NV68 or MAZE4 + RAM Sinks ?

[davewolf]

I bought a MAZE4 gpu block whilst building my watercooling kit then found a cheap NV68 on ebay and bought that too, then when i came to fit the NV68 to my 6800GT two things put me off.

1: the card seemed to warp abit.
2: the back plate rested on top on a resistor/capcitor right next to the AGP slot restricting the fit.

Now what do i do ? Is the wieght of the NV68 ok and will the bend in the card break it ? Will i get the same sort of OC performance with the MAZE4 and Vantec ramsinks ?

Hope you guys can help a newbie out with these troubling issues :)

Thanks, Dave.

[Darv]

They're both good choices but for different reasons. The NV68 will cool everything so theres no real need for airflow over the card, however the cooling might not be as good as a Maze 4 on it's own. Also it's worth getting something to support the extra weight of the waterblock.

I'd say it's more of a personal decision as to which you prefer. :thumb:

[Fibbles]

To stop the bending you could make a support like Nexxo did with his Metaversa project or you can buy something called a cardkeeper (although it's designed more to keep the card in place for travel - still might work).

Which you use if up to you.

I'm using a full card cooler (Innovatek's x1800 cooler) on my x1800. I chose it over an Alphacool GPX + RAMsinks cause I like how the full one looks.

[jaguarking11]

Even with a full card block you still need airflow. The nv68 does not cool the cards mofsets.

Personaly I dislike full card coolers. Reasoning is simple. Ram does not need active cooling. Put some large ram sinks on and your good to go. as well as the full card coolers killing flow.

[davewolf]

i was told OC'ing the RAM gives better performance over the GPU OC, any truth in that ?

Thats why i was looking for good ram cooling, but if the ramsinks do the job just aswell i will go with the MAZE4.........anyone interested in the NV68 block ? :)

[Fibbles]

i was told OC'ing the RAM gives better performance over the GPU OC, any truth in that ?

Thats why i was looking for good ram cooling, but if the ramsinks do the job just aswell i will go with the MAZE4.........anyone interested in the NV68 block ? :)

If you've already bought it, why not use it? You're not going to let the opinions of random people on an internet board disway you, are you?

If Danger Den thought that the bending was bad, then I'm sure they'd change something. A lot of people love their NVXX blocks, their Alphacool, Innovatek, Aqua Computer etc full card blocks.

Heck, I'm on what many would call a weak pump with small tubing and my flow is actually pretty good comming out of my Innovatek full card block (on an Innovatek flow meter connected to a mobo fan header).

[davewolf]

If you've already bought it, why not use it? You're not going to let the opinions of random people on an internet board disway you, are you?

Not so much disway me but follow other peoples advice from experience theyve had with these products, if NV68 blocks have a tendency to bend and kill 6800's then i dont wanna take the chance because i can afford a new one :) but maybe they dont and im being paranoid.

[furious trout]

Not so much disway me but follow other peoples advice from experience theyve had with these products, if NV68 blocks have a tendency to bend and kill 6800's then i dont wanna take the chance because i can afford a new one :) but maybe they dont and im being paranoid.

We I can't say that I've heard anything about them killing cards but if you are worried check out Meteaversa (http://www.wizdforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=6518&postcount=104) that should give some insipiration - and what fibbs says is right if you've got it and you're happy with it go with it :thumb:

[davewolf]

yeah ive got the NV68 and the MAZE4 here, i fitted the NV68 and it warped my card which made me remove it and just cool my CPU.

So this is why i ask for advice and knowledge here, so i make the right choice.:)

[fivecheebs]

If you want to use the full card cooler, then do so. If your worried about the weight (and i would be FWIW) then either attack it in the same way that Nexxo did in Metaversa (its a long log, but well worth a read anyway) or do what i have seen coolmaister do. Remove a CCFL from its plastic tube, cut it to height and use it as a support for the card.

[davewolf]

CCFL ?

Sorry not sure what that is, probally some obvious and mudane lol

[Crunch]

COLD CATHODE FLUORESCENT LIGHT.

[Darv]

CCFL ?

Sorry not sure what that is, probally some obvious and mudane lol

Cold Cathode Flourescent Light. They usually come in an acrylic tube to protect them. Coolermeister cut one to size and uses it a sort of pillar support on his grpahics card. I'll try and dig up a link to it.

[Pug]

CCFL ?

Sorry not sure what that is, probally some obvious and mudane lol
Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp/Light (one of the two).

It's basically a clear plastic tube that many modders may have lying around but if you don't, I happen to prefer Nexxo's approach anyway.
Have you seen what he did in Metaversa yet or d'you want one of us to dig you up a link?
Doh, too slow.

[Fibbles]

yeah ive got the NV68 and the MAZE4 here, i fitted the NV68 and it warped my card which made me remove it and just cool my CPU.

So this is why i ask for advice and knowledge here, so i make the right choice.:)

Even my Zalman VF900 bends my card. The back end is drooping downward.

One reason i tend to prefer the aluminium ones (or Alphacool's plexi/copper version) is because they're a lot lighter than the thick copper ones from Danger Den.

The Alu is anodised, but I'm not afraid of corrosion with my AC Fluid (and I have mixed them every time I've water cooled).

I'm sure that you can buy a Vantec Card Keeper for a minimal price if DIY isn't your thing (something like this: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2726).