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GPU waterblocks - full or partial?

J

JeremyCT

Weaksauce
Joined
Mar 29, 2008
Messages
79
Some people seem to prefer one, some another. What's the general consensus here? Is one better only in certain situations?

I'm hoping to have the scratch to buy a GTX285 by the end of the month, and I plan to watercool it once it's burned in. Has anybody heard whether the current batch of GTX200 blocks works on the 285?

TIA
 
I like partial blocks better, as you can reuse them. Full blocks only fit that card and are expensive paper weights after a year or so.
 
Full Cover blocks...

Partial blocks and those glued on heatsinks look horrible...

Who cares if the waterblock won't transfer to a new card, your card will be a paperweight as well...:D

This is my opinion of course.

Full Cover Nickel-Plated Blocks are pure pr0n...
 
I guess it comes down to whether or not you want to and have the money to keep replacing GPU waterblocks every year or so or being able to buy a decent partial block for $60-$70 and re-use it a few times. I know I'll be using a partial block when I WC my GPU...because I have no choice since I have RAMsinks permanently attached.:p
 
VRU's on boards such as ATI's 48xx series really benefit from a full cover block. I went the universal block from D-tek which did a wonderful job for the GPU, but the VRU's were hitting 85c. I ended up picking up a pair of EK full cover blocks and I was able to hit much better and stable overclocks. Yes, it sucks when a new card comes out that your WC blocks are no longer viable, but you are at least guaranteed that your entire card will be stable instead of only the GPU.
 
I hope i don't sound like a jack-ass but what do you mean by partial. GPU only? GPU + RAM only?

And where do you place the MCW60-4870? The water does not run through the RAM or the VDDC, unlike other FC blocks but rather, it only runs through the GPU area. Thus, swiftech can reduce the cost and give you better core temps. This is because they used matrix pins instead of stilts.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=3388821&postcount=123
That's what I thought too. But then I realized that the actual cooling surface is better with the MCW60 than it is with the FC blocks. With the MCW60-4870 you get all those pins like a high end CPU block. With other FC blocks you just get slits. It's also a lot lighter, no chance of acrylic cracking, and no potential for warping the card. Cools only what's needed so it doesn't add extraneous heat to your loop too.
Click to expand...
 
With today's modern cards pulling so much power and their VR chips running so hot, I think it's a big gamble to run a GPU-only block with passive cooling on th VR's. I think best performance will be achieved with a full coverage block, however FC's de-value quickly as soon as new card is released since they aren't re-usable.
 
depends if you want to overvolt the memory (as with the case of the 9800GTX+ or 9800GTX, you should).
 
I'm liking what Dtek and Swiftech have come up with. Full cover uniblocks (Here)that work with thier GPU blocks. This has the advantage of providing good heat disipation while having the advantage of not dumping spare heat into the loop as well as the price factor of only having to brick a $40 part instead of a $120 part. Its all mater of opinion, I personaly love the way the Koolance gpu fullblocks look.. shame they are mixed metals.

About the 285 taking 280 blocks.. they are not compatible. People are making new ones now.
 
RedRaider said:
Full Cover blocks...

Partial blocks and those glued on heatsinks look horrible...

Who cares if the waterblock won't transfer to a new card, your card will be a paperweight as well...:D

This is my opinion of course.

Full Cover Nickel-Plated Blocks are pure pr0n...
Click to expand...

+1:D
 
Swiftech and Dtek sinks/Iandh sinks plus a chip only block is my personal favorite combo, because you get better temps and reusability.
 
MrGoat said:
I personaly love the way the Koolance gpu fullblocks look.. shame they are mixed metals.
Click to expand...

I lie... turns out what I thought was aluminum is really nickle plated cu .. those are VERY nice then.
 
depends wether iandh is making heatsinks for mem and VR's for that particular card. GPU only blocks tend to cool the processor better, and not dump as much heat into your loop and are less restrictive so they are win / win when possible IMO. Hower, gotta make sure the other stuff on the card can be properly cooled without gluing on memory sinks or otherwise voiding your warranty on the card.
 
GPU only blocks for sure. You get a lot less impedance. I've been using the same block for 3 cards and went from 8 mem sinks on my 8800GT to a Swiftech unisink for my 260. Both work fantastic and overclock well. Unisink barely gets hot at all (with some minimal case airflow from rad fans), but the mem sinks on my 8800GT did get pretty hot with high overclocks (but never failed).
 
+1 for the above statement.

Hence a "fusion" between GPU only and full cover, like the MCW60-4870, is an excellent choice.
 
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