Core RX 9070 XT Aorus Elite - gpu hotspot @ 90c

[moderatelycool]

I recently purchased and fitted "Alphacool Core RX 9070 XT Aorus Elite with Backplate" to my "Gigabyte Radeon RX 9070 XT GAMING OC"

Under gpu load (gaming and furmark) I get great GPU temperatures, but really bad GPU Hot Spot temps.

For instance when I start furmark, the GPU temp stays low, then slowly climbs, as the water in the loop warms. But the hotspot temp immediately leaps to 80c, then slowly climbs.

Right now (running furmark for 10 mins):
GPU 42.6c
GPU hotspot: 89.3c

When following the install instructions for the block I did notice that the block did not contact all the board components that the OEM air block did.

This feels wrong instinctively. It doesn't appear to be causing any actual problems right now (the card isn't throttling as far as I can tell), but its currently winter so the ambient is low. I can imagine this being a problem in summer.

 

[Eddy]

Hi,

It is completely normal that certain components covered by the air cooler are not covered by a water block. Air coolers are large and heavy, and due to their height they create lateral forces. That’s why they use a much larger contact surface. This often includes components like the coils (chokes), which don’t actually require active cooling but are among the tallest parts on the PCB. There’s no need to worry about that – this is normal design behavior.

Hotspot temperatures on AMD cards are generally significantly higher than the average GPU temperature. Since the 7000 series, this has been a common characteristic of AMD GPUs. However, a temperature delta of 46°C is slightly on the higher side. Typically, the difference should be around 35–40°C. That said, this can also depend quite heavily on the individual GPU quality.

You can try loosening all screws slightly, then tighten the four screws around the GPU first, either clockwise or counterclockwise. After that, tighten the remaining screws. In some cases, tightening in a circular pattern (clockwise or counterclockwise) works better than the usual cross pattern.