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GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:19 am
by Apoptosis
GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Legit Reviews got our hands on the latest video card BIOS revision for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 reference graphics card! We were told is the version that will be used on the GeForce GTX 480 graphics cards when they come out in just a couple weeks as it should fix the high temperature issue that we saw in our review last week!

Old GeForce GTX 480 VBIOS 70.00.10.00.01:
dual_lcd_idle.jpg
dual_lcd_idle.jpg (121.72 KiB) Viewed 11468 times
New GeForce GTX 480 VBIOS 70.00.18.00.01:
duallcd_idle_newbios.jpg
duallcd_idle_newbios.jpg (69.81 KiB) Viewed 11468 times
Yesterday, we updated the video card BIOS of our NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 reference graphics card to what we were told is the version that will be used on the GeForce GTX 480 graphics cards when they come out in just a couple weeks. The version that all the press reviewed last week was 70.00.10.00.01 and the latest build with some minor tweaks and bug fixes is version 70.00.18.00.01. Since Legit Reviews was the first site to point out the high temperature issue when using two monitors, the engineers at NVIDIA were kind enough to let us try the latest vBIOS build to see if it fixed our heat issues as the new vBIOS included some new fan profiles.
Article Title: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg
Article URL: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1264/1/

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 5:45 am
by DMB2000uk
Definately some unique content :P

If this doesn't get some diggs, nothing will :P

http://digg.com/hardware/GeForce_GTX_48 ... oks_an_Egg

Dan

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 6:55 am
by Illuminati
HAHAHA... that was an awesome attempt! Surprising that NVIDIA didn't seem to test the new bios under the same conditions you found the dual-monitor heat problem or they would have found that the new BIOS revision didn't fix the problem!

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:05 am
by FZ1
DMB2000uk wrote:Definately some unique content :P

If this doesn't get some diggs, nothing will :P

http://digg.com/hardware/GeForce_GTX_48 ... oks_an_Egg

Dan
Got a Digg from me!

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:15 am
by Illuminati
FZ1 wrote:
DMB2000uk wrote:Definately some unique content :P

If this doesn't get some diggs, nothing will :P

http://digg.com/hardware/GeForce_GTX_48 ... oks_an_Egg

Dan
Got a Digg from me!
Me too! Help support LR by digging this article if you liked it!

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:51 am
by Apoptosis
Illuminati wrote:HAHAHA... that was an awesome attempt! Surprising that NVIDIA didn't seem to test the new bios under the same conditions you found the dual-monitor heat problem or they would have found that the new BIOS revision didn't fix the problem!
They are and like I noted in the article they should have another vBIOS out this week that offers more fan improvements. The point of this article was that NVIDIA is aware of the heat issue that that Legit Reviews and a couple other sites are helping NVIDIA test out hardware configurations to make sure it's dialed in before the public gets it. Many don't understand how much review sites do behind the scenes as we find, troubleshoot and get dozens of bugs a year. It's fun and one of our greatest contributions to the community, but sadly it usually all goes un-noticed. It also doesn't generate the site any revenue as it's just burning up time behind the scenes where we could be doing something else. The reason my Eyefinity 6 review isn't up today is due to how much time I have spent with Fermi over the past week and a half.

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 9:23 am
by gwolfman
Apoptosis wrote:The reason my Eyefinity 6 review isn't up today is due to how much time I have spent with Fermi over the past week and a half.
It's ok, we still love you. Just don't become an ATI/nVidia fanboy either way.
Since Legit Reviews was the first site to point out the high temperature issue when using two monitors, the engineers at NVIDIA were kind enough to let us try the latest vBIOS build to see if it fixed our heat issues as the new vBIOS includes some new fan profiles.
Awesome, keep up the good works guys. The (graphics) world is better today because of you, LR. Thanks! :supz:

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 9:34 am
by Apoptosis
I love both companies and have always been neutral... I want a card that can do Eyefinity in 3D with a single card, the F@H performance of the NVIDIA cards, with the performance of the GF100 and the power consumption and temperature characteristics of a 5800 series card.

That said... I use both in my personal systems as both do different things better than the other brand.

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 9:49 am
by crowTrobot
Dugg!

lol that Jen Hsun grill photo is awesome.

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:17 am
by gwolfman
Apoptosis wrote:I love both companies and have always been neutral... I want a card that can do Eyefinity in 3D with a single card, the F@H performance of the NVIDIA cards, with the performance of the GF100 and the power consumption and temperature characteristics of a 5800 series card.

That said... I use both in my personal systems as both do different things better than the other brand.
...in a single slot design. A dream come true! Well put btw.

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:13 pm
by eva2000
Dug! LOL trying to cook the egg on GTX 480 for real!

Guess someone had to finally do it :)

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:35 pm
by FZ1
I also submitted to engadget but they haven't posted it.

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:00 pm
by sbohdan
if the load temp of the GPU was around 92C-96C and the egg would still not cook, that means to me that the heat transfer between the GPU and the cooler is poor, which in turn might be the cause of the high temps in the first place. I think video card companies should really try to be accurate when mounting a cooler. a flatter cooler surface (where it touches the GPU), better TIM and more careful application of it would be also important. a good cooling solution with a bad heat transfer from the GPU is a waste of resources and will always result in temp. problems. I know from my experience that reapplying a TIM with better heat transfer characteristics already lowers temps, adding some lapping to the base of the cooler will further improve things...

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:04 pm
by kenc51
sbohdan wrote:if the load temp of the GPU was around 92C-96C and the egg would still not cook, that means to me that the heat transfer between the GPU and the cooler is poor, which in turn might be the cause of the high temps in the first place. I think video card companies should really try to be accurate when mounting a cooler. a flatter cooler surface (where it touches the GPU), better TIM and more careful application of it would be also important. a good cooling solution with a bad heat transfer from the GPU is a waste of resources and will always result in temp. problems. I know from my experience that reapplying a TIM with better heat transfer characteristics already lowers temps, adding some lapping to the base of the cooler will further improve things...

Try doing that with literally millions of cards!
I don't think the cooling solution is at fault, it's the GPU being cooled that has thermal issues.

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 2:35 pm
by Geezy
i was taking a second look a this and it came me that Aluminum foil does not transfer heat well in certain instances, by any chance are you willing to try supn else that does :-k just wondering and all

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:07 pm
by geokilla
Seems to me that the temperature of the card will never be able to be fixed. Ramp up the fan speeds at idle and load temperatures and you got yourself one loud video card. Keep it low and you got one hot video card.

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:23 pm
by Apoptosis
Geezy wrote:i was taking a second look a this and it came me that Aluminum foil does not transfer heat well in certain instances, by any chance are you willing to try supn else that does :-k just wondering and all
Always open to ideas... lol

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 5:50 pm
by djpinc19
try sealing the top of the egg cage and turn it into a pressure cooker...otherwise putting the lid on the pot

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 8:45 pm
by thebeastie
Apoptosis wrote:GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg
I can't believe this, after all the marketing that companies like Silverstone have done to inform people about positive air flow you still do you review in the completely silly and unrealistic non cased on desktop testing.

FFS put the video card in a really high positive air flow case and then see how it deals with heat. It has been pretty obvious that ATI deliberately created its newer cards like the 5970 to be so big that it forces the user to use a bigger positive style air flow case.

If you have a proper positive air flow case it is like the card it self has a full 20cm fan attached to it instead of the tiny fan it does have. Let the case do some of the work in cooling, new positive air flow cases from Silverstone can aid in cooling the card down not negate it. Or try the CM Storm Sniper with 2 x 20cm fans on its filtered side intake area, that should give some good positive air flow.

A video card like this should be a case manufactures dream and we don't have any reviews out there showing off the potential yet.

Re: GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 2:43 am
by DMB2000uk
thebeastie wrote:
Apoptosis wrote:GeForce GTX 480 Gets a BIOS Update and Cooks an Egg
I can't believe this, after all the marketing that companies like Silverstone have done to inform people about positive air flow you still do you review in the completely silly and unrealistic non cased on desktop testing.

FFS put the video card in a really high positive air flow case and then see how it deals with heat. It has been pretty obvious that ATI deliberately created its newer cards like the 5970 to be so big that it forces the user to use a bigger positive style air flow case.

If you have a proper positive air flow case it is like the card it self has a full 20cm fan attached to it instead of the tiny fan it does have. Let the case do some of the work in cooling, new positive air flow cases from Silverstone can aid in cooling the card down not negate it. Or try the CM Storm Sniper with 2 x 20cm fans on its filtered side intake area, that should give some good positive air flow.

A video card like this should be a case manufactures dream and we don't have any reviews out there showing off the potential yet.
Are you for real?

I'm not even going to go into how many levels you're just plain wrong on theories of airflow.

Oh and by the way, you might want to read our actual 480GTX review before you decide to have a go at our supplementary articles and that you know better about testing methodologies.

Dan