Graphics Card Cooling Fans - Cool or Not?

[Steg]

I was reading a review of the Albatron GeForceFX 5700 Ultra today and the cooling system on it was discribed as the 'coolest, best look graphics card HSF rig I have ever seen' or something to that affect
Personally, when compaired to say the evga GeForceFX 5700 Ultra the cooling fan is naff - it just looks cheap and tacky - or when compaired to any other graphics card HSF for that matter
I just wanted other peoples opinions on it - this is not about the make of card or its performance - this is just about the coolers.
The albatron card :
http://www.albatron.com.tw/images/ad/5700_500_125.gif
The evga card :
http://www.evga.com/articles/images/152.jpg

So, am i out of my head? or have i got something right for once?
your votes please.

Steg

 

[Steg]

or - for that matter - please post your views on the best/worse cooling system
the more the merryier as they say

Steg

 

[Didou]

Well I'm inspired to post this

MSI seems to be putting quite some thought into making their VGA cards a bit more quiet. I can't wait to see what their ATI cards will look like ( if they actually decide to modify the reference design a bit ).

But if it comes down to only the 2 cards that you've chosen, I would go with the eVga. I know the 3rd fan on the Albatron card only starts up when one of the other fails but still...

 

[CheezHead]

I Have Read Reviews on both cards and think the factory GPU coolers are sufficient but i found on my MX-440 i picked up a noticable performance Boost with the ThermalTake Giant II heatpipe cooler. I suggest it to anyone.

 

[siggers]

I know everyone on this forum will hate me for this, but personally, i think that all the video cards with the flashy & colorful heatsinks and fans and such is a waste of time and money. I remember the good 'ol days when a video card was just a video card haha. But unfortunately, a superb card thats dull looking probably wont sell as well as a decent card that looks awesome. Its like cars kinda...i guess. Or something to that effect.

 

[Krugger]

Originally posted by siggers
I know everyone on this forum will hate me for this, but personally, i think that all the video cards with the flashy & colorful heatsinks and fans and such is a waste of time and money. I remember the good 'ol days when a video card was just a video card haha. But unfortunately, a superb card thats dull looking probably wont sell as well as a decent card that looks awesome. Its like cars kinda...i guess. Or something to that effect.

well, the fans on the videocards allow people to run them faster, so it's not like 'ricing' out a car exactly.

 

[siggers]

i know what you mean, but all the colors and fancy heatsinks arent exactly necessary. But that doesnt mean i wont buy any of it. I know some heatsink/fan designs help cooling a lot, and im all for that. Im just dissapointed in what direction certain things go to sell a product.

 

[BobTheGreat]

personally I like sapphires heatsinks the best. they have no fans. while they aren't really flashy they are o so quite. I'm about ready to go out and mod my 9800 with a heatsink like that just cuase mine is so loud (stock 9800). I'd like to see more companies head in this direction.

Out of the choices you gave I like Albatron. Nice looking heatsinks and cards IMO.

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

I have Zalman's graphics card heatpipe cooler and I recommend it instead of noisy ones:

 

[Steg]

Yeh - those Zalman coolers are nice.
I have to agree with siggers - all this effort to design 'flashy' cooling systems has led to the albatron which is an abomination. for that matter the ASUS HSF are pretty nasty to.
I have finally ordered a new graphics card - and it was the XFX FX 5700 Ultra. and the cooler? its the reference cooler - identicle to the evga one with instead of evga it says nvidia in the middle and the background cooler on the surround is blue - result = simple, functational, goodlooking cooler. AND I LOVE IT

Steg

 

[JimShady23]

I like the blue color of the albatron that you posted due to the fact it would match my case LOL but you cant beat the raw copper color of the MSI HSF

www.msi.com.tw/program/products/vga/vga/pro_vga_detail.php?UID=512

Or the desighn on this PNY Verto 5700 Ultra

http://www.pny.com/products/verto/geForceFx/5700ultra.asp


Keep coming with the links guys I WANNA SEE MORE COOL STUFF

 

[JimShady23]

And one more card for ya too look at in the 5700 ultra catagory...,

The BFG ASYLUM 5700 ulta.....Nice BLUE pcb and chrome HSF with sparkling chrome MEMORY HEAT SINKS.....card looks nice....HAVE A 5600 ultra wiith the same cooling setup....looks nice in muh case....a bit simple....is quiet and isnt too extreame....

http://www.bfgtech.com/5700u_redux.html

 

[BobTheGreat]

What I hate is that even if you get a nice looking heatsink its facing down! I mean you'll never see it, its the backside that you see.

But anyway, yesterday I went down to my local PC shop and bouht a Zalman heatpipe fanless heatsink for my 9800. I gotta say other then the install which I kept messing up on it is amazing, just like you said Mictlantecuhtli! Thanks!

 

[schizoid77]

I have the BFG 5700 Ultra...it looks pretty sweet, I dig it but it doesn't do the greatest cooling job.

Now, my roommate picked up the PNY 5700 and I am jealous, the HSF on that puppy blows mine away...enabling coolbits, and he can overclock to 1.2ghz memory and complete 3dmark3. Pretty good for a tiny case and no extra fans, I think.