So heat is the big issue right? Many already know the thermal paste that comes with these cards get crusty after lots of use and is sometimes way too thick to be as effective as it could be.

So let's talk about TIM replacement and the GTX 480.

Fortunately, TIM replacement is even easier on the GTX 480 that it was on the GTX 280 thanks to the heatsink design of the GTX 480.

What you need:

1. High-Quality TIM -- IC Diamond or MX-2 seems to be preferred. I had to use AS5 because that's all I had on hand.
2. 91%+ Alcohol -- Why 91%+? To ensure it evaporates quickly.
3. Cotton Swabs -- Grab a handful (or something else that won't leave trace fibers on the surface).
4. Post-it Notes -- Any color you like.
5. Flat Semi-rigid Plastic Tool -- Like an old credit card.
6. Screwdriver -- Probably almost the smallest Phillips head you can find.

Ok, the nitty gritty. How to replace the TIM:

1. Remove the GTX 480 shroud by depressing the tabs around the shroud and lifting it away from the PCB. Don't be a bull in a china shop -- but some of the tabs can be a little tight.
2. This reveals the entirety of the heatsink, fan, a handful of capacitors, and the lower heatsink that cover the memory and VRMs, etc.
   
   
3. You don't need to unhook the fan or worry about thermal pads this time around. Simply flip the card over and remove the four larger spring-loaded screws from the corners of the GPU. These are obviously what is holding on that massive heatsink.
   
   
4. Now, with screws removed and set aside (I'm a little OCD so place them in a square in the same position as they were when attached to the board), flip the card back over and remove the heatsink from the PCB. Be very careful not to bend or flex the board when you remove the heatsink! As it turns out, simply rotating the heatsink slightly will loosen the hold of the paste and it will separate with ease.
5. Ah, here's what we're working with.
   
   
   
   
6. I recommend taking dry cotton swaps to start with to wipe off all the excess paste from both the heatsink and the GPU.
7. Once you get all the thick stuff off, dip the cotton swap in the alcohol and spread it across the surfaces being careful not to let it run off the GPU onto the PCB below. It probably wouldn't hurt much if you did as it would evaporate -- but it's better safe than sorry.
8. Take a dry cotton swap and wipe up the alcohol/paste mixture -- it's easy to observe the residue of the paste and the alcohol on the surfaces -- you'll know if you've missed a spot.
9. Take the post-it notes and use the edges to scrap off paste from the grooves of the heat sink pipes and re-apply alcohol and clean off. When you're done it should look like this (she's a beauty ain't she?):
   
   
   
   
10. Now, to reapply the TIM. With a CPU you want to typically to use the rice grain size method. This is a GPU and it's a much bigger chip. I honestly had to use about 3x the amount you'd use on a CPU. I also recommend spreading it out across the chip with a plastic card. It doesn't have to be perfect -- as you can see, the heatsink itself has grooves that need some extra TIM love -- the little extra that might be on the chip would do nicely to fill in those cracks.
    
    
11. Set the heatsink back on top of the chip -- the 4 screw holes line up with the holes around the chip.
12. Flip the card back over carefully and start reinstalling the screws. Use the same X-method as you would on a CPU (e.g. start the top-right, then bottom-left, then top-left, then bottom-right). Start each screw only -- do not tighten them down until all the screws have been started in their holes. Take your time with this step so the TIM will spread and fill cracks evenly.
13. Reattach the shroud.

You're done! Reinstall the card and fire up Precision -- run the OC Scanner for a bit and monitor temps. If you don't notice an improvement in temps -- that's fine -- some TIMs take time before they reach their peak. As long as your temps are as good as they were before you've done your job. Since these GTX 480s are new, the paste hasn't worn out yet so temperature improvements will be minimal -- but you will be saving yourself the headache of having to do it later once it's all crusty!

So how'd I do? I went from idle temps of 49-50*C to 39-42*C. Load temps dropped from 78-80*C to 69-70*C at 92% utilization. Good luck!

Nice guide.  Hm, so the cooler uses HDT technology (heat-pipe direct touch).  This is a cheaper design that does not absorb heat as well as a regular flat base.  But 5 heat pipes... nice for a stock cooler.  Obviously it could be better though.

boredgunner

Nice guide.  Hm, so the cooler uses HDT technology (heat-pipe direct touch).  This is a cheaper design that does not absorb heat as well as a regular flat base.  But 5 heat pipes... nice for a stock cooler.  Obviously it could be better though.

I know it. Cue aftermarket solutions and self-lappers.

Via Sin Dios

10 degrees? wow i was hearing around only 3 degree differences ,  pretty nice!

Well, I had a ton of paste on mine. I'm not sure how this paste thing is handled -- but it could use some better QA!

Thanks for the how-to. I'll be doing this tomorrow, except with some Shin Etsu X23 (much better than AS5, btw, and won't short anything out like AS5 can).

Another method to apply AS5 that I like to do is to just use a plastic baggie like a small "snack bag" or something stretched over your finger, and spread it real thin over the entire cpu/gpu. You get a thinner layer this way vs. using a plastic card. At least, that's what I've found.

I don't get it. They use this big heatsink and it looks like only 3 heatpipes worth of area is making good contact.

No stupid pads to deal with.. I love it!

Nice writeup, pics and all! With some pretty decent results too!

I hope a moderator will come by and give you a Blue Ribbon as this thread is well deserving of one.

Cheers! ;)

zschopf1

Stole my idea, I was so planing on doing this. =\ First come first server I guess. =\ http://forums.evga.com/tm.aspx?m=308916

I dunno about stealing, lol.


But I hope it helps!

Great looking guide!  Definitely BR worth!

Was debating changing out the TIM myself but my GPU temps haven't really bothered me yet.  Although dropping temps and allowing for lower fanspeed would always be welcome, I don't think GPU temps are holding back my OC.  I still think its the VRMs which this won't help with, there's only little thermalpads underneath there and I don't want to mess with them until I can see their temps definitively.

Anyways, lookin forward to more results with OC'ing and more feedback on temps, but ya overall this is a MUCH easier process than replacing the TIM on the 280.  No backplate, don't need to remove the entire heatsink and no pads.

Yes, definitely worth a BR and a BR is awarded

Awesome...Thanks I've got my stuff ready -- gonna use my IC Diamond  paste since I have a few tubes of that, and will do this on my cards today. A well deserved BR!

Nice work parrish!

nice guide. I'm glad that the shroud and heatsink is easier to remove than my previous GTX260.

chizow

Great looking guide!  Definitely BR worth!

Was debating changing out the TIM myself but my GPU temps haven't really bothered me yet.  Although dropping temps and allowing for lower fanspeed would always be welcome, I don't think GPU temps are holding back my OC.  I still think its the VRMs which this won't help with, there's only little thermalpads underneath there and I don't want to mess with them until I can see their temps definitively.

Anyways, lookin forward to more results with OC'ing and more feedback on temps, but ya overall this is a MUCH easier process than replacing the TIM on the 280.  No backplate, don't need to remove the entire heatsink and no pads.

Yes, I notice that anytime I want to go all out at higher clocks (1550 or higher) and stock voltages -- before temps get anywhere near the 90s I get a lock up or a driver crash even when I adjust voltage to 1.1 or so. I think the VRMs are really juiced hard and in desperate need of additional cooling.

I noticed my memory runs fine at least up to 2100mhz (4200 effective) and I believe those Samsung chips max at 2500mhz (5000 effective). Good luck getting that going though with all the apparent VRM heat.

The water cooling kids will have the best luck since the blocks also help to cool the VRMs too, I believe.

Hog54
Now that I see the way they come apart im thinking maybe thats why these run a little hotter than 200 series.The heatsink doesnt contact the memory chips or the voltage chips at all.Just the plate that holds on the fan shroud.

Yep. I guess it was give and take though. It keeps the chip sufficiently cool and the memory doesn't appear to get too hot. It's just the VRMs -- apparently.

I'm getting a temp gun this week so hopefully I can isolate the source of the heat definitively then plot a suitable remedy.

The key will be cooling that plate. Heck, without separating the plate from the PCB who knows if the pads are even making sufficient contact! I can only assume they are. But I'm not so keen on tearing that down. I'll let someone else volunteer! I'll just chill some air with dry ice and pump it into the cards instead if I'm desperate for some higher benches.

You know nvidia may say its alright but all I can think of is water boils at 100c when I see these temps you guys are getting on these cards.