Closer Examination

The EK-Velocity CPU water block comes in a plastic wrap to keep it pristine and free of dust out of the box, and there is also a tamper-proof seal on the back that provides visual confirmation on whether this is brand new or has been opened before.


EKWB sent over multiple samples of the water block with the intention for us to show off the available options for the product. I decided to focus on the Intel platform (given my test system) with the nickel/plexi configuration and RGB lighting for most of the review. Seen above is this specific version which, if you have taken a look at the older EK-Supremacy EVO before, looks similar to the EKWB products and yet different at the same time. Visually, we can see that the cooling engine is simplified, and we will confirm this later on this very page. There is a polished plexi top in use here, with a new metal frame in a reflective chrome finish that juts out at one corner with the Velocity name on it. The EKWB badge also got an update with a new brushed finish that works well here and also means that customers no longer have to worry about removing the protective blue sticker off the older glossy sticker. There are two well-threaded BSP G1/4" ports on the top, with arrows etched in the plexi to indicate the direction of the coolant flow recommended by the company.


Taking a look from the side, we can see how the use of the new frame means that the plexi top and mounting brackets are thinner than ever before, and the cold plate in turn appears to be thicker than before as well. Versions of the EK-Velocity with RGB lighting support built-in will also have a cable coming out the side with the jutting extension, which happens to be flat ribbon-style with four wires in black insulation and terminating in a 5 V LED connector. The header is meant to be used with 12 VDC RGB LED headers.


Turning the block over, we see a large, colorful sticker with clear writing informing users to remove it prior to installation lest they inadvertently add in a barrier to heat transfer. This sticker is used to protect the mirror finish given to the cold plate, which is very reflective, as seen above. There is a slight convex bow to mate with a convex/flat CPU IHS, and the installation mechanism should provide for a good contact from the center and outward to the corners. One thing to note, going back around, is that the inlet port on the top is closer to the center here, which means some of the larger fittings may not work out. These larger fittings are also out of style these days, however, since smaller diameter tubing and fittings are vogue today, and 13 mm hard line tube fittings work great, as seen above.


Disassembly of the EK-Velocity not only retains warranty, but is also encouraged by EKWB to ensure you have the correct jetplate to suit the CPU socket in use. This is also why they provide the second jetplate and a 2.5 mm Allen key, of which the latter comes in handy when it comes to removing the four screws on the bottom that secure everything in place. With the screws removed, all the pieces can be separated and here, we see that there are 24 RGB LEDs on a PCB that in turn is placed inside the hollow frame. These LEDs shine upward and outward, which is why the frame takes up so much room and the plexi top is thinner than usual.


The cooling engine has been simplified as compared to the older EK-Supremacy EVO. Gone is the implementation of the insert, and instead, we only have two jetplates to choose from (1.0 and 0.8 mm thick), which influence the overall bow of the cold plate itself. These can be visually distinguished via a notch on the side of the 0.8 mm thick J2 jetplate as seen above. The cold plate is thicker than average at ~5.65 mm, and the microfins adopt a structure similar to the updated EK-Supremacy sTR4 with small extensions on the sides. These fins take up an area of ~33.5 x 34.5 mm (30.5 x 34.5 mm if you do not include the larger end sections), and number ~52 at best guess, which again falls on the lower side of average for recently released blocks in terms of fin density and height, as well as microchannel width. EKWB said that they sought to have a good flow rate with the EK-Velocity and, thus, lower pressure drop across the block compared to the older EK-Supremacy, so all signs do point towards that being the case. Whether this is at the expense of thermal performance is something we will get to in due time.


Here are the other Intel socket CPU block samples I received—the nickel/copper and RGB nickel/acetal ones go with the nickel/plexi we saw thus far. As seen on the product page, one can also get a non-RGB nickel/plexi, copper-acetal, non-RGB nickel/acetal, and full nickel (nickel-plated brass top with nickel-plated copper cold plate) version for Intel CPU sockets. AMD sockets do not get as much love with all the options, but it is still better than what most of the competition offers. The acetal top blocks that have RGB support end up using a white diffuser plastic frame instead of the chrome frame, such that the light comes off the side of the frame since it can't come out the top.