Heatsink for GPU Backplate: Do You Actually Need One?

Long hours of gaming sessions are bound to make your GPU scorch up your PC. And unfortunately, there’s no foolproof solution to the heating issue. But having a heatsink for GPU backplate can help a lot!

So, do you need a heatsink for GPU backplate? 

The general answer is yes, heatsinks for GPU backplates are very efficient for reducing heat. Proper spacing and size of the heatsink are really important when choosing one. Remove the backplate for this process. To attach a heatsink to the GPU backplate, use some thermal adhesives. 

This is only the sneak peek of what you’re going to get from reading the entire article. Read the article till the end to know more!

What Is a Heatsink?

Heatsinks are metal devices that are designed to dissipate heat from your PC. We all know that computers are able to generate a lot of heat.

The components of the computers are responsible for producing large amounts of heat. Among the components, motherboards and graphics cards generate most of the heat. By default, motherboards and GPUs have heatsinks attached to them. 

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Heating for any system is bad, especially when it comes to electronics. Heat decreases performance and increases the risk of component damage. 

So, it’s essential to keep the components of a computer cool. Heatsinks can help greatly in these situations.

GPU backplate heatsink is a passive heatsink. These heatsinks have the appearance of radiators. These are made of conductive metal, which is effective for heat transfer. Passive heatsinks work silently to steal heat from the overheated components. 

Now that we know what heatsinks are, let’s learn about GPU backplates:

What Is a GPU Backplate?

GPU backplates are the plates attached to the rear part of a GPU. These plates increase rigidity and help to spread out the heat of your graphics card. GPU backplates are made of acrylic, aluminum, and metal. 

On top of that, GPU backplates add to the aesthetic of your build. The green circuit board of your GPU will be hidden by the backplate. The stock PCB won’t be visible anymore if you attach a backplate to your GPU.

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The concept of GPU backplates and heatsinks should be clear to you now. In the next segment, I’ve discussed the necessity of a heatsink for GPU backplates. Check it out!

Does Your GPU Backplate Need a Heatsink?

Heatsinks for your GPU backplate can be considered as a backplate cooler. Every GPU heats up pretty intensely and the backplate holds a portion of the heat. Between the GPU and CPU heat comparison, GPU has the highest heat!

Accordingly, cooling the backplate will result in cooling the GPU. So, if you are wondering how to cool GPU backplate, a heatsink is the answer.

Now the question is, do you need a heatsink for your GPU backplate? 

The short answer to this question is- yes! Heatsinks can take away heat from your GPU and increase performance and longevity. 

Not everyone uses their GPU to the max capacity. Many computers have GPUs but they aren’t even touched in terms of performance. For instance, you may have a GPU and do simple work relating to Microsoft office/PowerPoint.

In this situation, the GPU won’t be used. Therefore, it won’t be heated. Accordingly, the GPU heatsink mod won’t be useful for this situation. But in most cases where high-end gaming is involved, GPUs are used.

If you’re gaming, you can get more FPS by adding a heatsink to your GPU backplate. The hotter your GPU gets, the more it sees a decline in performance. The heatsink keeps the temperature to minimal, maintaining a stable FPS in the process.

If you’re doing other GPU-related work, you’ll get more speed! 

Also, adding heatsinks will increase the hash rate of cryptocurrencies. This means that you can mine faster using a GPU that has a heatsink modded backplate.

Now we know the positive effects of adding heatsink to GPU backplate. Let’s see how to attach a heatsink to your GPU backplate!

How to Add Heatsink to Your GPU Backplate

Let’s see the steps on how to attach heatsink to GPU backplate. See the steps below-

Step 1: Choose the Heatsink

Firstly, choose a heatsink for the backplate. The bigger the heatsink, the better it can dissipate heat. However, big heatsinks on back of GPU hinder the aesthetics of your computer. 

Also, getting an oversized heatsink may result in not fitting. Still, big GPUs require big heatsinks. For instance, a 3080 backplate heatsink should be bigger than a 1650 heatsink.

So, you should measure the space available around your GPU backplate and buy a heatsink accordingly.

Step 2: Remove the Backplate

Secondly, take the GPU backplate off. The process behind GPU backplate removal is quite easy. There should be a couple of screws that hold the backplate to the GPU. Unscrew them, and remove the backplate.

Step 3: Use Thermal Tape or Glues

Thirdly, get some thermal tape. This tape will help attach the heatsink to the backplate. By using tapes, you can easily attach the heatsink to the backplate. 

You can use thermal paddings too. But if you use thermal paddings, you’ll require thermal glue to attach the pad and heatsink. 

Be careful! Using just any ordinary thermal glue runs the risk of deteriorating your GPU and processor health. So one should always go for quality thermal glue while installing the heatsink to the backplate.

To help you get the best thermal glue, we have some recommendations for your.

By using these thermal glues, you can ensure safe and efficient adhesion.

Step 4: Install the Heatsink

Finally, attach the heatsink to the backplate using tape or padding. After attaching it, screw the backplate into place.

Now, the heatsink will take the extra heat off of your GPU. The thermal conductors (padding/tape) will help the heat travel flawlessly between the GPU and heatsink.

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If you can’t manage heatsinks or don’t want to sacrifice aesthetics, don’t worry. There are many alternative ways to cool the GPU backplate!

Alternative Methods to Cool GPU Backplates

Heatsinks aren’t the only cooling solutions for GPUs. I’ve mentioned some other efficient methods to cool your GPU. Check it out!

Method 1: Cooler Fans

Attaching cooler fans pointing directly at the GPU backplate is a really good idea. The backplate picks up heat from the GPU and the fans take the heat outside the casing. 

For this method, just attach a casing cooler that is pulling air from the backplate direction. The hot air from the backplate will then be automatically let out by the casing cooler.

It is easy to mess up the differences between case fan and cpu fan. Remember that, a CPU fan won’t work as a case fan.

That’s why GPU backplate cooling fan is a marvelous idea!

Method 2: AIO Cooling

Attaching an AIO to your GPU backplate is a good idea. Although AIOs are capable of handling way more heat, it’s a viable option.

You can buy AIOs for your GPU model which comes with a backplate. This backplate is directly connected with the AIO. 

Source: pcgamesn.com

Just power up the AIO and screw the backplate in. And voila; you should be good to go!

This way, the AIO on GPU backplate reduces a significant amount of heat for the GPU.

If you want to upgrade your PC by getting an AIO cooler, we got some great suggestions! Take a look at some of the best AIO cooler to date. They are well received in the gaming community and has been proven to be effective in cooling!

These will do a way better job than heatsinks to keep your GPU cool for optimal performance. Try them out!

FAQs

Are GPU Backplates Grounded?

Yes, GPU backplates are generally grounded. The GPU backplates have mounts or brackets that hold them in place; which are also of neutral voltage (0V). Grounded components of the PC are very necessary for safety. Ungrounded components can short circuit and melt/damage other components.

What Is a Motherboard Backplate?

The motherboard backplate is the plate that is attached to the rear side of a motherboard. This backplate comes in handy in a few cases. It helps to transfer heat from the motherboard to the cooler. Also, if you have cooler screws, you can screw them in the backplate. It has dedicated holes for it. 

Is 75 degrees Celsius Hot for a GPU?

75 degrees Celcius is not too hot for a GPU. While gaming, gamers can expect around 65-75 degrees Celsius. This is the average temperature because gaming tests the GPU and it gets hot. The same goes for video editing. However, if you’re not using your GPU but it’s still 75 degrees, it’s too hot.

The Final Words

We are at the end of the line. Hope that you now know everything about the heatsink for GPU backplate. 

While working around PC components, always be careful. Power off your PC and handle the components with care; as they are very fragile.

Wishing you all the best!