To Cool or not to Cool..

[St0rmer66]

..That is the question. I'm buying a X800 Pro (possibly XT but less likely, im not too much of a "hardcore" gamer) and I'm wondering if i will need to buy any extra cooling for my comp? I see the cards have a fan on the side of them, but is that enough? I just wanted to know because i don't want the bloody thing to overheat and die on me just after I've bought it :scared: .
Secondly, I'm just wondering is the X800Pro to X800XT a big leap in performance for that big leap in price, and when it comes down to it, is it really worth it?

~St0rmer_66~

[Rbstr]

it will put you CPU and memory to the limit, as in you will have a very nice card that is being held back by the rest of your system, but you will be getting nice frames i think.
Waht kind of cooling do you have now?

Pro to XT for you will have no effect so don't bother.

[St0rmer66]

Oh yea, i forgot to mention im gonna be getting a new Mobo+Processor eventually, but i feel that Graphics card should come first since my current one is oh so bad. I intend on getting at least 3.0ghz, if not more, and its probably gonna be an AMD64 (which will mean it won't be held back). I'm thinking of this as more of a long-time thing since my cash flow is rather slow at the moment (though its steady). Anyway, with this in my mind, the same questions remain. My current cooling is just a Fan, not quite sure what size but its at just over 4000rpm.

[Rbstr]

yeah your gona want to fill a few more of you fan slots

[St0rmer66]

yeah your gona want to fill a few more of you fan slots

Now i just need to figure out how i do that.. I assume its fairly easy. How much do fans usually cost?

And also, back to my question about the Pro vs. XT, which is better for the price (does the extra performance make up for the higher price tag?)

[EarlyDawn]

I hear average case fans are around $20. Rbstr is probably more knoledgable about what's good and what isn't for the high-end range.

How much are heat sinks, on the topic?

[St0rmer66]

Yea, i would aslo like to know how much heatsinks are, and how do they work? I assume they're metal and absorb excess heat, but where do they go in your computer, etc?

[EarlyDawn]

I believe there's no inherant radiating properties behind headsinks. Just to centralize heat into one area for ease of cooling. I think you can put them in multiple places, and I think they have different ones for different parts. (I.E: for a Graphics card, processor, harddrives.)

[Electrofreak]

heatsinks go anywhere from $10 to $50 in general.

You can get a cheap one for like $15, a decent one for like $35, but the hardcore gamer 'sinks lean towards $50

Edit- newer heatsinks utilize heatpipe technology similar to what is employed by NASA and other high-tech industries. Essentially the heatpipe is a tube within a tube. The outermost tube has a 'wick' while the innermost tube contains water. As the heatsink heats up, the water heats as well. It vaporizes and travels to the end of the tube, carrying heat with it. It then saturates into the wick and through osmosis makes its way back to the beginning of the heatpipe, releasing its heat into the metal of the outer tube, which is usually connected to the heatsink fins. By the time it reaches the beginning of the heatpipe and enters the innermost tube once again, it is relatively cool, and ready to begin the process again.

[St0rmer66]

OK i've been looking at some fans and heatsinks on some websites and i have a few questions. Does it matter if its 3-pin or 4-pin (or any number of pins for that matter). Am i to assume i need the same socket (mines 478)? Does anyone know of any guides to how to put them into my comp (i havent had any experience with this before)?

[TekDragon]

Your gonna want some exhaust fans. I suggest 2 intake in the front. 2 exhaust in the rear. Maybe one exhaust on the side if you have a case with the slot, it'll get out alot of the video card heat.

A nice CPU fan will help circulate everything as well.

[St0rmer66]

I wish i had even the slightest clue of how to do this, but i guess i'll figure something out. I have no idea how to connect the fans to my computer, and how can they go at the front and back if theres no holes?

[TekDragon]

If it's not obvious, then you need a new case.

[Electrofreak]

yeah if the fan holes arent there, you've gotta get a new case. old cases weren't designed with todays hot electronics in mind, so go out and get yourself something that can move some air!