Trying to figure out a thermal solution for the GeForce 3 in the Cube

[XodiumRetro]

So, as luck would have it, I managed to stumble into a real, in the flesh GeForce 3 for the Cube. While my Cube has a GF6200 in it, been on the look out for an OS9 card because that's the OS I generally want to use on the Cube.

The only issue I've had is that of thermals. I've googled, even asked on the Discord. I've not seen anyone really discussing how to keep these cards from cooking themselves in the Cube. Because boy does the card run hot. And I don't mean just merely a little toasty to the touch, I'm talking "will damn near burn you if you touch the heatsink" when pulling the Cube out of its chassis after it was just run.

Of course, the 6200--while it does get hot in that enclosed space--never gets to the point of burning me, even though it's all passive, no fan. (The GF3 has a fan)

Wondering if there's any easy/cheap solution to get some more airflow in that part of the case, or if it's just...normal somehow for the GF3 to run that hot. I know some might suggest "install a base fan!" but sadly, that doesn't cool the GPU area, just the CPU (which I already have a fan on to begin with)

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[lobust]

I've never done it, but I have in the past wondered about using an agp riser cable and putting the gpu in the hard drive space...

Would also require a breakout harness of some description for the display connector, but in theory should be doable.

It would have a lot more airspace around it there...

 

[François]

What’s the problem with the GeForce 6200 and Mac OS 9?

Alternately, a Radeon 7500 works well in a Cube, exists in a Mac version, and doesn’t run very hot (it is passively cooled).

 

[XodiumRetro]

What’s the problem with the GeForce 6200 and Mac OS 9?

Alternately, a Radeon 7500 works well in a Cube, exists in a Mac version, and doesn’t run very hot (it is passively cooled).

It "works" but only as a dumb framebuffer. No games will run in OS 9, the 6200 is too new. And Classic under OS X has...mixed results. Some games got updates to work in OS X, but some seem to just...not work properly, even given that. OS9 is my jam, and the GF3 is the best OS9 card that'll work in the Cube, essentially.

I do have a Radeon 7500 on hand, but alas, it's dying. Graphical artifacts in 3D games.