watercooling the Gigabyte 5870 (GV-R587UD-1GD) or exchanging it for reference design

[Mastakilla]

Hi all,

I just bought a complete new pc with the idea of watercooling everything.

Now it seems like they delivered the wrong videocard:
a Gigabyte GV-R587UD-1GD (non reference) instead of a Gigabyte GV-R587D5-1GD-B (reference)
although I am 100% sure I ordered their last D5, it seems like the webshop "corrected" it into the UD quite early. Cause in the order confirmation, it already sais UD (looked over it)
So actually I have no proof of them delivering the wrong card

In a way this should be "ok", since this UD card is one of Gigabytes Ultra Durable series (2oz copper, japanese solid capacitors, tier 1 Samsung/HYnix memery, lower RDS mosfets, ferrite core / metal choke), but because this is a non reference design I probably wont be able to attach the EK waterblock on this card

so I just did some research and found the following about Gigabytes UD (thx to infra1 on [H]ard forum for the images):





as you can see the heatsink only cools the GPU itself and not the RAM and ?VRMs?

About the reference design, I found the below picture:


As you can see the reference design cools the GPU, the RAM and the ?VRMs?

So I was wondering what your expert advice on this is

Should I just keep and watercool only the GPU (would my ancient nVidia 6600GT maze4 fit on this?)
And then buy some heatsinks for the RAM (should be findable I guess? But where and what advice is very welcome)
Finding sinks to fit on the ?VRMs? (it are VRMs, right?) will probably be harder, so advice on this is also very welcome... And does anyone have an idea where they are on the UD5? Is it beneath that mini heatsink, 3th row right from the right RAM?

Or would you say that this isn't worth the effort and I should just try to get an exchange (which probably takes months to get in stock)?

Thanks for the advice

Masta

[Eddy_EK]

Hi!

Sorry, the card is not refference and will not wit to any current Ek block.

[Blauhung]

as long as you have a bit airflow across them you can easily get some nice little Cu sinks to stick on the mem/vrm stuff.

[dnottis]

Should I just keep and watercool only the GPU (would my ancient nVidia 6600GT maze4 fit on this?)
And then buy some heatsinks for the RAM (should be findable I guess? But where and what advice is very welcome)
Finding sinks to fit on the ?VRMs? (it are VRMs, right?) will probably be harder, so advice on this is also very welcome... And does anyone have an idea where they are on the UD5? Is it beneath that mini heatsink, 3th row right from the right RAM?

Or would you say that this isn't worth the effort and I should just try to get an exchange (which probably takes months to get in stock)?

Thanks for the advice

Masta

Hey bud.

I'm going to be posting one of the Swiftech Unisinks for the 5870 for sale this week as I just picked up a GTX 480. It works with the MCW-60 and keeps my VRMs under 50c during furmark.

Here is what it looks like...


Yea, it doesnt look like that will work for you either.

You can cool it with ram sinks and some airflow, thats what I was doing before I bought this. Looked like this

[Mastakilla]

Thanks for the advice!

Too bad there is no compatible EK Water Block available for this card...

That unisink concept seems like a nice idea... I always wondered why they kept on creating those tiny little heatsinks when there is often more then enough space for a huge heatsink if you're using a GPU only waterblock?? Is it perhaps the minor difference in height of the RAM chips that "cancels" the advantage of a big single heatsink?
But I guess I'm out of luck again with the non-reference design...

Still I wonder if there are perhaps bigger heatsinks to put on the RAM (one for each row seems ideal)

Also I wonder how much airflow would be required for a reasonable OC if I apply those mini heatsinks to the RAM. The main reason of my watercooling is the silence and I would like to keep all my 120mm fans around 1000rpm and still be able to OC a bit...

Finally could someone also point out the location of the VRMs on my Gigabyte videocard?

Thanks again!

[Mastakilla]

anyone?

[J3llyf1sh]

they are under the aluminium heatsink

[Gimmpy224]

not to hijack your thread but my question kinda falls in here, is there any full cover block that DOES fit non-reference cards?

[gergregg]

If you want a full cover block and probably better overclocking with software control for voltage the reference designed cards are the way to go.

[gergregg]

not to hijack your thread but my question kinda falls in here, is there any full cover block that DOES fit non-reference cards?

Yes, EK makes a non-reference FC block just not for the Gigabyte. Also, I believe I just read that Koolance had a non-reference block.

Check here to see if it works with your hardware. http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/home

[Gimmpy224]

can you tell me what the difference is between:
this HD 5850's card design
And
this HD 5850's card design

[gergregg]

If you can get one, you want the first one. It is a reference design and would have control of voltage with software and be compatible with FC waterblocks. The second is a non-reference design normally created to save the manufacture money over the reference.

[Gimmpy224]

I just meant why wont a FC block cover a non reference?

V_V i knew id regret buying the bottom one.

[gergregg]

Component placement is totally different. When you look at the bottom of a FC block there a lot of plateaus and channels in the bottom to make contact with certain components while avoiding others. Manufactures change the size and layout of the PCB and its components and they are no longer compatible.

[Gimmpy224]

ah. well shiz.

[Mastakilla]

thanks for helping me locate the PWMs

Currently I'm thinking about keeping the videocard, installing a "GPU only"-waterblock and creating my own RAM (the pre-made ones are waaaay too small) and PWM (the stock one is waaaaaay too small) heatsinks

I allready did something similar once with my DFI Mobo Northbridge:




Only this time I plan to buy a dremel and use copper heatsinks

If anyone has any tips / hints / concerns / guides about this: please let me know...

[Mastakilla]

I was thinking of buying a dremel 300

But they exist in different packages.

The cheapest contains I think 6 tools and there exists also a dremel 300 package with 30 tools.
Which one would I need for modding a copper heatsink and making holes in cases and stuff?
Is the one with 6 tools enough? (I can still get other tools sepperately)
Or do you advice to go directly for the package with 30 tools?
(keep in mind that I have no experience at all and I have no clue which tool is for what...)

Thanks