Axial-tech UpgradesOur Axial-tech fan design has been optimized for a new, larger heat sink that features more fins and surface area than last gen. The blade count has been increased on all three fans, with 13 on the center fan and 11 on the auxiliary fans. The barrier ring on the side fans has been slimmed down to allow for more lateral intake and to provide better airflow through the cooling array. The center fan's extra blades and full height ring provide boosted static pressure to blast air directly onto the GPU heat spreader. | New DirectionsThe fans have been smartly tuned with a reversed rotation for the center fan, which reduces turbulence, and with a fan-stop mode that kicks in when the GPU temp falls below 55 degrees. | MaxContactTo get heat up off the die and into the heat sink array to benefit from the new fan design requires special attention. We use a manufacturing process that polishes the surface of the heat spreader to improve smoothness at the microscopic level. The extra flatness allows for better contact with the die for improved thermal transfer. 2.9-slot Design The heat spreader draws heat up into heat pipes that carry it through a fin stack that fills a large 2.9-slot footprint. Increasing the heat sink size compared to the last generation provides more thermal headroom to account for the new high-performance chipset |