Visually does this GPU seem to have any problems?

[xtreger]

I found a used GPU in a local electronics market, and it does give the display signal on POST and doesn't show artifacts. BUT on the back side it has some whitish marks that I'm not sure are a problem (or will cause problems). Here are pictures for reference:

http://imgur.com/a/Bx55VNt

Many of you are much more experienced with GPUs than I am. So visually speaking, do you see any glaring issues or are they just cosmetic imperfections that won't impact performance? Thanks in advance!

 

[Hyderz]

vga? what year is this gpu? i dont think this is anything recent or in the last 8 years.. if it works and runs okay, id give it a clean and maybe repaste if the thermal paste is dry...

 

[xtreger]

vga? what year is this gpu? i dont think this is anything recent or in the last 8 years.. if it works and runs okay, id give it a clean and maybe repaste if the thermal paste is dry...

Thanks for the response! So this is an X850 PCI-e - super old GPU. For sure I'll clean and repaste. Do you know what that whitish coloring is in the pictures?

 

[theouto]

Thanks for the response! So this is an X850 PCI-e - super old GPU. For sure I'll clean and repaste. Do you know what that whitish coloring is in the pictures?

At best? Built up dust. At worst? Bacteria that has used that GPU as if it were a Petri Dish.

 

[xtreger]

At best? Built up dust. At worst? Bacteria that has used that GPU as if it were a Petri Dish.

Hm in either case doesn't seem like there would be any impact on performance ...

 

[Keullo-e]

Nah, don't worry about that crap if that works. X850 is a nice lineup for retro gaming, which model you got?

 

[sLowEnd]

It just looks dirty to me

 

[xtreger]

Nah, don't worry about that crap if that works. X850 is a nice lineup for retro gaming, which model you got?

It's an XT, but I'm not sure if it's a PE. From my knowledge XT PE generally has 2 DVI, while this one has 1 DVI and 1 VGA, so maybe just an XT

It just looks dirty to me

For sure, especially the grill part. I'll need to clean it properly and do some basic servicing

 

[Keullo-e]

It's an XT, but I'm not sure if it's a PE. From my knowledge XT PE generally has 2 DVI, while this one has 1 DVI and 1 VGA, so maybe just an XT


For sure, especially the grill part. I'll need to clean it properly and do some basic servicing

Good point, I just thought that their differences are just clock speeds. Give it a deep clean!

 

[pavle]

Looks alright on the posted pictures, it's just dusty. I use isopropyl alcohol to clean such cards and I ground the connector plate while doing it.

 

[Chrispy_]

The white stuff is probably just leftover dried flux from the factory. I see on brand new motherboards and GPUs occasionally.

Clean it if you must but go easy on it. Leaving it alone might be safer than scraping away at brittle, 20-year-old lead-free solder.

Best thing to do is blow dust out of the heatsink, repaste it only if the temps are bad when you put a game load on it - cards from this era had relatively huge dies and relatively low power draw so they aren't as sensitive to paste dryout and don't have the same mad mounting pressures that pump all the paste out like modern GPUs.

Edit:
Yeah, I just looked it up. 69W power draw from something with the die area of a 250W 6750XT.
If I remember that generation of cooler it's a pretty noisy, throaty motor on the fan but it does the job.

 

[xtreger]

The white stuff is probably just leftover dried flux from the factory. I see on brand new motherboards and GPUs occasionally.

Clean it if you must but go easy on it. Leaving it alone might be safer than scraping away at brittle, 20-year-old lead-free solder.

Best thing to do is blow dust out of the heatsink, repaste it only if the temps are bad when you put a game load on it - cards from this era had relatively huge dies and relatively low power draw so they aren't as sensitive to paste dryout and don't have the same mad mounting pressures that pump all the paste out like modern GPUs.

Edit:
Yeah, I just looked it up. 69W power draw from something with the die area of a 250W 6750XT.
If I remember that generation of cooler it's a pretty noisy, throaty motor on the fan but it does the job.

Thank you! I think I'll leave the white coloring alone. I'll just remove the fan contraption and clean the dust out from it, and then replace the fan contraption. That should do it I think

 

[Keullo-e]

Thank you! I think I'll leave the white coloring alone. I'll just remove the fan contraption and clean the dust out from it, and then replace the fan contraption. That should do it I think

I'd repaste it as well.