Summer Water Cooling News Update

Well we at ExtremeRigs have been quite busy this summer, and as some of you may have been on vacation it seems a good time to recap what has happened!

Watercooling!

The biggest news of the summer was EK’s new predator AIO.  Essentially EK took their Supremacy MX block which performed very well in our testing and added a modified version of their PE radiator with a low power DDC pump attached.  EK’s excellent compression fittings and ZMT tube is included as well as their Vardar fans.  When we tested the Vardars we tested them in a push setup.  Since then EK have said that they perform best in a Pull based setup so we will be checking that out very soon.

So essentially we’ve played with all these components, and none of them are bad, in fact they are all pretty damn good.  This might be the first no compromises AIO kit that can be expanded on and reused.

EK released some performance comparison data on the predator vs the competition.  Of course the problem is that different fan speeds are used.  You really need to see the performance plotted against noise.  Eitherway with all the good components in the Predator it’s hard to imagine that it wouldn’t beat all existing AIOs which are far more cost sensitive.  The closest competitor to the EK is perhaps Swiftech’s H220x which is significantly cheaper at $140 vs EK’s $200.  Swiftech use their Apogee XL CPU block alongside a very compact radiator where a ddc style pump and reservoir is mounted on one side.  Because Swiftech’s radiator is very compact and slim it will be more compatible with cases (assuming the pump doesn’t get in the way).  However compact/slim radiators simply don’t perform as well and EK probably have a performance advantage based on that in addition to the thermal advantage that the MX has over the Apogee.

So our expectations are that the predator will beat all challengers, particularly in 360 form:

The question is whether the price ($240 for the 360) and the thicker less compatible radiators will be enough to take market share from the variety of existing cheaper non upgradable AIO’s.  At the other end though EK’s own starter kits are only a little more ($250 for a 360 kit).  For that extra $10 you get a real reservoir and a real full power DDC.  So this AIO really is aimed towards those who aren’t ready for putting together a watercooling loop, but might want to in future and definitely want all of that performance today.

Hopefully it will do well as it will offer a great path towards full watercooling for people scared to jump in.

EK also have been busy with a bunch of other products – the Fury X block was released alongside the launch of the GPU:

 

 

The design is a single slotter and comes with a new pci backplate to take advantage of this.  As usual we see the newer EK gpu cooling core with the jetplate as well as active cooling of the VRMs.  There are also multiple colors of backplate to choose from.  Also the 980 TI Strix block was released:

The other block news from EK is that the 780 Classy block is compatible with the 980 TI Classy.  This is good news for EK.  However this does mean that the block doesn’t have the new cooling core and will still say 780 on the block rather than 980 TI:

Lastly – although we covered the Supremacy MX before, I don’t believe we had mentioned the EVO x99 edition:

Essentially this is the regular EVO preconfigured with the right jetplates for X99 and a solid copper top.  The mount is also different and is more similar to the MX mount that did so well in the Supremacy MX review.  We expect this block to give the awesome Heatkiller IV a run for it’s money.

While we’re talking about the Supremacy EK also confirmed that Skylake processors (Socket 1151) are compatible with the Supremacy (all versions except X99/AMD versions i.e. anything compatible with 1150/1155).

Not content with this EK also released a new 140 sized radiator – the CE series.  This replaces the older XTC radiator.  We already have one that we are putting through it’s paces:

For 120mm size radiators EK have three different thicknesses of radiator – 27mm SE, 38mm PE and 60mm XE.  However for 140mm the CE is currently the only offering and is 45mm thick.  It’s currently available in 140/280/420 sizes with a 560 still to come.  With a 45mm thick design we’re expecting to be a middle performer – beaten out by thicker designs, but still ahead of slimmer designs.

Alongside the radiators EK also launched 140mm versions of it’s Vardar fans.  We have been sent the “extended range” 2000RPM models which mean the PWM control signal works down to a lower setting and hence RPM.  These 2000RPM extended range fans come in full black and full white.  You can read more on the 120 versions here.  The EK website also has a black/grey non extended range version that runs at 1150RPM, but a 1600RPM non extended range and a black “furious” 2500 RPM version are also coming.

So EK obviously has been busy, but what about everyone else?

XSPC

XSPC launched their Fury X block.  This keeps the usual XSPC style and we’re expecting similar performance from it:Backplates are of course also matching the previous designs:

The 980 TI block was also launched:

XSPC also teased a new picture of their Raystorm Pro block – since the last teaser the internals and externals have been overhauled.  We’re excited to see how this new block performs:

Lastly XSPC had previously launched their hardline fittings:

However they are also adding PETG tube to the lineup:

They’ve also been working on some tools including this PETG cutter:

Presumably some bending tools are incoming as well.

Bitspower

Bitspower have been up to stuff – but it’s always hard to find out exactly what.  A while back the announced new radiators – including a 5x120mm rad.  These never appeared for sale – now they’ve announced the Leviathan Slim radiators.  This time I can’t even show you a picture, but we’ve been told these are Hardware Labs radiators of the “NLS” variety.  N might stand for Nemesis, and the L version of the Nemesis GTS is a narrower version of the regular GTS aimed to be more compatible with cases.  We suspect this is what the radiator is, but BP has basically gone quiet on this – so who knows if this will see the light of the day.

Products which have however seen the light of day are some GPU blocks including the 980 TI HOF:

And the 980 TI Strix:

While there is a Titan X block – while we might assume it’s compatible with the 980 TI we don’t actually know that.

Alphacool

Alphacool have released another accessory front and back plate for the GPX universal GPU cooler to make it compatible with the Titan X and 980 TI:
As the GPU core cooler hasn’t change then we already know that are chief complaint will be that the block is simply too restrictive.  Hopefully soon we’ll see an updated version of the core.  In addition Alphacool have made it easier to connect these blocks with a bridge system:

Unfortunately however the bridge runs the GPUs in series not in parallel.  This would be fine for a low restriction waterblock, however for something this restrictive the flow rate is going to be ridiculously low.  It maybe hard for a pump to even push the initial air out of the system.Alphacool also launched some blocks for cooling DRAM:

 

It comes in nickel plexi and acetal versions as well as a 2 dimm version:

These seem to attach similarly to the EK/Bitspower/AquaComputer/MIPS ones which were compatible with the original Dominator GT heatsinks.  Now that Corsair EOL’d those products then you need to attach compatible heatspreaders to the RAM.  Luckily Alphacool also made a product to do that:

 

 

Alphacool also launched a new thermal pad- it looks quite thin – hopefully we’ll see this start to be used on the GPX coolers as the aluminum plates use some really thick thermal pads:

 

Watercool 

Watercool launched their Titan/980 TI block – this time also with a plexi window in addition to the “normal” watercool finishes.

The exciting part is that this uses the cooling core from the very succesful Heatkiller IV cpu block so we are expecting some great thermal results.  There will also be a similar block for the Fury X and backplates will of course be available.

AquaComputer

AquaComputer have also launched their Fury X block:

Unusually AquaComputer have jumped on the full cover bandwagon.  However instead of using cheaper plexi they’ve extended the copper out instead.  This will make the PCB flex and bend less of course, but is also heavier and presumably more expensive.   We like that they are trying something different and we love AquaComputer’s quality.  The finish is always amazing.  The plexi is so well polished it looks like glass.  Thankfully no palm trees on this one either!  Like EK the FuryX block is a single slotter, however the single slot bracket is not included with the block.

AquaComputer also confirmed that their Titan X block (above) is compatible with the 980 TI as expected.

 

Koolance

Koolance have confirmed their Titan X block is compatible with the 980 TI, and that the CPU-380I is compatible with Skylake.

 

Don’t forget Koolance now have bridges also for those blocks and even a backplate!

Mayhem’s

Mayhem’s have been busy working on tubing – both flexible and rigid.  The flexible tubing is designed to be ultra clear, plasticizer free while the rigid tube is actually hand blown glass – pretty cool stuff:

The store only has straight tube for now, but Mayhems did have some bent versions of the glass tube too which was really awesome:

Personally I definitely want to use this for my next project!  Hard tube looks awesomely clear as it is, but glass will take it to a new level!

Swiftech

Swiftech have been working on GPU blocks and we like the progress they’ve made on the aesthetic front.  Here’s the new Fury X block in it’s “ECO” version:

Monsoon

Last but definitely not least we have Monsoon.  Monsoon have been quiet for a while since they launched their hardline fittings and support system but they now have something new:

Essentially they’ve launched a library of parts that mean you can really customize your reservoir.  Not only that but these are compatible with the existing S2 bay reservoirs that we covered in the D5 version.  Here are some examples of what you can do:

Pretty damn cool!

Lastly we should also mention some of the store changes.

FrozenCPU as many of you know shut down back in February/March with many rumors surrounding the owner.  It has since reopened though it’s unclear who is really running the show any more.  Some OCN users have reported receiving their orders.  However as to what will happen to orders from back in the Spring and those companies who were rumored to be left out of pocket and unpayed by FCPU we simply are assuming that they are remaining unfulfilled/payed.  For now we counsel caution when dealing with Frozen.

Now of course the FCPU drama also affected many of the employees who were blanket fired somewhat unhappily.  Some of those employees have got together to launch their own store called ModMyMods.  We wish them luck in this endeavor and hope it works out!  Competition is great for the consumer.