Gigabyte GV-N96TSL-1GI Geforce 9600GT

[Spykar]

When a new graphics card out, especially high-end models, the cooling system is the same for all references of manufacturers. Each brand does indeed apposed its label to its colors on the cooling system of the reference map. The latter is sometimes as effective and silent on many Nvidia cards, sometimes noisy and less efficient as on some ATI cards. This allows manufacturers to come out then cards with alternative cooling systems as do Gainward, Asus, Gigabyte, etc.Some systems use known as Gigabyte that uses Zalman solutions, while others use systems developed just for them, often by them. In addition, the DIY (Do It Yourself) is quite active and responsive by offering alternative solutions for cooling.

When Gigabyte does not learn from its mistakes

History to help you in any decision to buy a card with a system or a cooling system that would replace your original system, we start testing cooling of graphics cards with a new protocol and a new test. The first to open the ball is the Gigabyte 9600 GT Silent Cell recently announced version 512 MB overclock.

There is almost a year, we were testing a graphics card Gigabyte GeForce 9600 GT which happened to be equipped with a passive cooling system and at the same time overclocked. At the time, we found that the cooling system had its limits and that the error was Gigabyte to offer a 9600 GT fanless which generates more heat that a GPU clocked at frequencies standards. If it is often said that one learns from its mistakes, Gigabyte does not seem to know that saying since recidivism Taiwanese firm with two other fanless GeForce 9600 GT, the GV-N96TSL-1GI and GV-N96TSL-512i. The first is equipped with 1 GB of GDDR3 memory and 512 MB of seconds if the 1 GB version works with basic frequency of 9600 GT to 650 MHz for the GPU, 900 MHz memory and 1625 MHz for the shader core, carrying the 512 MB of memory has its core clocked at 700 MHz, the shader core and 1800 MHz while the frequency of the memory remains at 900 MHz. If the value of having 1 GB of memory on a midrange card, expired as the 9600 GT is more than questionable, what about overclocking, especially with a fanless design. This is a curiosity for a map if "old", which is exceeded by many maps today. Side frequencies, Gigabyte has been wiser than the model GV-NX96T512HP since the GPU from 650 to 700 MHz and 720 MHz. A public version overclocked with 512 MB of memory would have been more appropriate given that the audience for such a card is even more fans Media Center a year ago. The players themselves prefer a more powerful card.

Damage that Gigabyte did not adopt the "green" of the 9600 GT to inaugurate its fanless cooling system Silent Cell. As a reminder, the green is happening on the power connector PCI-Express, PCI-Express slot and the 75 watts it can deliver is sufficient for the operation of the card. The advantage of this "green edition" is obviously heat revised downwards, as all frequencies. That would have been even more useful than the 9600 GT does not benefit from lower frequencies in 2D. There are however ways to define via Riva Tuner and normally through the tool Gigabyte HUD Lite. Unfortunately, we tried to do so with HUD map test, without success. Less than one software update compatible with the new Gigabyte card, it will simply frequencies 3D idle unless playing with RivaTuner.

[Spykar]

New with the Silent Cell

The main novelty of this card is obviously the passive cooling system called Silent Cell and strangely represented by an octopus futuristic. It covers the entire map but comes into contact with the GPU via a large copper base topped by a piece of aluminum. From this basic starting three copper heat pipes running through the fins in three different points: two at the front of the card and one rear. The fins are long and the number of 26. Eleven of them are a little longer than outside the enclosure via the air vent of the PCI bracket.

If one could think that it is to vent the heat outside the box, Gigabyte has a completely opposite reasoning. For the manufacturer, this is the place where fresh air will return. The hot air from its side will be evacuated by the curved fins at the end of the card before getting up the case and be removed by the fan housing. In our case we find it hard to be convinced that the heat will follow this path, especially when a fan front will bring fresh air from the front of the case. The fins espouse a particular form to maximize the surface of dissipation, but does not affect components of the card such as capacitors. Note that this heatsink is attached to the card via four screws housed in standard mounting holes around the GPU. This system is very well done and has a production quality copy. For those who have not noticed, the system transforms the 9600 GT card double slot while the reference model is a single card slot.

[Spykar]

Configuration and testing protocol

We have chosen it because it is a housing means for cooling tower basic and classic with a 140 mm in the front intake and a 120 mm in the back extraction. It is devoid of any other fan or grid evacuation of air, making it an ideal candidate to better control the flow of air. The installed configuration is as follows:

Casing Lian Li PC-7F
Motherboard Asus Striker II NSE (NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI)
Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 (3 GHz)
2x1024 MB Corsair DDR3-1333
Heatsink Noctua NH-U12P cooled 2x120 mm Noctua NF-P12
Food Seasonic M12 650 watt
HDD Samsung 250 GB


We use the Scythe to control two temperature probes and four fans, two of Noctua heatsink fans and the two boxes. This brings us to detail our testing protocol. The first step is to run both fans at speeds boxes constituting a reasonable compromise between noise and cooling performance. Thus, the 140 mm front turns 800 rpm while the 120 mm rear running at 1000 rpm. The two 120 mm fans Noctua heatsink of the processor are set both to 800 rpm, which is more than enough given the quality of the radiator and the Austrian double airflow that we apply.

This is done, we face many temperatures, leaving the graphics card to rest without activity in the operating system, Windows Vista SP1 here. The temperature readings are:

• Ambient temperature 15 centimeters to the cabinet to 12 centimeters of soil to be at the height of the front fan.
• Temperature extraction of the graphics card to the back of the case
• Temperature in the food, under the fan on the graphics card
• Air temperature fan cooling system of the graphics card
• Temperature above the map sensor located in the space between the CPU heatsink and the PCB from the 3D map.
• Temperature of the GPU via RivaTuner
• Temperatures and other information available on the model of the card, via RivaTuner

After the idle steps, we identified the same session after a 45-minute test of OCCT GPU, especially stressful graphics cards. The second step is to consider the worst case by cutting the full breakdown of the case and leaving only the two CPU fans run at 800 rpm. This helps push the cooling system of the card into a corner and see the speed at which the fan turns, if any. During this second phase, we note the same temperature in idle mode and 3D, thanks to OCCT.

Finally, we measure the noise of the fan on the graphics card at the speeds we measured during different tests. These measurements are made with all the fans off, only the discrete fan Seasonic power remaining in operation.

[Spykar]

Cooling performance

We compared the temperatures obtained with the Gigabyte 9600 GT Silent Cell temperatures measured with a reference 9600 GT. Temperatures are expressed in "delta" that results from the subtraction of the ambient temperature of the GPU. The goal is to have comparable results not influenced by ambient temperature of the room.

The graph is quite explicit, it shows that the Gigabyte solution is necessarily a less efficient solution ventilated, including a breakdown of housing. If the difference is very marked during a test as unrealistic OCCT stress that 100% permanently map, during a scene of realistic play in 3DMark06 running in a loop, the difference fades from a differential 25 to 10 degrees when the breakdown of housing is up. If you decrease the speed of the fan housing, the Gigabyte is a gap distance with a negative 24 degrees in 3DMark06 and 32 degrees with the OCCT test. Without ventilation cabinet, Silent Cell reached its limits and the GPU exceeds 100 ° C as you detail the tables below detailing our measurements. Note that the GPU has reached values of 104 to 106 ° C, temperatures causes of lags in OCCT, evidence that the GPU has reached its limits.

It should be noted that the breakdown of housing a maximum was not enough to keep the GPU temperature under 100 ° C for the OCCT test. To achieve this, we were forced to put both Noctua cooling system processor to their full potential, or 1300 rpm.

Analysis of noise

Remember, these measures concern only the fan on the graphics card, the other fans being cut to isolate the noise of the card only. Only the fan stays on the diet but it is more discreet than in our block Seasonic. RPM observed during the tests enclosed are reproduced via the Riva Tuner software that allows you to manually adjust the fan speed. The meter is placed in front of the card, open box, 20 centimeters in front of her and her height. Obviously, the 9600 GT Silent Cell has constant values of noise in the absence of a fan.

In our graphs, we postpone noise expressed in dB / A, but also the corresponding temperature of the GPU (the Delta to be exact). This allows you to see which solution offers the best cooling / noise.

In idle, the 9600 GT from Gigabyte fanless did not dramatically out of the 9600 GT with the standard cooling system that once the drivers responsible is silent. It is a little more audible, but in return offers a better cooling.

When testing a simulated game in 3DMark06, we see that the standard 9600 GT offers better cooling but at the cost of a surge of noise, especially in the absence of ventilation of housing. With conventional ventilation, the noise level is acceptable but it is far from the silence offered by the 9600 GT fanless which in return has its GPU much heat while remaining at 92 ° C maximum, which is acceptable.

Sub OCCT test very demanding unrealistic limit, the 9600 GT collapses in terms of heat but obviously retains a noise level low. the reference 9600 GT for its part, is just the opposite with a good cooling but noise high or very high without ventilation housing.

[Spykar]

Conclusion

Leaving again overclocked fanless card, Gigabyte committed on the road maps for benefits contradictory. Silent heater too but when it is overstretched, the 9600 GT 512 MB Silent Cell is considered to place a card in a PC or a HTPC in which either we do not play games too demanding, or with d ' good ventilation of housing. For as often, a fanless system can not possibly go without a good flow of internal breakdown. If you want a card that heats less, use the 1024 MB of memory or lower frequencies with Riva Tuner, which will settle a little but not entirely, since you can not lower the voltage a GPU, more high on the overcloked. In summary, this is an interesting card, well finished, offering interesting outputs (HDMI / VGA / DVI) but not to stress with games greedy and in a poorly ventilated under threat of overheating. You also accept a higher price than 9600 GT standard fare you would access the superior in terms of performance.