TL/DR: This post is more about theoretical part of the story. Skip it if you don't need bla-bla. Part 2 will be more practical.
Hi everyone,
This is my very first thread here. Let's start this kudos. I would like to thank
1) @REVOCCASES for having realized the DIY Palit StormX 3060Ti mod as well as
2) @Runamok81 for having replaced a stock cooling fan with a Noctua NF-A9x14 HS-PWM
I am a happy owner of a used HP RTX A4000. This graphics card can almost do miracles when connected via OCuLink to my laptop, despite having max TDP of just 140W.
The RTX A4000 was rebuilt the same way as @REVOCCASES and then @Runamok81 did it. A Palit heatsink with a backplate was bought on TaoBao for around 30 USD. I also applied PTM7950 thermal pad to the GPU die and Zezzio 14.8 W/mK, 2mm thermal pads to VRAM chips, respectively. The cooling performance is quite good, GPU hotspot temp has never exceeded 78 °C, usually it is around 75 °C when being tested in FurMark.
Okay, what's next? I haven't had any desktop PC for decades and never got any graphic card shunt-modded. It may be time for both, though. A shunt-modded RTX A4000 can reach max TDP of 180...200W. Zen 5 X3D desktop CPUs will be available in Q4 2024-Q1 2025. No much room for a big desktop, an ITX size seems to be reasonable. Hmm...
So, it was decided to search for the next best solution in terms of both dimensions and cooling efficiency. Using a bigger (120 mm) cooling fan with the same heatsink may not significantly reduce hotspot temp. Looks like a heatsink with two fans is a no-brainer.
What is the closest Ampere gaming graphics card to my A4000? It's an RTX 3060Ti. If so, let's open this list at Techpowerup and search for the shortest cards with two fans. Most of them are around 200 mm long.
Potential candidates were:
Asus Dual RTX 3060 Ti MINI
EVGA RTX 3060 Ti XC
Gigabyte RTX 3060 Ti Windforce
HP RTX 3060 Ti OEM (just google it)
Lenovo RTX 3060 Ti OEM (same)
The Asus card has a six-contact connector for both fans. This would require some additional effort to make it work with an RTX A4000 (four-pin connector, one fan only). Besides, the heatsink looked pretty weak to me.
Gigabyte 3060Ti models usually have a plastic backplate. Really?
Both OEM models are known for being pretty hot when running under full load, just google them or search on YouTube.
There is only one left,Duncan MacLeod the EVGA.
I do like the design of their RTX 3060Ti XC and decided to give their heatsink a try.
There are three EVGA models having similar heatsinks that may greatly vary in their cooling performance:
RTX 3050 XC Black (Part Number: 08G-P5-3551-KR)
RTX 3060 XC / XC Black (Part Number: 12G-P5-3657-KR)
RTX 3060Ti XC (Part Number: 08G-P5-3663-RX)
An "XC Black" is supposedly a 3050/3060 version without backplate. 3050s didn't have it at all. 3060s could be both. 3060Tis always had one.
Differences between cooling packages/heatsinks are clearly visible from the outside. Let's look on the right side of these cards. The number of heatpipes is different.
EVGA RTX 3050 XC / XC Black - two; EVGA RTX 3060 XC / XC Black - four; EVGA RTX 3060Ti XC - six.
Stock TDPs:
3050: 130 W. A cooling package of a 3050 may be too weak even for a stock RTX A4000.
3060: 170 W. This one should be good enough for a stock RTX A4000 but too weak for a shunt-modded card.
3060Ti: 200 W. This one should be almost perfect for a stock RTX A4000 and good enough for a shunt-modded one.
A 3060 heatsink may be available on AliExpress, TaoBao or Xianyu/Goofish (Chinese eBay). Just use image search:
EVGA 3060Ti heatsinks are currently available on Xianyu at 30...45 USD (without considering additional processing charges and shipment outside China).
A piece of information for people leaving outside Cathay: There is only a smartphone app for dealing with Xianyu platform (a browser version jsut doesn't exist) + you need something like a SuperBuy account to be able to order and ship the stuff overseas.
Some words about compromises and challenges in regards to this mod:
1. A stock RTX A4000 has only one fan. As far as I know, an additional fan will not be able to send a fan speed signal back to the GPU. A Y-splitter/PWM adapter will be required regardless of which fans are to be used for this mod, stock or aftermarket. Such adapters are dirt cheap on TaoBao and have like a tenfold price in the US or EU.
Adapter for 2x stock fans
https://www.amazon.de/Noctua-NF-A9x14-HS-PWM-chromax-black-swap-Schmaler/dp/B07ZHG7V34
Adapter for 2x Noctua/Thermalright/ID-Cooling fans (the upper one)
2. EVGA graphics cards usually have a unique PCB design. The 3060Ti model is not an exception.
There are three inevitable collisions between an RTX A4000 PCB and an EVGA RTX 3060Ti XC heatsink:
1. NVLink + 3D Stereo connectors
2. Cooling fan connector
3. 8 pin GPU power connector (my case)
Looking forward to dealing with this challenge =)
2x ID-Cooling TF-9215-K fans were ordered for this mod as they are dirt cheap in China compared with Noctuas.
All the required parts are on their way, I will keep you posted!
Cheers,
YZR
Hi everyone,
This is my very first thread here. Let's start this kudos. I would like to thank
1) @REVOCCASES for having realized the DIY Palit StormX 3060Ti mod as well as
2) @Runamok81 for having replaced a stock cooling fan with a Noctua NF-A9x14 HS-PWM
I am a happy owner of a used HP RTX A4000. This graphics card can almost do miracles when connected via OCuLink to my laptop, despite having max TDP of just 140W.
The RTX A4000 was rebuilt the same way as @REVOCCASES and then @Runamok81 did it. A Palit heatsink with a backplate was bought on TaoBao for around 30 USD. I also applied PTM7950 thermal pad to the GPU die and Zezzio 14.8 W/mK, 2mm thermal pads to VRAM chips, respectively. The cooling performance is quite good, GPU hotspot temp has never exceeded 78 °C, usually it is around 75 °C when being tested in FurMark.
Okay, what's next? I haven't had any desktop PC for decades and never got any graphic card shunt-modded. It may be time for both, though. A shunt-modded RTX A4000 can reach max TDP of 180...200W. Zen 5 X3D desktop CPUs will be available in Q4 2024-Q1 2025. No much room for a big desktop, an ITX size seems to be reasonable. Hmm...
So, it was decided to search for the next best solution in terms of both dimensions and cooling efficiency. Using a bigger (120 mm) cooling fan with the same heatsink may not significantly reduce hotspot temp. Looks like a heatsink with two fans is a no-brainer.
What is the closest Ampere gaming graphics card to my A4000? It's an RTX 3060Ti. If so, let's open this list at Techpowerup and search for the shortest cards with two fans. Most of them are around 200 mm long.
Potential candidates were:
Asus Dual RTX 3060 Ti MINI
EVGA RTX 3060 Ti XC
Gigabyte RTX 3060 Ti Windforce
HP RTX 3060 Ti OEM (just google it)
Lenovo RTX 3060 Ti OEM (same)
The Asus card has a six-contact connector for both fans. This would require some additional effort to make it work with an RTX A4000 (four-pin connector, one fan only). Besides, the heatsink looked pretty weak to me.
Gigabyte 3060Ti models usually have a plastic backplate. Really?
Both OEM models are known for being pretty hot when running under full load, just google them or search on YouTube.
There is only one left,
The company who put the right to get respected above business interests and burned bridges with Nvidia. It doesn't happen often in any industry. Maybe, Suzuki vs. VW was a pretty similar case.
I do like the design of their RTX 3060Ti XC and decided to give their heatsink a try.
There are three EVGA models having similar heatsinks that may greatly vary in their cooling performance:
RTX 3050 XC Black (Part Number: 08G-P5-3551-KR)
RTX 3060 XC / XC Black (Part Number: 12G-P5-3657-KR)
RTX 3060Ti XC (Part Number: 08G-P5-3663-RX)
An "XC Black" is supposedly a 3050/3060 version without backplate. 3050s didn't have it at all. 3060s could be both. 3060Tis always had one.
Differences between cooling packages/heatsinks are clearly visible from the outside. Let's look on the right side of these cards. The number of heatpipes is different.
EVGA RTX 3050 XC / XC Black - two; EVGA RTX 3060 XC / XC Black - four; EVGA RTX 3060Ti XC - six.
Stock TDPs:
3050: 130 W. A cooling package of a 3050 may be too weak even for a stock RTX A4000.
3060: 170 W. This one should be good enough for a stock RTX A4000 but too weak for a shunt-modded card.
3060Ti: 200 W. This one should be almost perfect for a stock RTX A4000 and good enough for a shunt-modded one.
A 3060 heatsink may be available on AliExpress, TaoBao or Xianyu/Goofish (Chinese eBay). Just use image search:
EVGA 3060Ti heatsinks are currently available on Xianyu at 30...45 USD (without considering additional processing charges and shipment outside China).
A piece of information for people leaving outside Cathay: There is only a smartphone app for dealing with Xianyu platform (a browser version jsut doesn't exist) + you need something like a SuperBuy account to be able to order and ship the stuff overseas.
Some words about compromises and challenges in regards to this mod:
1. A stock RTX A4000 has only one fan. As far as I know, an additional fan will not be able to send a fan speed signal back to the GPU. A Y-splitter/PWM adapter will be required regardless of which fans are to be used for this mod, stock or aftermarket. Such adapters are dirt cheap on TaoBao and have like a tenfold price in the US or EU.
Adapter for 2x stock fans
https://www.amazon.de/Noctua-NF-A9x14-HS-PWM-chromax-black-swap-Schmaler/dp/B07ZHG7V34
Adapter for 2x Noctua/Thermalright/ID-Cooling fans (the upper one)
2. EVGA graphics cards usually have a unique PCB design. The 3060Ti model is not an exception.
There are three inevitable collisions between an RTX A4000 PCB and an EVGA RTX 3060Ti XC heatsink:
1. NVLink + 3D Stereo connectors
2. Cooling fan connector
3. 8 pin GPU power connector (my case)
Looking forward to dealing with this challenge =)
2x ID-Cooling TF-9215-K fans were ordered for this mod as they are dirt cheap in China compared with Noctuas.
All the required parts are on their way, I will keep you posted!
Cheers,
YZR
