Closer Examination

The EK-Quantum Velocity² CPU block has several more top options than usual for such products, with EK offering not only the usual acetal and plexi tops but also a "full-nickel" which is nickel-plated brass really and another two metal tops in the form of a satin titanium finish that's likely nickel plated on passivated brass in addition to an actual gold-plated brass top. There is also a Lignum edition using a machined walnut wood top for those who want to have wood in their system. I have the plexi top version here as evident from the photos above, and all versions use this clean square form factor that comes in at a relatively large 94.5 x 94.5 mm in size. There is an opaque acetal plate on the side for branding but also to help install/hide the LED strip used for RGB lighting of the block itself. Branding in turn comes in the form of the expected EK badge at the bottom right corner as well as a Velocity² mylar sticker along the side. There are two BSP G1/4" threaded ports on the top that are spaced far enough apart from each other and the edge to allow all typically used fittings these days to be installed easily—gone are the days of large 3/4" x 1/2" soft tube compression fittings and even large quick connect fittings! The port spacing as well as the block height itself is designed for compatibility with EK's Matrix7 product raster.


A look from the side reveals the assembly done on the CPU block as it comes out of the box with the thick top screwed into the cold plate, and then there's the so-called EK-Exact Mount patent-pending mounting system that comes in the form of a socket-specific mounting bracket and installation hardware in a neat collective. Indeed, the block is intended for use only on Intel LGA 1700 sockets and respective CPUs, with a mark on the back to indicate as much. This is also where you will see a 50-cm long 3-pin 5 V addressable-RGB cable come out, to be connected to your motherboard's d-RGB LED header.


Removing the mounting system is simple enough since you have to just rotate loose the low-profile knurled mounting nuts on the corner. This provides a closer look at the CNC-machined aluminium bracket complete with machining marks on the side that are not visible in use, and given a better finish for aesthetics and branding on the other side. These mounting nuts work in conjunction with pre-tensioned springs and mounting screws present inside the water block top itself and now we also get a sneak peek at the RGB LEDs that will light up the block from the side.



Removing the protective sticker off the cold plate reveals a semi-polished contact surface that still has machining marks, but nowhere near the extent as from when people erroneously thought those marks would affect contact and thermal performance of the block. Here too we see LGA 1700 etched in the metal, and also that the actual cold plate is screwed into a larger metal plate that the top itself is secured into. Disassembly of the block was done after all testing was complete and I decided to just remove the cold plate given the top is translucent enough to where there is little more to gain from removing all those other screws on the back and risk the pre-tensioned springs working themselves loose. The provided Allen keys come in handy here to remove the four hex head screws keeping it in place. The top and jet plate are all seen here with EPDM O-rings to direct coolant flow through the cooling engine without leakage.

The jet plate is fairly thick and sits on top of the machined microfins and microchannels that themselves occupy a large area while being recessed into the cold plate itself. As such, I am unable to reliably measure the thickness of the two as well as the height of the fins, but this does help counter the thicker cold plate in bringing additional heat transfer surface area closer to the CPU IHS. A cursory examination reveals consistent machining with channels that are thick enough to allow coolant to flow through without as big a pressure drop as one would think upon first glance. EK calls this the OptiFlow cooling engine with a "specific combination of mounting pressure and coldplate geometry tailored for the IHS and die layout of Intel LGA 1700 socket processors."