Sensational GPU cooling: Why does water from the CPU cooler on the RTX 3070 improve performance?
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The world is surprised by a new, unusual method of cooling computer components. An enthusiast known for his daring and often insane experiments has discovered a new way to cool NVIDIA video cards using water-flowing heat pipes on a processor cooler. This innovative solution, which he calls the “FrankenCooler” himself, has proven to be effective in delivering impressive performance gains.
Modified cooler and unexpected results
Famous YouTuber TrashBench, who previously demonstrated cooling a video card with liquid from a portable freezer, took an even more sophisticated approach this time around. He took a Thermalright Peerless Assassin processor cooler radiator, removed several top plates, cut off the ends of the heatpipes, and added extensions to them in the form of silicone pipes. During the experiment, the same freezer that was designed for liquid cooling was used. However, unlike the usual practice, the processor heatsink was not mounted on the processor itself. Instead, TrashBench tackled the MSI RTX 3070 video card. After dismantling the original cooling system, he installed his own FrankenCooler.
Low temperature and increased FPS
After powering up the system, ice water started flowing through the heat pipes, dropping the GPU temperature down to **-14°C**. Such impressive indicators created a significant temperature margin, which in turn made it possible to improve the performance of the video card. TrashBench ran multiple gaming and synthetic benchmarks. As a result, an average **10% increase in performance** was observed compared to standard cooling conditions. This additional temperature potential made it possible to increase the frequency of the graphics processor by a full **320 MHz**. This is a significant improvement that could be critical for gamers and enthusiasts alike.
Not just the RTX 3070: older cards also benefit
Driven by enthusiasm, TrashBench did not stop at the RTX 3070. The object of his experiments also became the NVIDIA GTX 960. After transferring the cooler to this older video card, even more impressive results were observed. In the game Cyberpunk 2077, the FPS increase reached **21%**, while in COD: Black Ops 7 boost mode, the frequency of the video card increased by **220 MHz**. Overall, the GTX 960 showed an average performance increase of around **17%** across all the test results we ran. These numbers are truly amazing, especially considering that it is a much older model.
Practicality vs. Experimentation: Worth it?
Of course, it’s important to remember that this solution was created primarily for demonstration and YouTube video production purposes. Under such conditions, where the cooling mechanism used is so complex and requires continuous cold maintenance, it is not very practical in daily use. However, as a former GTX 960 owner, the author is very impressed with this performance increase. It shows how much potential is still hidden in existing computer components, and how a creative approach can completely change what we think is possible. This experiment opens the door to new thinking about how heat dissipation problems could be addressed in the future to achieve even higher performance.
