Gigabyte updates RTX 5070 Ti Windforce and eliminates thermal gel from the dissipation system

A Gigabyte made a discreet but relevant change to the project of the RTX 5070 Twandforce OOC V2.

The most recent version of the board is now eliminate the use of so-called “server-grade thermal gel” in the dissipation system, opting again for traditional solutions, such as thermal pads. The change was identified in technical materials and official product pages, with no formal announcement from the manufacturer so far.

The adjustment comes after weeks of questions in the specialized community and reports pointing out possible practical problems related to the thermal gel used in previous models of the RTX 50 line.

The RTX 5070 Ti Windforce V2

The most recent revision of the card maintains the same base set, with GPU NVIDIA Blackwellmemory 16GB GDDR7 and 256-bit interface, in addition to the WINDFORCE cooling system with three fans. The difference is concentrated in the thermal interface between GPU, VRAM and heatsink block.

While previous versions explicitly cited the use of thermal conductive gel in official materials, this reference has completely disappeared in the newer Windforce OC V2.

Instead, everything points to a return to conventional thermal padsa solution already consolidated on the market and more predictable in terms of application and durability.

Why thermal gel became the target of criticism

Thermal gel had been introduced by Gigabyte as an alternative to improve thermal contact on irregular surfaces and reduce variations in the manufacturing process. On paper, the proposal sought standardization and efficiency.

In practice, however, reports have emerged of excess materialpossible gel flow over time and inconsistent behavior on vertically installed boards. These points have raised questions about long-term reliability, especially in high thermal consumption GPUs.

The problem did not appear widespread, but enough to generate technical noise and concern among enthusiasts and integrators.

Community identified the change before official announcement

The removal of the thermal gel was initially noticed by users aware of the specification pagesdisassembly images and comparative materials. The absence of the term in recent documents was in direct contrast to previous versions of the same model.

This type of silent adjustment demonstrates the active listening of the company, which decided correct the project without turning the change into a public campaigna common strategy when technical changes seek to reduce controversy, and not promote differentiation.

In previous positions, Gigabyte had already stated that the gel was safe and was part of the original project, but acknowledged that initial batches could present variations in application.

Practical impact for those who buy the card now

For the end consumer, the removal of thermal gel does not change raw performance, clocks or consumption da RTX 5070 Ti Windforce.

The impact is more linked to maintaining thermal stability over time and the predictability of the board’s behavior in different mounting orientations.

Thermal pads, although less “modern” in concept, are widely known for their reliability and ease of replacementwhich tends to please both advanced users and system integrators.

Until now, there is no indication of recall or replacement for units previously sold with thermal gel.

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How projects evolve in the real market

Gigabyte’s decision illustrates how hardware designs continue to evolve even after launch.

In an accelerated cycle like that of new generation GPUs, community feedback, independent reviews and real-world usage end up influencing technical reviews quickly.

The withdrawal of thermal gel indicates that manufacturers are paying attention to the balance between innovation and predictability. After all, in products of this level, any choice of material is now judged not only by theoretical efficiency, but by behavior in the real world.

Fonte: Gigabyte