Closer Examination

As with the backplate, there are far fewer options with the EK-Classic than the EK-Quantum Vector line. In fact, not only is there just a single option per PCB, EK is also far more selective on which GPUs get supported. There is no EK-Classic for the Founders Edition, for example, and we only get a nickel/plexi variant—a nickel-plated copper cold plate paired with a plexi top. A quick look at this brought back memories galore of older EK blocks I have personally bought and used, although some things have obviously changed since.

Yes, it is still a full-length block since the top covers the entire PCB on, well, the top, with precise machining to accommodate larger components, including the capacitors that made life hard for waterblock makers, as well as such items as the PCIe connector plugs and I/O on the side. Nine H2.5 mm screws go through the plexi top and into the metal cold plate to keep things together, with a large O-ring ensuring the liquid flows through where it should without leaking out. The see-through top allows for a good look at the coolant moving through if colored, as well as the RGB lighting from ten D-RGB LEDs at the bottom, which shines upward through the block. An acetal accent piece on the bottom is where things get different from yesteryear since those LEDs have to be placed somewhere, and there is also the usual EK badge in a similar location as on the backplate, with a sticker to be peeled off.


Four BSP G1/4" ports are threaded into the I/O terminal, stylized according to EK's Classic design language with a straight edge rather than the angled edges of the EK-Quantum line. The terminal is acetal, which is how most EK GPU blocks ship, and it's a difference from the plexi terminal that is on the EK-Quantum block for the reference PCB. The terminal is now threaded into the cold plate directly rather than the top, with three screws and two O-rings keeping things together. When asked about why acetal rather than plexi, EK mentioned how the company is still not comfortable with potential micro-fractures from screwed-in fittings. Interesting how this did not come up when there were all sorts of "we do this too" comments during the time of the Optimus CPU block reviews! Regardless, we see the EK logo and name etched into the acetal along the top, and there are four BSP G1/4" threaded ports here. You would use two for the coolant flow plumbing, which is also why EK provided two stop plugs with the block, as well as a handy Allen key to install these low-profile plugs. You can use the two spare ports for other things, too, including a temperature sensor fitting or as a drain port if the block is the lowest item in your loop.


We can now flip the block over for a closer look at the cold plate itself. Nickel-plated copper greets us here, with a CNC-machined copper plate that is then plated. There are contact surfaces for the GPU core, VRAM, and VRM modules, and we see interesting "Vector" and "RTX 3080/3090" etchings instead of the "Classic" of the backplate. This is how I immediately knew that EK is using exactly the same cooling engine as with the EK-Quantum block we took a look at separately before. The contact surfaces do not get a mirror finish, although the area between them does weirdly enough. As with the backplate, we see machining marks and some poor finishing around the GPU core section, which thankfully don't result in much practically, but don't bode well for EK's promised quality.


Knowing that the cooling engine is identical to before, and with the plexi top giving us a good look at it, as well as coolant moving through, I did not bother with a separate disassembly here. I will instead point you to my previous review that goes over it in more detail for those interested. That page also goes over the ID in the EK-Quantum Vector block, which now does look different enough and less.. Classic. What is strange to me, however, is there being 10 dRGB LEDs on the EK-Classic block compared to a meager five on the EK-Quantum Vector. These LEDs are on a flexible PCB along the bottom and shine upwards, and a flat ribbon cable of 50 cm comes out the side. It ends in a 3-pin 5 V connector, so you need a compatible D-RGB header to power and control the lighting, which most motherboards offer these days, or a dedicated lighting controller.