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RTX5090 GPU waterblocks, post your findings here.

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Hi there,
I open this thread for people interested in putting a WB on the 5090.

Due to the PCB design, using a WB on the founder's edition will be really difficult
and possibily unreliable.


What are the cards you would like to buy to use in a custom loop?
 

ir_cow

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Once NVIDIA started that cooler design with the 30 series, the FE has become increasingly hard to take apart. Those ribbon cables are so easy to break.
 
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Gainward Phantom GS fitted in a watercool heatkiller.
Hopefully I can get a decent overclock, 30% more compute and 75% more bandwidth oughta be more impressive. The process node didn't change much
 

CornyOC

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1738001812887.png


Heatkiller for Palit/Gainward
Optimus for PNY

These top tier watercooling companies must be on bad terms with top tier AIB brands... What I don't get, is why would somebody who wants to buy an AIB 5090, settle down with low tier brand GPU and top tier waterblock? Is it just me who doesn't comprehed to this logic?

PNY would make sense if Kingpin made an enthusiast version, but he made a statement that he sits this round out due to personal/family reasons, so we are only getting generic PNY models this time.
 

dgianstefani

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Once NVIDIA started that cooler design with the 30 series, the FE has become increasingly hard to take apart. Those ribbon cables are so easy to break.
I didn't have much trouble with my 3080 Ti FE
 

ir_cow

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I didn't have much trouble with my 3080 Ti FE
Compared to the 20 series it was annoying to take apart. That's what getting at. Board partners keep it simple. Remove backplate, remove 4 screws and it comes apart.
 
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Just looking forward to the EK $600 5090 blocks :’)
 
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EK and Alphacool seem to be the only viable options right now... that make actual sense to me.

And they will milk it with the EK tax.
 

theg

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View attachment 381992

Heatkiller for Palit/Gainward
Optimus for PNY

These top tier watercooling companies must be on bad terms with top tier AIB brands... What I don't get, is why would somebody who wants to buy an AIB 5090, settle down with low tier brand GPU and top tier waterblock? Is it just me who doesn't comprehed to this logic?

PNY would make sense if Kingpin made an enthusiast version, but he made a statement that he sits this round out due to personal/family reasons, so we are only getting generic PNY models this time.
That's exactly what I was thinking.

Why would I drop more hundreds more for a partner card, and get a low tier card, when I'm going to have to drop 2-400 bucks for the block anyway.
I'd like support for MSI, Gigabyte and Asus models, as well as FE.
 
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That's exactly what I was thinking.

Why would I drop more hundreds more for a partner card, and get a low tier card, when I'm going to have to drop 2-400 bucks for the block anyway.
I'd like support for MSI, Gigabyte and Asus models, as well as FE.
There will be support for all if history is anything to go buy. I was able to buy a Water Block about a week after I got my card.
 
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What I don't get, is why would somebody who wants to buy an AIB 5090, settle down with low tier brand GPU and top tier waterblock? Is it just me who doesn't comprehed to this logic?

PNY would make sense if Kingpin made an enthusiast version, but he made a statement that he sits this round out due to personal/family reasons, so we are only getting generic PNY models this time.

As far as I can tell from the launch, there seems to be almost no difference card to card because they're all limited to 600W. Normally, you'd want to go with a high-end card that has a better VRM if you're going to be cooling it enough to push more power, but if everything is the same otherwise, you really just want to buy the cheapest one you can get so you're not paying for the best air cooler on the market (that you're taking off anyway). This makes a PNY/Palit card make a lot more sense.
 

CornyOC

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There will be support for all if history is anything to go buy. I was able to buy a Water Block about a week after I got my card.
There will be waterblock for all AIBs either way. Just not expected these moves from Watercool and Optimus...

As far as I can tell from the launch, there seems to be almost no difference card to card because they're all limited to 600W. Normally, you'd want to go with a high-end card that has a better VRM if you're going to be cooling it enough to push more power, but if everything is the same otherwise, you really just want to buy the cheapest one you can get so you're not paying for the best air cooler on the market (that you're taking off anyway). This makes a PNY/Palit card make a lot more sense.
That's what I thought until I compared PCBs between MSI and Palit. Look at those inductors (not the symbols but how they are mounted).
1738016621967.jpeg

1738016642969.jpeg
 

theg

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As far as I can tell from the launch, there seems to be almost no difference card to card because they're all limited to 600W. Normally, you'd want to go with a high-end card that has a better VRM if you're going to be cooling it enough to push more power, but if everything is the same otherwise, you really just want to buy the cheapest one you can get so you're not paying for the best air cooler on the market (that you're taking off anyway). This makes a PNY/Palit card make a lot more sense.
Coil whine was mentioned in several reviews of the FE, I'd pay more for a better AIB card that doesn't have coil whine, even if it doesn't OC any better.
 

CornyOC

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Coil whine was mentioned in several reviews of the FE, I'd pay more for a better AIB card that doesn't have coil whine, even if it doesn't OC any better.
The FE hotspot temps were also borderline acceptable. The leadership was probably pushing 2 slot solution no matter what.
 
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There will be waterblock for all AIBs either way. Just not expected these moves from Watercool and Optimus...


That's what I thought until I compared PCBs between MSI and Palit. Look at those inductors (not the symbols but how they are mounted).
One uses surface-mount, the other through-hole. Either water block would use pretty squishy pads for those. What else am I supposed to be seeing here?

Coil whine was mentioned in several reviews of the FE, I'd pay more for a better AIB card that doesn't have coil whine, even if it doesn't OC any better.
Interesting. I get that sentiment, but you can sometimes improve (or worsen) coil whine by taking off the air cooler and putting on a block. Of course, often I wonder if it just sounds worse when you don't hear all the fan noise lol. I have a 4090 FE with a Heatkiller block and it's quiet as can be. I've always thought of coil whine as more luck of the draw though as it seems to effect every brand if you look at enough reviews.
 
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View attachment 381992

Heatkiller for Palit/Gainward
Optimus for PNY

These top tier watercooling companies must be on bad terms with top tier AIB brands... What I don't get, is why would somebody who wants to buy an AIB 5090, settle down with low tier brand GPU and top tier waterblock? Is it just me who doesn't comprehed to this logic?

PNY would make sense if Kingpin made an enthusiast version, but he made a statement that he sits this round out due to personal/family reasons, so we are only getting generic PNY models this time.
??? I want to hook the graphics card to my custom watercooling rig, I don't need the top tier AIB designer with all the bells and whistles.
Exception of course for VRM count and quality but gainward has been solid and hardly 'low tier'
Maybe I'm misunderstanding your comment

The FE hotspot temps were also borderline acceptable. The leadership was probably pushing 2 slot solution no matter what.
They want to look advanced by making an advanced design. The card hardly looks like it should consume 575 watts and that's probably the main point here. It's great for mini-itx aficionados though
 

CornyOC

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??? I want to hook the graphics card to my custom watercooling rig, I don't need the top tier AIB designer with all the bells and whistles.
Exception of course for VRM count and quality but gainward has been solid and hardly 'low tier'
Maybe I'm misunderstanding your comment
The Palit 5090 will have the same amount of power stages and same mosfets as the MSI 5090 Suprim. Watercool will make a Heatkiller model for it, so it seems to be a great choice for you. Not sure about Gainward 5090 power stages or mosfets though.
 
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The Palit 5090 will have the same amount of power stages and same mosfets as the MSI 5090 Suprim. Watercool will make a Heatkiller model for it, so it seems to be a great choice for you. Not sure about Gainward 5090 power stages or mosfets though.
Great to know, thanks. I will get the Gainward just for the GS model. For 20 bucks I'm willing to get a better binned model.
 
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Pre-ordered the Gigabyte Waterforce 5090 WB, figured it's probably the quickest way for me to land a 5090 with waterblock because I couldn't find Palit or PNY here.

Eventual plan was to get a Heatkiller or Optimus WB so I might have to hunt the US to find either of those.

Let the wait start.

Edit: I wonder who makes the waterblock for the 5090 WB. PCB looks like a custom Gigabyte one too and not the nvidia reference. Gigabyte must outsource the cooler to someone and it doesn't look like it's the Alphacool block. I had the same question with the Waterforce 3090 WB which I still have.
 
Last edited:
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Heatkiller has their page up for the Palit/Gainward blocks. I want one. But who will allow me to buy a Palit/Gainward card? I can't even find a 5090 stateside let alone Palit/Gainward.

Let's hope whatever other AIB they're planning to choose (they confirmed they will make another AIB's WB too) is actually sold in NA.

 
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