Tuesday, February 17th 2009

BFG Quietly Slips in a Passively Cooled 9800GT

by
alexp999
 Discuss (38 Comments)
First reported to Fudzilla, US online retailers, Newegg.com and Directron.com, have listed a passively cooled 9800GT based graphics card from BFG. Although there has been no official announcement, it has now also appeared on the companies own website named as the 9800 GT 512MB PCIe 2.0 with ThermoIntelligence Passive Cooling Solution. With a part number of BFGE98512GTHE, the card sports a quad heatpipe cooler mounted on the back of the card, as is usually found with most passive cooling solutions, though BFG seems to have done away with any memory and voltage regulator cooling. The card has no factory overclock so runs at the reference clocks of 600 MHz on the core, 1500 MHz on the shaders and a memory clock of 1800 MHz. Despite the card being sold as passively cooled, it is interesting to note that BFG has stated in the card's system requirements, "System chassis intake airflow greater than or equal to 25 CFM being directed towards the graphics card." Current pricing puts the card in at around $160 (US) with what would appear to be immediate availability.
Sources: BFG Tech, Fudzilla, Newegg.com

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38 Comments on BFG Quietly Slips in a Passively Cooled 9800GT

#1
Icewind31
Looks exactly like the older Thermalright HR-03... the newer revisions of the HR has 6pipes... looks like someone just got rid of their excess stock :laugh:
Posted on Reply
#2
ShadowFold
Pun intended :p I wonder if you can strap a fan on that cooler? I know I would.
Posted on Reply
#3
alexp999
Staff
ShadowFoldPun intended :p I wonder if you can strap a fan on that cooler? I know I would.
Most probably, couple of zip ties or elastic bands.
What gets me is that it is passively cooled, so long as you have good case flow pointing at the card :wtf: lol
Posted on Reply
#4
nafets
Icewind31Looks exactly like the older Thermalright HR-03... the newer revisions of the HR has 6pipes... looks like someone just got rid of their excess stock :laugh:
No memory or VRM heatsinks = Fail

You better have some kind of airflow on or near that card...
Posted on Reply
#5
alexp999
Staff
nafetsNo memory or VRM heatsinks = Fail

You better have some kind of airflow on or near that card...
Like I said in the article, BFG have actually said in the system requirements:

"System chassis intake airflow greater than or equal to 25 CFM being directed towards the graphics card."
Posted on Reply
#6
BrooksyX
Looks like they forgot to finish the design. They should have put heatsinks on the ram and vregs.
Posted on Reply
#7
ShadowFold
Wow it's 160$ on newegg. You can get a 4850 or 9800GTX+ for less.
Posted on Reply
#8
nafets
alexp999Like I said in the article, BFG have actually said in the system requirements:

"System chassis intake airflow greater than or equal to 25 CFM being directed towards the graphics card."
Yes, I saw what BFG specifies. The only problem is that buyers in the market for this card (silent PC users) most likely won't be using a setup with an intake fan. I know that most any fan putting out 25 CFM should be quiet enough for most silent users. But as a purely passive product this 9800GT is ill equipped for low or no air flow. BFG might as well have just strapped on the quietest 80/92mm fan they could find and installed memory/VRM heatsinks, and avoid the hassle (or future hassle) of making the end user worry about keeping a supposedly passive video card properly cooled.
Posted on Reply
#9
hat
Enthusiast
BFG = fail. If they specificly state that you need 25CFM blowing on the card, then thier new card is just an unfinished HSF.
Posted on Reply
#10
KainXS
so u litteraly need a fan on the card as bfg says so its not passive, wow what a lie

25cfm lol
Posted on Reply
#11
mlee49
hatBFG = fail. If they specificly state that you need 25CFM blowing on the card, then thier new card is just an unfinished HSF.
BFG does not equal Fail. They did slip on this card with no HS's on the ram modules, but the passive cooling that requires a 25 cfm airflow is already accommodated by most case fans. The cooling offering here certainly exceeds other's "Diamond Crusted Technology" that lowers temps by 8%.

BFG has some quality vga's and PSU's. I'm curious to see how it actually holds up in a decent case vs some idiot newegg reviewer that says it overheated in their HTPC case within ten minutes of first use.
Posted on Reply
#12
hat
Enthusiast
Well that's your opinion against mine. Anyway, I meant that BFG failed on this particular card, not that they fail as a whole. BFG is overall a pretty good company.
Posted on Reply
#13
Mussels
Freshwater Moderator
"its passive, as long as you have a fan right next to it"

oh yay. just like my 8800GTX with thermalright HR-03. Good to see progress is being made.
Posted on Reply
#14
DrPepper
The Doctor is in the house
My 8800GT ran passively rather well about 40-50 degrees in my cosmos which had no airflow.
Posted on Reply
#15
LittleLizard
mmm, to put it simple, dont like the idea of a hot card run fanless
Posted on Reply
#16
spearman914
ShadowFoldWow it's 160$ on newegg. You can get a 4850 or 9800GTX+ for less.
This is only for people who game at night so price seems right. 0.o nocturnal gamers.
Posted on Reply
#17
btarunr
Editor & Senior Moderator
Goodbye SLI.

Posted on Reply
#18
hat
Enthusiast
spearman914This is only for people who game at night so price seems right. 0.o nocturnal gamers.
I often stay up until I have light shining through my window, and even later than that. The noise coming from my pc doesn't bother me. My fans really aren't that loud.
Posted on Reply
#19
Supreme0verlord
Man that heatsink looks retarded! And no heatsinks on the memory chips or vregs?! lol
Posted on Reply
#20
Unregistered
btarunrGoodbye SLI.

Who needs that SLI on 9800GT anyway :laugh:? How many people use SLI on that GPU? :laugh:
#21
btarunr
Editor & Senior Moderator
LokeWho needs that SLI on 9800GT anyway :laugh:? How many people use SLI on that GPU? :laugh:
Let's say I need it.
Posted on Reply
#22
Unregistered
btarunrLet's say I need it.
Don't You think that it'll be better to use more powerfull single GPU card? :)
#23
alexp999
Staff
btarunrGoodbye SLI.

You could link to a non passive 9800GT below it, but that is probably why they did it anyway. Having a card directly above the passive heatsink would most likely likely caose the GPU to overheat.

Nice idea, but I dont think BFG put enough thought into this one.
Posted on Reply
#24
btarunr
Editor & Senior Moderator
LokeDon't You think that it'll be better to use more powerfull single GPU card? :)
No, I'll want another of these cards if I do SLI at a fraction of the hassle of selling the card and buying another more powerful card.
alexp999You could link to a non passive 9800GT below it, but that is probably why they did it anyway. Having a card directly above the passive heatsink would most likely likely caose the GPU to overheat.
No SLI with two of these cards, my point.
Posted on Reply
#25
Unregistered
btarunrNo, I'll want another of these cards if I do SLI at a fraction of the hassle of selling the card and buying another more powerful card.



No SLI with two of these cards, my point.
Powerfull single GPU card is much better, than SLI anyway;), but it's your opinion and it's your decision about what you need:).
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