Why Correct Thermal Pads are Crucial for Your AORUS RTX 3090 XTREME WATERFORCE
Even with an AIO cooling the GPU core, thermal pads are indispensable for your graphics card's overall thermal solution. They effectively bridge the microscopic air gaps between heat-generating components—such as the GDDR6X VRAM (Video Random Access Memory) chips on both the front and back of the PCB, and various "pads on the side" like VRMs (Voltage Regulator Modules) and MOSFETs—and the card's heatsink elements and backplate. This direct contact ensures efficient heat transfer for these non-GPU-die components.
Using old, deteriorated, or incorrectly sized/thicknessed thermal pads on a card of this caliber can lead to significant problems:
- Increased VRAM/VRM Temperatures: Despite the AIO on the GPU, other components can still overheat, potentially leading to instability or performance degradation.
- Reduced Performance and Stability: You might experience issues during demanding gaming sessions or intensive creative workloads if supporting components get too hot.
- Shortened GPU Lifespan: Prolonged exposure to excessive heat on any part of the card can accelerate the wear and tear on electronic components.
Replacing thermal pads with new, high-quality ones of the correct thicknesses is an important maintenance step to keep your AORUS RTX 3090 XTREME WATERFORCE 24G performing flawlessly.
Recommended Thermal Pad Sheets & Thicknesses for GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 XTREME WATERFORCE 24G
For the GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 XTREME WATERFORCE 24G, different thermal pad thicknesses and corresponding sheets are recommended for various sections of the card. You will purchase these sheets and then cut the individual pads to the specific sizes needed for each component.
VRAM (Front Side of PCB - often under a cold plate linked to the AIO or a separate heatsink section):
- Required Sheet: Use one (1) sheet of 85mm x 45mm x 2mm thermal pad.
- Individual pads for all VRAM modules on the front will need to be carefully measured and cut from this 2mm thick sheet.
VRAM (Back Side of PCB - Under Backplate):
- Required Sheet: Use one (1) sheet of 85mm x 45mm x 3mm thermal pad.
- Individual pads for the VRAM modules on the back of the PCB will need to be measured and cut from this 3mm thick sheet. GDDR6X on the back of RTX 3090s is known to run hot, making correct backplate pad thickness crucial.
"Pads on the side" (e.g., VRMs, MOSFETs, other components on the PCB):
- Required Sheets & Thicknesses: These components require a mix of 1mm AND 1.5mm thick thermal pads.
- You will need to purchase one (1) sheet of 85mm x 45mm x 1mm thermal pad material.
- You will also need to purchase one (1) sheet of 85mm x 45mm x 1.5mm thermal pad material.
- During disassembly, you will need to identify which specific "side" components require 1mm pads and which require 1.5mm pads, then measure and cut accordingly from the respective sheets.
Important Note on Specific Pad Dimensions (Length x Width): Specific length and width dimensions for each individual pad on the AORUS RTX 3090 XTREME WATERFORCE are not provided in the source information. Therefore, users will need to meticulously measure all components that require thermal pads (VRAMs on front and back, and all "pads on the side") on their specific card during disassembly. This will allow you to determine the exact length and width to cut from your chosen thermal pad sheets of the appropriate thicknesses (1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, and 3mm).
Why Choose Fehonda Thermal Pads?
When undertaking a thermal pad replacement for a flagship card like the AORUS RTX 3090 XTREME WATERFORCE, especially with custom cutting from sheets of various thicknesses, the quality of the thermal pad material is crucial. Fehonda thermal pads are a recommended option due to several benefits:
- Premium Quality: Fehonda utilizes high-grade materials in their thermal pads, ensuring excellent thermal conductivity and durability for long-lasting, effective cooling under extreme loads.
- Enhanced Cooling: Specifically engineered to optimize heat transfer, these pads can help significantly reduce the operating temperatures of your GPU's critical components, complementing the AIO cooler.
- Expertise: Fehonda specializes in thermal interface materials, offering products designed with an understanding of the cooling needs of modern, high-performance electronics.
- Versatile Solutions: Providing thermal pads in various thicknesses and common sheet sizes (like 85x45mm) offers the flexibility to custom-cut pads for a wide variety of GPUs and component layouts, essential for this card's varied requirements.
Tips for Replacing Your GPU Thermal Pads (Custom Cutting Required)
Replacing GPU thermal pads on a liquid-cooled card requires extreme precision, care, and patience, particularly when you need to determine which "side" components require 1mm versus 1.5mm pads, and measure/cut all pads yourself. If you are not experienced with GPU disassembly (especially AIO units), consider seeking professional assistance or meticulously following detailed video guides for your specific AORUS RTX 3090 XTREME WATERFORCE model.
- Preparation: Gather your tools: new Fehonda thermal pad sheets (one 85x45x1mm, one 85x45x1.5mm, one 85x45x2mm, and one 85x45x3mm as per the input), a precision screwdriver set, a sharp craft knife or precision scissors for cutting pads, a ruler or digital calipers for measuring, non-metallic prying tools (optional), high-purity isopropyl alcohol (90%+), and lint-free cloths. An anti-static wrist strap is crucial. Be prepared for handling AIO tubing carefully.
- Disassembly & Identification/Measurement: Carefully disassemble your graphics card, paying close attention to the AIO cooler components, tubing, and how the main cold plate/heatsink assembly covers VRAM and VRM.
- Front & Back VRAM: Measure the length and width of VRAM chips for cutting from your 2mm (front) and 3mm (back) sheets.
- Pads on the side: Carefully assess these components. You'll need to determine which ones require 1mm pads and which require 1.5mm pads, then measure their length and width. Observing the thickness of the original pads can be a helpful indicator if they are not too compressed or degraded.
- Remove Old Pads & Clean: Gently remove all old thermal pad material. Thoroughly clean the surfaces of the components and the heatsink/backplate contact points with isopropyl alcohol to remove any oily residue or debris. Ensure surfaces are completely dry before applying new pads.
- Cut New Pads: Based on your measurements and thickness determinations, carefully and precisely cut the new Fehonda thermal pads from the appropriate sheets. Aim for clean, straight cuts. The pads should cover the entire surface of the component.
- Apply New Pads: Remove the protective film from one side of a newly cut pad, apply it to the corresponding component (ensuring correct thickness is used), then remove the film from the other side just before reattaching the heatsink or backplate. Ensure good contact.
- Reapply GPU Thermal Paste (if AIO block removed from GPU die): If the AIO cold plate covering the GPU die was removed, clean the old thermal paste from the GPU die and apply a fresh, even layer of new, high-quality thermal paste.
- Reassembly: Carefully reassemble your graphics card, ensuring all AIO components are correctly seated and tubes are not kinked. Ensure even pressure when reattaching any heatsink or backplate elements. Do not overtighten screws.
- Testing: Install the card back into your PC and monitor temperatures under load (e.g., using benchmarking software or demanding games) to verify the success of the replacement and ensure temperatures, especially VRAM junction temperatures, are stable and significantly improved.
Where to Purchase Fehonda Thermal Pads
For reliable, high-quality Fehonda thermal pad sheets suitable for your GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 XTREME WATERFORCE 24G, online marketplaces like AliExpress are a common source.
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Ensure you purchase the specified sheets: one 85x45x1mm, one 85x45x1.5mm, one 85x45x2mm, and one 85x45x3mm from a reputable seller to cover all the card's needs as detailed.
Conclusion: Maintain Your AORUS RTX 3090 XTREME WATERFORCE's Elite Cooling
Proper thermal pad replacement for the front VRAM, back VRAM, and side components is paramount for maintaining the extreme performance, stability, and longevity of your GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 XTREME WATERFORCE 24G. By using high-quality Fehonda thermal pad sheets of the correct thicknesses (2mm for front VRAM; 3mm for back VRAM; 1mm and 1.5mm for side pads as determined) and carefully measuring and cutting the individual pieces to fit your card's specific layout, you can ensure all critical components receive optimal cooling, complementing the powerful AIO solution. This leads to a cooler, more reliable experience from your top-tier, liquid-cooled graphics card.
