Part Recommendations

[cpurpe91]

Up until I received my reference RX 7900 XT, I spent a lot of time looking at the newest gen cooler design. I didn't want to end up with something that ran too hot, or GPU that just wouldn't fit in my case. I had been pretty set on wanting an RX 7900 XT that had a triple fan configuration, and it turns out all of the designs I saw featured three fans. I didn't  have room for the cooler designs I really liked, before I moved my AIO radiator from the front to the top, and I was gifted an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT reference card. It turns out, with some minor tweaks to the fan curve, this GPU has run cooler than any GPU I had previously used, and looks great in my case. 

Until I was gifted the reference GPU, I really wanted to get my hands on this behemoth.

https://www.powercolor.com/product?id=1668741687

The RGB isn't ridiculous, and is really well done.

I have seen several designs I really like over the last few years, but this cooler has to be my favorite. 

The red RGB, and the cut outs on the backplate, along with the accent on the corner make this card look really cool, and the thickness of the heatsink made me feel like this thing is an absolute monster. 

What has been your favorite cooler design on a GPU? Does it matter which manufacturer made it? 

[Axxemann]

The one that's easiest to remove for a water block 😄

[cpurpe91]

I am fearful of custom loop cooling. It just makes me think of all the possible points of failure. I am paranoid enough about my PC as it is now. To start working with custom water cooling would probably break my brain. Lol

[jaandoh]

These are EXACTLY my thoughts too... 

And pushing on in age isn't helping me either 😂

[hawkmanw]

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Honestly I was afraid too but, now I highly recommend custom loop water cooling. 

[Axxemann]

If you've ever dismantled a card to redo the paste and pads... and you SHOULD, it's easy to swap to a block. 

My block came in yesterday. I'll be doing the loop maybe next week when I have a few days off. 

[cpurpe91]

I'm not likely to repaste for years, and by the time I would repaste, I would have another GPU pumping out the frames for me. Maybe I will try it with my RX 6800 XT, now that there are two blocks that I have been able to find, specifically for my Gigabyte RX 6800 XT Gaming OC. 

[Axxemann]

By the time that upgrade rolls around, the paste and pads on the original are toast. when I cracked open my Pulse, the paste was bone dry and the pads were dry and cracked. I left the pads as-is but gave the GPU die a fresh dose of Arctic Silver 5. When I block it, I'll be using TG Kryosheet on the die and Minus8 pads on the VRAM and VRMs.

[hawkmanw]

Great response! You beat me to it! 🤣

[Fadinajem]

aweasome Design of this GPU

[collins54]

That's a great question! There are a lot of great GPU cooler designs out there, so it's hard to pick just one favorite. However, I'm really impressed with the PowerColor Red Devil RX 7900 XT cooler design. I love the red RGB accents on the card, and the cutouts on the backplate give it a really unique look. 

[DipakJ27]

Loved both as they do what they intended to represent!

[johnnyenglish]

I'm usually prefer the RoG designs, however, the current gen was not that good..

The last one was better, thick, big, sturdy with a single led strip.

The card screams efficiency as I don't even need the fans for some games and they never get on at the desktop.

[Anonymous]

It's gotta have High-Quality Japanese Dual Ball Bearings...

[rtbh99]

those red devil cards look pretty good for 7000 series gpus, i also like how the sapphire nitro+ cards look. but i have to say, the 4080 aero cards from gigabyte look pretty sick. the big thick heat fin stack, the huge flow through area, its just a nice looking card. but i wouldnt buy one.

some random build i found on pcpartpicker with the mentioned card

this picture shows the flow through area

https://pcpartpicker.com/b/jv4dnQ heres the random build i grabbed photos from 😛

[cpurpe91]

I do wish that they made cards like that one for AMD GPUs. The flow through design looks like it would help with the cleaning process too allowing the dust to blow out ot the card more easily aswell as the obvious improvement in temps. My Gigabyte RX 6800 XT has a small cutout to allow some flow through, but on the Aero design it is massive.

[rtbh99]

it helps that the 40 series cards have such small circuit boards lol

[otacon]

My favourite GPUs are the basic EVGA coolers and the Sapphire Pulse. I like the bare bones look, I'm not a fan of the new RGB designs.

[cpurpe91]

That is fair. When it comes to GPUs without RGB, I like that they don't need special software. I plugged my reference RX 7900 XT in and it just works. 

[GreatnessRD]

The Sapphire Nitro+ for the 7000 series is just Chef's kiss. It reminds me of an EVGA card, but even cleaner, imo.

[BigAl01]

I have a Sapphire Nitro+ RGB 5700XT and I love the design.  The Nitro+ cards are hard to find.

[cpurpe91]

That is a nice GPU. The RGB strip is nice, same with the RGB on the backplate.

[BigAl01]

During the COVID-19 supply chain years, you had to pay top dollar for a Nitro+ card with RGB effects.  I don't like paying top dollar any more, even in Canadian dollars.  🙂