Next-Gen ASRock Motherboards Waterproof

[btarunr]

Among the pile of new features motherboard makers are coming up with, for their next-generation socket LGA1150 motherboards, this one from ASRock is bound to stand out. Select ASRock 8-series motherboards will feature water-proofing. Why do you need it? Because the enthusiast crowd likes to use water-cooling, and custom-built water-cooling loops are prone to leaks and spills, if not done right. Water-proofing ensures the board is more resilient to coolant spills. ASRock doesn't guarantee protection from all kinds of liquid coolants, but at least it's a step in the right direction. Other innovations by ASRock include enhanced onboard audio, HDMI in (for video recording), 802.11 ac WLAN, and HomeCloud software.



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[LAN_deRf_HA]

Just don't drip anything near the ram and pci-e slots.

 

[hellrazor]

Give me waterproof RAM, a video card, and a processor.

 

[AndreiD]

Should help with condensation, I think that's probably the biggest reason for any waterproof coating.

 

[pjl321]

Is that not going to massively interfere with the mobo's cooling? Generally any kind of water proof layer isn't going to be a great thermal conductor, don't think there is a huge amount of heat on a modern mobo but still not sure it's there best idea I've ever heard.

 

[alwayssts]

I agree it's mostly (a gimmick) to protect against condensation when below ambient...in theory.

I was under the impression the number of people that do this type of thing were vastly diminishing, but I suppose it's a nice option for the handful that still feel the need.

I wish this was around back when I used my Prometeia Mach II (before it became a mainstay of my 'crap I thought was cool when I was young' closet.)

That said, socket-insulating 'tape' putty, nail polish, and different methods of spray-coating were part of the fun!

 

[d1nky]

I spilt icecream on my computer lastnight, went on mobo and gfx. I probably need this hahaha

 

[erixx]

Did they shoot their own (and loop makers') foot with this? :
"and custom-built water-cooling loops are prone to leaks and spills, if not done right".

 

[Covert_Death]

this will be great for water-cooling builds, it rarely happens but leaks DO happen and can mess up a board

 

[PLAfiller]

Did they shoot their own (and loop makers') foot with this? :
"and custom-built water-cooling loops are prone to leaks and spills, if not done right".

You mean, by somewhat calling the people building the WC-setups incompetent? It seems "no" to me. I think they are referring to one of the many possibilities. Like "what if" something happens. I doesn't look like (to me) they are saying that the WC-equipment or the talents/skills of the setup-builder are bad. Anyway, it's cool why not. I wonder how much does it cost to add this feature per board. Why not have all the mid-range boards coated like that

 

[NeoXF]

Oh god, just show me your Z87 Extreme4/6/7/9 and Fatal1ty Performance/Professional/Champion models so I can decide which one I'd get already!

 

[wiak]

damn you asrock, now i cant get mommy to buy a better new motherboard after i short circuit my crappy old motherboard

 

[Jorge]

It's laughable the number of people who buy inferior closed loop coolers only to find they don't perform as well as a highend heatsink/fan. When these CLCs leak and many do, the hardware gets fried and people are then SOL because they didn't perform due diligence before buying a CLC.

Obviously open loop coolers can also leak but most folks who use them are doing so because they like to tinker so if they fry their hardware they just suck it up and buy new. This keeps them from getting bored with the hardware they have at the moment.

I expect Asrock is going to be sorry that they advertised these new mobos as "waterproof"...

 

[EaGle1337]

It's laughable the number of people who buy inferior closed loop coolers only to find they don't perform as well as a highend heatsink/fan. When these CLCs leak and many do, the hardware gets fried and people are then SOL because they didn't perform due diligence before buying a CLC.

Obviously open loop coolers can also leak but most folks who use them are doing so because they like to tinker so if they fry their hardware they just suck it up and buy new. This keeps them from getting bored with the hardware they have at the moment.

I expect Asrock is going to be sorry that they advertised these new mobos as "waterproof"...

I do not see the issue here, anything that helps keeps at least one part from frying in case of a leak is good..

 

[Bunchies]

now i can go swimming with my MOBO and walk down the street with it while its raining without any worries

lol but really. this is intended for people cooling with liquid nitrogen

 

[Patriot]

Did they shoot their own (and loop makers') foot with this? :
"and custom-built water-cooling loops are prone to leaks and spills, if not done right".

If people take offense to this they are either extremely lucky or haven't built many loops yet.
Shit happens... better safe then sorry. They put the proper, "if not done right", clause on there. Nothing wrong with that statement. That said, I trust my loops more than a "sealed" loop.

 

[arterius2]

It's laughable the number of people who buy inferior closed loop coolers only to find they don't perform as well as a highend heatsink/fan. When these CLCs leak and many do, the hardware gets fried and people are then SOL because they didn't perform due diligence before buying a CLC.

Obviously open loop coolers can also leak but most folks who use them are doing so because they like to tinker so if they fry their hardware they just suck it up and buy new. This keeps them from getting bored with the hardware they have at the moment.

I expect Asrock is going to be sorry that they advertised these new mobos as "waterproof"...

I don't find anything funny about using closed loop coolers, they do their job just fine, Ive used just about any high performance air coolers out there. noctua nh-d14, TR silver arrow etc. Since then I've switch to CLC ONLY(corsair H80i/H100i), because im basically sick and tired of getting bloody knuckles every time I tinker with my computers(and I do have a large case), also cleaning the heatsink is a bitch, and i'm not even going to go into ram clearance and shit like that, because lets face it air coolers are a pain in the butt. now with CLC my computers are much tidier and easily accessible so I tinker all I want. I've built over 20 computers with CLCs and pretty satisfied with how they perform, so far none have leaked.

 

[Lazermonkey]

I don't find anything funny about using closed loop coolers, they do their job just fine, Ive used just about any high performance air coolers out there. noctua nh-d14, TR silver arrow etc. Since then I've switch to CLC ONLY(corsair H80i/H100i), because im basically sick and tired of getting bloody knuckles every time I tinker with my computers, also cleaning the heatsink is a bitch, and i'm not even going to go into ram clearance and shit like that, because lets face it air coolers are a pain in the butt. now with CLC my computers are much tidier and easily accessible so I tinker all I want. I've built over 20 computers with CLCs and pretty satisfied with how they perform, so far none have leaked.

May I ask how the temps are with water as opposed to the air?

 

[arterius2]

May I ask how the temps are with water as opposed to the air?

my corsair H80i on i7-3770k(stock) idles on 20-30C depending on ambient, and under 65C full load.

 

[MxPhenom 216]

my corsair H80i on i7-3770k(stock) idles on 20-30C depending on ambient, and under 65C full load.

delid it. temps at load will be even better.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

Among the pile of new features motherboard makers are coming up with, for their next-generation socket LGA1150 motherboards, this one from ASRock is bound to stand out. Select ASRock 8-series motherboards will feature water-proofing. Why do you need it? Because the enthusiast crowd likes to use water-cooling, and custom-built water-cooling loops are prone to leaks and spills, if not done right. Water-proofing ensures the board is more resilient to coolant spills. ASRock doesn't guarantee protection from all kinds of liquid coolants, but at least it's a step in the right direction. Other innovations by ASRock include enhanced onboard audio, HDMI in (for video recording), 802.11 ac WLAN, and HomeCloud software.

[url]http://www.techpowerup.com/img/13-05-08/51a_thm.jpg[/URL]

Whilst I am sorry to drag this thrwad back I just
Realised how balls it is and hence had to comment.

What utter nonsense.

All motherboard's already get a conformal (waterproof) coating its the layer of glossy shine that also covers the top layer pcb tracks and ive never ever seen a mobo with bare top tracks , it is possible to add yet another layer post component fitting but then you have to mask connectors leaving an ingress point still in the main problem area ie pciex slots.

Pr bull.... and there isn't an issue if you take your time and pick the right bits and coolant.

 

[Cyras]

A-Style: Waterproof by Conformal Coating Live Demo...

Source