Optimus Foundation CPU Block - AMD

[Optimus Water Cooling]

FYI, VSG will be getting the review samples in a few days

 

[VSG]

Haha yeah was just about to say they emailed me back promptly. Honestly, I would rather paying customers get their units before me, but there's also something to be said about making an informed decision so I am just as split about this, as no doubt they were in allocating samples.

 

[phill]

I need something better since the Freezer Duo I have isn't bad but not brilliant and even the 14D I have isn't that much better on top, so custom water it needs to be....

 

[Deleted member 185158]

I really like the look of this block.
Please review a.s.a.p. @VSG would help me to decide on this one.

 

[VSG]

I really like the look of this block.
Please review a.s.a.p. @VSG would help me to decide on this one.

View attachment 144130

That looks like their AMD block, so don't hold your breath. I don't have AMD hardware here, unfortunately. The general impressions from their Intel Signature block should be valid across platforms, however.

 

[Deleted member 185158]

That looks like their AMD block, so don't hold your breath. I don't have AMD hardware here, unfortunately. The general impressions from their Intel Signature block should be valid across platforms, however.

14nm Intel testing will be great for pretty much all Intel. However I have a 2700x and an 8700k. Both are very thermally different from each other. Wont be good for comparisons really.

 

[VSG]

14nm Intel testing will be great for pretty much all Intel. However I have a 2700x and an 8700k. Both are very thermally different from each other. Wont be good for comparisons really.

Yup, that's why I said the specific performance numbers won't directly help you, but you can see trends as well as other common features including packaging, build quality etc. In general, a company with a good cooling performance on Intel has enough data and design to have a good block on AMD too, especially with the Zen chiplet design years old now. My 9900K is also soldered, so that's another thing in common vs. the older Intel mainstream CPU flagships.

 

[Deleted member 185158]

I look forward to the review no matter what platform you use it for.
I have no doubt with this design, it will do well on either platform.
However,
For AMD, the performance really matters for the SenseMi technology vs user overclocks which you dont see with AMD beyond "tweaking" SenseMi settings and is what will be interesting while lower temps help sustain boosted clocks.

No argument about the general idea of water cooling, the packaging and other small features like eye candy, the real claim is in the performance, please emphasize this as much as possible.

Goal, average 5-6c lower temps.

 

[VSG]

I look forward to the review no matter what platform you use it for.
I have no doubt with this design, it will do well on either platform.
However,
For AMD, the performance really matters for the SenseMi technology vs user overclocks which you dont see with AMD beyond "tweaking" SenseMi settings and is what will be interesting while lower temps help sustain boosted clocks.

No argument about the general idea of water cooling, the packaging and other small features like eye candy, the real claim is in the performance, please emphasize this as much as possible.

Goal, average 5-6c lower temps.

I would be shocked if this is multiple °C lower than any other block, but let's see. I am happy to make my judgement until after testing is done

 

[Zach_01]

I would be shocked if this is multiple °C lower than any other block, but let's see. I am happy to make my judgement until after testing is done

Hope to test it real soon!
But even if you find that on Intel CPUs is not offering a 5~6°C reduction, doesn't mean that this would be the case with Ryzen too. At least for 3000.
I really like the idea of the ZEN2 chiplet oriented fins of these blocks. Could make some difference...

 

[lorry]

One thing I would like to know @Optimus Water Cooling is - how much is enough pressure and how much is too much, when tightening up the thumb nuts?

 

[Optimus Water Cooling]

The easy rule is the tightest you can get the thumb nuts by hand. Using tools will be too much pressure. But using max finger tightening will give perfect pressure.

In the future we want to include a torque wrench like the Threadripper one, but they're super difficult to source at a reasonable price.

 

[lorry]

The easy rule is the tightest you can get the thumb nuts by hand. Using tools will be too much pressure. But using max finger tightening will give perfect pressure.

In the future we want to include a torque wrench like the Threadripper one, but they're super difficult to source at a reasonable price.

Now that is something i would be interested in!
Any idea where you could buy one for ourselves?

 

[Optimus Water Cooling]

So the thumb nuts are blank, so they can't be used with a screwdriver. We've destroyed mobos using screwdrivers, it's very easy to over tighten when you can put your full weight behind it. So to prevent a bunch of returns, we're going with blank top thumb nuts for the time being. Except for our Threadripper block

 

[lorry]

Those SSD heatsinks are neat

 

[Optimus Water Cooling]

Also, we make all our own mounting hardware, so it's not exactly standard stuff. That said, the mounting system is very simple and clean, if you wanted to mount the block the old fashioned way -- bolts and washers -- it's super easy to do.

But we haven't done the full testing to have a recommended NM for torque drivers with the blocks on all platforms.

Really, just tighten with fingers until you can't go any more and it'll be perfect. There is some tech design in the block that makes this work more so than other blocks.

 

[lorry]

Mind you decent torque drivers worth having aren't exactly cheap either, so unless you would be using one on a regular basis not exactly cost effective

 

[Deleted member 185158]

Also, we make all our own mounting hardware, so it's not exactly standard stuff. That said, the mounting system is very simple and clean, if you wanted to mount the block the old fashioned way -- bolts and washers -- it's super easy to do.

But we haven't done the full testing to have a recommended NM for torque drivers with the blocks on all platforms.

Really, just tighten with fingers until you can't go any more and it'll be perfect. There is some tech design in the block that makes this work more so than other blocks.

If these are set up properly, the springs under the screws are to supply the correct amount of clamping force per screw. This specification will vary with screw length and diameter and also the material stainless vs non-stainless for example.

Machine screws for example.
surface area » 40mm = 1.575" so 1.575 x 1.575 = 2.481 square inches
(0.2) X (0.138) X (125) X (2.481) / (2) = 4.28 in-lbs.

I use these examples for my Peltier cooling. Pretty accurate (enough) provides somewhere around 125 inch lbs of clamping force over the 2.481 inches squared.
This is particularly important for me personally while running naked chips. Can't have the waterblock leaning to one side, the temps are horrible then.

Harbor Freight, 20$ 1/4" torque wrench 20-200 inch pounds made by pitsburg tools.

 

[lorry]

If these are set up properly, the springs under the screws are to supply the correct amount of clamping force per screw. This specification will vary with screw length and diameter and also the material stainless vs non-stainless for example.

Machine screws for example.
surface area » 40mm = 1.575" so 1.575 x 1.575 = 2.481 square inches
(0.2) X (0.138) X (125) X (2.481) / (2) = 4.28 in-lbs.

I use these examples for my Peltier cooling. Pretty accurate (enough) provides somewhere around 125 inch lbs of clamping force over the 2.481 inches squared.
This is particularly important for me personally while running naked chips. Can't have the waterblock leaning to one side, the temps are horrible then.

Harbor Freight, 20$ 1/4" torque wrench 20-200 inch pounds made by pitsburg tools.

Yeah, Now I know what to look for, I can see plenty here in the UK for about £20 as well

 

[Bones]

So the thumb nuts are blank, so they can't be used with a screwdriver. We've destroyed mobos using screwdrivers, it's very easy to over tighten when you can put your full weight behind it. So to prevent a bunch of returns, we're going with blank top thumb nuts for the time being. Except for our Threadripper block

View attachment 144181

I'll be honest - I understand why you've decided to leave the thumbscrews blank on top but I also know with certain boards some of the spaces a block goes into is tight around the corners where these screws would normally be.
One reason has to do with the VRM heatsinks on some sticking out towards the CPU socket area and can make it a really tight area to work in. My Z77 OCF is an example of this, it is very hard to work the upper-left corner due to how close the mounting hole is to part of the VRM cooler's body.

I'd suggest a mounting setup with a thumbscrew going down onto a threaded hollow stud and tension springs - This way you can only run the screws down so far before it hits this machined "Stop" and with the spring underneath the screw itself it would set the downward tension on the corner of the block once it gets there.

I have a block setup with just that and it sets the correct tension everytime.
By it's design it also keeps the block level to the CPU lid's surface once all four screws are snugged in place.

 

[lorry]

@Optimus Water Cooling I'm double checking here, am I right in thinking that you are saying that not even the motherboard's standard backplate is used?

Just your bolts going through the holes in the motherboard and then your back-nuts underneath, with no backing plate at all behind?

 

[Optimus Water Cooling]

That's correct. Sounds strange, but there is no reason for the backplate and, because motherboards these days are weird, some backplates will actually hit critical areas on the back. The area for the standoffs is part of the specification clearance areas so there is zero issue for hitting anything. Also, monoblocks and gpus work this way, it's only certain cpus that still use a backplate. The massive thread over on OCN has whole sections going back and forth about this. But the end result is that the springless simplified mounting is actually better performance.

 

[Bones]

I've setup LN2 pots in similar fashion using all-thread with no backplate and it did fine.
I'll admit a pot will always be upright with the board lying flat.

Many systems these blocks would be used for will have the board "Standing" in the case when set in, this making the block have to hang in place to an extent.

As long as you have something such as a washer to help spread out the stress from the stud being torqued it's OK.... And of course with no one going stupid with torquing them in the first place.
When I do mine I normally have a washer on both sides of the mounting hole, acting with a sandwich-effect of the board material there when these are tightened to hold.

Spreads the load out over more of the board's material so it holds better with less stress to the board itself.

 

[Deleted member 185158]

No back plate..... ??

Dont most boards come with a back plate from the factory? Why would there be a need to include a back plate?
And if the board comes equipped, why should there be a need to remove this?
I dont think I could mount 125 inch pounds to a board without that back plate installed.....

So what is the mounting pressure without this back plate then?
Hoping for a response this time......

 

[Optimus Water Cooling]

I'd need to check with the engineers to get those numbers. Though worthwhile to check this thread: https://www.overclock.net/forum/61-water-cooling/1733810-optimus-waterblock-152.html

You'll see everyone is recommending the springless solution. The Signature has optional spring/backplate setup but the overclockers over there recommend using the springless foundation setup for achieving best numbers and hitting oc records.

Here's overclocker JPMboy using both foundation and signature to hit 5.0 on 10980XE: https://www.overclock.net/forum/5-i...9-10980xe-5-ghz-18-cores-66.html#post28318460

Yeah, these threads are insanely long, I know The only way to damage a mobo or cpu is to use tools to overtighten and then something will break. This is true for mobos with and without backplates, like Threadripper and 20XX. In fact, it's actually easier to damage the threaded inserts on the TR socket than a AMT or 115X mobo. At least, in our recent experience