Thursday, April 8th 2021
EK Launches Quantum Vector FE RTX 3080 and 3090 Backplates
EK, is launching separate backplates for the Special Edition high-performance GPU water blocks that were made for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 and 3090 Founders Edition graphics cards. The EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3080 and 3090 Backplates are available stand-alone due to many requests by users who wanted to make their blocks in one color instead of having a contrasting silver backplate on a black version of the water block and vice-versa.
This backplate provides additional passive cooling for the GPU core and the backside of the printed circuit board VRM section. Due to the small size of the card and the block itself, the ribbed backplate boasts an increased surface area for additional passive cooling power. It comes in anodized aluminium with a silver or black finish. The silver version is intended for the silver EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3080 water block, to make it an all-around silver enclosure, just as the black backplate is intended for the black EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3080 water block. By replacing the stock backplate with one of a different color, you get a truly monochromatic look.
This backplate provides additional passive cooling for the GPU core, the rear-mounted VRAM, and the backside of the printed circuit board VRM section. The ribbed backplate offers an increased surface area for additional passive cooling power to compensate for the small size of the card and block itself. This is a hybrid backplate that combines active and passive cooling. The "active" cooling part is achieved through a section of the backplate contacting the coldplate, which is then directly cooled by the liquid.
It comes in anodized aluminium with a silver or black finish. The silver version is intended for the silver version of the EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3090 water block, to make it an all-around silver enclosure, just as the black backplate is intended for the black version of the EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3090 water block. By replacing the stock backplate with one of different color, you get a truly monochromatic look.
Availability and Pricing
The EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3080 and 3090 Backplates are made in Slovenia, Europe, and are available for order through the EK Webshop and dedicated reseller network.
Source:
EK
This backplate provides additional passive cooling for the GPU core and the backside of the printed circuit board VRM section. Due to the small size of the card and the block itself, the ribbed backplate boasts an increased surface area for additional passive cooling power. It comes in anodized aluminium with a silver or black finish. The silver version is intended for the silver EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3080 water block, to make it an all-around silver enclosure, just as the black backplate is intended for the black EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3080 water block. By replacing the stock backplate with one of a different color, you get a truly monochromatic look.
It comes in anodized aluminium with a silver or black finish. The silver version is intended for the silver version of the EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3090 water block, to make it an all-around silver enclosure, just as the black backplate is intended for the black version of the EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3090 water block. By replacing the stock backplate with one of different color, you get a truly monochromatic look.
Availability and Pricing
The EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3080 and 3090 Backplates are made in Slovenia, Europe, and are available for order through the EK Webshop and dedicated reseller network.
10 Comments on EK Launches Quantum Vector FE RTX 3080 and 3090 Backplates
I just bought an optimuspc reservoir and will probably buy a cpu block from them when they come back in stock. I thought I was over spending on that res. But it's nothing compared to ek's pricing on these blocks.
But you're right, those prices are insane! On the other hand, it does look nice (allthough would be even nicer if they removed the plexi window, I hate plexi on cooling components). Let's hope they can cope with the immense heat coming from those RAM chips on the back with that backlplate.
They use copper, if they really go for high purity (99.99%) it can get quite expensive, further everything is allegedly "CNC-machined without mass-production techniques", in a small production run that would only add to the cost.
The backplate is described as "The aluminum CNC-machined backplate has a ribbed texture in order to increase surface area for additional passive cooling power. The "active" cooling part is achieved through a section of the backplate contacting the coldplate, which is then directly cooled by the liquid."
How much of that is marketing BS is up to you. But given previous statements from EK towards manufacturing apply here as well, it won't be on the cheap side of things.
EK does manufacture in Slovenia thou, which gives them a bit of an edge in cost of machine hours and labour compared to let's say Alphacool, who manufacture in Germany. Still they manage to offer blocks for nearly half the price for the 30-series.
In the end it is hard to say, since material quality and manufacturing technique alone can vary wildly in cost here.
EK seems couldn't care less about what customer may want.
For starters there are no backplanes with blocks when every major player in the industry adds it in the box.
I remember few years back enquiring about dual D5 Revo tops availability without pumps (always using Vario not PWM).
EK - Sorry we don't sell without pumps and it'll be always sold with pumps.
Me - OK, I'll do it with other top then
After that exchange perhaps 2 weeks has passed... EK starts to sell dual D5 Revo top without pumps.
That way I know they treat customers as brainless [*put here something colorful*], unless some youtuber ask them to do something just for them. Then they get all giddy and sweet. I had that experience too and compared that to situation when Linus asked them for certain item and EK delivered in couple weeks. I got the response - sorry, we have no time to waste with request like this. Seems like for EK only certain kind of money is acceptable. No matter Alphacool delivered awesome custom product (not CPU/VGA block) which I was more than happy to pay for.
That day I said F EK.