I am going to review and show pictures of the reTIM I just completed on All of my Graphics cards. Both systems have been reTIMed at this point, although the Classifieds were completed about a month and a half ago at this time. Please not that I watercooled the Classifieds, so I am not reviewing the temperatures on them.
First, the 750Ti FTW... EVGA, Please change your TIM process at least a little bit. I only went through the process this afternoon, so that I could get eyes on the Parts and pieces inside. What I found was mildly alarming with the amount of TIM on such a tiny chip...
Did someone get a TIM Bazooka and just Launch the stuff on there? There is 3 times the amount needed, so much that it filled the area around the Die, and seeped out onto the blue area around the area... Anyway,
Prior to the process, the temps were running about 48-52, never above, and the fans never went above idle... Now, 44 max after an hour on Valley.. Not much of a drop, but prior, I didn't run bench marks, only allowed it to run as a PhysX card, and the highest temps came from running the PhysX on Batman. I love this little card. I turned the system to full silent a few days ago, making sure all fans were down or off, and turned the pumps down from 4000+ rpm to 2000 and listened.. My card is quiet and I am happy enough with that, but EVGA is getting alot of complaints. the fans are only 2 pin, not 3 or 4, so there is ZERO control below the base 42% (what mine are currently at now). I have no complaints with this one. The memory is Samsung on my card.
Here is a picture after Cleaning the Die and applying clear fingernail polish to the capacitors (no picture of the TIM after reapplying, sorry, it was back together before I remembered).. I know the fingernail polish isnt required and would have to come off before going back to EVGA, but I am not worried about that, as there will be nothing able to contact the capacitors as long as they are covered. TIM used is Artic MX-4 and spread very thing with a sliver of credit card. with the temp drop while the ambient in my room is "Warm" I am happy with this.
The die is so tiny compared to all the others I have seen.
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760 SC ACX Review and Pictures
This was my very first set of EVGA cards, and so far, I have been very happy and impressed with them. They were folding at 62c (top) and 47c (bottom) and after the TIM change, they are running 48c and 42c respectively. The TIM applied is Artic MX-4 as well. The Pictures as I removed them were much better. One 4 pin fan and one 3 pin (since only one will display RPMs, not both) to properly control the fans, the TIM was on the die, and everything around the die was clean, with relatively low spill over on the ACX copper pipes.
I did notice, and hopefully someone else does as well, the blue permanent marker between the screw points for the die on the cooler... Quality Control? I think that was what it is, is the quality control signing off on the product, showing it was inspected.. I hope that is what it was.. Sadly, this was NOT present on the 750Ti or the Classifieds... you know, the two that had all of the TIM spread everywhere....
After cleaning everything off, I did find that the 750Ti and Classifieds had smooth plates with copper pipes inside them, and the 760 had two of the pipes touching the die. Not sure how much of a difference that would make, but I can say that the bare copper was much harder to clean as it tore everything I used.
Also, the 760s and the Classifieds all have SKhynix Memory.
The next pictures are the cleaned die and cooler plate. Please take note of the blue Sharpie.. this is the second 760, and notice the cooler is marked with a different number. As i said, I hope it was quality control, and if it was, where did they go between the manufacture of the 760 and the Classified time period?
About these cards. I love these little guys. They were my second set of cards, and my first EVGA set. I came from Galaxy 660Ti on my first try, and liked them, but the only computer place in Okinawa that I could find, did not have the new cards when I went to buy more. I decided, after a lot of research, to go with the EVGA cards. I feel this was one of my best choices at the time, as these cards have been faithful from day one. I have yet to have a reason to complain about them at all.
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780Ti Classified were retimmed before they were ever put into SLI. The problem came with the Scythe T-33B case that I have for Little Brother. The width was not an issue, but the length was, and would hit the 3.25 HDD bays, so I could only fit the top card. When I bought them, I was in the process of fighting with the computer store in Okinawa.. They said they didn't have any more MSI 780Ti cards, after I tried to buy one (they only had one, not two.. I like SLI...) A few days later, I found out there was another Goodwill (that is the name of the store) and I went there... Low and Behold, there sits another MSI 780Ti... I told them I want 2.. they said they only had one, and the other store had a second... then they called an found out that the other store was sold out... Anyway, I digress, as this isn't part of the review, just some back fill.
So, before I put them under water, I ran some benchmarks on air, case next to the window, the outside temperatures were anywhere from -5 to 0c and I had the side fans pumping full force directly over the card, and keeping it cold. I was running the 2888_optional BIOS from Chris, and it was working well. I was able to get a pretty decent score and was (still am) very happy with the cards. Scores were from 15,000 - 16960 on 3D Mark 11 Performance dependent on the run.
So, I pulled both cards apart and reTIMed them with the EK-TIm Ectotherm. I finish the build and have never accomplished getting them above 55 since, but I want to change out the TIM on the DIE for MX-4 and see if it goes lower. If I could get some CLU (Collaboratory Liquid Ultra), I would very carefully apply it and run that, as it should transfer heat even better. I do currently have CLP (Liquid Pro) but I hear it is really hard to remove, so I would never apply it, although I would love to see those temps.
Post TIM cleanup.
I did not take pictures, but I applied the TIM with the star Method when I re-installed the cards. I will be using the spread method with any GPUs that I ever run again. I feel more confident that all of the area is covered without worry that there is a lot of spill over into the capacitor area, even though I know that they TIM is non-conductive from EK.
*Edit* I accidentally found a picture of the star method, as I was looking for pictures for the Fiance.. So, it looks very thick, but I promise that it was not. I will say, after using MX-4, I am not impressed with the EK TIM as much as I was originally. The temps were about 4 degrees difference under full load without overclocking. Under heavy overclocks there is a 6 degree difference.
Post watercooling, the cards run cool, and the overclocking results are outstanding. I have run both cards in SLI since the moment they went into the build, and they are both usually sitting around 36-40 at full load when gaming, and when running extreme overclocks and pushing as hard as I can, I see around 55c. I have another 1350w Enermax SLI powersupply on the way, and will run one of the two cards off of that PSU, as well as the 750Ti, when it arrives.
As far as my impression, they are fairly wonderful cards. I am still put off by the fact of the BIOS issues at the beginning, but they seem to be much better than they were previously, so I am very happy to see that.
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Over all impression with EVGA. I think when bad things take place, like the fan speed on the 750ti, the BIOS issues on the Classifieds, the Rattle Issue on MANY of the newer ACX coolers (just examples) I think EVGA could come out and drop the ball instantly, and address the issue outright.. The hiding behind the keyboard and not giving constant updates to paying customers is shady and unacceptable. Absolutely, 100% of the time, UNACCEPTABLE. When the fix comes out, EVGA is good about talking about it, but weeks of silence at a time is ridiculous and makes the customers lose faith. I will never be an early adopter, as too many paid reviewers are way too nice about the functionality of the products.
The step-up program is 100% awesome for any vanilla user. I believe that wholeheartedly, but I do find it a little depressing (NVidias fault, not EVGA) to hear that a 6gb 780 variant will be released after so many time of hearing, "No, there will NOT be a 780 variant with 6Gb of Memory.." That was a positive statement pumped into our ears, eyes and minds, up to the moment there was a 780 with 6gb of memory.. and then EVGA went all gravy train about how awesome it will be... Now, you can step up in the same Chip.. Unless you have a non vanilla/classified... That does suck to burn up $850 bucks, but it comes with the territory.. Next time, I will wait.
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Overall, I am happy with most of my EVGA products. As far as the customer service and the quality control, I hope that it returns in full force very soon. To the Reviewers that get paid by our views, review the product on a fair level, as the users are looking to you for what they want to buy.
I will add pictures of the star method on the Classifieds, as soon as I am able to pull them out and switch out the TIM and then re-install them. As I said, I will be using the spread method when I change it out.
*edit* As promised, Switched out the Ectotherm for MX-4 Ambient temperature dropped a little, but only 1-2c and the overall idle temp is 1 degree different.. More than likely going to equate to cool fluids and ambient lowering. Below are the Before TIM change, the Block and Die with ectotherm in star pattern, the clean die, the MX-4 spread with a credit card sliver, and lastly post idle temps. The pictures will be in that order....
Notice: left to right: Classy 1, Classy 2, 750Ti (in case someone misses that on the bottom. The post picture is reversed, my bad.
It is VERY dusty in Korea. I have to clean it every third day at least. you can see the effect even under the block.
750ti, Classy 2, and Classy 1. 1 Degree drop, but I think that was from the Ambient lowering.
post edited by Scarlet-Tech - 2014/04/14 03:29:55