How is the GTX460 in SLI?

[Rajveer]

I currently have the EVGA GTX460 external exhausts in SLI and they move a lot of heat out of the case (P182), but the noise is unbearable for me. I'm thinking of getting the Gigabyte cards with the double fans as they're pretty much silent. Some questions:

- Since the heatsink fins are straight unlike the reference cooler, does it also move some of the air out of the case?
- I have a Gigabyte X58A-UD3R which leaves barely any room between the cards, how would these cards handle the space? My current cards reach the 80's and 60's (for the top and bottom cards respectively).
- I have an overclocked i7 at 4.0GHz so there's already a lot of heat in the case, would having the Gigabyte cards have much of a negative effect compared to the EVGA? I believe I have moderate airflow (2x120mm Scythe Slipstreams in, 1x120mm Scythe Slipstream and 1x120mm Scythe SSF21E out).

[Dark Mantis]

I will leave someone who has experience of these cards in SLI mode to answer the main questions but the other thing that you could do would be to go over to liquid cooling. Very much quieter and allows even more headroom for overclocking. Obviously it involves some expenditure but you could save by using your existing GPU. Check out my system on the website in the Overclocking etc section here: http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,2373.0.html

[Rajveer]

Yeah I was thinking of going over to watercooling later, but not right now as it's too great an expense and I'm not knowledgeable enough about it. So wondering how the Gigabyte cards are with air

[Dark Mantis]

Yes I reckon it would cost about £400 -£450 to watercool your setup. Certainly not as difficult as it seems as long as you are carefull in what you do.

[breenemeister]

Check this post, it's addressing exactly what you're asking
http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,2557.0.html

The user says his Gigabyte 460s are reaching 92C with his case fans (Antec 1200) all on the low setting.

It's a shame, I was hoping to add a second Gigabyte 460 to my set up in the future.  Hopefully, I'll be able to mod my case for it though (CM ATCS 840).

[Dark Mantis]

The user says his Gigabyte 460s are reaching 92C with his case fans (Antec 1200) all on the low setting.

The user referred to was using an Antec 1200 case but with all the fans turned to their lowest setting which is quiet but quite slow. He did admit that if the case fans were turned up the cards cooled fairly well.

[Rajveer]

Yeah I was reading that topic but was hoping to get opinions from somebody with a similar case to mine. My top EVGA card reaches around 88 degrees max while my lower one is within the low 70s, so I'm not sure if the Gigabyte cards would cool better with the 2 fans, or get hotter as they don't exhaust 

[Dark Mantis]

I would assume that if the airflow through the case was good then they should cool better. But it would be conditional on the flow of cool air through the case to stop a build up of heat inside.

[j2o]

normaly a 120mm front and back is good enough try this link for coolers for enclosed high end cards why do they do that !! .more £££
 http://www.arctic-cooling.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=2_&mID=101&language=en

[Dark Mantis]

normaly a 120mm front and back is good enough try this link for coolers for enclosed high end cards why do they do that !! .more £££
 http://www.arctic-cooling.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=2_&mID=101&language=en

Please start reading the threads before you post. This OP is running two high end graphics cards in SLI, an overclocked i7 @4.0Ghz and all the usual other gear and one 120mm fan in and one 120mm out is NOT GOING TO COOL THE CASE. Let's get real here. To top it all the link you provided is for a cooler almost identicasl to the ones fitted to the new GPUs anyway. 

[Rajveer]

I think I'm just going to stick with the EVGA cards. After a few gaming sessions the i7 reaches the low 70's which is already pushing it, and anymore warm air going towards it not extracted by the Gigabyte cards might just push it over the edge I think. Eventually I'll probably take your advice Dark Mantis and go watercooling, but for the moment I'll live with the noise, it's not too bad when idle. Thanks for all the help!

[Dark Mantis]

You're welcome and when you decide to go for the watercooling come back and we can discuss it.
All the best