Thursday, November 3rd 2022
EK Ready with AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Water Blocks
The long-awaited 3rd of November is here with the latest AMD Radeon RX 7000-series GPUs launch. More good news is that EK, the premium water-cooling gear manufacturer, is ready with EK-Quantum Vector² water blocks for the reference models of the new AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX GPUs. The new Radeon graphics cards come with a special memory cache dies (MCD) next to the main chip - Graphics Compute Die (GCD). The cooling engine has been modified to cool the MCDs as well, aside from the usual GPU components that are also being cooled, like the VRM, VRAM, Voltage Controllers, and the chip die.
The new Radeon RX 7900 XTX GPUs have GCD that is manufactured in a cutting edge 5 nm process, allowing 54% improvement of performance per watt. While the GPU is efficient, it does still use more power than the previous generation. At 355 W total board power that is packed in a smaller package than ever, with 300 mm² GCD that contains 165% more transistors per mm² than the previous generation. Overall these GPUs feature 58 billion transistors for 61 TFLOPs of performance.
EK-Quantum Vector² RX 7900 XTX D-RGB
The EK-Quantum Vector² RX 7900 XTX D-RGB is the first Vector² water block for Radeon GPUs, featuring full EK-Matrix7 compatibility. They are engineered exclusively for the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX GPUs. This liquid cooling solution encompasses a Vector² series water block and a black-anodized aluminum backplate in the same package. Like the rest of the Vector² series water blocks, the look is dominated by minimalist straight lines and the backplate coming around the side of the GPU to cover the PCB in its entirety.
What differs from all other Vector² water blocks is that the cooling engine for this water block has been rotated 90°, so the fins are perpendicular to the die. For optimal delta, the coolant flows over the graphics core die first, and the memory cache die after. Consequently, all MCDs get the same temperature coolant thanks to the high-precision 3D-machined acrylic jet insert. Fin density has been increased from 0,6/0,4 to 0,4/0,26mm to account for the increased power dissipation requirement from the new Graphics Core Die and six MCDs.
Available finishes:
All Vector² GPU water blocks use an 11-mm thick copper coldplate with a directly attached acetal terminal and a robust single O-ring top design for fewer possible points of failure. This simple construction provides confidence during customization and maintenance. Two distinctive and unique D-RGB lighting options are now available to complement the material choice of the product: Nickel + Plexi and Nickel + Acetal. Both versions include a black-anodized aluminum backplate and a base that is CNC-machined out of nickel-plated electrolytic copper. The backplate also provides additional passive cooling to the back side of the PCB, further improving the cooling capacity of the water block.
On the Plexi version, the D-RGB LED lighting is deployed on the longest edge of the water block for improved uniformity and brightness. The PCB and diodes are concealed inside a clean aluminium extrusion.
On the Acetal version, a unique design with a dense D-RGB LED strip illuminates the parting line of the stand-out element on both sides of the block. This subtle effect allows vivid displays of color while the block remains entirely black.
Tactile magnetic covers conceal the terminal screws, allowing the branding to rotate when the GPU is inverted inside the case.
The GPU water blocks have a specific cutout that enables you to utilize the included multi-use tool to decouple the PCIe safety on the motherboard and easily unplug the GPU. Using the same tool, you can also detach the power cable and tighten the standoffs more easily.
EK-Quantum Vector² Backplate
Each Vector² water block comes with a CNC-machined black-anodized backplate. The backplates also include captive nickel-plated mounting screws to replace the original black ones. The backplate has a new L-shaped profile that comes in contact with the water block's base and encloses the entire GPU, thus increasing the cooling surface and providing even better performance. This connection with the water block, which is far more efficient at heat transfer, enables a further increase in performance.
Captive backplate screws simplify installation, ensuring the correct length is always used where necessary to avoid any user error or second-guessing.
EK-Matrix7 Standard
EK-Matrix7 standardizes the dimensions of the products, including the port position and spacing, making liquid cooling loop assembly easier and more intuitive. All Vector² products feature full EK-Matrix7 compliance in every axis, ensuring easy integration and alignment with all other EK-Matrix7 products. This brings perfect alignment of ports in both horizontal and vertical positions, meaning less time is spent planning the loop and bending tubes, with the end result being an epic build.
Pricing (MSRP):
The new Radeon RX 7900 XTX GPUs have GCD that is manufactured in a cutting edge 5 nm process, allowing 54% improvement of performance per watt. While the GPU is efficient, it does still use more power than the previous generation. At 355 W total board power that is packed in a smaller package than ever, with 300 mm² GCD that contains 165% more transistors per mm² than the previous generation. Overall these GPUs feature 58 billion transistors for 61 TFLOPs of performance.
The EK-Quantum Vector² RX 7900 XTX D-RGB is the first Vector² water block for Radeon GPUs, featuring full EK-Matrix7 compatibility. They are engineered exclusively for the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX GPUs. This liquid cooling solution encompasses a Vector² series water block and a black-anodized aluminum backplate in the same package. Like the rest of the Vector² series water blocks, the look is dominated by minimalist straight lines and the backplate coming around the side of the GPU to cover the PCB in its entirety.
What differs from all other Vector² water blocks is that the cooling engine for this water block has been rotated 90°, so the fins are perpendicular to the die. For optimal delta, the coolant flows over the graphics core die first, and the memory cache die after. Consequently, all MCDs get the same temperature coolant thanks to the high-precision 3D-machined acrylic jet insert. Fin density has been increased from 0,6/0,4 to 0,4/0,26mm to account for the increased power dissipation requirement from the new Graphics Core Die and six MCDs.
Available finishes:
- Nickel + Plexi
- Nickel + Acetal
All Vector² GPU water blocks use an 11-mm thick copper coldplate with a directly attached acetal terminal and a robust single O-ring top design for fewer possible points of failure. This simple construction provides confidence during customization and maintenance. Two distinctive and unique D-RGB lighting options are now available to complement the material choice of the product: Nickel + Plexi and Nickel + Acetal. Both versions include a black-anodized aluminum backplate and a base that is CNC-machined out of nickel-plated electrolytic copper. The backplate also provides additional passive cooling to the back side of the PCB, further improving the cooling capacity of the water block.
On the Plexi version, the D-RGB LED lighting is deployed on the longest edge of the water block for improved uniformity and brightness. The PCB and diodes are concealed inside a clean aluminium extrusion.
On the Acetal version, a unique design with a dense D-RGB LED strip illuminates the parting line of the stand-out element on both sides of the block. This subtle effect allows vivid displays of color while the block remains entirely black.
Tactile magnetic covers conceal the terminal screws, allowing the branding to rotate when the GPU is inverted inside the case.
The GPU water blocks have a specific cutout that enables you to utilize the included multi-use tool to decouple the PCIe safety on the motherboard and easily unplug the GPU. Using the same tool, you can also detach the power cable and tighten the standoffs more easily.
EK-Quantum Vector² Backplate
Each Vector² water block comes with a CNC-machined black-anodized backplate. The backplates also include captive nickel-plated mounting screws to replace the original black ones. The backplate has a new L-shaped profile that comes in contact with the water block's base and encloses the entire GPU, thus increasing the cooling surface and providing even better performance. This connection with the water block, which is far more efficient at heat transfer, enables a further increase in performance.
Captive backplate screws simplify installation, ensuring the correct length is always used where necessary to avoid any user error or second-guessing.
EK-Matrix7 Standard
EK-Matrix7 standardizes the dimensions of the products, including the port position and spacing, making liquid cooling loop assembly easier and more intuitive. All Vector² products feature full EK-Matrix7 compliance in every axis, ensuring easy integration and alignment with all other EK-Matrix7 products. This brings perfect alignment of ports in both horizontal and vertical positions, meaning less time is spent planning the loop and bending tubes, with the end result being an epic build.
Pricing (MSRP):
- EK-Quantum Vector² RX 7900 XTX D-RGB - Nickel + Plexi 239.90€
- EK-Quantum Vector² RX 7900 XTX D-RGB - Nickel + Acetal 239.90€
- Ships from Early-December, 2022
16 Comments on EK Ready with AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Water Blocks
this is really only for wealthier people, always has been imo. its reason i stuck with my noctua for so many years. cause why upgrade when i had no need to. still regret selling my NH-D14. oh well, lesson learned.
EK have apparently gone into men's accessories - you know, fancy looking watches, cufflinks, CPU waterblocks with wood inserts, chicks fall for that.
the Vector² series EK 3080/3090 Strix block is 245€... so yea 65€/$ difference for a superior water block. I would really like to see that "HALF THE PRICE" or would really like for Bykski fanboys to shut up.
OH! And with a byski block you don't get a user manual. Just go to Reddit and read some of the frustrations people have with installing Bykski blocks.
The iChill block has almost no flow on one side of the block because the pressure and path distance is not accounted for.
That's why the EK block has a complex path to have the pressure and coolant path equalized on both sides of the block.
If you count EK discounts, you can count Bykski and Alphacool too. And I'm not intetested in GPU waterblock 2 years after the card has come out, I'm sure there were very little discounts when these waterblocks weren't EOL.
All of the EK cheaper waterblocks come without backplate (that costs 46 EUR extra), and Bykski and Alphacool come with a backplate - and the EK waterblocks that come with backplate, well, you pay for it.
A more current comparison would be:
EK-Quantum Vector² FE RTX 4090 D-RGB - Nickel + Plexi - Pre-Order €245.95
Alphacool Eisblock Aurora Acryl GPX-N RTX 4090 Reference mit Backplate- €159.98
And putting EK on some sort of quality throne after all the issues people had with their flaking plating, their congealing CryoFuel coolants, their ZMT tubing full of debris is kind of strange.
The reference card drops on Dec 13, 2022.
The accessories are important to me,.. I do not want to use the OEM I/O Bracket on my single slot blocks. I wish EK would include a single slot I/O Bracket,.. as now I need to locate one before Dec 21.
I had same issue with my RTX 3090 Ti EK block,.. EK does not include a single slot I/O bracket, you are expected to use huge OEM three slot, or buy a single slot elsewhere.
I bought a single slot cover for my 3090 Ti at WATERCOOL,.. hopefully they will come out with single slot for RX 7900, or the RX 6800/6900 XT cover will work.
2nd, If you cant figure out how to install a block...ask for help, at a real forum. Despite the bad attitude, someone will assist you.
3rd, Don't make things harder than they have to be by alienating yourself from the already small community of wcers mr.angry ek fanboy.
4th, reddits for suckers. The cool kids hang out at real forums.
Your last point is, strange.
iwho? Yeah... no one cares about ichill or their failed attempt at a GPU block. I have no idea why you chose that for context?
Poor choice of blocks to try and justify EKs overcomplication of a tried and true design. Who knows their, "complex design" may be the next breakthrough in ages! I have my doubts until I see actual proof rather than slick market speak geared towards selling the next new and shiny.
Some of the stuff you wrote is just insane to me.
You buy a product from a company then you have to go on a scavenger hunt to a forum to get the product installed. But if another company charges more, and has employees that do create the manual and an installation video as well and ask more for their products that is even superior in performance, then they are sh*t because they are "overpriced".
Yes, last gen...meaning wrong blocks entirely. We happen to be talking about the 7900xtx vector2 blocks. But while we're on the subject, would you look at the differences? Wow! Simply earth shattering hahaha.
Oh yeah, remember that "complexity" part? I'll remind you...and I quote.
"What differs from all other Vector² water blocks is that the cooling engine for this water block has been rotated 90°, so the fins are perpendicular to the die."
The insanity part doesn't surprise me unfortunately.
If you cant figure out how to install a GPU block I don't know what to tell you...er, well, I already did. But you want to go hunting for some reason, odd.
You do you mr.angry ek fanboy. Protect that investment.
Btw no one said anything about EK or their gear being bad. That's you projecting. Overpriced? Absolutely. Nothing ground breaking there.
Will that performance difference have any major impacts? I never said anything like it, just don't say "that you get the same".
I also don't go full rage against Optimus blocks... Who has the money, who sees the benefits, by all means go for it, just don't say that you get the same from bykski, for half the price, because that's a lie.
Performance differences are minimal at best from one manufacturer to the next. I'll take a 2-5c hit for half the price, equal quality, with a block I may use for 3 to 4 years, every day of the week. And believe it or not they DO come with mounting directions. I've had no problems mounting any of the several I've used.
As to where to find them, you have to go to the express in China. The shipping is prolonged of course but they have every block under the sun.
No, I don't buy or even consider boutique blocks.
Price to performance is foolish. When I can get a heatkiller that will come within a few degrees...mmmnah.
Odd but I don't remember mentioning Optimus...