Testing a $35 GPU Backplate Cooler: Useless or Genius?

Product Overview and Installation

• 💡 The video tests a generic, universal active GPU backplate cooler purchased for $35 from Amazon.
• ⚠️ Installation is crude, involving bungee straps or rubber bands, and the product lacks clear instructions.
• 🛠️ The cooler features two 80mm fans and includes thermal pads, alcohol wipes, and a brush for cleaning.

Backplate Evolution and Design Considerations

• 📌 Early GPU backplates were often purely aesthetic and could hinder temperatures by reflecting heat back onto the PCB.
• 🧠 Later designs incorporated thermal pads to cool RAM chips on the back, especially for cards like the 3090.
• 📈 Modern backplates often include heat sink designs to act as heat spreaders, but flat designs without heat sinks are less effective.
• ⚠️ The effectiveness of active backplate coolers is limited by the heat generated by the GPU and the cooler's own thermal mass and fan airflow.

Testing Methodology and GPU Selection

• 🎯 The primary challenge is finding the right GPU for testing, as the cooler may be ineffective on low-heat cards or insufficient for extremely high-heat cards like the 4090.
• 🔬 The Gigabyte Eagle RTX 4090 was chosen due to its relatively basic design and backplate that seemed compatible.
• ⚠️ Significant effort was required to ensure proper contact, including adding extra thermal pads to the GPU backplate, which goes beyond the product's advertised simplicity.
• 📊 Testing was conducted using 3D Mark's Steel Nomad benchmark in a paused state for consistent temperature readings, with both the GPU and backplate fans at 100% speed.

Performance Results and Conclusion

• 📉 Baseline testing showed the RTX 4090's edge temperature topping out around 60°C and hotspot around 72°C, well below the 88°C limit, indicating no immediate need for additional cooling.
• 📈 With the active backplate cooler installed, edge temperatures dropped by approximately 2.1°C and hotspot temperatures by 2.3°C.
• ⚡ Despite the slight temperature reduction, the cooler had no noticeable impact on the GPU's clock speeds or boost behavior, as the temperature difference was too small to affect boost bins.
• 🗑️ The $35 cooler is deemed a waste of money for its intended purpose, as it offers minimal practical benefit and its universal claims are not met by the varied designs of GPU backplates.
• 🤔 While not useful for GPUs, the cooler might have niche applications in other areas, such as with 3D printing projects.