Effective ways to cool a video card.

[ETSA]

I am trying to avoid a liquid cooled system, but if I wanted to push my graphics card a bit how could I go about keeping it as cool as possible. I have seen fans that you can place in vacant pic slots, normally an 80mm fan, which indirectly acts as a fan for the Video Card. Is this a plausible way to keep a Card effectively cooled. Otherwise whats some after market heatsink/fans suitable for a graphics card.

Looking at the 7900GT so far or x1900GT as far as cards. Please if you want to make suggestions about my card take it to my other thread. Thank you

 

[diduknowthat]

Getting an aftermarket heatsink would be the best. Or you can buy a pci slot cooler, and place it underneith the video card.

 

[Archangel]

at my cards ( 7800GTX) i have an exhaust fan in the bottom front of the case, and a relatively huge intake roster in the side panel. and my cards are really cool on the stock coolers

 

[bumblebee_tuna]

Try then Zalman fan I have on my card. Although my stock cooler sucked in the first place, it lowered my temps over 20C.

As for effective cooling, just make sure you have plenty of ventilation. Mainly you have to be creative when it comes to cooling.