EK Introduces an All-Metal Reference RTX 3080/3090 GPU Water Block

EK, the leading computer cooling solutions provider, is now offering its Full Nickel GPU water block for reference PCB layout NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series graphics cards. This new block incorporates a CNC-machined nickel-plated copper base with a nickel-plated brass top for an all-around metal cooling solution.

An All-Metal EK Water Block for Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 and 3090 Graphics Cards
EK-Quantum Vector RE RTX 3080/3090 water block is purpose-designed with a much thicker 11.2mm copper base to clear the tall capacitors on most reference design graphics cards. This gives the water block a market advantage of having a clean design and wider compatibility list without sacrificing any coolant flow.

These 2nd-generation Vector water blocks directly cool the GPU, VRAM, and the VRM (voltage regulation module), as the cooling liquid is channeled right over these critical areas. The water block is in contact with MOSFETs and chokes to maximize cooling and minimize the chances of coil whine, unlike some currently available products on the market.

These water blocks feature optimized flow paths that reduce hydrodynamic instabilities and vortexing (dead spots) inside of them. Additionally, this new design allows the terminal to be screwed directly onto the copper cold plate of the GPU block, making it more rigid and reducing the chances of damaging the water block.

An Open Split-Flow cooling engine design is implemented, which has proved to be a superior solution for GPU water blocks. It is characterized by low hydraulic flow restriction, meaning it can be used with weaker water pumps or pumps running on low-speed settings and still achieve top performance. The jet plate and fin structure geometry have been optimized to provide even flow distribution with minimal losses and optimal performance when used in any given coolant flow orientation to improve some currently available products on the market.

The fin array is populated with 27 micro fins with 0.5mm-wide microchannels that provide optimal cooling performance without unnecessary flow restrictions or clogging hazards. The machining time of cold plates for these new reference design water blocks is almost twice as long as with any other EK water block ever made.

The base of the block is CNC-machined out of nickel-plated electrolytic copper, while its top is CNC-machined out of nickel-plated brass. The watertight sealing is ensured by high-quality EPDM O-rings, while brass standoffs are already pre-installed and allow for a safe and easy installation procedure.

Current Compatibility List for EK-Quantum Vector RE RTX 3080/3090 Water Blocks

Backplate for the 3080/3090 Water Block
EK recommends the purchase of a retention backplate, which improves the overall aesthetics of your graphics cards, and also provides additional passive cooling for the GPU core, VRAM on the 3090 cards, and backside of the printed circuit board VRM section.

If you desire ultimate cooling performance and unrivaled aesthetics, EK recommends the purchase of an active backplate. The brand new Vector Active Backplate directly cools all PCB hotspots found on the backside of the GPU core and VRM (voltage regulation module). In the case of RTX 3090, the VRAM located on the backside is being cooled, while the PCB on RTX 3080 GPUs is being cooled around the front-mounted VRAM. It is the ultimate aesthetic and performance solution that finds your GPU sandwiched between two water blocks, allowing maximum cooling.

Availability and Pricing
The EK-Quantum Vector RE RTX 3080/3090 Full Nickel water block is assembled in Slovenia, Europe, and is available for pre-order through the EK Webshop and dedicated reseller network. This water block is expected to ship out in mid-May 2021. In the table below, you can see the manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP).