GPU fan + temp problem

[Mike]

I just got a PowerColor Radeon X800 XL PCI-E w/256mb GDDR3 video card off
this guy to run in my new system (which came with integrated video) and was
just wondering what an acceptable GPU temperature would be. According to the
ATITool 0.24 utility, my GPU (min/max/avg) are (50.5/85.8/64.8) and my GPU
environment are (49/62/54.3). The max temp of 85.8 was achieved when I hit
"Find Max Core" in ATITool and it usually runs around 50-51 if I am just
online or when idling. Is this acceptable or is that too hot? I have been
using this card since last night and haven't ran any graphic heavy games yet
(like FEAR) until I find out.

This guy told me that this is way too hot because he had it running in the
30's yesterday in his system when I went to check it out, but that was with
a bigger fan he had put on himself. My problem is we couldn't fit the card
in my PCI-E slot with the better fan because of the layout of my mobo (kinda
backwards). The PCI-E slot is above the other PCI slots at the top and the
GPU fan is facing upwards in my tower. I had originally ordered the X850 XT
for my system but had to get rid of it because of the extra room needed for
its fan and grill. It took up 2 slots and the grill was hitting the PS/2
ports on the mobo.

As stated, I am limited with cooling options so had him put the stock
cooling fan back on (surprisingly it fit with that). I can live with the
noise from the fan but am just curious if those temps are something to be
worried about and if so, what other cooling options do I have considering my
limited space above the PCI-E slot(something affordable would be nice too)?

Thanks as always guys,
Mike

 

[First of One]

"find max core" means overclocking, so it is expected to raise the temps
higher than normal. How hot does the GPU get under full load, but running at
stock speeds?

 

[Mikester71]

Ignore my ignorance, but how would I test it at full load? I am not
really into overclocking and that, but this guy I bought the card off
of put it in for me and loaded the Omega 2.6.87 drivers for it along
with the ATITool 0.24 utility. He has the core set at 452.25 and the
memory at 499.50. The current GPU temp is at 50 Celsius.

The thing I am wondering about is why the temperature starts to climb
rapidly as soon as I click on Show 3D View. Is that testing it at full
load and are the above mentioned numbers stock speeds?

Sorry for the newbie-like questions, but these PCI-E cards and their
settings are all new to me.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[First of One]

Ignore my ignorance, but how would I test it at full load? I am not
really into overclocking and that, but this guy I bought the card off
of put it in for me and loaded the Omega 2.6.87 drivers for it along
with the ATITool 0.24 utility. He has the core set at 452.25 and the
memory at 499.50. The current GPU temp is at 50 Celsius.

The default core speed for the X800XL 256MB is 400 MHz. A 13% overclock has
little effect on temperature, though, so you can leave it as-is.

The thing I am wondering about is why the temperature starts to climb
rapidly as soon as I click on Show 3D View. Is that testing it at full
load and are the above mentioned numbers stock speeds?

Yes, that spinning "fuzzy cube" actually stresses the card more than most
games. Its purpose is to expose rendering artifacts due to heat. The card
will display artifacts long before any thermal damage can set in. So if the
cube can spin for 5-10 minutes without artifacting, you can sleep easy. The
temp reading is likely inaccurate (an error of 10 deg. is the norm), because
most manufacturers do not calibrate the diode reading.

 

[Mike]

Thanks again for replying First of One. It makes more sense to me now. I am
just a casual gamer at best so, as I said, all this overclocking stuff is
kinda new to me. I am aware of it and why people do it, but I have always
just ran my games with the default settings and drivers that usually come
with a new video card and have been happy playing them that way. Never
really paid attention to speed and temperature and stuff like that. The guy
who sold it to me and installed it for me got me worried when he said he
never had the temp over 30 Celsius when idling. Of course he had a monster
cooling fan installed on the GPU too.

Again, thanks for enlightening me.
Mike