Video Card Cooler: Zalman VF1000

[Bino]

Last night I installed a Zalman VF1000 on my XFX Radeon HD 5850 (model HD-585X-ZNFC).  Because my video card is a "non-reference" model, I was a little concerned that the cooler wouldn't fit, but it installed very easily.  The cooler looks like it would fit a lot of different cards.  The instructions were clear and simple.  Even at full speed, the noise from the 80mm fan is barely noticeable.  I had a minor issue with the supplied nuts which go on the back of the card to secure the cooler: they interfered with another card in the adjacent slot, so I had to juggle cards a bit.  While I had the video card out of the machine I also installed some low-profile Enzotech heatsinks on the video RAM chips.  After the Arctic Silver thermal compound cures on the Zalman cooler I'll report back on the GPU temps while running AH.

  

[Drano]

Zalman makes good stuff. I had one of those on my old 4670 AGP card and it rocked. I've always used their CPU coolers. Running a 9900 MAX now and loving it.

[olds442]

Last night I installed a Zalman VF1000 on my XFX Radeon HD 5850 (model HD-585X-ZNFC).  Because my video card is a "non-reference" model, I was a little concerned that the cooler wouldn't fit, but it installed very easily.  The cooler looks like it would fit a lot of different cards.  The instructions were clear and simple.  Even at full speed, the noise from the 80mm fan is barely noticeable.  I had a minor issue with the supplied nuts which go on the back of the card to secure the cooler: they interfered with another card in the adjacent slot, so I had to juggle cards a bit.  While I had the video card out of the machine I also installed some low-profile Enzotech heatsinks on the video RAM chips.  After the Arctic Silver thermal compound cures on the Zalman cooler I'll report back on the GPU temps while running AH.

  

one question. WHY?

[katanaso]

one question. WHY?

Perhaps less noise from the fan, as well as better cooling.

I just picked up a used XFX 5850 (non reference) as well, and it runs much hotter than my ASUS 5850 does.  Same voltage and core/mem OC's on both.  I've already thought about changing the fan on the XFX simply to keep it cooler.

[guncrasher]

one question. WHY?

because he said it was less noisy.  that's the main reason most people replace fans from case to cpus and gpus.  noise and perhaps a better performance.  I have been wanting to change the fans on my tempest case since i bought it.  but since I mostly play with a headset it doesnt bother me as much.

semp

[Bino]

I replaced the stock GPU cooler/fan because:

  1.) the original fan was unbalanced, and would sometimes shake in its bearings, making an awful racket
  2.) the stock cooler was a poor design that became matted with dust every month or so, despite the case's intake filters
  3.) I want to see how far I can overclock the video card, since pushing it from 725 MHz up to 775 MHz via the AMD driver has proven to be no challenge at all

Last night I spent two hours in the MA and the GPU temperature only hit a high of 45 C. (113 F.)  I expect that to drop a little as the thermal compound cures.  Idle temp is right around 30 C. (86 F.)

BTW, here's a list of the rest of my machine's parts:  http://kenshelby.us/docs/pc-parts.htm

[katanaso]

I  3.) I want to see how far I can overclock the video card, since pushing it from 725 MHz up to 775 MHz via the AMD driver has proven to be no challenge at all

Last night I spent two hours in the MA and the GPU temperature only hit a high of 45 C. (113 F.)  I expect that to drop a little as the thermal compound cures.

Bino,

If you download Sapphire's Trixx program, you'll be able to overvolt the non-reference card.  It's what I had to do to seriously OC my XFX 5850.  My Asus 5850 is reference, so I was able to overvolt/OC using MSI Afterburner.

I have the XFX running stable at 985/1200, with 1.274 volts.  Temps, with the crummy fan, hit around 60 C while playing.  Note that this particular card idles at 50 C, doing nothing at all.  My Asus card usually hits a max of 54-55 C running at 995/1200 and 1.274 volts.

[Bino]

Trixx won't alter the voltage on my card, but it can push the core clock and memory clock higher.  Running at 850/1150 now.  Temp steady at 45 C. in Aces High.

Thanks!   

Bino,

If you download Sapphire's Trixx program, you'll be able to overvolt the non-reference card.  It's what I had to do to seriously OC my XFX 5850.  My Asus 5850 is reference, so I was able to overvolt/OC using MSI Afterburner.

I have the XFX running stable at 985/1200, with 1.274 volts.  Temps, with the crummy fan, hit around 60 C while playing.  Note that this particular card idles at 50 C, doing nothing at all.  My Asus card usually hits a max of 54-55 C running at 995/1200 and 1.274 volts.

[Bino]

Stock speeds were 725 MHz core, 1000 MHz memory. 

The card is stable at 20% overclock: 875 MHz core, 1200 MHz memory.

Highest temp seen so far is 47 C. (116 F.).

And the #%&*@!!! fan is no longer yowling like a tortured cat!   

[katanaso]

Stock speeds were 725 MHz core, 1000 MHz memory. 

The card is stable at 20% overclock: 875 MHz core, 1200 MHz memory.

Highest temp seen so far is 47 C. (116 F.).

And the #%&*@!!! fan is no longer yowling like a tortured cat!   

Nice!
I'm trying to find this fan for my XFX 5850 card, as it runs 20 degrees hotter than my Asus 5850 before either are overclocked.  Once overclocked, the temps are the same.

[Bino]

UPDATE:

I bought a second VF1000LED heatsink, to cool a CrossFire pair of 5850 cards.  Neither VF1000LED cooler I bought included the "Four (4) Fixing Nuts for SLI/CrossFire" which are listed both on the Zalman web site and also in the instructions packed with the coolers.  I posted an RMA request on the Zalman website, to get the missing parts.  Getting no response, I called their USA office.  Finally, I received the following in an email today:

"The VF1000 LED no longer comes with the SLI parts, so it seems like the instruction manual has not been updated. If you are unable to mount the vga cooler due to this reason, we would like to recommend you to return the product."

Despite their superior design, I cannot continue to recommend Zalman products, due to their unprofessional behavior regarding customer service.