[SOLVED] GPU backplate gets too hot

[radrok]

Talking about Nvidia Titans, it seems the upcoming one has gone plateless

Good riddance! Not kidding when I say I'd get worse memory overclocks with the backplate on, no clue on why but it was verifiable and repeatable!!

 

[Daemmon]

Good riddance! Not kidding when I say I'd get worse memory overclocks with the backplate on, no clue on why but it was verifiable and repeatable!!

IIRC the Titans had a small space between PCB and backplate. That is bad.

 

[radrok]

Titan never had a backplate though (atleast my cards didn't come with one, Gainward and Zotac), the one I am talking about is from Aquacomputer!

 

[yesyesloud]

 

[Daemmon]

Didn't reference Titan had a backplate? I guess when yesyesloud talked about the upcoming one being plateless he was talking reference too. Aftermarket brands do their own thing later on.

 

[Octopuss]

sounds like the plate is doing its job....its hot the circuitry isn't.
Taking it off would be a bad idea

Says who? I have a card with a backplate, and I really think it is just adding extra layer of "insulant".

 

[Law-II]

Hi

Says who?

This only effects vga cards that have heat producing components attached to the back of the PCB as with the **HD 7990 the VRAM has thermal pads attached to the back plate to dissipate heat [**also by design the back plate is used to support the PCB]

I have a card with a backplate, and I really think it is just adding extra layer of "insulant".

If talking about the ***Asus R9 290 DirectCU II OC 4 GB vga card in system specs you will notice that there are no parts that require cooling attached to the reverse of the PCB
***Example

however ASUS chose to use a non reference cooling solution which may cause the PCB to warp or sag; due to weight constraints ASUS chose to add an aesthetically pleasing back plate to add rigidity to the PCB.
If happy with the fact that the PCB may warp or sag and lead to issues with PCB trace cracking or other; in essence there is no reason for this back plate not to be removed.

Note: it would be wise to check the *temps from the fan sink retaining screws [*if they are in direct contact with the back plate] as they may remove heat indirectly through design, however I am unfamiliar with this card so could not say for sure.

atb

Law-II

 

[Octopuss]

Well, there might not be any components underneath it, but it's still so hot I can barely keep my finger(s) on it. I bet it's accumulating all the heat and keeping it there, rather than "sending" it directly into the case. It's not that the card is overheating, but I really am questioning the existance of a backplate in the last few months (I understand it might be kind of needed for those super long dual GPU ones though).

 

[erixx]

Paste heatsinks with stickers on the whole backplate. Then, a fan.

 

[Octopuss]

Paste heatsinks with stickers on the whole backplate. Then, a fan.

rofl

 

[yesyesloud]

After knowing Nvidia decided to take off the backplate from the massive Titan X, which has a lot of vrams on the back of the board, also after reading some people say it's actually causing instability on stock OCs, I decided to keep the plate off until I manage to mod it for active cooling.

The card is not prone to sagging due to the current position my case is lying on...

And I assume that if a Titan X doesn't have a backplate, let me take mine out for now as it's only heating s*it instead of holding it together

I've played Crysis 3 for 2 hours after my decision and I am happy about it. So far so good.

 

[Daemmon]

After knowing Nvidia decided to take off the backplate from the massive Titan X, which has a lot of vrams on the back of the board, also after reading some people say it's actually causing instability on stock OCs, I decided to keep the plate off until I manage to mod it for active cooling.

The card is not prone to sagging due to the current position my case is lying on...

And I assume that if a Titan X doesn't have a backplate, let me take mine out for now as it's only heating s*it instead of holding it together

I've played Crysis 3 for 2 hours after my decision and I am happy about it. So far so good.

I would have suggested this if it wasn't for the weird idea some people have that the backplate is the ultimate sag protector, but oh well.

How is the PCB and VRMs doing without the backplate temp wise? If they are doing ok then you have solved the problem.

Personal conclusion: F*ck backplates

 

[Cartel]

Says who? I have a card with a backplate, and I really think it is just adding extra layer of "insulant".

well because he said the backplate was 105C but the ram was

Nope. Airflow is not the problem at all here. Please read the thread.




lol, I know what is making my backplate so hot. 113ºc+ at the moment. That's why I'm worried.

In case its thermal design isn't clever enough, that plate is not really doing a good job on its cooling role.
And I replaced quite a few stock cooling solutions in the past for they were horrible.

Thanks for the tip anyway.

When the backplate is this hot, what does the gpuz temps say?
Can you show a screenshot?

 

[yesyesloud]

well because he said the backplate was 105C but the ram was
When the backplate is this hot, what does the gpuz temps say?
Can you show a screenshot?

I'll take it you didn't read the whole thread. I comprehend why, it has grown 3 pages long. If you happen to read it on the other hand, you'll realize the answer was posted.

Gpu-z doesn't read temperatures on the card reverse, where vrams, touched by the backplate thermal pads, suffer from its constant, uncooled, accumulated overheat.

Look:

Sorry if you posted them somewhere but I couldn't find them. What's the average temp on the VRM1/2 on load?

It's ok. I didn't post them as those vrms are properly cooled. After an hour through Crysis 3, they keep on the 75-80ºc mark and cores at ~70ºc.

The backplate temperature may be relevant either.

not to mention 'feels like 100C'
get an IR thermometer and test that properly, i doubt you calibrated your fingers recently.

Done. 104ºc. You're right, my fingers weren't exactly accurate.

Further olds: the plate's been off for detailed reasons and it will remain so unless customized with sinks fit for active cooling.


I'm updating the original post in order to prevent recurrent questions and remarks that didn't take all conclusions achieved into consideration.

Thanks, buddies.

 

[yesyesloud]

After more than a month, I can say I strongly believe that taking the 7990 backplate off was a great move

 

[AsRock]

you don't seem 100% sure on that or i am looking more in to what you said than needed lol.

 

[15th Warlock]

Titan never had a backplate though (atleast my cards didn't come with one, Gainward and Zotac), the one I am talking about is from Aquacomputer!

I got the backplate from EVGA, and it actually had thermal pad strips that made contact with the memory chips in the back of the card, funny thing is these back plate fit my newer Titan Xs almost perfectly, I dunno if I can get a higher OCing from the memory with the backplates installed, as I've focused mostly on OCing the cores, but I can try that tomorrow, if you want me to.

 

[erixx]

Makes a lot of sense. Transfering heat to backplate only over the screws seems BAD IDEA.

 

[yesyesloud]

you don't seem 100% sure on that or i am looking more in to what you said than needed lol.

I'm 300% sure. Specially after my system upgrade.

With a hell-raising FX-9590, and a HD 7990 coupled with my old HD 7970, I don't need a frying pan in my box.

As I learned in this thread, most backplates consist in mere passive cooling, which could be good if mine didn't accumulate heat to the point of 110ºc+ (sometimes 120ºc+). It needs either active cooling or retirement.