Worth buying EVGA GTX 480 Backplate?

angmar

Does the 20 dollar backplate actually decrease temps enough to make it worth buying....anyone have one that can tell me how much it helps? I really don't feel like spending 70-80 dollars on a aftermarket cooler plus I love the way the reference cooler looks i just wish it worked better....

Portman87 · 04-17-2011, 18:08 | posts: 91 | Location: Bulgaria

it will have no real effect its only for niceness

angmar · 04-17-2011, 18:11 | posts: 1,025 | Location: Monmouth County, NJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by Portman87

it will have no real effect its only for niceness

Ah bummer...ok thanks...I guess I will just stick to 860 mhz on the core for now. It's still plenty fast for just about everything I play. I will just keep this card until 28nm gpus come out. Thanks

Mufflore · 04-17-2011, 18:12 | posts: 9,553 | Location: UK

My card came with a large back plate that cools the vrms.
It gets really bloody hot!
If the GTX480s placement of the vrms is the same, it might help stabilise higher overclocks and is sure to help the card live longer if you push it hard.
Mine gets so hot, I have a fan blowing on it.
There is a sticker saying 'Caution hot surface', its supposed to happen, but blimey.

xinhang · 04-17-2011, 18:25 | posts: 172 | Location: Toronto

GTX 480 is still a very capable card without the backplate. No point of spending $20 dollars on this card. Just use it until the 600 series come out or even the 700 series come out. I haven't encountered a game that GTX 480 cannot run yet. I might stick another one in if i can find one on ebay ~$150.

Mufflore · 04-17-2011, 18:27 | posts: 9,553 | Location: UK

Its for people who want to maximise their overclocks or those that run PCs in a hot environment.

Wormwood · 04-17-2011, 19:00 | posts: 1,238 | Location: Ground

that backplate doesnt reduce temps its just for estetics and to protect the back of the card, to reduce temps it needs to be flat on the card which is impossible because the card is not smooth on the back cause of the circuitry,if you are willing to pay 20 dollars for a useless back plate that in the best case scenario reduces temps with 5 degrees(i highly doubt) then you are willing to buy an aftermarket cooler with 60-70 dollars like the zalman vf3000f or the Accelero which are guarateed to reduce temps with at least 20-30 degrees or more if you have a nicely cooled case.

isidore · 04-17-2011, 19:02 | posts: 5,597 | Location: Timisoara, Romania

that^^

Mufflore · 04-17-2011, 19:44 | posts: 9,553 | Location: UK

Quote:

Originally Posted by xSoriNx

that backplate doesnt reduce temps its just for estetics and to protect the back of the card, to reduce temps it needs to be flat on the card which is impossible because the card is not smooth on the back cause of the circuitry...

This is the 480 EVGA backplate
http://www.evga.com/products/moreInf...0Hardware&sw=4

580 backplate
http://www.evga.com/products/moreinf...0Hardware&sw=4

They are very similar and do fit along the back of the card.
The 580 version cools the VRMs and the plate gets very very hot.
The 480 version cools the VRMs too.
Thats reducing temps imo

Note: they sit flush to the card, not touching except for the contact points that need cooling.

Wormwood · *Last edited by Wormwood; 04-17-2011 at 22:52.*

@Mufflore imo the backplates only reduce temps for a couple of seconds a min max until the plate gets hot...then the heat doesnt dissipate anywhere..unless you put a backplate the size of a brick and about the same density i dont see it drop temps...it stays there and its the same thing like the plate wasnt there...back plate gets hot back of the card gets hot...same thing.

if you'd somewhat mount a cooler on the plate then yes maybe the plate would loose the heat thus droping temp by a few degrees on the card pcb.

btw i tought the backplate was like this http://pc-coolers.ro/waterblock-uri-...k-12367---2227 which are bad backplates imo cause they don't let the hot air between the plate and the card...

the ones you linked i consider better cause they let heat go out from between the backplate and the card through that grill.

anyway the OP asked if its worth to pay 20 dolars for that thing...my opinion is no..not for reducing temps it isnt...if you want your card to look more estetic then yes why not..it does that well.

Mufflore · 04-18-2011, 00:31 | posts: 9,553 | Location: UK

Heatsinks constantly dissipate heat
True its not finned, but its still a pretty large surface area compared to little sinks placed on the VRMs and can dissipate a little extra heat on the reverse side, there will be some air movement.
Especially when the case has air flowing through it.

The benefit is its harder to damage the VRMs when going for high overclocks so your card is less likely to die of [the owners] stupidity, and is less likely to meet an early grave when pushed hard.
Look at the problems with the GTX570s!

Fermi can be unlocked to a max of 1.21 volts, the VRMs will get seriously hot without these coolers due to hotter surrounding temps from the GPU and 46% higher power use.
If you arent pushing for a high overclock, then yeah, theres no point in it.

nyrmetros · 06-18-2012, 07:25 | posts: 822

Bottom line the backplate for the 480 is more cosmetic than anything else??

Is this the only place that is selling it?

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=29010

RoadKillNL · 06-18-2012, 08:18 | posts: 2,549 | Location: The Netherlands

Did you really had to do this? Look at the date of the last comment, geeez.

nyrmetros · 06-18-2012, 16:07 | posts: 822

What's the difference if I am asking the Same question? I apologize though I did not look at the date when I searched this question.

Anyway, is the 480 backplate simply cosmetic or did it actually help with lowering temps?

Denial · 06-18-2012, 17:25 | posts: 6,351 | Location: Above Earth in a Big Rocket Ship

Quote:

Originally Posted by nyrmetros

What's the difference if I am asking the Same question? I apologize though I did not look at the date when I searched this question.

Anyway, is the 480 backplate simply cosmetic or did it actually help with lowering temps?

It definitely will lower temps, it's essentially a heatsink on the back of the card. But it's probably only going to lower it by a degree or two.

Agent-A01 · 06-18-2012, 18:28 | posts: 5,642 | Location: USA

backplate and highflow bracket brought my temps down ~7c with my 470 on stock cooler.

pimp_gimp · 06-18-2012, 20:38 | posts: 5,777 | Location: Tacoma, Washington

Quote:

Originally Posted by nyrmetros

Bottom line the backplate for the 480 is more cosmetic than anything else??

Is this the only place that is selling it?

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=29010

I'd e-mail EVGA to see when they'll get stock at the official site, as right now it says they're out of stock, but they cost $10 with free shipping there, as apposed to $24.99 + like $8 shipping from PCS.

GhostXL · 06-19-2012, 07:48 | posts: 4,925 | Location: PA, USA

Backplate is really just for protection/looks.

Every backplate I had on my cards never increased temps. If you have a well vented case you should see no increase.

I had EVGA GTX 580 SLI, both cards with backplates. Temps didn't change with them.

angmar · 06-19-2012, 12:17 | posts: 1,025 | Location: Monmouth County, NJ

no, not worth it.....especially this late in the game. The only thing it does is look cool..

nyrmetros · 06-19-2012, 14:21 | posts: 822

Yea I guess I just have to wait for the item to come back in stock. Oh well.

ESlik · 06-19-2012, 15:18 | posts: 1,604 | Location: Sault Ste. Marie Ont. CA

I have two EVGA 680 Superclocked+ cards with the backplates,and I have no idea what they do. One thing for sure,if you have a sound card or other PCI device installed next to the card,they almost touch each other. Might even impede air flow. I'm not having any issues,I'm just saying. It may be better to have a backplate,and only one card.