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Stasis NV6800C1 "IceStorm" VGA Cooler Review - Page 2

Installation

This is where things started to get fun! (Before they got frustrating) The first step was to dismantle the stock cooler for the BFG 6800GT. Since the NV6800C1 is a replacement only for the core heatsink/fan unit on the 6800 GT, the stock memory heatsinks are supposed to stay in place. This is where I first ran into trouble. The row of black fins closest to the GPU on the top side of the stock memory cooler interfered with the heatsink's mounting alignment. I had to remove the memory heatsinks to align the mounting holes.

After removing all stock components and applying AS5 to the GPU, it was time to mount the new heatsink. I ran into more frustration here as the mounting hardware was very difficult to work with. To mount it, the holes in the heatsink have to be aligned with the holes on the PCB which are aligned with the holes on the backplate, which is screwed in. This was easier said than done. Because the arms on the backplate have to flex towards the PCB, a lot of downward force had to be applied on the backplate while screwing it in, and this kept messing up the alignment. To make matters worse, the springs on the screws kept making them pop out of the holes before I could get them screwed in. After much cursing, fetching runaway springs and 3 botched thermal paste applications, I finally got the backplate screwed in and the heatsink mounted. Mounting the Cooler Master 80x25 mm rifle-bearing blue LED fan was child's play by comparison and went relatively smoothly. Notice how huge the card looks with everything mounted on it.

There was still the issue of my naked video RAM chips, but I decided to ignore that for now and install the card without any RAM cooling. At this point, I was more concerned about the clearance issues that this skyscraper of a cooler might cause. Installation revealed that the NV6800C1 with fan blocks off 2 slots below the video card. This leaves me with one available PCI express slot for future expansion. Oh well. Firing it up revealed a lovely blue glow from the new fan and a bright neon green glow from the mounting shroud. The look is very unique, and the picture doesn't really do it justice. I am glad I chose an LED fan rather than a more practical black Panaflow fan.

After playing a little UT2004 to make sure everything was working, I wanted to see how those uncooled RAM chips were doing. Using the thermal probe implanted in my finger, I found out painfully that they were very hot. Too hot for comfort. (I thought it might be okay since the 512 megabyte 6800 Ultra only has RAM cooling on half of the chips, so I figured the chips may be able to stand the heat. But I'd rather be safe than sorry.) I removed the card to figure out how to re-mount the stock memory cooler. As I said before, there was a row of aluminum fins competing for space with the heatsink. The solution was as simple as taking pliers, pulling the offending fins, applying some non-conductive thermal paste, and re-mounting. The downside of this is that the card can never be reverted to stock. But after seeing how the NV6800C1 performs, I would never go back.

Performance Testing

Comparing the stock 6800 GT cooler to the NV6800C1 is kind of like comparing a Ford Fiesta to a Ferarri. We know the Ferarri is going to kick ass, but the real question is by how much? I was surprised at the magnitude of the difference. Tests were performed in my poorly-ventilated room on a very hot day. Load temperatures were measured after fifteen minutes of running two instances of RTHDRIBL and one of Prime95. Idle temperatures were measured 10 minutes after cooldown. Here's what I got:

BFG 6800GT OC: Stock Cooler + AS5

Idle core	62ºC
Idle ambient	48ºC
Load core	86ºC
Load ambient	64ºC

BFG 6800GT OC: NV6800C1 + Cooler Master 80x25 (32 cfm) mm Fan + AS5

Idle core	58ºC
Idle ambient	51ºC
Load core	71ºC
Load ambient	65ºC

With the NV6800C1 and a Cooler Master fan rated at 2500RPM and 32.11 CFM, I measured a 15 degree Celsius drop in load temperatures between the two coolers. This is impressive on its own, and even more so considering that the difference would be increased if the AS5 thermal paste had fully "set" and a more powerful fan were used. The fan used in this test is very quiet and unobtrusive compared to the small, higher pitched one on the stock 6800 GT cooler.

Conclusion

I am very impressed with the Stasis NV6800C1 "IceStorm" VGA cooling system. The ability to mount any standard 80 mm case fan makes it flexible and easy to maintain, and its amazing performance makes nVidia's stock cooler seem laughable. There's no doubt in my mind that Stasis Thermal Management has a winner on their hands, and I hope that word gets out about their great cooling solution.

* Update - May 2, 2005:

One thing I failed to comment on in my original conclusion was the difficulty I had with installation. Although the frustration I experienced can partially be attributed to the ineptitude of yours-truly, the issue of clearance and my need to modify a stock component was of more concern. Since this issue could have been caused by a manufacturing defect, I didn't want to base a false conclusion on a defective product. I decided to hear what Matthew Terpstra of Stasis Thermal Management had to say about this problem. He got back to me immediately and told me I had indeed received one of a few defective units and that quality control would be tightened to make sure this will not happen again in future batches.

But he didn't stop there. He went on to say that in light of the mounting difficulties I experienced, all NV6800C1 units from now on would ship with several modifications to maximize board compatibility and minimize installation nuisances. One new feature that should really help is the inclusion of threaded stainless-steel standoffs preinstalled into the heatsink base. This will make mounting the backplate easier: instead of struggling to keep three sets of four holes aligned while applying downward force, the holes are simply lined up, the standoffs are pushed through, and bolts are tightened down on the other side.

This just seals the deal! While its awesome cooling capacity really makes the NV6800C1 shine, plenty of little details add to its success. The brilliant hand-lapped base, the care that went into packaging, and Stasis Thermal Management's commitment to quality all add up to a product that is well worth its steep price. Anyone looking for an aftermarket air cooler of the highest quality and performance should take a serious look at the Stasis NV6800C1 "IceStorm" VGA cooler!

Upside

• Amazing performance
• Extremely smooth, hand-lapped base
• Use your choice of 80 mm fan.
• Choice of 3 colors for fan mounting shroud.
• Well-packaged to be protected during shipping
• Made in the USA, well worth the price.

Downside

• Tricky installation
• Blocks 2 PCI slots
• Required modification to stock hardware*
• A little pricey

Stasis NV6800C1 "IceStorm" Review - Table of Contents

1. Introduction, Information and Packaging
2. Installation, Performance Testing and Conclusion