There are several really good reasons to upgrade the stock cooling on your new 8800 GTX/GTS video card(s). First, most aftermarket cooling options offer superior performance over their stock counterparts. While the stock option is usually "sufficient", it simply isn't a long-term option for the hardcore enthusiast. Increased cooling performance will prolong the life of the card(s), as we all know that heat is the number one enemy of electronics. Lower temperatures also equate to a higher overclock (usually). Oh, and did I mention that aftermarket coolers are often much quieter than stock coolers? Your ears (and roommates) will thank you for this one.

Today I will be taking a look at Thermalright's HR-03 Plus VGA cooler, a modified version of the already popular HR-03 aimed at taming those hot G80 cores.



The HR-03 Plus arrived in Thermalright's traditional brown box. Nothing exciting here; just a simple box. I am waiting for the day that Thermalright introduces something different. Inside, we see everything packaged nice and neat with foam inserts to protect the cooler from outside damage. Below is a complete list of features and specs, borrowed from Thermalright's website.



The Plus version is 60g heavier than previous HR-03 models and adds two additional heatpipes for improved heat dissipation. Despite the added weight and heatpipes, the cooler is the exact same size as previous versions. Aside from that, everything remains virtually the same from past models. This includes support for SLI systems and two different ways to mount the cooler, giving you more flexibility based on other system components such as your case and CPU cooler. I am not sure why Crossfire is listed under the features, as this cooler is only compatible with NVIDIA 8800-based cards.

Move ahead as we take a closer look at the package contents and the HR-03 Plus VGA Cooler...