Thermalright HR-11 VGA Backside Cooler Review

[screwballl]

if it sits that close to a rear fan it would help but i guess being on its side, you would have to have a fan blowing in or out right above it to make that much of a difference

[One4yu2c]

I think Thermalright should partner up with Bigfoot Networks and Ageia to offer a sweet bundle package:

Killer NIC
HR-11 VGA Backside Cooler
PhysX Processor

Throw in a fruitcake and you've got the ultimate Christmas bundle.

[screwballl]

Originally Posted by One4yu2c

I think Thermalright should partner up with Bigfoot Networks and Ageia to offer a sweet bundle package:

Killer NIC
HR-11 VGA Backside Cooler
PhysX Processor

Throw in a fruitcake and you've got the ultimate Christmas bundle.

*in his best "announcer" voice*
all for a holiday sale price of $1099.99!! get yours today!!

[polobunny]

Originally Posted by One4yu2c

I think Thermalright should partner up with Bigfoot Networks and Ageia to offer a sweet bundle package:

Killer NIC
HR-11 VGA Backside Cooler
PhysX Processor

Throw in a fruitcake and you've got the ultimate Christmas bundle.

I see what you did there Paul.
It's a great product, which could be refined in my opinion. The idea isn't bad, the realisation is so-so since Thermalright has to accomodate the product to several cards while still keeping the price and the performance decent. With a bit of help from card manufacturers and standardizing mouting mechanisms i'm sure Thermalright could pull something much better.

[Capper]

Make no mistake, Thermalright is arguably the finest cooling company on the market, and their products are quite innovative. I just found this particular product to be of questionable value.......if its gonna cost you $30, but you can replicate the same effects with an $8 fan....why spend the $30?

[gvblake22]

I think it would be interesting to test this with a passive cooler, like the Accelero S1 or something. I can see it possibly helping temperatures a bit more in that situation.

And measuring direct temperature changes on the GPU might not show all of the benefit. This thing may help reduce temperatures a little across the whole PCB too, not just the GPU temperature.

[One4yu2c]

Originally Posted by polobunny

The idea isn't bad.

As Rich brought up, it's more a question of value, and in my mind, necessity. Overclocking performance was not affected at all, and is the 2C-ish drop in temps helping anything? Is a 65ms ping really beneficial over a 68ms ping?

And if we do justify the necessity regarding the former (I'd argue otherwise), value goes out the window when a strategically placed case fan will do as good, or better, while being much friendlier on the wallet.

I have nothing against innovative concepts, thinking outside the box, or Thermalright for that matter. But I do have a low tolerance for products that aren't really needed, especially when they're overpriced - most companies call them prototypes, and that's where it ends. Hence, the joke about a Killer Nic, HR-11, and PhysX bundle. All three products made to the retail market, cost too much, and offer very little in return.

[_WBaS_]

I think it would be interesting to test this with a passive cooler, like the Accelero S1 or something. I can see it possibly helping temperatures a bit more in that situation.

I should have the Accelero S1+turbo module by this weekend. :) I don't really see how this would help anymore with the accelero than any other cooler? :Scratches head: I suppose if you give me the hr-11, I could test it... lol

[NoctisReitop]

How large is the danger of short circuiting the card? I'm not interested in the cooler; it just strikes me that there's bound to be currents passing through that area of the card. In line with that, one would definitely not want to put AC5 on there to hope to help the heat transfer? Correct me if I'm wrong...

EDIT: err, AS5 X(

[Capper]

No, it comes with a thermal pad already attached.
You cannot use AS5, which is a conductive paste, with the HR-11. You could possibly use AS Ceramique or Illuminere, both of which are non-conductive.