GTX 980 SLI in mATX? Temps?

[Gdourado]

Hello, how are you?

 

Just curious if anyone has 980 SLI on mATX?

Something like this:

 

The cards are pretty close together, so how are the temps?

 

Cheers!

[ShadowCaptain]

The cards are pretty close together, so how are the temps?

 

Cheers!

 

Should be fine, they will get warm but should be ok, if you are doing that then you want blower type fans that exhaust out the back

[Lord Pantaloons]

They will run warm but no one can give you temps as it will greatly vary based on the amount of case airflow and what the ambient temperature is.

[BloodWithIce]

The second card will starve a bit, but they should be just fine as long as you don't do crazy ocs

[Gdourado]

I was thinking about the corsair air 240, two reference 980 GPUs and two Silverstone AP122 Air penetrator fans up front.

What's your input?

I did a google search with the words mATX SLI and all I got was people saying don't do it...

 

Cheers!

 

[Si3Rra_7]

for sli in the air 240 i would recommend something like gigabyte's custom cooler , since the 2 front fans will stop the top gpu from starving for air ( since it has such an open design ) @Gdourado

[Tacitus]

 

I was thinking about the corsair air 240, two reference 980 GPUs and two Silverstone AP122 Air penetrator fans up front.

What's your input?

I did a google search with the words mATX SLI and all I got was people saying don't do it...

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

The Air 240 has exceptional airflow, particularly for a small form factor case. I have the Air 540, and the fact no drive cages or excessive cabling obstruct airflow results in very good temperatures for my 970. It's the Gigabyte G1, and typically it hovers a few degrees lower under load than review sites show in closed-case scenarios.

 

I'd admittedly have gotten the Air 240 if decent blower 970s had been available, and if there had been 5 expansion slots in order to have one space, but I doubt you'll encounter too many problems.

 

If you do decide to build this let us know with a build log, I'd be eager to see how it pans out!

[ImBleu]

for sli in the air 240 i would recommend something like gigabyte's custom cooler , since the 2 front fans will stop the top gpu from starving for air ( since it has such an open design ) @Gdourado

 

This won't be good. The top fan will exhaust heat onto the bottom PCB and you'll kill the bottom chip in no time. You want reference cards for such close stacking as they exhaust the heat backwards and not down.

[Tacitus]

for sli in the air 240 i would recommend something like gigabyte's custom cooler , since the 2 front fans will stop the top gpu from starving for air ( since it has such an open design ) @Gdourado

 

A note on this:

 

If you are to attempt this with two non-reference 970s do so only with the G1 Gigabyte cards - they run at very low temperatures and have loads of fan speed headroom left, but crucially, Gigabyte's card is one of the only 970s to have properly good VRM cooling, so although the MSI card hovers around 65 degrees under load, its VRM temp is closer to 90. Gigabyte on the other hand keeps them down in the low to mid 60s.

 

The solution would probably be fine given the airflow, but make sure you add some exhaust fans to move away all the heat.

[TheDudeWhoTriesHard]

Well, since the fan (if it is an intake) directly pointed to the cards, I think its going to do fine.

[Si3Rra_7]

This won't be good. The top fan will exhaust heat onto the bottom PCB and you'll kill the bottom chip in no time. You want reference cards for such close stacking as they exhaust the heat backwards and not down.

Why ? with 2 air penetrators inches away ? that thing is gonna be like a the wind , no hot air anywhere near 

[Gdourado]

If I do this build, it will be with 980 or 970 reference cards, air 240 case, two air penetrators, no exhaust fan.

 

I just feel the appeal of mAXT due to have a nice compact case with good looks on top of my desk.

 

I am currently torn between two builds.

Just reading and reading before pulling the trigger.

 

Build one is mATX on the Air 240.

Build two is ATX on the Silverstone FT05.

 

Cheers!

[ImBleu]

Why ? with 2 air penetrators inches away ? that thing is gonna be like a the wind , no hot air anywhere near 

Top card will be exhausting air onto back of lower card.

[Daniel91]

I have a friend with that case and SLI 780 but he uses silverstones  AP121 to force air thru the cards so it's pretty cool

[Gdourado]

I have a friend with that case and SLI 780 but he uses silverstones  AP121 to force air thru the cards so it's pretty cool

 

That's great.

Reference coolers on the 780's?

Also, 780's are hotter than 980's due to the TDPW? correct?

 

Cheers!

[Daniel91]

That's great.

Reference coolers on the 780's?

Also, 780's are hotter than 980's due to the TDPW? correct?

 

Cheers!

yes refrence cards and yes it's alot hotter on full loads but the AP Fans help to keep it at around 69 - 72 degrees

[Si3Rra_7]

Top card will be exhausting air onto back of lower card.

Won't it exhaust air on the sides ? Also even if it exhausts on the back of the lower card , the air wont stay there since the fan (the air penetrator ) is blowing a lot of air there . I bet it's better than if you have blowers , and the top fan is starved

[Gdourado]

I am researching the Air 240 and saw that the CPU cooler clearance is just 120mm.

Any suggestions for a good air cooler?

I would prefer to avoid AIO Water cooler, since the only place I could fit one would be at the front, restricting air to the GPUs and blowing hot air.

 

Thanks.

[ImBleu]

Won't it exhaust air on the sides ? Also even if it exhausts on the back of the lower card , the air wont stay there since the fan (the air penetrator ) is blowing a lot of air there . I bet it's better than if you have blowers , and the top fan is starved

 

Gigabyte and all non-blower cards blow air directly out their fans, a reference model has the backplate hatch that gives air to the top card in an SLI setup and exhausts air backwards.

[Si3Rra_7]

Gigabyte and all non-blower cards blow air directly out their fans, a reference model has the backplate hatch that gives air to the top card in an SLI setup and exhausts air backwards.

It'll still have better temps ... We shall never know ...