What is the required thermal pad thickness for a Sapphire Nitro+ RX 580 with 8GB RAM?
What is the required thermal pad thickness for a Sapphire Nitro+ RX 580 with 8GB RAM?
Hello, I encountered problems with the RX 580 fans spinning at maximum RPM. I chose to re-seat the fan headers and repaste the board, which lowered the temperatures slightly and resolved the fan concern.
This was my first repaste, so I wasn't expecting to damage any thermal pads in my urgency to fix the problem.
I've found online that VRAM modules require 0.75mm thermal pads, and I've managed to get some of those. However, I'm not sure about the VRMs (the small chips next to the VRAM modules).
I purchased the RX580 at a low price and found the thermal pads are cracked. They appear slightly hardened, and the thermal paste is dry. I need to replace both the pads and the paste, but there’s a challenge...
I checked several sources for guidance.
On techpowerup.com and the Reddit thread about the RX580, it seems the thermal pad thickness matters.
I also considered cleaning the entire cooling assembly thoroughly, since dust and debris in the fin stacks can affect heat flow.
For identifying the VRM area, it’s located to the right of the rightmost bank of VRAM ICs, as shown in the reference image.
Source.
Yep, the VRMs are what I'm confused about. My research has me certain that the VRAM is definitely 0.75mm, but I cannot figure out if the VRMs are 1mm or 0.75mm like the VRAM modules.
Scoured Reddit and the rest of the internet and not a clear answer; all the YouTube videos I've seen seem to focus on the VRAM. I've heard people have had issues with 1mm not allowing clearance for the heatsink, so I'm assuming the VRMs must also be 0.75mm.
I just want to be absolutely certain before I open the card up again.
I would choose putty and avoid the trouble of adjusting the correct thickness pads. It looks particularly fitting for this older card, as one use should cover its entire lifespan.
I checked this as well, but thermal pads on the heatsink also offer some necessary clearance.
I think I’ll stick with uniformity and choose pads. I found 0.75mm and 1mm ones from AliExpress for £3, so if they don’t fit perfectly, I haven’t wasted much.
From what I learned in a Russian YouTube video, the Sapphire Nitro+ has 0.75mm on both VRAM and VRMs, while the backplate needs 1mm. It’s really frustrating having to dig through for clearer information—would it have been better if Sapphire just shared a diagram?
I’ll keep you posted once they’re in.