Final Thoughts

Now, this all wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the smoke I was getting from GELID. I asked them point blank if they had tested this on a 470. I was told they did. I asked for photos or any in house numbers so I could gauge what to expect. I was thrown a ton of links which all go back to someone installing the cooler on a 480. I did get an image of them supposedly prepping the cooler for a 470, but as you can see in the following image, they aren't using the hardware included in the already retail packaging.

GELID telling me to rig their supplied coolers to get results for a review is one thing I will never do. I am trying to help out John Q Public as well as show him the awesome products along the way. That also means I have to show you the failures and make sure that no one falls into the trap I just did. While it was possible to ultimately install the cooler, I personally would not go that route if I was spending near $60 on a cooler. On top of the minor inconvenience of dealing with some really shoddy support from GELID is the fact that this cooler is already retail, therefore what I have found may even possibly happen to you. How would you feel if you spent your hard earned dollars in this economy and all you get for an answer is remove the spacers (possibly allowing the riser to cut a trace in the PCB accidentally), or to fill the gap with TIM like it is Bondo or something?

So, with all the back and forth and Technicolor smoke being sent in my direction, I asked GELID what they were going to do. I mean, at least say it fits some 470's publically and allow the masses to know the truth of the matter. They also seemed surprised and said they followed NVIDIA's specifications, but couldn't provide me with the numbers. So are they guessing it will fit a GTX 470 or are they just hoping it will fit all cards out there in everyone's rig?

As I mentioned, it may be brand specific. It is noted to fit the MSI. I can't even trust GELID to say they did any Inno3D testing, as I never saw any proof. While it may be an impressive cooler for some, do you want to be the guinea pig and do GELID's R&D, or leave that to them before they take your $60? In GELID's defense, they say they are planning a revision 2 of this cooler, but what does that do for us if their cooler isn't making contact and your card decides to release its magic smoke; the kind that leaves you hardware dead? - Do you think GELID is going to replace that card? I for one don't, and good luck explaining to the manufacturer why the card has that awful smell and why the stock cooler isn't burnt along with the card.