EVGA Backplate Install for the GTX 780 Ti Classified

The backplate comes from EVGA packaged extremely well.  You will find two cardboard wraps protecting the panel from getting bent while bubble wrap helps fill any gaps.

Inside the package you’ll find the backplate and a set of screws.  The screws are slightly longer so be sure to use those when it comes time to install. 

This next part is really important.  There are two pieces of plastic on the panel, one you remove and one you leave in place.  The outer plastic covers the entire panel and this is the one you peel away.  The inner plastic is actually insulation that keeps the surface components from accidently shorting out.

The above photo shows the inner plastic, leave this alone.  You may also notice three thermal pads located in the middle of the panel.  These are for cooling so leave those alone and make sure they stay clean.

To install the backplate you will be removing a certain set of screws while leaving some others in place.  Of course every video card is different, for instance when installing the backplate on a GTX 580 you would actually remove the screws holding the GPU cooler in place.  However, with the GTX 780 Ti Classified you leave the GPU cooler alone and remove a good majority of the screws holding the heatspreader in place.

In fact all of them, except for two