Do ATI video cards handle heat better than NVIDIA video cards?

[ANTant]

Hello.

I had three NVIDIA cards (e.g., GeForce 4 Ti4200 and two GeForce 6800s) lose video signal in two
different machines (different hardwares and operating systems). I noticed after rebooting
computers, I still get no video signals according to CRT monitors (e.g., Samsung SyncMaster 17"
CRTs). I have seen this on two different machines, multiple video cards (different brands too:
LeadTek (once) and XFX (twice)), and operating systems (Widnows XP Pro. SP2 and Debian/Linux with
the latest NVIDIA drivers) and similiar symptoms. Also, it doesn't have to be in intensive uses
(e.g., gaming or using 3D screen savers) like playing a video file (MPEG-2) or watching a
HomeStarRunner's Flash.

Rebooting the computers resulted no boot ups (video signal loss, motherboard just stuck at boot
up, etc.). However, if I turn off machines and their PSUs to rest and cool off, most likely they
do come back to life.

I have not seen this problem with ATI video card (Radeon Pro 9800 All-In-Wonder) so far for the
last three years I used it. Is it me or are ATI cards better in dealing with heat? The only issues
I had with ATI is weak Linux support, dots in DOOM 3 (didn't crash my Windows/computer/lose video
signal) but fixed with an Artic cooler, weak softwares (bugs), etc.?

Thank you in advance.
--
"Above ground I shall be food for kites; below I shall be food for mole-crickets and ants. Why rob one to feed the other?" --Juang-zu (4th Century B.C.)
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
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( )

 

[Buck Fush]

The general answer to your question is no. Of course there are
some exceptions, but heat is more of an issue with ATI's recent
models than Nvidia.

If you're getting heat-related failures (e.g. your dots in Doom3)
across multiple cards you either have incredibly bad luck, or
more likely you have some general issues with system cooling
(not enough airflow through your systems, high ambient room
temperatures, dust accumulation in your fans etc).

Hello.

I had three NVIDIA cards (e.g., GeForce 4 Ti4200 and two GeForce 6800s) lose video signal in two
different machines (different hardwares and operating systems). I noticed after rebooting
computers, I still get no video signals according to CRT monitors (e.g., Samsung SyncMaster 17"
CRTs). I have seen this on two different machines, multiple video cards (different brands too:
LeadTek (once) and XFX (twice)), and operating systems (Widnows XP Pro. SP2 and Debian/Linux with
the latest NVIDIA drivers) and similiar symptoms. Also, it doesn't have to be in intensive uses
(e.g., gaming or using 3D screen savers) like playing a video file (MPEG-2) or watching a
HomeStarRunner's Flash.

Rebooting the computers resulted no boot ups (video signal loss, motherboard just stuck at boot
up, etc.). However, if I turn off machines and their PSUs to rest and cool off, most likely they
do come back to life.

I have not seen this problem with ATI video card (Radeon Pro 9800 All-In-Wonder) so far for the
last three years I used it. Is it me or are ATI cards better in dealing with heat? The only issues
I had with ATI is weak Linux support, dots in DOOM 3 (didn't crash my Windows/computer/lose video
signal) but fixed with an Artic cooler, weak softwares (bugs), etc.?

Thank you in advance.

other?" --Juang-zu (4th Century B.C.)

 

[ANTant]

The general answer to your question is no. Of course there are
some exceptions, but heat is more of an issue with ATI's recent
models than Nvidia.

OK, how about with 9800 Pro AIW series?

If you're getting heat-related failures (e.g. your dots in Doom3)
across multiple cards you either have incredibly bad luck, or

Actually, that was only in ATI 9800 Pro AIW card. Back when DOOM 3 was new and multiple people had
this problems.

more likely you have some general issues with system cooling
(not enough airflow through your systems, high ambient room
temperatures, dust accumulation in your fans etc).

Yeah, I adjusted this recently and still having problems.

--
"Above ground I shall be food for kites; below I shall be food for mole-crickets and ants. Why rob one to feed the other?" --Juang-zu (4th Century B.C.)
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )

 

[gooooaaallllll]

OK, how about with 9800 Pro AIW series?

The 9800's run relatively hot, since both the GPU and
memory are at or near their designed top speeds. There
was another issue where on some cards, the heatsinks
weren't seated properly. Now that I think of it I believe
that was a 9700 Pro issue, but may have also applied to
the 9800's.

Actually, that was only in ATI 9800 Pro AIW card. Back when DOOM 3 was new and multiple people had
this problems.



Yeah, I adjusted this recently and still having problems.

What kind of temps are you getting for your system, cpu etc?
other?" --Juang-zu (4th Century B.C.)

 

[ANTant]

The general answer to your question is no. Of course there are

The 9800's run relatively hot, since both the GPU and
memory are at or near their designed top speeds. There
was another issue where on some cards, the heatsinks
weren't seated properly. Now that I think of it I believe
that was a 9700 Pro issue, but may have also applied to
the 9800's.
Interesting.

What kind of temps are you getting for your system, cpu etc?

This is what I recorded earlier before my last video signal loss last night:

83F/28.3C degrees room and played for 30 minutes of FarCry. ...

ASUS PC Probe said:
CPU: 111F/43.9C to 132F/55.6C
Motherboard: 98F/36.7C to 104F/40C

RivaTuner v2.0 RC16 with NVIDIA v91.31 driver
Ambient: 104F/40C to 120.2F/49C
Core: 324.00 (same; did not turn down by itself)
Memory: 752.14 (same; did not turn down by itself)

Are these temperature numbers too high? And yes, I do have air flows going. Even a fan sucking out
heat air from the case right next to the video card.

--
"Above ground I shall be food for kites; below I shall be food for mole-crickets and ants. Why rob one to feed the other?" --Juang-zu (4th Century B.C.)
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )

 

[Benjamin Gawert]

* Buck Fush:

The general answer to your question is no. Of course there are
some exceptions, but heat is more of an issue with ATI's recent
models than Nvidia.

Well, the latest Nvidia cards (7900 series) indeed do have serious heat
problems, especially the versions that are clocked higher by default
than the generic version...

If you're getting heat-related failures (e.g. your dots in Doom3)
across multiple cards you either have incredibly bad luck, or
more likely you have some general issues with system cooling
(not enough airflow through your systems, high ambient room
temperatures, dust accumulation in your fans etc).

Right. Or he is overclocking the card...

Benjamin

 

[ANTant]

The general answer to your question is no. Of course there are

Well, the latest Nvidia cards (7900 series) indeed do have serious heat
problems, especially the versions that are clocked higher by default
than the generic version...

That's not good. I hope 6800 doesn't have that problem.

Right. Or he is overclocking the card...

I am not overclocking anything. NVIDIA v91.31 driver said:
Core: 325.00
Memory: 750
Note: I did set the fan to be always on no matter what.

RivaTuner v2.0 RC16 said and monitored before, during, and after games:
Core: 324.00
Memory: 752.14
--
"Above ground I shall be food for kites; below I shall be food for mole-crickets and ants. Why rob one to feed the other?" --Juang-zu (4th Century B.C.)
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )

 

[First of One]

The problem is confined to the 7900 series cards, and only with vendors that
aggressively overclock them out of the factory (notable ones are XFX and
eVGA).

 

[GTD]

The 9800's run relatively hot, since both the GPU and
memory are at or near their designed top speeds. There
was another issue where on some cards, the heatsinks
weren't seated properly. Now that I think of it I believe
that was a 9700 Pro issue, but may have also applied to
the 9800's.

That was a 9700 pro issue, the bezel around the GPU often stood high
enough to leave a slight gap between the core and the HSF. On the
9800's the core stood a bit higher, thus the problem was avoided.