Key Takeaways
1. Gigabyte’s thermal gel on RTX 50 and Radeon RX 9000 series GPUs is leaking, but the company states it’s not a serious issue affecting performance or longevity.
2. The thermal gel is applied automatically to reduce human error, and it is meant to cool VRAM and MOSFETS better than solid thermal pads.
3. User reports indicate leaking gel, with concerns about it potentially touching the PCB, although the gel is not electrically conductive.
4. Gigabyte assures that the gel can handle temperatures up to 150 degrees Celsius and that the extra gel in early production runs is a cosmetic issue, not affecting functionality.
5. The amount of thermal gel used has been adjusted for future production runs to prevent excessive spreading.
Recently, it has been reported that the thermal gel used by Gigabyte on their RTX 50 series and Radeon RX 9000 series graphics cards is leaking. Gigabyte has recognized the problem and stated that it’s not a serious issue, assuring users that installing the GPU in any position won’t impact its performance or longevity. They have also mentioned that the amount of thermal gel applied has been modified for upcoming production runs.
Automated Process for Application
In a post on their news section, Gigabyte explained that the thermal gel is applied using a completely automated system, which eliminates the possibility of human error that could happen with conventional thermal pads. To give some background, the company decided to use a server-grade thermal gel on many of its RTX 50 series and Radeon RX 9000 series GPUs to cool the VRAM and MOSFETS, instead of relying on solid thermal pads. Nonetheless, a few users have reported instances of the gel leaking even during normal usage.
User Experiences with Leaking Gel
One user encountered this problem with a high-end Aorus RTX 5080 Master Ice GPU after only a month of moderate usage. They had the GPU installed vertically, and according to the pictures shared by the user, the thermal gel appeared to be leaking toward the PCB. Although the gel isn’t electrically conductive, it could still potentially touch the PCB, leading to significant problems.
Assurance from Gigabyte
Gigabyte reassures its customers that they have conducted thorough testing and validation, which includes checking both vertical and horizontal mounting positions. The thermal gel is designed to withstand temperatures of at least 150 degrees Celsius without melting or turning into a liquid. Regarding the reports of leaking, the company mentioned that some early production runs contained “a slightly higher volume of gel” to guarantee adequate coverage. This might result in the gel looking like it has spread beyond its intended area. “Even though the presence of extra gel could be worrying, this cosmetic difference does not influence the card’s performance, reliability, or lifespan,” the post states.
The amount of thermal gel used has already been revised for future production batches, as confirmed by Gigabyte.
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