The reviews on the Palit GeForce GTX 460 Sonic Platinum edition have been extremely positive in most reviews, including ours in the GTX 460 shootout. Great performance, good cooling and an extremely silent noise level. However earlier on Wednesday we noticed some reports in our forums that an batch of the Palit GeForce GTX 460 seems to be missing the VRM heatsink.

As a result the cards temperature could heat up massively and the cooling will try to compensate by spinning way harder (RPM) and this it makes the product loud. Is yuor VRM/MOSFET area exposed like that ? Here's how you can identify this:

To the left a photo of our review sample, clearly visible is the black heatsink located to the back of the PCB. To your right you can see the same product, yet missing is obviously that heatsink.

If you purchased a Palit GeForce GTX 460 Sonic Platinum edition graphics card, please check if that black heatsink is missing.

Update 1:

So apparantly it is common for Palit to submit better samples to the press opposed to what they sell in the stores: Here's an answer from Palit which makes clear as to this apparantly was done on purpose:

This is Norman from Palit Taipei office.

Just let you know that all our GTX 460 1GB “SonicPlatinum” boards are passed “burning test” with at least 2 hours under 45 degree C in chamber.

All those boards have not any heat sink on the VRM (MOSFET) components.The temperature on the VRM (MOSFET and other components) are not over 80 degree under 45 degree chamber.

We run 3Dmark2006 “GT2” that was suggested by NV for the thermal testing.

Please be confidence with our serious testing process, which you don’t need to worry about any “damage” possibility.

“Quality” always is our priority. Thank you!

And since quality and reliable reviews are our priority we posted the following follow-up questions:

Guru3D: Okay, follow-up questions ..

1. Why then do we see huge complaints about noise levels and heat issues from end users ?
2. Why do you send vanilla samples to the press ?
3. Why do the samples send to press DO have VRM heatsinks and the customer versions not ?

Guys, whenever I post a review I expect to test the retail sample. Clearly the press samples differ from the retail samples, and that effects my objectivity and this websites reputation. This is a HUGE problem and is utterly shameful activity from Palits side.

I want to know what Palit is going to do for the end-users that received a different (cheaper) end-product. Because what happens here is unacceptable.

Currently we are awating Palits reaction.

Update: Okay guys some progress.

It seems the sample we received was an enigneering sample and that the final e-tail samples indeed ships without the VRM heatsink.

Several things are being done now:

• Next week we'll receive the final sample and look into the heat / noise level tests again.
• I was very clear about this request: Palit will make a statement likely early next week on what exactly happened and what went wrong.
• A new BIOS is to be released for the Sonic Platinum editions cards that (hopefully) will help out with heat and noise levels

So they acknowledge that we received an early sample that differs from the final product. Hopefully the new BIOS will help out with the noise levels and as soon as it arrives we'll retest the actual final product on heat and noise levels. We'll obviously let you know how the product review with the final sample will turn out.

Update: for those with the GeForce GTX 460 Sonic Platinum edition without VRM heatsink, Palit submitted the new BIOS please find it here:

Dowload:
http://files.guru3d.info/guru3d/tweak/VGA_BIOS_Upgrade_0716.zip

Or alternatively here at Palit:

http://www.palit.biz/main/faq_show.php?pc_cate=vga&id=161

Update: here's a comment from someone who flashed and this tried the new BIOS. The first findings with the new BIOS seem to be very positive.

Well that definitely changed the bios fan profile, much more tolerable, it now idles the fan @ 40% in windows (silent), on the old bios it would hover around 50/55%, and just tried out Crysis and the max the fan got to was 62% @ 77c so much better, you could hear it but was much improved, I don't really need afterburner to limit my fan now.

Discuss your findings here please.