Installation

The scope of this review does not concern the removal of the stock cooler because there are multiple SKUs that use the same PCB, but with different coolers. As such, we begin by assuming that you have the bare PCB in hand to install the blocks on.

First up is EKWB's block. Installation here begins with the application of the thermal pads on the VRMs and VRAM modules. The latter is easy given the pre-cut thermal pads can just be peeled off and applied, but the former does require a measurement and cut down to length of the pad EKWB provides. Remember to peel the plastic covers off both sides of the thermal pads. Then, apply thermal paste on the GPU in the manner of your choosing - as long as it is non-conductive and you have sufficient cover, the actual application method here hardly matters.

Then, place the block over the PCB and align the standoffs with the holes in the PCB for cooler installation, before carefully flipping the entire assembly over. I used the product box here to allow the I/O connectors on the PCB to go past the length of the box and not angle the PCB at one end and then followed the instructions to use the specific mounting hardware for this particular block. Begin with the four around the core on the back and then loosely fit all the other screws before tightening them all down enough to where you feel some resistance - make sure not to over-tighten these.


Note that the stock Strix backplate will not work as-is since it is installed through the front and will essentially create opposing forces if you even manage to install it. You can mod it by re-threading the holes on the backplate (or block), but for those curious, the stock backplate from the Poseidon SKU works just fine, and the slightly longer screws that came with the EKWB installation kit work well there as well. This allows you to connect the LED cable to the header on the back for some RGB lighting if you prefer, although that backplate is out of plastic and insulates, so it's all form over function. Given most would have purchased the less expensive Strix to watercool, you would need the EKWB backplate, which would as a first step mean placing the thermal pads on the backplate (or the PCB) to cover the core and VRMs on the back. With that done, simply follow through on EKWB's instructions involving the removal of some of the screws from before to then use the washers under the backplate with the longer screws that are countersunk and not black in color, which will go well with the nickel plating we see here. The hardest part here is to make sure the washers do not move when the backplate is installed, but that's easily done if you do so carefully while looking at the sides.


Installation is basically the same with the Bykski block, with the fitting of the thermal pads slightly more tedious given the absence of pre-cut VRAM pads, but you can also just use longer strips as I did. Bykski provides plenty of thermal pad material here, so I wasn't overly concerned about running into a shortage, and remember that you will need to have some thermal paste yourself as this block does not come with any. Follow through on the same steps as before and refer to the installation manual (the lack of English instructions is not really an issue here thanks to the unique PCB with the inset PEG connectors) to install the block on the PCB. It also works with the stock backplate, and even with the stock backplate's mounting mechanism, which is the only backplate option here given Bykski does not make one specifically for this block.

EKWB had excellent contact throughout - both on the front and back - and Bykski had relatively worse contact on the core and some VRAM modules. I tried it two more times, but had the same result, and contacting them did not help either since their internal samples apparently worked fine with the card(s) they had. This may be due to tolerances in manufacturing on either the block or the PCB or both, so take that for what you will. I ended up pre-spreading TIM, which helped, but it, as we will see, still had a minor effect of thermal performance.