AquaComputer Kryographics for GTX 980 Review – AquaComputer’s GTX 980 Water Block & Active Backplate

Aqua Computer Kryographics for GTX 980 Review – Aqua Computer’s GTX 980 Water Block & Active Backplate

In this review we’ll be taking a look at Aqua Computer’s after market watercooling block for the NVidia’s GTX 980 reference card – the “Kryographics for GTX 980”.    This is part of our GTX 980 water block round up. As always a big thanks to AquaComputer for supporting ExtremeRigs with a test sample.

Both block and backplate arrive in identical boxes.  The boxes are attractive as usual from Aqua Computer.

The block is protected by chunks of foam that will do a decent job of protecting the block.
Accessories were found at the bottom in a bag:

Instructions come in German and English and are detailed and color coded.  In addition there is necessary mounting hardware, thermal pads, some foam spacers and mini backplate and some stop fittings.  TIM was not included.

The mini backplate seemed somewhat scuffed up on one side – luckily we found that this side would be hidden, and the “presented” side looked good:

Aqua Computer vacuum seals the block in a plastic bag which is great as copper blocks do have a tendancy to oxidize.  This ensures that the block comes out looking fresh and perfect:

As usual Aqua have created some small individual details for this block – it has an engraved GTX980 on the front, as well as “Maxwell” on the side:
Note that the orientation of this text is opposite to the text on the bridge:
Overall this block is extremely slim.  Indeed if the GPU wasn’t 2 slot because of it’s output ports we believe this could have been a single slotter when fitted with this block.  It’s worth noting that there are thicker versions of the block that provide a window:
While the copper/stainless steel look on the block we received is nice, we think the nickel plated “glass” block is the absolute bee’s knees.  We got to play with one of the nickel/plexi versions in the R9-290 water block roundup and quite frankly it’s the best looking block we’ve ever seen.

As usual standoffs are used for the mounting screws.  We can also see quite a lot more machining marks than we are used to from Aqua Computer:
While this is hidden and it doesn’t really matter we are used to Aqua Computer being almost OCD about their machining work.  The surface for the GPU core however was at least nicely finished:
AquaComputer is the only company to not use thermal pads for the VRAM cooling.  Theoretically this means that the block can be closer to the VRAM and cool it better.  The amount of TIM each VRAM module needs though varies significantly and so it is wise to do a test fit to see if enough has been used otherwise good contact is unlikely to be made on every RAM chip.  After fitting the block looks at home on the card:

Unusually Aqua Computer offer a full backplate as an optional accessory in both ‘active’ and ‘passive” versions, but this block always comes with a mini backplate as well that must be fitted in order to mount the block:
It fits behind the VRM area and ensures great contact/pressure can be made with the VRMs without bending the board.  There are some problems though.  In order to ensure rigidity the stainless steel plate is bent over away from the GPU:
This may cause problems interfering with another PCI card in the adjacent slot.  The bend could have been made to go towards the block instead with the same effect and without this problem.  In addition the plate is spaced significantly far away from the PCB and in addition button head screws stick out even further from the plate.  This leads to compatibility issues with some boards like the popular Rampage IV Extreme shown here:
So this may stop the card from fitting in PCI slot one in some motherboards, while the bend of the plate might stop it from also being mounted in lower slots.  While the plate could have been made optional by including more short screws there were not enough included to mount the block without it.

Now let’s take a look at the optional extra “full” backplate…