Honestly fed up with my 3080 Ti hitting 105C while gaming this weekend here in Chicago, the stock pads look like oily trash and I'm ready to rip it apart. I'm actually super excited to try those Gelid ones though... are high-performance thermal pads worth the upgrade for GPUs?
TL;DR: Definitely worth it. I used Gelid Solutions GP-Extreme Thermal Pad 12W/mK, just make sure to check exact thickness requirements so you dont lose core contact. Be careful during the teardown tho.
TL;DR: Absolute game changer! You are gonna see a massive drop in those memory junction temps, like seriously. I have done this to a few 30-series cards now and honestly, the factory pads are such a joke. They bleed oil everywhere and just dont transfer heat well at all. If you want to go beyond the basic stuff, you gotta check out Thermalright Extreme Odyssey II 14.8 W/mK Thermal Pad because they are super high performance. Just a heads up tho, they are a bit stiffer than others, so you gotta be really precise with the thickness or your core temps might actually go up from lack of contact. If the pad doesnt squish enough, it lifts the heatsink off the GPU die... which is basically a nightmare scenario. If you want the absolute best of the best, look at Kritical Pads 20 W/mK Thermal Pad Custom Kit. They are amazing because they are pre-cut for specific cards like your 3080 Ti so you dont have to mess around with a ruler and scissors all day. It is incredible how much better the card runs when the memory isnt throttling at 105C or higher. My VRAM temps dropped by nearly 20C after I swapped mine out. It is such a satisfying project once you get it back together and see those numbers crushing it. Totally worth the stress of the teardown!
ngl i am in the exact same boat right now and it is stressing me out. those temps are honestly scary. you might want to be really careful before tearing things apart tho... maybe check some teardown guides on youtube first? i saw a great one just by searching 3080 ti pad replacement. just be super careful about the warranty and those tiny screws, dont want you to brick anything.