What aftermarket cooler for 8800GTS 512?

[a_ump]

I'm sure it's a classic, but i just recently coughed up the dough to purchase Stinger608's 8800GTS 512(great trader), massive upgrade from my 7800GTX.

I've managed to overclock it to 738/1836/2202(C/Sh/M), and current temps are at: Idle/55, Load/74.

Now not only do i just wish for lower temps, i'm also hoping maybe getting some heatsinks on my VRM's will help stablity to try and push it further. O! almost forgot, i'm slightly bored with my comp and it always makes it feel like new to me to try and push it overclocking some

Anyways, Here's the 3 i've been looking at, managed to read some individual reviews, but no grouped ones with all of these.
Zalman VF1000
Thermalright HR-03 GT
Scythe USA SCVMS-1000

Please give me some advice of personal experiences or just knowledge about any of these 3. Or if any of you would recommend a different cooler than the one's mentioned say so

 

[a_ump]

Bump

 

[JrRacinFan]

If you want inexpensive take a peak at the Battle Axe.

http://www.aerocooler.com/shop.cart?action=ITEM&prod_id=FANXIVD964

Out of the 3 you listed My vote goes for the HR-03.

EDIT:

Oh and wanted to mention, these cards do great with just the stock dual slot cooler. So just letting you know, save a few bucks by just switching out the TIM alone it would work good.

 

[DonInKansas]

The HR-03 is a legendary cooler out of your choices.

 

[Pickles24]

I had the aerocooler on my 8800gts 640, and it was rather large, but VERY good compared to stock. 40c idle never over 55c full load.

 

[IggSter]

The HR-03 is a legendary cooler out of your choices.

100% agree with this - I have a 8800GT 512 in my 2nd gaming PC -
Stock cooler under load 79C,
Under load with HR-03 and 120mm fan 42C (and near to silent)

Great peice of kit and would recommend

 

[AlienIsGOD]

idles at 37c and doesnt go over 50c at 100% load. Thats where my vote goes to.

 

[a_ump]

thanks guys. I reached 74 on load, which temp wise is fine, but it isn't until i reached round that temp that my higher clocks crapped out on me. So hopefully i can buy the HR-03 and maybe improve my OC some(i like oc'ing for the pure hell of it so whether it makes a perf diff idc lol). and if not then i'll get a cooler card anyways

idles at 37c and doesnt go over 50c at 100% load. Thats where my vote goes to.

Which cooler do you have friend?

 

[overclocking101]

screw all three. the the thermalright trad great cooler and takes up less room to. its the same size as the scythe cooler. personally for air coolers I prefer them to take up less room. the HR03 is a great heatsink and the trad 2 does just a tad better than it without taking up as much room. if you are set on one of the 3 and dont care about space the hr03 if space matters the scythe or the trad 2. the thermalright ones dont come with fans so keep that in mind the scythe does.

 

[a_ump]

thanks. N yea, i'm gonna get the HR-03 and probly a slipstream 120mm fan of some sorts. I also finalized on the HR-03 bc it comes with what looks like pretty decent memory and vrm heatsinks.

 

[AlienIsGOD]

My post got cut off...I have the VF1000.

 

[hat]

Why don't you just edit the fan speed so it starts at 65%? It's barely audible at this speed and moves quite a bit of air... I hover at 63*c-67*c running F@H depending on the work unit and the temperature outside. It doesn't hit over 80*c in Furmark.

The problem with stock coolers isn't really the cooer itself, but the BIOS, as they never set the fan to run fast enough, so the cards always run hot. I edited the BIOS to start at 65% and to start increacing once the card hits 80*c.

 

[a_ump]

hmmm well idk if your refering to your 8800GTS or had one in the past or not, but my current one already has a great fan profile by nvidia that is shown by GPUTool.

As you can see the fan runs fine already, but i want good cooling on my VRM's and i feel that the individual heatsink that comes with the HR-03 would provide that.

 

[hat]

That's odd, because my card would get up to 77c folding before I set the fan to run at 65%, then it hovered around 65*c.

Shouldn't the stock cooler have cooling for the vregs?

 

[a_ump]

it does, but an aftermarket heatsink on it with its own surface area to dissipate the heat i'm sure would do a better job of cooling the vregs than the stock cooler. Yea i wished i reached 74 degrees only at 35% fan, then i'd dl rivatuner, but GPUTool already says its running 97-100% fan speed when it's stress testing so kinda pointless :/

 

[hat]

Hmm... dusty cooler?