Simply put; this is the card as you will receive it. This is what we call the reference PCB. Since it's a DIY kit, we have to install the cooler ourselves.

The GPU is clearly exposed and, if we move to the right a little, the gDDR3 memory chips as well .

Pardon my GPU photography fetish there. In the category of things that nerds do, this to me is very much the same as a girl flashing her boobs.

Apply a drop of thermal paste onto the GPU. This is delivered with the kit. A little drop in the middle, and then smear it out over the GPU until a tiny film layer is applied. And yes, right now there's too much of it on the GPU.

This is the ZEROtherm cooler, model HC92. Big, beefy, it's huge. It however is among the best ever performing coolers with a very low noise level.