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Liquid Metal On Overheating GPU

Deuxez

So ive finally decided to try liquid metal on my GPU in an attempt to lower its overall temperature. Its one of the worst RX 480 models available (XFX RS 480 DD), with an even worse heatsink. It sits around 85-88c while gaming, with 2x 120mm NZXT fans sitting right ontop of the heatsink. These are also running at around 1400rpm. Shouldnt it be a bit or even way lower than that? Ive already replaced thermal paste several times, with no real difference.

 

So my question is: is liquid metal worth it? Ive read that it helped people lower the temps with over 10c, so i think its worth giving a shot. Any recommendation on liquid metal brands? Think the heatsink is pure copper where it makes contact to the die.

 

Another thing is that i most likely also need to replace my VRM thermal pad as its pretty old, rough and not very good. Ive also seen that VRM thermal pad replacement have helped people with overall GPU die temperature for some reason. Either way, im not sure how thick the thermal pad its suppose to be. From what ive read online and from my own memory, i think it should be around 1mm but im not sure. 

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Even the best thermal paste cant fix shit cooling solution. I recommend you to get a decent Arctic GPU cooler.

mY sYsTeM iS Not pErfoRmInG aS gOOd As I sAW oN yOuTuBe. WhA t IS a GoOd FaN CuRVe??!!? wHat aRe tEh GoOd OvERclok SeTTinGS FoR My CaRd??  HoW CaN I foRcE my GpU to uSe 1o0%? BuT WiLL i HaVE Bo0tllEnEcKs? RyZEN dOeS NoT peRfORm BetTer wItH HiGhER sPEED RaM!!dId i WiN teH SiLiCON LotTerrYyOu ShoUlD dEsHrOuD uR GPUmy SYstEm iS UNDerPerforMiNg iN WarzONEcan mY Pc Run WiNdOwS 11 ?woUld BaKInG MY GRaPHics card fIX it? MultimETeR TeSTiNG!! aMd'S GpU DrIvErS aRe as goOD aS NviDia's YOU SHoUlD oVERCloCk yOUR ramS To 5000C18

 

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4 minutes ago, DankDeuxez said:

So ive finally decided to try liquid metal on my GPU in an attempt to lower its overall temperature. Its one of the worst RX 480 models available (XFX RS 480 DD), with an even worse heatsink. It sits around 85-88c while gaming, with 2x 120mm NZXT fans sitting right ontop of the heatsink. These are also running at around 1400rpm. Shouldnt it be a bit or even way lower than that? Ive already replaced thermal paste several times, with no real difference.

 

So my question is: is liquid metal worth it? Ive read that it helped people lower the temps with over 10c, so i think its worth giving a shot. Any recommendation on liquid metal brands? Think the heatsink is pure copper where it makes contact to the die.

 

Another thing is that i most likely also need to replace my VRM thermal pad as its pretty old, rough and not very good. Ive also seen that VRM thermal pad replacement have helped people with overall GPU die temperature for some reason. Either way, im not sure how thick the thermal pad its suppose to be. From what ive read online and from my own memory, i think it should be around 1mm but im not sure. 

Maybe consider undervolting 

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From what I understand, liquid metal doesn't help much in GPU

Especially since you said your issue is with bad cooler, not bad contacts between die and cold plate, meaning no matter how good you improve that aspect, you're still limited by a bad heatsink design

-sigh- feeling like I'm being too negative lately

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2 minutes ago, BetteBalterZen said:

Maybe consider undervolting 

Ive tried that before. The first time it could even go as low as 0.97v at 1266Mhz core clock. After a windows factory reset, it wouldnt even go down with 0.01v without crashing. After i installed Windows 11 Beta, i only installed the GPU drivers itself, and not adrenalin, as adrenalin kept on crashing my GPU drivers. Without it installed, it have been pretty damn stable.

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5 minutes ago, Levent said:

Even the best thermal paste cant fix shit cooling solution. I recommend you to get a decent Arctic GPU cooler.

Well i would without a doubt get a better VGA cooler for my GPU, if it wasnt for my concern for stability. My GPU have had lots of problems with driver instability, and after years and days of trying different drivers, im beginning to think its an hardware fault, OR as said previously, a overheating issue. Im not entirely sure if its worth to spend over $80 on a VGA heatsink just for my card to die a bit later.

Ive read that People have had similare driver crashes, and some of them have fixed it by just replacing the VRM thermal pads. 

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What case do you have? Are temps better with the side panel off?

 

I personally don't recommend liquid metal. A lot of things can go wrong.

 

I would just use a better paste. And I would deshroud the the gpu heatsink and zip tie 2 120mm fans like some arctic p12s to the heatsink.

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30 minutes ago, narrdarr said:

What case do you have? Are temps better with the side panel off?

 

I personally don't recommend liquid metal. A lot of things can go wrong.

 

I would just use a better paste. And I would deshroud the the gpu heatsink and zip tie 2 120mm fans like some arctic p12s to the heatsink.

I have the Corsair Graphite 760T with two 140mm fans in the front in pull. 2x 140mm fans in the top for push. 1x 140mm back for push. 1x 120mm in the bottom for pull. And no temp difference with side panel on vs off.

 

Ive already deshrouded the GPU as stated in the original post. Got 2x 120mm NZXT fans on it rn running at a constant 1400rpm. Only thing that this helped with was noise, as the OG fans would run at 3000rpm at 85c, while these hold out at 85c 1400rpm.

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45 minutes ago, DankDeuxez said:

Ive tried that before. The first time it could even go as low as 0.97v at 1266Mhz core clock. After a windows factory reset, it wouldnt even go down with 0.01v without crashing. After i installed Windows 11 Beta, i only installed the GPU drivers itself, and not adrenalin, as adrenalin kept on crashing my GPU drivers. Without it installed, it have been pretty damn stable.

Oh, alright, sounds kinda broken

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I wouldn't recommend it. Liquid metal will defuse into the copper base and it'll just dry out in few weeks time causing overheating and crashes. Also be careful because copper base is surrounded by aluminium. If you'll get liquid metal there it'll just crumble. I've tried it because of all the praise and I'm never ever touching it again. It's terrible, stains everything, diffuses into everything and just isn't worth it. Just buy the best standard thermal paste like Kryonaut.

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8 minutes ago, DankDeuxez said:

 

 

Ive already deshrouded the GPU as stated in the original post. Got 2x 120mm NZXT fans on it rn running at a constant 1400rpm. Only thing that this helped with was noise, as the OG fans would run at 3000rpm at 85c, while these hold out at 85c 1400rpm.

Oops sorry missed that. It's late. 

 

If you think the issue is the tranfer of heat from the gpu die to the cooler..

Maybe placing some plastic washers on the back of the pcb where the tension screws go so you can add a little bit more mounting pressure would help. 

 

Or

 

If your feeling crafty you could zip tie a cpu cooler to the gpu.

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Well after a bit of thinking, ive come to a little "conclusion". I think im just gonna try and repaste it and also replace the old and dusty thermal pads for the VRMs. Ive seen numerous posts about new thermal pads for the VRM helping the cards stability and its die temps (dont know how new VRM pads help with the die temp but worth a try).

If that doesnt work i think im going to reflash it and see if a vbios refresh helps with my undervolt crashes.

 

Ill just need to figure out how thicc the new thermal pads has to be.

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