EK Water Blocks’ Asus ROG Strix 1080 Ti Water Block Features A New Terminal Block Cover

[kcarbotte]

EK Water Blocks recently revealed its roadmap for GTX 1080 Ti water blocks. Today, the company revealed the Asus GTX 1080 Ti water block and, it has an interesting new component on it.

EK Water Blocks’ Asus ROG Strix 1080 Ti Water Block Features A New Terminal Block Cover : Read more

 

[n0ns3ns3]

it would be much more fun if those terminals would feature RGB lighting that can be connected to the video card led/rgb header.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

How long I wonder before vendors stop focusing ONLY on adding bling and get back to actual performance and usability improvements.

 

[n0ns3ns3]

there is not much left to improve on performance side.
and they probably don't want to make "universal"/"modular" blocks for business reasons.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

1. We have been building PCs for 25+ years and improvements have been made consistently. The new Supremacy for example had better thermal peformance than the old one. Whereas back in the day it captured the CPU cooling title only on some CPUs sockets, other brand blocks did better with others. The current one, took the title across the board.

Like CPU generations, these go thru periods of marginal improvement but w/ water blocks, performance has improved slightly generation to generation and usability do improvements occur.... things I'd like to see:

a) Better cable connection options, accommodated by the blocks.
b) Feedback control of pump / radiator fan speed
c) GPU, VRM, Memory, Coolant temp outputs to digital displays like the Reeven Six Eyes, the backpate, terminal block or a software utility
d) More MoBo Mono Block options
e) Better dual card terminal block connectivity options

2. I see no real purpose for a "universal" GPU block that does half the job and leaves VRMS and memory uncooled. Might as well get a hybrid or CLC. However VGA Universal Blocks have existed since the birth of EK.

 

[n0ns3ns3]

most of the things you listed are on the USABILITY side.
Cooling performance wise, there are little to no improvements in recent years since we already using copper with microfins with decent flow/turbulence.
And I'm not talking about those "universal" blocks. those are simply blocks.
this is what i call universal http://i.imgur.com/ee7ylSt.jpg that GPU block can be mounted on most nvidia cards from 480 to Titan Xp and 1080Ti. the thing is that connecting it to VRM block is tricky/ugly/bulky/messy. Given enough tools (CNC machine) I'd be able to figure something.
another example of modularity is this D5 top: https://www.singularitycomputers.com/shop/watercooling/protium-d5-pump-top-frosted-acrylic/
it can be both connected to tubes or to tube res. greedy f..s at EK don't do it though they definitely can. They even went as far as making their own thread on tops so it can be used only with their parts.
Monoblocks ? there is no big enough market for this and realistically very little need as modern VRM on decent MBs (not MSI, Asrock, Biostar) is more than cool enough even with passive cooling. For most people, slapping 500$ on a cooling is way to much. People don't do the GPU liquid cooling as it is 100-160$ single time investment. Universal/modular blocks would reduce the cost per card and more people would by it.
Cost and ease of use is the reason people buy asetek/coolit crap.