Okay, so i totally love this post. I can't "like" it enough! This is a great thread for this. Because this also applies to the ZOTAC 1080 Mini.I'm not sure if this is the best thread for this, but it seems appropriate given the current discussion. I ran some tests on the Zotac GTX 1080 Ti Mini. I tested both the stock fans and some Noctua NF-A9x14 fans. Here are the results:
Methodology:
For each test configuration, Unigine Heaven (Extreme Preset) was launched and the card was allowed to reach thermal equilibrium. Then data was recorded with Nvidia's command line tools (power), a thermocouple DAQ (ambient temp), and MSI Afterburner (everything else) over three cycles of Heaven. Fan speed, GPU voltage, and core clock were held constant except for the baseline test.
Lengthy discussion for crazy people:
Undervolting:
The GPU responds well to undervolting, still allowing for an increase in core clock while simultaneously reducing temperature, power consumption, fan speed, and fan noise compared to stock settings. Not bad! Undervolting this card also has the benefit of reducing inductor noise, aka coil whine. At stock it's pretty bad. The voltage/frequency curve used for testing is pictured below:
Fan Speed:
The fan curve has a limited range (44-100% or 1350-3000 RPM) and there's no zero RPM mode at low temperatures. This is similar to the 1080 Mini which means that even at idle it's a little noisy. Under load, the fans spin up loudly to about 1800 RPM and have a slight pulsing sound or beat frequency.
BIOS Modding:
I'm not the first to do this (@CubanLegend famously BIOS modded his 1080 Mini), but I wanted more fan control for the Noctua fans, so I flashed an EVGA BIOS onto the card using this guide. The EVGA BIOS was selected because it has full range fan control (0-100%) and has the same default and max power limits of 250W and 300W, respectively.
With the EVGA BIOS the fans start and stop occasionally when the card is idle, but they're inaudible when doing so. I chose to set a custom fan curve that keeps the fans spinning at 15% or ~550 RPM and is also inaudible. At 70%, the Noctua fans max out.
Noctua Fans:
As some of you may know, there are two variations of the NF-A9x14 fan. The 2500 RPM variant is only bundled with some of Noctua's coolers while the 2200 RPM variant sold is individually. I tested both types and they perform identically at matched RPM settings. However, the extra range of the "2500 RPM" NF-A9x14 is useful for keeping the card cool at the expense of noise. That said, the noise tone is smoother for either of these fans at any speed when compared to the stock Zotac fans. The fans were held securely to the GPU heatsink using zip ties, as pictured below. This works surprisingly well.
Fan Adapter:
I powered the Noctua fans off the GPU using a fan adapter. The seller made the common mistake of wiring the PWM signal twice, but this was easily fixed by removing one of the wires. You can also buy a Gelid adapter and use any fan splitter. A third option is plugging the fans into the motherboard and controlling them with SpeedFan, but I haven't tested this.
Conclusion:
The Noctua fans perform adequately and are more pleasant sounding than the stock fans, but there's no denying that they are an eyesore and expensive. This mod only makes sense if your goals are less noise and possibly fitting the card into an S4 Mini with the normal bezel (not the 3D bezel). Keep in mind that this testing was done on an open bench and this card will likely be even more difficult to cool in a case. Finally, even without modding, undervolting your GPU is a great way to reduce temps, power consumption, and fan noise. I'd recommend anyone with the patience to give it a shot.
Additional measurements and photos were posted earlier here.
My man, noctua fans on the ZOTAC Mini! You have piqued my interest... So, if I read this correctly, your CORE CLOCKS went UP, power consumption, fan speed, fan noise, coil-whine / inductor-noise, and even load temps... ALL WENT DOWN... just by undervolting?! What is this witchcraft? Okay, now you've got my full attention.
So, questions:
- How did you do/maintain the undervolt, what software? Or did it take the EVGA BIOS mod to undervolt it? Can i replicate such an undervolt with MSI Afterburner?
- My card is correctly Overclocked to +200 core and 11Gbps Mem, you think I can maintain that OC with an undervolt, maybe? (FYI: My GPU is running adaptive power mode in the NV Control Panel, so it underclocks itself a TON when idle.)
- How did you monitor/edit the voltage and frequency curve? What software was that, and did it require the modded EVGA BIOS? Once again, can i do this monitoring/editing with MSi Afterburner?