Should I Replace The Thermal Compound? - GTX 580

[KamiKatze]

So i stumbled across this old video of Linus: 

 

 

So i was wondering if i should replace the thermal compound on mine. There are currently no issues with thermals (it hits 80 °C  in games but that's normal) but i mean, it could be better. The card is probably 3 years old so who knows how dry the thermal compound is already? I have some Arctic MX-4 lying around, would this be a worthwhile replacement for the nvidia goop? What do you guys think? Warranty is ofc long gone on this card.

[flibberdipper]

Might as well.

[KamiKatze]

Might as well.

 

That's what i thought. But on the other hand "never touch a running system".

[Askew]

If the temps are climbing change it, if it's still running fine leave it until it isn't before wasting compound IMO.

[flibberdipper]

That's what i thought. But on the other hand "never touch a running system".

What hogwash. I've never really listened to that rule, and most of my stuff still works without a hitch. Like my netbook.

[AlwaysFSX]

That's what i thought. But on the other hand "never touch a running system".

Well duh, you're supposed to turn it off first.

[Sauron]

Well, "if it ain't broke don't fix it" as they say... wait until you actually get some bad temperatures, doing anything before that might cause issues you're not having currently for the sake of no benefit. If you prefer lower thermals, set up a custom fan profile and have it spin faster.

[KamiKatze]

If the temps are climbing change it, if it's still running fine leave it until it isn't before wasting compound IMO.

 It's not throtteling or anything but it could be more silent. The noise difference between 75 °C and 80 °C is astonishing.

 

 

What hogwash. I've never really listened to that rule, and most of my stuff still works without a hitch. Like my netbook.

 

I am glad that you, out of all the forum members, recommend me to fiddle with my stuff. I didn't expect that. I Will probably replace the thermal goop but what if it's getting worse? She's my baby! She's called Sally! Soon to be a twin when the next wave of 28 nm GPUs fails to excite!

 

 

Well duh, you're supposed to turn it off first.

 

Will note that down for later.

[KamiKatze]

Well, "if it ain't broke don't fix it" as they say... wait until you actually get some bad temperatures, doing anything before that might cause issues you're not having currently for the sake of no benefit. If you prefer lower thermals, set up a custom fan profile and have it spin faster.

 

I fiddle around with fan setting A LOT. With my previous cards (MSI 770 and Gigabyte 280X) i had very flat curves. But i don't trust that 580s vapor chamber. It's flat until 55 °C and then goes straight up to 80 °C /100%.

[flibberdipper]

I am glad that you, out of all the forum members, recommend me to fiddle with my stuff. I didn't expect that. I Will probably replace the thermal goop but what if it's getting worse? She's my baby! She's called Sally! Soon to be a twin when the next wave of 28 nm GPUs fails to excite!

haha Of all the people on the forums I am pretty much guaranteed to tell people to mess with their stuff. :lol:

[Sauron]

I fiddle around with fan setting A LOT. With my previous cards (MSI 770 and Gigabyte 280X) i had very flat curves. But i don't trust that 580s vapor chamber. It's flat until 55 °C and then goes straight up to 80 °C /100%.

 

Well if that's the case I wouldn't trust it either lol. Just out of curiosity, why did you get a 770 and a 280x and ditched them for a 580?

[KamiKatze]

Well if that's the case I wouldn't trust it either lol. Just out of curiosity, why did you get a 770 and a 280x and ditched them for a 580?

 

Great question!

 

The 770 was the card that i got my PC with. Then i got the mining fever and i pulled the trigger to switch GPUs RIGHT BEFORE THE CRASH (december 13)! I wasn't quite happy with the 280X, i also don't prefer AMD and then a long period of exams and exam failing and then again exams happened. and i thought, i might aswell sell my 280X, that keeps me from getting distracted while learning and my GPU doesn't loose value, so i sold it for 240€ ( They now go for ~180€). Then i decided that i won't pay that much for GPUs ever again because it's just.... not.... worth it. So i got the best that the 2nd hand market could give me. I wish i still had my 770... mining sucks ass!

[Sauron]

Great question!

 

The 770 was the card that i got my PC with. Then i got the mining fever and i pulled the trigger to switch GPUs RIGHT BEFORE THE CRASH (december 13)! I wasn't quite happy with the 280X, i also don't prefer AMD and then a long period of exams and exam failing and then again exams happened. and i thought, i might aswell sell my 280X, that keeps me from getting distracted while learning and my GPU doesn't loose value, so i sold it for 240€ ( They now go for ~180€). Then i decided that i won't pay that much for GPUs ever again because it's just.... not.... worth it. So i got the best that the 2nd hand market could give me. I wish i still had my 770... mining sucks ass!

 

Looks like you got unlucky this is why I always wait for this kind of thing to stabilize before I invest any money in it. Usually, if it's worth the effort it's going to be worth it even if you wait, if it is just a random boom that crashes in a year or two you'll be happy you waited ^^ at that point I would have kept the 280x to be honest, but if you sold it for a good price it doesn't really matter. The 770 was the real loss

[fringie]

May as-well give it a dusting while your at it.

[KamiKatze]

Looks like you got unlucky this is why I always wait for this kind of thing to stabilize before I invest any money in it. Usually, if it's worth the effort it's going to be worth it even if you wait, if it is just a random boom that crashes in a year or two you'll be happy you waited ^^ at that point I would have kept the 280x to be honest, but if you sold it for a good price it doesn't really matter. The 770 was the real loss

I got a copy of BF4 with the 280X which filled the delta of buy and sell.

Buy yeah, the 770 would be nuts. Sadly my PC was party financed by my parents and i got the 770 on a great deal (320€ directly after release). And as Linus has stated before: buying a top tier card isn't worth it unless it's not your own money.

[KamiKatze]

May as-well give it a dusting while your at it.

I already pumped half a can of compressed air through it, but still a good point!

[harrynowl]

What hogwash. I've never really listened to that rule, and most of my stuff still works without a hitch. Like my netbook.

Aye, I'm interested by this Z97 hint in your signature and the fact you was interested in my review of the 7950 though

 

A rig from you that is good? (No offense )

[Sauron]

buying a top tier card isn't worth it unless it's not your own money.

 

Or your uncle is a hardware retailer like in my case ^^

[flibberdipper]

Aye, I'm interested by this Z97 hint in your signature and the fact you was interested in my review of the 7950 though

 

A rig from you that is good? (No offense )

Well... It will be my rig, but I will have a very small amount of my own money into it.

[harrynowl]

Well... It will be my rig, but I will have a very small amount of my own money into it.

I look forward to seeing it

 

I'm working on my Z97 rig too

 

Thought it was about time I stop sitting 2 generations behind

[flibberdipper]

I look forward to seeing it

 

I'm working on my Z97 rig too

 

Thought it was about time I stop sitting 2 generations behind

I look forward to using it. I'm a lot of generations behind (2005's socket 478).

[harrynowl]

I look forward to using it. I'm a lot of generations behind (2005's socket 478).

I thought 2005 was LGA775 introduction with the Pentium D

 

I was on Conroe until last year (I regret selling all my 775 gear though ), I moved to AM3 with a Phenom X6 that died- then I got an APU as I was using a 7300GS so anything was an upgrade. Then moved back to AM3+ but for my games single core performance was king. So found cheap sandy i7, but sold that recently for the pentium K as it's all I really need right now

[flibberdipper]

I thought 2005 was LGA775 introduction with the Pentium D

 

I was on Conroe until last year (I regret selling all my 775 gear though ), I moved to AM3 with a Phenom X6 that died- then I got an APU as I was using a 7300GS so anything was an upgrade. Then moved back to AM3+ but for my games single core performance was king. So found cheap sandy i7, but sold that recently for the pentium K as it's all I really need right now

Something like that. My Dell was behind the times, even back then.

[harrynowl]

Something like that. My Dell was behind the times, even back then.

I found some money last year so I kind of went nuts with the upgrades

 

But I think I'll settle with Pentium-K for a little while (toying with Broadwell i5 if Pentium doesn't cut it for some newer games).

 

My 7950 is doing me amazingly well (I am thinking of slapping a waterblock on it though for my ITX rig- but as a first time custom loop that might be a bit hard).

 

Happy with my current set of rigs/test benches

[l0l u d13]

With no warrenty the worst thing that can happen is you get the same temperatures assuming you don't screw things up