastic foil inside the back plate and no T pads. Judging by the pictures on their website Pure 9070XT will have the same, no pads and plastic foils. Maybe they have to override user settings in Adrenaline if users stays only on low RPM, that is why I'm thinking VBIOS maybe contains certain settings for fans but, again IDK, I can't read yet VBIOS.

View attachment 393959
Still adds some drama to the story of 9070series.

Anyway...
Didnt you see my screenshots of my 7900XTX running stock fan? (post #323)
VRAM got to 90C and GPU hotspot over 80C with only 26~27% PWM
No card ever is taking acount VRAM temp for adjusting fan speed and most of them are configured very conservative. Its not a 9070 thing.

Maybe we didnt see it on reviews for the 7000series because maybe newer drivers work fan speed differently from back then?
I dont know what to think at this point.
 
Still adds some drama to the story of 9070series.

Anyway...
Didnt you see my screenshots of my 7900XTX running stock fan? (post #323)
VRAM got to 90C and GPU hotspot over 80C with only 26~27% PWM
No card ever is taking acount VRAM temp for adjusting fan speed and most of them are configured very conservative. Its not a 9070 thing.

Maybe we didnt see it on reviews for the 7000series because maybe newer drivers work fan speed differently from back then?
I dont know what to think at this point.
I've seen your printscreen and I even gave you a like:D, serves very well for those who wants to go full stock experience.

If they are not planning "ever" to count VRAM temps in RPM of the fans is just one more reason to go on fixed RPM or create an aggressive fan curve(which can be noisy), my approach maybe is brutal, is to piss on their warranty and deshroud the card:fear:

Simply because 2.5 cm fans will always defeat 1cm thickness stock fans in noise and airflow while thermal putty will defeat stock thermal pads.

Edit: Black Myth Wukong free benchmark on Steam.

1300 RPM aprox 81 % fixed 2.5cm fan 92 mm, not at all noisy on this RPM.

Even if you add 20C to my VRAM(because sensor locations) temp you get 76C total.

Black myth .jpg
 
Last edited:
Most likely manufacturers will re-produce vbios for graphics cards due to heat.

I don't think this is AMD's fault, it's the manufacturers' fault that they didn't produce it properly, either it doesn't make contact or the fan curve is wrong.

With a proper fan curve you can even cool an RX 5700XT.

I don't understand why they care so much about silence. Most card manufacturers already offer two different vbios options. Setting +200 rpm higher in performance vbios than silent vbios is ridiculous. It is completely unacceptable for memory and hotspot temperatures to be this high while core temperatures are this low.
 
I still believe that the subject is overblown for no reason.
Use the damn adrenalin fan curve to increase fan speed...!!

1000~1100rpm can create farts instead of adequate airflow
Meanwhile, going with~60% fan curve on my 9070XT has created noise levels audible enough that if I wasn't using headphones, it'd be fairly disturbing. Going into regions of 80%+ plus started resembling a friggin' jet take off and definitely unacceptable.

Tbh I don't know whether this is normal in the AMD land, since my two cards before that were Gigabyte's Gaming OC (same as this 9070XT)RTX 3070 and 4070. These are "cheap" models
and they were inaudible even at heavy loads at stock curves. So for quite a few years I haven't had to tweak anything, just true plug and play.

Also, this is the card I eventually refunded because it was goin up to 102C at stock fan (and was told I'm not the only one complaining). So it's possible maybe the fans were also borked? Somehow I don't think so though.

It seems to me maybe AMD wanted to push things performance wise, and ended up with 80-90C stock VRAM temps. Maybe design is also tricky enough that AIBs struggle to make basic models run cool AND quiet. Overall, I don't know but like I said elsewhere here it’d be nice if AMD actually came out and said something about all this.

The bottom line is it's probably OK (I mean <90C range), but also should definitely be mentioned for the sake of people who have a problem with loud cards, maybe also live in hot weather areas like me, and could consider either going for an upmarket model or holding out for >5070 Blackwell.
 
Still adds some drama to the story of 9070series.

Anyway...
Didnt you see my screenshots of my 7900XTX running stock fan? (post #323)
VRAM got to 90C and GPU hotspot over 80C with only 26~27% PWM
No card ever is taking acount VRAM temp for adjusting fan speed and most of them are configured very conservative. Its not a 9070 thing.

Maybe we didnt see it on reviews for the 7000series because maybe newer drivers work fan speed differently from back then?
I dont know what to think at this point.
How long has your 7900 XTX been running 90 ˚C VRAM temps? I mean, it's not dead, so... ;)
 
If they are not planning "ever" to count VRAM temps in RPM of the fans is just one more reason to go on fixed RPM or create an aggressive fan curve(which can be noisy), my approach maybe is brutal, is to piss on their warranty and deshroud the card:fear:
Fans only monitor hotspot temperatures, so we only need to care about the VRAM temperature.

Also, this is the card I eventually refunded because it was goin up to 102C at stock fan (and was told I'm not the only one complaining). So it's possible maybe the fans were also borked? Somehow I don't think so though.
If the airflow in the case is not good, any fan/cooler will not help.
 
How long has your 7900 XTX been running 90 ˚C VRAM temps? I mean, it's not dead, so... ;)
Never did out side of a couple of times for testing purposes like this one.
I've been monitoring VRAM temps since it was introduced. I even modified my old 5700XT, replaced all its pads with expensive ones and even add some more, when its VRAM started to go north of 80C and couldnt keep it under 80C without it sounded like a jet. That was 2.5years after purchase. Kept it another 1.5y after that.

IMG_6248.jpeg

IMG_6250.jpeg

Also covered the entire GPU-VRAM area under the backplate and then add heat sinks on top.
It worked…

IMG_7832.jpeg

I had some pad left overs and added them to 7900XTX and also some heatsinks too.
I never see 80C on VRAM under normal conditions with a custom fan curve.

IMG_8741.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Never did out side of a couple of times for testing purposes like this one.
I've been monitoring VRAM temps since it was introduced. I even modified my old 5700XT, replaced all its pads with expensive ones and even add some more, when its VRAM started to go north of 80C and couldnt keep it under 80C without it sounded like a jet. That was 2.5years after purchase. Kept it another 1.5y after that.

View attachment 394089

View attachment 394090

Also covered the entire GPU-VRAM area under the backplate and then add heat sinks on top.
It worked…

View attachment 394091

I had some pad left overs and added them to 7900XTX and also some heatsinks too.
I never see 80C on VRAM under normal conditions with a custom fan curve.

View attachment 394094

Well done, I would have done the same with the heatsinks on the backplate as I have done with many cards, and I will do with my future 9070XT, except will be fan assisted.

Targeted airflow is surpassing whatever air pressure you have in your case, if you want to have a decent noise levels that is.

A fan in pull sitting on rubber pins, over that heatsinks will send hot air up towards AIO fans if is not exhausted midway by the case rear exhaust fan:clap:
 
Never did out side of a couple of times for testing purposes like this one.
I've been monitoring VRAM temps since it was introduced. I even modified my old 5700XT, replaced all its pads with expensive ones and even add some more, when its VRAM started to go north of 80C and couldnt keep it under 80C without it sounded like a jet. That was 2.5years after purchase. Kept it another 1.5y after that.

View attachment 394089

View attachment 394090

Also covered the entire GPU-VRAM area under the backplate and then add heat sinks on top.
It worked…

View attachment 394091

I had some pad left overs and added them to 7900XTX and also some heatsinks too.
I never see 80C on VRAM under normal conditions with a custom fan curve.

View attachment 394094

Well done, I would have done the same with the heatsinks on the backplate as I have done with many cards, and I will do with my future 9070XT, except will be fan assisted.

Targeted airflow is surpassing whatever air pressure you have in your case, if you want to have a decent noise levels that is.

A fan in pull sitting on rubber pins, over that heatsinks will send hot air up towards AIO fans if is not exhausted midway by the case rear exhaust fan:clap:

Probably off-topic & silly question here:
I have seen examples of similar add-on heatsinks (more like spikey copper plates instead of striped? plates) on marketplaces here, but they are often marketed for RTX3090s which iirc have VRAM chips on the back of their PCBs, and are notorious for actually cooking VRAM chips to death.
Does it really offer measureable benefits with cards that has nothing on its back side of PCB?
Did you put anything like thermal pads between the backplate and the add-on heatsinks?

I may want to try a bit of similar stuff with a leftover case fan sticking on it. I assume the fan pointing upwards is the correct way to do this.
Not that I'm overly worried about >100C VRAM temps, but hey, why the hell not.
 
I once used some of those self adhesive copper heatsinks on a very old motherboard to stop its south bridge from overheating. They were surprisingly effective.
 
Probably off-topic & silly question here:
I have seen examples of similar add-on heatsinks (more like spikey copper plates instead of striped? plates) on marketplaces here, but they are often marketed for RTX3090s which iirc have VRAM chips on the back of their PCBs, and are notorious for actually cooking VRAM chips to death.
Does it really offer measureable benefits with cards that has nothing on its back side of PCB?
Did you put anything like thermal pads between the backplate and the add-on heatsinks?

I may want to try a bit of similar stuff with a leftover case fan sticking on it. I assume the fan pointing upwards is the correct way to do this.
Not that I'm overly worried about >100C VRAM temps, but hey, why the hell not.
You can put any heatsink that can take some heat and spread it to a larger dissipating area. It doesn't really matter the shape of it.
I choose those because of the larger fin height (9mm/0.35").
One thing to consider is if the board has NVMe drive over the GPU slot. Mine has and with a tall heatspreader.

And of course there has to be some pads under the back plate or the whole experiment is moot.
When I did this on my old 5700XT I covered a large area under the backplate with pads that included GPU/VRAM
This can turn out to be expensive since some cards have a bigger gap between PCB and backplate.
I used 4mm thick pads on that 5700XT.
Now my 7900XTX has a gap around 3mm and also its opened on the GPU with the X-type bracket so I only add pads and heatsinks on VRAM

5700XT
2025-04-09.png

7900XTX
2025-04-09b.png

Well done, I would have done the same with the heatsinks on the backplate as I have done with many cards, and I will do with my future 9070XT, except will be fan assisted.

Targeted airflow is surpassing whatever air pressure you have in your case, if you want to have a decent noise levels that is.

A fan in pull sitting on rubber pins, over that heatsinks will send hot air up towards AIO fans if is not exhausted midway by the case rear exhaust fan:clap:
Yeah, I use targeted airflow on the DDR5 sticks. It drop temp like 9-10C under gaming load.
I was seeing 47~48C on SPD Hub sensor when gaming and now it dropped to ~38C.

IMG_8746.jpeg
 
So we pay >700 € for a card to do some ghetto modding later, yeah? Crazy times. I really can't see reason for some GPU makers to avoid putting thermal pads between PCB and backplate. Those few pads are not worth even 1 € when bought in bulk. I'd much rather have thermal pads than stupid RGB elements.

Lol, PowerColor RX 9070 XT Red Devil, being sold for >940 €, has no thermal pads between backplate and PCB. The most expensive RX 9070 XT right now. You pay that much for a GPU, than you take down backplate, remove that piece of shit plastic blocking air exhaust ...

1744205787654.png

... and you put thermal pads where they are supposed to be.
1744205983312.png

Voilá! PowerColor RX 9070 XT Red Devil Finish-At-Home Edition ...
 
So we pay >700 € for a card to do some ghetto modding later, yeah? Crazy times. I really can't see reason for some GPU makers to avoid putting thermal pads between PCB and backplate. Those few pads are not worth even 1 € when bought in bulk. I'd much rather have thermal pads than stupid RGB elements.

Lol, PowerColor RX 9070 XT Red Devil, being sold for >940 €, has no thermal pads between backplate and PCB. The most expensive RX 9070 XT right now. You pay that much for a GPU, than you take down backplate, remove that piece of shit plastic blocking air exhaust ...

View attachment 394247
... and you put thermal pads where they are supposed to be.
View attachment 394249
Voilá! PowerColor RX 9070 XT Red Devil Finish-At-Home Edition ...
Yeah backplate clown designs.

Probably off-topic & silly question here:
I have seen examples of similar add-on heatsinks (more like spikey copper plates instead of striped? plates) on marketplaces here, but they are often marketed for RTX3090s which iirc have VRAM chips on the back of their PCBs, and are notorious for actually cooking VRAM chips to death.
Does it really offer measureable benefits with cards that has nothing on its back side of PCB?
Did you put anything like thermal pads between the backplate and the add-on heatsinks?

I may want to try a bit of similar stuff with a leftover case fan sticking on it. I assume the fan pointing upwards is the correct way to do this.
Not that I'm overly worried about >100C VRAM temps, but hey, why the hell not.
Yes it has measurable benefits, depending how good are thermal pads between PCB and back plate, how good is you case rear fan.

Thermal Pads or thermal putty than you go with heatsink on top of TP, than fan over the heatsink or not, if you put a fan, IMO has to be in pull not push. It has benefits on many cards including those under 300 Watt. have a look https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...th-10-c-is-cheap-and-easy-to-do.325196/page-4 KliKzG post He dropped 15 C on a Tesla 75W TDP card

If you don't have any back plate on your card than is different. In this case you put bigger footprint thermal pads or T. putty(2mm thick) and than smaller heatsink on top of those pads in order to not short components on the PCB, specially if you use copper. Instead of plates, low height heatsink are better but depends with what space you work with, specially if you have AIR CPU cooler.
 
Last edited:
If it's of any help:
Gigabyte Gaming OC RTX 5070 Ti @270W, 1720 rpm, be quiet 802 with solid front panel, 2x intake, 1x exhaust 140 mm 520 rpm - 66.9°C, Memory 74°C
Gigabyte Gaming OC RX 9070 @270W, 1770 rpm, Phanteks Enthoo Luxe, also almost solid front panel, but a little more air intake, 2x intake, 1x exhaust 140 mm 600 rpm - 62°C, Hot spot 83°C, Memory 94°C

I know it's impossible to compare cards in different cases, but they are for sure so similar that GPUs have less than 5°C difference from one case to another case.
So one could say RX 9070 has up to 5°C lower GPU temperature, but around 20°C higher VRAM temperature. Pick your poison, I for sure like the 5070 Ti more.
 
But they are using phase thermal TIM on GPU only, on VRAM and VRM there are standard thermal pads. Or not?
I really doubt ptm is used on the vram. Stuff is pricey.
 
You are correct is not used on VRAM. On the core they use prolly a lower grade PTM, I expect anything.
Some of them use honeywell (Lenovo thinkpads have seen it) but yeah its pretty rare. Mostly the big $$$ stuff. Not that it matters too much as all of it is better than paste.
 
Last edited:
If it's of any help:
Gigabyte Gaming OC RTX 5070 Ti @270W, 1720 rpm, be quiet 802 with solid front panel, 2x intake, 1x exhaust 140 mm 520 rpm - 66.9°C, Memory 74°C
Gigabyte Gaming OC RX 9070 @270W, 1770 rpm, Phanteks Enthoo Luxe, also almost solid front panel, but a little more air intake, 2x intake, 1x exhaust 140 mm 600 rpm - 62°C, Hot spot 83°C, Memory 94°C

I know it's impossible to compare cards in different cases, but they are for sure so similar that GPUs have less than 5°C difference from one case to another case.
So one could say RX 9070 has up to 5°C lower GPU temperature, but around 20°C higher VRAM temperature. Pick your poison, I for sure like the 5070 Ti more.
Of course you can’t compare GPUs from different designers/manufacturers.
We know that on AMD the reported VRAM temp is Memory Junction, meaning the hottest spot of all chips.
Do we know what nVidia reports on theirs? …because we know already that they hid the GPU hotspot.
 
Back
Top