nVidia GeForce GTX 480 Noise & Tempertatures in ATI Tool Linus Tech Tips
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Description
Having a look at the noise & temps of this video card when it's reasonably loaded. Obviously this is a synthetic benchmark, but I can't get Crysis Warhead working on this system at the moment, so it'll have to do.
The video conducts a practical acoustics and thermal assessment of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 using ATI Tool on a realistic open test bench. Linus describes the test setup, noting the card runs at stock speeds with about 72°C core temperature and roughly 68% fan duty under moderate load, while the ambient environment is cool and the system is not enclosed in a case. He explains that with a more typical in-case setup, temperatures would rise by several degrees, and even provides a rough estimate that the GPU would approach around 80°C in a warmer scenario. To demonstrate the thermal behavior, he covers the GPU intake and records the subsequent fan and temperature response as the load increases, illustrating how fan speed ramps as temperatures climb. The moment when the GPU hits approximately 80°C is highlighted as the loudest part of the system, yet described as not unbearably loud for most users, and Linus suggests water cooling as a practical improvement for noise reduction. The conclusion emphasizes that ATI Tool stress testing at high GPU usage yields noticeable noise, and offers practical recommendations for users seeking quieter operation, such as full-cover water cooling blocks and considering environmental factors like room temperature. Overall, the segment provides a grounded, hands-on look at how the GTX 480 performs acoustically and thermally under synthetic load, with concrete numbers and actionable cooling advice.
Topics · hardware · graphics card · cooling · noise analysis · performance testing
Questions answered
- What temperatures and fan speeds were observed for the GTX 480 under ATI Tool load on an open test bench?
- Stock speeds produced about 72°C with a fan around 68% during testing, and the setup suggested that in a case or warmer room the temperature would rise, potentially toward 80°C.
- What happened when the temperature reached around 80°C during the test?
- The fan speed increased and the noise became the loudest part of the system, but Linus described it as not unbearably loud and noted it as a consequence of the higher thermal load.
- What cooling recommendations were given based on the test results?
- Linus recommended full-cover water cooling blocks to reduce noise and manage temperatures more effectively, especially for setups where the card remains under heavy load.