Installation and Lighting

Installation of this Intel version is easy regardless of whether you are going to be using it on the LGA 115x platform or LGA 20xx HEDT ones. For the former, it begins with the use of the rubber gasket on the back and then the backplate with the ribbed side facing outward to prevent electrical shorting. The backplate needs to be oriented to match up with the screws in the socket ILM as well, and note that depending on how many components are on your motherboard, there may be some interference in getting a flush fit with the rubber gasket. There is generally enough give to where this should not be an issue, but please be aware of this and double check before trying to force-fit something.

With that done, take one of the LGA 115x mounting posts and have the shorter end go through the cooler mounting holes in the motherboard with a plastic washer at the end to prevent electrical shorting, which would then screw into the backplate. Repeat this for the other three and you should have a secure platform to now put the CPU block on. Apply some thermal paste to the CPU IHS, put the block on these posts followed by a spring on each post, and secure the block in place by using the provided four thumb nuts and tightening them in a diagonal manner. Alternate between the corner sets of two until you run out of thread, and that is it. EKWB uses a precise mount system that is user friendly and allows for no confusion.


Installation on the Intel HEDT platforms is even simpler owing to the pre-built cooler mounting system on the same side of the motherboard as the CPU itself. Use the M4-threaded mounting posts and simply screw all four in around the CPU. Repeat the steps as before—thermal paste having been applied to the CPU IHS, install the CPU block, springs, and thumb nuts. I am using the RGB nickel/acetal block here to show off how it would look compared to the RGB nickel/plexi block above. Connect the RGB cable to a compatible LED header on your motherboard or LED controller to finish up.


At this point, I do not have a compatible motherboard with LED headers (working on that), but in the meantime, here are some example images as well as a quick video showing how the RGB lighting would look. As expected, the plexi top allows for light to mostly shine through the top and sides, and the overall effect is more subdued compared to the 24 LEDs on the EK-Velocity.