GoKawiilModder replaces GTX 1080 Ti's stock cooler with dual-tower CPU heatsink
YouTuber TrashBench cut apart the stock coolers on Nvidia GTX 1060, 1070 and 1080 Ti cards and bolted on a dual-tower CPU cooler with extra fans instead. The frankenstein setup dropped GPU temperatures by as much as 32°C, cut power draw by roughly 30W, and boosted overclocked frame rates by about 9% in Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The experiment shows how much thermal headroom stock blower and axial GPU coolers leave on the table, since CPU coolers are engineered for far denser heat dissipation. While impractical for mainstream users, it hints at potential efficiency gains for enthusiasts willing to void warranties chasing lower temps and higher clocks on aging hardware.
- Dual-tower CPU cooler cut GTX 1080 Ti temps by up to 32°C versus stock cooling.
- The mod also reduced power consumption by around 30W while raising clock speeds.
- Overclocked performance rose about 9% in Shadow of the Tomb Raider after the swap.
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE CPU Cooler — If this mod has you eyeing dual-tower coolers, the Peerless Assassin 120 SE is the go-to pick, with two heatsink towers, six heatpipes, and a pair of 120mm fans. It's the same class of cooler that took the GTX 1080 Ti's temps way down in the video, and it's a straightforward upgrade for any hot-running CPU even if you never touch an angle grinder.
See Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE CPU Cooler on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: tomshardware.com — Hassam Nasir, 2026-08-23
Published there as: “Enthusiast mods GTX 1080 Ti with a dual-tower CPU cooler, sees up to 32°C reduction in temps — Mod yields 30W power savings and 9% higher FPS”
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