Our Axial-tech fan design has been optimized for a new, larger heatsink that features more fins and surface area than last gen. The blade count has been increased on all three fans, with 13 on the centre fan and 11 on the auxiliary fans. The barrier ring on the side fans has been slimmed down to allow for more lateral intake and to provide better airflow through the cooling array. The centre fan’s extra blades and full-height ring provide boosted static pressure to blast air directly onto the GPU heat spreader.
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New Directions
To bolster the specialized roles of the centre and auxiliary fans, the rotational direction of the centre fan has been reversed. This reduces airflow turbulence inside of the cooling array for another boost to the card’s overall thermal performance.
The sum of the ROG Strix’s cooling innovations results in lower fan speeds and raises the performance threshold for achieving a sub-55 degree GPU temp, at which point the fans can shut off completely. Builders seeking quiet performance will be pleased.
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To get heat into the heatsink array efficiently, so that it can be whisked away by the powerful axial-tech fans, we use a manufacturing process that improves the surface smoothness of the heat spreader at the microscopic level. The extra flatness allows for better contact with the die for improved thermal transfer.
2.9-slot Design
The heat spreader draws heat up into heatpipes that carry it through a fin stack that fills a large 2.9-slot footprint. Increasing the heatsink size compared to the last generation provides more thermal headroom to account for the new high-performance chipset.
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