EK Water Blocks Outs EK Lignum Walnut-covered RTX 30-series Water Blocks

[btarunr]

EK, the leading premium liquid cooling gear manufacturer, announces the launch of a new addition to the Signature Edition product portfolio - the EK Lignum. It is inspired by our founder's love for woodwork and modern computer technologies and named after the Latin word for wood. A perfect symbiosis of the oldest natural building material and contemporary high-end cooling solutions. An unparalleled example of how your PC can reflect your lifestyle. The Lignum line and its wooden opulence can bring a feeling of comfort and warmth to your home while keeping your PC cool and silent for its maximum possible performance.

The choice of wood is walnut (Juglans Nigra) because it never fails to surprise with its colors and texture. The connection between the water block and the wood enables wood to shrink and expand, which is one of its most natural predispositions in response to the changes in humidity and temperature. Lignum products were engineered in a way so that the wood does not come into direct contact with water. Every block has a unique pattern of wood, which makes it one of a kind in the world.



The Lignum GPU water block at hand is based on EK's latest EK-Quantum Vector RE RTX 3080/3090, which is an updated design of the 2nd-generation Vector GPU water blocks from the EK-Quantum Line. It is made for graphics cards based on the latest NVIDIA Ampere architecture.

The EK-Quantum Vector RTX 3080-3090 Lignum water block is compatible with most reference design (not Founders Edition) GeForce RTX 3080, 3090, and Zotac Trinity RTX 3080 and 3090 graphics cards. It is purpose-designed with a much thicker copper base to clear the tall capacitors on most reference design graphics cards. This gives the water block the advantage of having a wider compatibility list without sacrificing any coolant flow.

This extended-compatibility water block fits even more reference PCB designs, but for a precise compatibility match of this water block, we recommend you refer to the EK Cooling Configurator.

The water block directly cools the GPU, VRAM, and the VRM (voltage regulation module) as the cooling liquid is channeled right over these critical areas. It is in contact with MOSFETs and chokes to maximize cooling and minimize the chances of coil whine.

These newly developed water blocks feature optimized flow paths that reduce hydrodynamic instabilities and vortexing (dead spots) inside of them. Additionally, this new design allows the terminal to be screwed directly onto the copper cold plate of the GPU block, making it more rigid and reducing the chances of damaging the water block.

This Signature Edition product comes with an included backplate that was specially designed and fabricated only for the EK-Quantum Vector RTX 3080/3090 Lignum water block. The aluminium black anodized backplate has a flap on the side that folds all the way down, covering the entire side of the GPU PCB.

You can also explore other Lignum line products to build a PC with a perfect blend of nature and technology.

The EK-CPU Lignum - Walnut is the luxurious high-performance flagship premium quality CPU water block covered with walnut. It features the award-winning EK cooling engine and fits both newer generations of Intel and AMD processors.

EK-HDC Lignum 12 mm - Walnut is the hard tube fitting made to blend perfectly with EK-Lignum water blocks. It is made for 12 mm (Outer Diameter) hard tubing.

Every single piece of wood is carefully chosen, handcrafted, and varnished with multiple layers. The open-pore matte varnish gives the wood its natural silky touch. It is attached to the acetal tops, which seal the block and act as functional tops, while wood acts as an aesthetical one, meaning there is no contact of wood with liquid in the custom loop.

The EK Lignum product line is now available worldwide through a network of partners and resellers, as well as directly through the EK Online Store.

Availability:
The EK-Quantum Vector RTX 3080/3090 Lignum Edition water block is available for pre-order through the EK Webshop and Partner Reseller Network, shipping commences mid-September 2021.

MSRP: 349.95€.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Mysteoa]

Looks neat.

 

[Caring1]

Looks cheap, like a vinyl wrap.

 

[Operandi]

Looks cheap, like a vinyl wrap.

I don't think it looks good but if you think this looks like a vinyl wrap then I have to wonder if you've ever seen real wood and/or vinyl before.

 

[HenrySomeone]

"EK, the leading premium liquid cooling gear manufacturer..."

In what respect are they the leading "premium" manufacturer? Because it's certainly not quality or performance...

 

[Sodahorse93]

I keep reading these lignum launches as EK "Ligma"

 

[Mussels]

I keep reading these lignum launches as EK "Ligma"

Ah yes the new Ligma, Sugon and Bofa lines from EK

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Love these repeat articles

Strictly Quantum: EK Shows New Velocity2 CPU Blocks, Lignum GPU Block, Real Gold Fittings and More!

EK Water Blocks, or simply EK as the company refers to itself now, had a decent showing at the virtual Computex 2021 event including new AIO CPU coolers, additions to its Fluid Gaming and Fluid Works portfolio, and more water blocks based on current designs and supporting newer hardware...

www.techpowerup.com

Same deal though wood is not something I'd put near heat so ek might as well use plastic lol at least it may only melt and not catch fire

 

[Haile Selassie]

This company has lost a touch with reality a long time ago.

 

[jesdals]

Wow that looks nice

 

[xtreemchaos]

i like EK kit but this dont float me boat even if it would look good in a boat build .

 

[AusWolf]

Looks nice. Shame there's no other PC component you can match to it to create a wood themed PC (as far as I know).

 

[Cruise51]

Credit for trying something new. I never seen wood on a gpu before.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

Well it is different, and not just a vinyl wrap so I think there's A guy out there for this, how ltd edition is this?!.

 

[Darksword]

This IS your grandfather's water block.

 

[Legacy-ZA]

I have a wooden design in my mind which will be water-cooled, but I need someone that can work wood like magic, no flaws, only perfection will do, I have a sphere in mind. One day, if I am bored enough I might make it myself, but first I need to assemble the right tools.

 

[Threadshredder]

This is definitely not for older folks. I'm older and I remember when wood was considered a very cheap material for electronics....

Does anyone remember these things?

 

[xtreemchaos]

yep those were the days i could go to the movies have a drink afterwards and a fish supper and have change from 10 bob thats 50p in new money or half a £1.

 

[robot zombie]

This is definitely not for older folks. I'm older and I remember when wood was considered a very cheap material for electronics....

Does anyone remember these things?

View attachment 204573
View attachment 204581

I don't because I'm too young, but I can say only looking back on them that the wood looks nice. You could say I have a bit of a fetish for nicely done wood cabinetry. Casework has become a bit of a lost art in this age of easier materials and mass-production techniques. The craftsmanship it takes is less, and so you get less crafstmanship. So I look at the metals and plastics we use now... and all of the faux stuff... and I just think "disposable". Make it out of wood and now it is a keepsake - a one of a kind item.

Sad reality is... things got cheaper and now wood is a mark of heightened extravagance. Even plain ole stained-and-urethane'd oak is sort of an opulent thing to have on quite a lot of items where it would've previously been common to see.

The quality of the inexpensive woods that would be used has gone down, too. I'm sure that at one point, it was possible to make good stuff out of pine... with the right techniques it can look nice. But it's quite soft and the trees are basically cycled as quickly as possible. It's younger pine that is less stable. Old carpenters will tell you this. The framing techniques are better now, but the studs themselves aren't as good. I've cut supposed quality pine boards that twisted immediately because the wood is too young, the whole log was divided to get the most out (even if some of those boards will be garbage,) and of course the drying is minimal. You lose a lot of material by the time you're down to what is workable. Go to your local lumber yard and see how much actual good pine costs, if they have it.

Where I work we have these old lab tables made out of solid oak and 1" thick MDF. They are heavy beasts... 2' x 4' wide and dense as hell. Must be at least 30 years old. The finish on the MDF is shot but they do not make them like this. Imagine how much it would cost to bring out a finished oak workbench with a heavy MDF top like that out these days. We have 12 of them, until they are no more. They're kept because the replacements cost a lot of money and aren't nearly as solid.

Strange as it may be, it's the more difficult and expensive material to work with now.

The weirdest trend I've seen recently is that of wooden watches. Makes zero practical sense. Guarantees they will not stand the test of time, unless built verrrrryy carefully. But they sure are fancy.

 

[Wirko]

This company has lost a touch with reality a long time ago.

Yeah, they've gone nuts.

 

[Legacy-ZA]

This is definitely not for older folks. I'm older and I remember when wood was considered a very cheap material for electronics....

Does anyone remember these things?

View attachment 204573
View attachment 204581

Depends if you bought crap or not.
This wood can be polished to the most beautiful shine, it's hard as a rock, it has a beautiful grain. Anyways, I want to make a custom PC chassis from this wood one day.

Tamboti - JJN Timbers and Packaging

 

[iBruceypoo]

Looks cheap, like a vinyl wrap.

If EK didn't send out (2) press releases for (2) "brand new" products every single week of every year - I would think something was wrong with the world.

This IS your grandfather's water block.

Luke, I am your grandfather!

i like EK kit but this dont float me boat even if it would look good in a boat build .

A boat build - that's coming up next. Anchors Away! lol

 

[Caring1]

if you think this looks like a vinyl wrap then I have to wonder if you've ever seen real wood and/or vinyl before.

Ask your mumma, I was just showing her real wood last night.

 

[zo0lykas]

Well it is different, and not just a vinyl wrap so I think there's A guy out there for this, how ltd edition is this?!.

They done it years ago, they had cpu and gpu water blocks, just Google, or YouTube I remember one channel review them.

 

[bonehead123]

I like it

And for those who don't remember or are just way too young, there was a time when most high-end audio gear was available with wood enclosures, and with some of the more expensive brands (Marantz, Grado, Klipsch, Levison, RockFord-Fosgate), you could usually choose from oak, walnut, rosewood, teak, cherry etc.... and yea they were uber-dinero, but they were so well made that many of them are still in active use today...

I remember the original, AFA (absolutely friggin Awesome) Bose 901's & stands that I bought in the early 80's that were made from SOLID, HAND-rubbed Rosewood, which were so exquisitely beautiful they would simply take your breath away as soon as you entered my listening room. And that was BEFORE I even turned any music on, hehehehe

My oldest brother still has an Marantz 400w amplifier that is encased in teak, and the internal frame was crafted from aircraft-grade stainless steel !