GPU Shroud ( Nocuta Mod )

Description

I took heavy inspiration from current Noctua graphics cards to preserve the original design language as much as possible.

For those wondering, I did not connect the fans to the original GPU fan headers, allowing me to keep the option of reverting the mod if needed.

To ensure proper operation, the fans were connected to a CHA_FAN header on the motherboard and controlled using third-party software, with fan curves based on GPU temperature.

As you can see, replacing the stock fans with Noctua fans resulted in a reduction of about 10 decibels and an improvement of roughly 1°C in overall temperature.

Regarding memory temperatures, we’re a few degrees higher than before, which was expected. The addition of a decorative backplate restricts fresh airflow, even with the small gap I intentionally created between the two backplates.

In summary, the biggest improvements are the significant noise reduction and the overall visual upgrade. I’m confident that changing the thermal paste would have led to much more drastic thermal improvements, but I wanted to keep the comparison fair and consistent.

To conclude, the final result exceeded my expectations, especially in terms of aesthetics. Using carbon fiber PETG greatly reduces the typical “3D printed” look, and a 0.2 mm nozzle for the logos provides a clean and high-quality finish.

Tips to achieve similar print quality:

Use very slow print speeds (around 50 mm/s) and reduce acceleration and travel speed by at least 50% to improve print quality.

Properly dry your filament for 24 hours — trust me, it makes a huge difference.

A smooth PEI build plate delivers an excellent surface finish and removes the shiny effect from the print.

Hardware :

Noctua NF-A9 Fan https://amzn.to/4jrof7K

Noctua NF-A4x20 Fan https://amzn.to/49dfx8p

Creality Hyper PETG-CF Brown Thea ( GPU Shroud ) https://amzn.to/4quOQmn

Brown PETG-CF Alternative https://amzn.to/491tzew

SUNLU Black PETG ( Front GeForce Logo ) https://amzn.to/4jhC74n

OVERTURE white PETG ( GeForce & Noctua BackPlate Logo ) https://amzn.to/4ji63xb

TINMORRY Silver PETG ( Front GeForce Logo ) https://amzn.to/3Nn7MoQ