Zalman VF1000 LED meets Asus 8800GTX

[PcCI2iminal]

The copper heatsink is well machined and the base is polished like a mirror




The installation is as simple as on any other card(8800 uses the 5# hole position)
Zalman's 80mm fan is a 2 ball bearing type, rotating -> 1400-2500 RPM and 18-28 dBA(even at high speed the VF-1000's fan isn't very loud)

Testing - room temp 25c

Stock HSF 60%
idle->61C
load->87C



Zalman VF1000 LED low
idle->54C
load->79C



Zalman VF1000 LED high
idle->51C
load->69C



I was expecting like 45C(2500rpm) something for idle ..well its ok, 8800GTX generate some serious heat and need an equally serious cooling method and the VF1000 LED definately performs better than stock cooling,thats it

MB->DFI UT LP P35
CPU->QX6700
CPU cooler->Intel cooler box
VGA->Asus 8800GTX
VGA cooler->Stock HSF and Zalman VF1000 LED
VGA RAm sinks->Tt DuOrb sinks
RAM->2 x 512mb Umax Castor + Scythe Kama Wing
PSU->Giga-EZ 1000w
Room temp->25c

[SKYMTL]

At almost $100 (and over $100 here in Canada) those are some disappointing temps at low speed. And from what I hear, at high speed it is horribly loud to many people.

Was the installation done with the stock Zalman thermal compound?

[naokaji]

At almost $100 (and over $100 here in Canada) those are some disappointing temps at low speed. And from what I hear, at high speed it is horribly loud to many people.

Was the installation done with the stock Zalman thermal compound?

the 100$ would be with the ram cooler zalman sells as an addon, the vf1000 alone doesnt cost more than any other cooler...

but i have to agree on the preformance part... the performance of the vf1000 makes me hug my hr03... (not really, i'm at work, my hr03 at home )

[PcCI2iminal]

Was the installation done with the stock Zalman thermal compound?

the generic thermal grease?
nah , i used AS5 ,for the price being paid, Zalman should include a vial of its excellent thermal grease......

the 100$ would be with the ram cooler zalman sells as an addon, the vf1000 alone doesnt cost more than any other cooler...

yep ,you rite
100us$ -> VF1000 + RAM cooler
but only the Zalman is a bit expensive than the other cooler

but i have to agree on the preformance part... the performance of the vf1000 makes me hug my hr03... (not really, i'm at work, my hr03 at home:p

hehehehe , keep the HR-03

The VF1000 needs two more pipes and a better fan....well,about the extra pipes i can do nothing but about the fan i will put a 120mm on it

[Start]

Nice review again . By any chance, do you have an HR-03 Plus you can do a direct comparison too? I think its safe to say the HR-03 Plus will outperform the VF1000, but by how much. This cooler only takes up 1 slot as well correct?

[Jodiuh]

I bet it would do a lot better w/ a couple lo-speed 120's strapped on.

[SaII]

I bet it would do a lot better w/ a couple lo-speed 120's strapped on.

so would the stock cooler

[IcY18]

No offense to anyone here but with the numerous conclusions that the HR-03 is better i kind of get this knee jerk reaction that no the HR-03 is going to be better, it takes up 2 or three slots WITHOUT a fan. It appears that the Zalman takes up three slots with a fan and while its performance doesn't exactly challenge the HR-03 it doesn't because it's in a different weight class rather than a lack design.

[PcCI2iminal]

I think its safe to say the HR-03 Plus will outperform the VF1000, but by how much. This cooler only takes up 1 slot as well correct?

yep ,1 slot

Nice review again . By any chance, do you have an HR-03 Plus you can do a direct comparison too?

can you help again with graphs?
cz in two days the HR-03 Plus will be here

IcY18

The HR-03 is much better but "for me" the point now is how to boost up my Zalman and the only way is to take out the 80mm fan and replace it with a 120mm or two,slots free will be not a problem for me cz I don`t use any expansion card in my gaming rig

[Start]

yep ,1 slot



can you help again with graphs?
cz in two days the HR-03 Plus will be here

IcY18

The HR-03 is much better but "for me" the point now is how to boost up my Zalman and the only way is to take out the 80mm fan and replace it with a 120mm or two,slots free will be not a problem for me cz I don`t use any expansion card in my gaming rig

Awesome, I'll get your graph plotted when the HR03 Plus gets up

[gmod]

yep ,1 slot



can you help again with graphs?
cz in two days the HR-03 Plus will be here

IcY18

The HR-03 is much better but "for me" the point now is how to boost up my Zalman and the only way is to take out the 80mm fan and replace it with a 120mm or two,slots free will be not a problem for me cz I don`t use any expansion card in my gaming rig

Please post some pics when you do that..I have 2 Zalmans on some Ultra's..was thinking about doing the samething..

[kite7]

You have DuOrb ramsinks but do you have the cooler? I'd like to see the VF1000 vs DuOrb

[tbone8ty]

i wonder if u can take the ihs off and use this cooler?

i bet it would perform alot better.

[Jodiuh]

so would the stock cooler

Not really. The stock cooler has fins that would block airflow going through if placed on top. A blower would be needed.

...the HR-03 is going to be better, it takes up 2 or three slots WITHOUT a fan.

3 slots w/ a fan, but you need to leave room for the fan to pull in, so effectively 4! That's what makes it so difficult. Tho a 120@1200 would be much quieter AND give better temps. For example, I'm running 60C load in 24C ambient w/ the HR-03 Plus and an X-Fi. And that still leaves us room for one 1 expansion card such as the popular areca, killer nic, physix card, or an X-Fi provided the 1st PCIe slot's not jacked as seen on the Commando/P5K boards from Asus.

EDIT: to make more sense

[naokaji]

3 slots w/ a fan, but you need to leave room for the fan to pull in, so effectively 4! That's what makes it so difficult. But if you don't run raid off the popular areca card, killer nic, or physix card...it leaves room for the X-Fi. And the 120@1200's I'm running's much quieter AND you get better temps. 60 load in 24C ambient.

i have a single 8800 GTS as the only card in my pc... so i dont have any size issues with my hr03 + Sflex fan...

but yes.. for someone who runs someting like sli + areca card + x-fi card it would be out of question to use a hr03.

[Jodiuh]

Let's say one did opt for the Zalman + multiple add in cards. That would lower the airflow getting to the card and probably raise noise and temps. For $100 w/ the RAM plate, I just don't see this as anything but a failure from Zalman. Not to sound like a Thermalright fanboy, but there's been nothing from Zalman to interest me in a couple years now.

EDIT: $ w/ RAM cooler add on

[PcCI2iminal]

Awesome, I'll get your graph plotted when the HR03 Plus gets up

thx my friend
--->24 hours left hehehe

Please post some pics when you do that..I have 2 Zalmans on some Ultra's..was thinking about doing the samething..

ok i will post some pics

i wonder if u can take the ihs off and use this cooler?

i bet it would perform alot better.

is it safe?

Let's say one did opt for the Zalman + multiple add in cards. That would lower the airflow getting to the card and probably raise noise and temps. For $100, I just don't see this as anything but a failure from Zalman. .

its not 100us$ ,its 65us$ (8 ram sinks included)

Not to sound like a Thermalright fanboy, but there's been nothing from Zalman to interest me in a couple years now

I like both but Zalman needs to learn a bit more from Thermalright(its my opinion )

[PcCI2iminal]

You have DuOrb ramsinks but do you have the cooler? I'd like to see the VF1000 vs DuOrb

here you go
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=159859




47C idle and I will finish the test later

[eva2000]

nice stuff as usual

cowie also played with VF1000 but in SLI http://i4memory.com/showthread.php?t=4789 - you need flexible SLI connector as non-flexible ones won't fit due to heatpipe getting in the way.

[Jodiuh]

Alright, neither this Zalman or the Thermalright have ANYTHING on that cooler. It looks like a pair of t1ts!

[kite7]

here you go
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=159859

*snip*

47C idle and I will finish the test later

Looking good. I wonder how it will do in a case though, probably around 50C idle then

[TouGe]

If you own a P5K-D board you can mount the HR-03+ so that the HS/fan is above the NB and only have to sacrifice the stupid wireless card and there is no difference in temps doing so other than keeping the back of the card a little cooler.

Also, if you plan on OC'ing your GPU you'll run into problems with the VF1000. After installing mine I kept getting freezes in games until I backed down to stock clocks--I had zero problems w/ that OC (in sig) and the HR-03+. Why spend all that money on a HS if it won't allow you to overclock? Further, no offense here, the RAM sink is not worth the money. Get some copper sinks instead and bend the fins for clearance.

[Jodiuh]

Do you have a fan riding on top of the HR-03 then? I'm just concerned the TRUE wouldn't fit w/ a fan. Also, I'd need another fan below to cool the ram.

[phelan1777]

Any idea if it will work on a naked core 8800? Is it GTS/GTX specific?

[TopherTony]

really interesting work here. I am awaiting more with anticipation