Why is it...

[Applecrusher]

That on teh top end graphics cards, the memory is cooled?

I have (well had for 2 days) a 6600gt, with memory at 1100.. No ram sinks, nothing touching them at all...

A top end card, with the same memory, has cooling plastered to it like the stuff will burn a hole through your entire computer.. yet runs at the same speeds??

[Freak]

Perhaps it is designed to be "Overclocked" if need be?

[Blackmage]

That on teh top end graphics cards, the memory is cooled?

I have (well had for 2 days) a 6600gt, with memory at 1100.. No ram sinks, nothing touching them at all...

A top end card, with the same memory, has cooling plastered to it like the stuff will burn a hole through your entire computer.. yet runs at the same speeds??

because it is top end would you buy a top end card and expect lower end features?

[Applecrusher]

because it is top end would you buy a top end card and expect lower end features?

Then why do i have the same speed ram as most top end cards? without all the extra coolling?

[ajones]

Then why do i have the same speed ram as most top end cards? without all the extra coolling?

Cos a lot of people are n00bs?

Maybe, if they're having to put on a big chunky HS for the increased heat production from the GPU core, then it's just simpler for them to make it cover the RAM chips at the same time - same mass of material covering larger area.

For myself, I'm still stuck on why the birds always sing.....

[herulach]

A, ddr3 runs very cool compared to other forms of ram
b it increases lifetimes
c, it increases overclockability
d, it looks cool
If you havent got any ram sinks id get some, the ones on my 6800GT get warm to the touch, and thats at not a lot over stock speeds and ok (ish) airflow

[BubbySoup]

Try touching them - they are probably quite hot!

It is a well known fact that the RAM heat sinks on the top end cards are not needed for operation - advised yes, but not absolutely necessary . Ask anyone who has a waterblock or something like an Artic cooler on their card - the RAM on the back of the card is usually left bare.

However, if you are shelling out £300+ for a card, you will want everything to be cooled as much as possible.

[kalniel]

You are already paying well over the odds for high end cards, so the philosophy is less 'is this what I need?' and more 'is this a good thing, even if it doesn't actually affect things?'

Ram heatsinks *can* be important when overclocking, or on very high end varients where the speeds are already pushed high. Thing is, even if they aren't overclocked, or high clock speeds, ram sinks don't do any harm, and there is a small chance they will lengthen the life of the memory. Yes, that's pointless as the card will go out of date faster than it will die, but it also makes these cards have higher value in the second hand market for that reason.

[Butcher]

Then why do i have the same speed ram as most top end cards? without all the extra coolling?

It's not the same ram even if the speeds are the same.

My 6800GTs' ram runs very hot - uncomfortable to the touch, and that's with ramsinks.

[Hans Voralberg]

Try to put a pair of BH-5 on 3.9v and touch it. I doubt it would go that far with out active cooling anyway. back to gfx ram, i push my 7800GTx from 1200 to 1400, get considerably hot.

[autopilot]

Is no one going to mention 'throttling'?

Mate, there is a good change you card was automatically running slower than the default have speeds to help stop over-heating whe you were gaming. Most moden cards employ some kind of BIOS or driver level throttling. Windows/2D does not make a card work as hard as 3D and would probably survive without the extra cooling (maybe not for long).

Did you check that? before and during a bit of heavy gaming? Just sitting in windows the card would probaly run a default normal 2D settings no problems, but i'm willing to bet a bit of heavy 3D (or very heavy 2D or video work) and the clock/memory speeds were knocked down a peg or two even if they looked normal again after returning to windows.

Try 3Dmark with and without the RAM HSF.

In fact, no don't. You could ruin your card like my old 9800pro did after the fan died and i did no realise over the noise of my PSU. But at least it would know why then!