I have some question to EVGA engineers.
 
I understand the logic for update Bios and raise fan curve to cool better all components on the card. Although I didn't have any issues with my card so far I understand I should update the bios. The thermal pads installation is offered but not mandatory by EVGA so why you offering this?
I am mechanical engineer and dealing a lot with different cooling issues in lasers and other high power devices.
I don't understand the effectiveness of solution of thermal pads applied on VRM components. One side of thermal pad strip is in touch with VRM modules. The other side is in contact with cooling fans. The contact surface is very small and not effective. So I don't understand the effectivenes of this solution.
Can you please provide thermal tests performed by EVGA with and without thermal pads.
See 10:40 on the video :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URyG1OP8p8I
 
The much more effective solution should include contact between the thermal pad and flat conductive surface but the radiator currently doesn't having it and contact with fins. The heat dissipated from VRM modules should be conducted by thermal pad to Flat surface and then it should be dissipated out by convection from the fins. 
I suggest you to modify the heat sink that should include flat surface on opposite side to VRMs and using thermal grease instead of thermal pads.
I don't try to criticize your work and very like your professional products.
Please don't ignore my post and try to reply on my questions.
 
Best Regards,
 
Gregory

I just checked out the instructions for the thermal pads EVGA is providing, and in my opinion EVGA's instructions for applying the thermal pads on the midplate is wrong.  Applying them to the exposed chokes isn't going to help with cooling, for one, and as you pointed out there is no flat surface on the heatsink for the pads to make contact with.  What should be done is taking off the midplate and applying the pads to the MOSFETs next to the chokes underneath, remounting the midplate and completing assembly.  The part of the VRM that is generating the most heat is now in contact with a flat thermal conductive element and that excess heat can be dissipated by the HSF assembly above it.

I unfortunately agree with the OP, underneath the fins (making contact with the suggested thermal pads which in turn contact the VRM midplate and chokes) should have flat plate. Your only making contact with a small surface area (the edge of each fin).
 
Only real solution to this for me to feel comfortable is to water block the card or apply the Hybrid cooler. Even then I am concerned about the back of the card but I would expect it to be a lot cooler considering the front side PCB cooling in this situation.
 
This has been a miserable experience spending £700 on the FTW. I noticed the backplate had been getting really hot, I run an aggressive custom curve but thought hmm ok I trust the systems engineers etc. Being a computer scientist myself working in a research centre I understand many of the methodologies engineers would go through approaching the design and implementation of the PCB architecture.
 
But when I look at the FLIR images even with the fix the RAM modules 2 out of the closest 3 (to the VRM) are also very hot although I have not seen a metric of the actual temps in the images within this area. I also have not read the data sheet for these modules but have been told they are rated below 100°..  I haven't carried out any formal testing methods and I do think EVGA have handled the problem in a respectful and meaningful way but, imho the solution is not quite enough to solve the problem tbh.
I know its first world problems etc. just my 2 cents.
 
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shannonjpower
Personally I think a plate will yield the same results as the thermal pad. It just adds another element into the mix in which the heat has to pass through before being cooled.
 
Thermal pads are as the name suggests, thermally conductive. Once the pad has been applied heat will be transferred and essentially wicked away into the heat sink fins. Any residing heat the pad has soaked up which doesn't make contact with the fins will also be cooled by air flowing over the pad itself. The exact same thing will happen if you add a metal plate between the fins and the thermal pad. A metal plate will also require soldering to the fins so the plate will have the same minimal contact along the fin edges as the thermal pad does once squished between the mid plate.
 
If there were any performance benefits I can't see them being anything more than marginal and not worth the increased costs in materials and manufacturing processes.

When you write it is the same, did you make some calculations or you just assume it is the same.
Do you know thermal conductivity coefficients for thermal pad and coated aluminium or other good conductive metals?
It is not the same..

shannonjpower
Well where's your evidence and calculations? I could ask you the exact same questions.
 

gregoryv
The contact surface is very small and not effective. So I don't understand the effectivenes of this solution.

It doesn't matter if it's a thermal pad or metal plate, the metal plate will still only have the same minimal contact along the fins edges. Sure it will have excellent contact with the pad itself on the other side but what difference does that make when the other side has minimal contact anyways?
 
Also the specifics of metal vs thermal pads is irrelevant. Even if metal conducts heat better than the thermal pad, the heat STILL needs to go through the pad into the plate anyways unless you have direct contact (which is near impossible). Even then you would still require some form of thermal paste exactly like you CPU heatsink requires. Essentially you are limited by the thermal conductivity rating of the pad being used.

I will try explain this in other way. Watt describing the ability to transfer energy per time.
If you have electrical component that dissipates heat like VRM, the heat dissipated via conductive way via thermal pad or some metal.
Thermal conductivity of aluminium for example is about 40 times higher or even more than thermal pad so the heat is transferred much better via aluminium.
Now, you have fins that cooled by convection with air flow. Usually the fins are not siting  on top surface of the metal but are "part of the base" so thermal resistance is negligible there.
This is not the same like to put radiator fins with contact with thermal pad. Thermal resistance is high in this case and VRM will be much hotter then alternative solution.
And Yes, using thermal grease always better than thermal pad like it used for nvidia chip.
 

I believe that you are correct gregoryv, conductivity would be better if the thermal pad contacted a plate instead of directly to the fins.
Manufacturing a new cooler with a heatsink would be more effective, but also more expensive. Since the thermal pad is effective in its current implementation, the extra cost of a heatsink isn't necessary.

GloR1ouS_
Just watch jaytwocents video. It literally shows you the difference so your super "smart engineering" brain can comprehend the difference.

Your answer is very nice and relevant

I would really like to see some thermal images with the pads attached and WITHOUT a backplate. The same way Tomshardware did. Are there even any reports whether the pads will make any difference? 

gregoryvSorry you cannot understand my English and what I am saying.
1. Why EVGA saying thermal PAD is not necessary and only optional?
2. I am attaching picture of other manufacturer and you can see that flat surface was designed and not fins.
Maybe now you understand what I am saying and if you have some issues with my professional level, we can discuss it.
 

 
 

1. I'll quote EVGA's article directly:

EVGA has investigated these reports and after extensive testing, below are our findings:

• On ACX 3.0, EVGA focused on GPU temperature and the lowest acoustic levels possible. Running Furmark, the GPU is around 70C +/- and the fan speed is running approximately 30% duty cycle or lower.
• However, during recent testing, the thermal temperature of the PWM and memory, in extreme circumstances, was marginally within spec and needed to be addressed.

Conclusion: EVGA offers full warranty support on its products, with cross-ship RMA*, and stands behind its products and commitment to our customers.
To resolve this, EVGA will be offering a VBIOS update, which adjusts the fan-speed curve to ensure sufficient cooling of all components across all operating temperatures. This VBIOS will be released in the next few days and users can download it and update their cards directly. This update resolves the potential thermal issues that have been reported, and ensures the card maintains safe operating temperatures.
 
For those users who want additional cooling beyond the VBIOS update, EVGA has optional thermal pads available. This update is not required, however; EVGA will make it available free of charge to any customer who is interested.

 
2. You're looking at 2 different designs, one with a mid plate and one without. You're comparing apples and oranges. Even still Gigabyte is using thermal pads which would no doubt have a thermal conductivity rating.
 
But if we are referring to the current EVGA design then I have already shared my opinion in my previous posts.

bcavnaughWhere is the Mid Plate?

 
Gigabyte don't use one in their current designs.

shannonjpower

gregoryvSorry you cannot understand my English and what I am saying.
1. Why EVGA saying thermal PAD is not necessary and only optional?
2. I am attaching picture of other manufacturer and you can see that flat surface was designed and not fins.
Maybe now you understand what I am saying and if you have some issues with my professional level, we can discuss it.
 

 
 

1. I'll quote EVGA's article directly:

EVGA has investigated these reports and after extensive testing, below are our findings:

• On ACX 3.0, EVGA focused on GPU temperature and the lowest acoustic levels possible. Running Furmark, the GPU is around 70C +/- and the fan speed is running approximately 30% duty cycle or lower.
• However, during recent testing, the thermal temperature of the PWM and memory, in extreme circumstances, was marginally within spec and needed to be addressed.

Conclusion: EVGA offers full warranty support on its products, with cross-ship RMA*, and stands behind its products and commitment to our customers.
To resolve this, EVGA will be offering a VBIOS update, which adjusts the fan-speed curve to ensure sufficient cooling of all components across all operating temperatures. This VBIOS will be released in the next few days and users can download it and update their cards directly. This update resolves the potential thermal issues that have been reported, and ensures the card maintains safe operating temperatures.
 
For those users who want additional cooling beyond the VBIOS update, EVGA has optional thermal pads available. This update is not required, however; EVGA will make it available free of charge to any customer who is interested.

 
2. You're looking at 2 different designs, one with a mid plate and one without. You're comparing apples and oranges. Even still Gigabyte is using thermal pads which would no doubt have a thermal conductivity rating.
 
But if we are referring to the current EVGA design then I have already shared my opinion in my previous posts.

1. The update is not required? So what does this do???
2. I am not looking on two different design. I am looking on correct design and some "repair" design which is not optimal in my opinion.
3. I would really like to see some thermal images with the pads attached and WITHOUT pads but with VBIOS update.

gregoryv

bcavnaugh

gregoryv

bcavnaugh

gregoryv
Sorry you cannot understand my English and what I am saying.
1. Why EVGA saying thermal PAD is not necessary and only optional?
2. I am attaching picture of other manufacturer and you can see that flat surface was designed and not fins.
Maybe now you understand what I am saying and if you have some issues with my professional level, we can discuss it.
 

 
 
 

Where is the Mid Plate?

Not Really
This is a Mid Plate
 

I showed the metal plate that touching the thermal pads and not fins touching pads directly.

WOW! That is a Really Tiny Plate compared to the Full Card Length Mid Plate that EVGA uses. 
The Thermal Pads are cover by the Mid Plate in this image so you cannot see them

95 degres in furmark test I think
 
http://www.gamersnexus.ne...rmal-pads-on-evga-gpus

This is furmark... in game you wont have this temperature at all !

@ gregoryv this is EVGA's Mid Plate, here you can see the Thermal Pads.