XSPC Razer Neo Waterblock for GTX 1080 Ti Unboxing

FrgMstr

FrgMstr

Just Plain Mean
Staff member
Joined
May 18, 1997
Messages
55,601
We wanted to share with you our first experience with the XSPC Razer Neo waterblock for NVIDIA's GTX 1080 Ti. We will be doing testing this week as well as showing you the Founders Edition card breakdown and builds as well.



Edt: Worth mentioning is that is a tempered glass window, not acrylic.
 
Last edited:
i don't get why they don't put the terminal blocks up and down like most cards or at least give you an adapter with it most people will need to buy 90 degree fittings to use that block in an install, other knock on the design would be not having a jetplate to focus the water to the center of the die area. otherwise looks pretty nice.
 
That is awesome looking. If I ever go water cooling I’d want something that professional looking.

I am not a fan of fingerprints. ;)
 
That is one good looking block. I really like the looks of it. Looking forward to seeing how well it functions.
Sexy unboxing video.
 
Kyle... have you had this box open before, or is that really how loosely the contents are packed in there? Seems like the block is not very well secured in the box, especially for having a glass panel.
 
That is a sweet looking block. Shame about the terminals though. I'd prefer EK style extended terminals. Then again, come to think of it, the extended terminals are really just built-in 90 degree adapters. So in certain situations this version would be better for flow. Looking forward to the install videos and testing.
 
I love the look of that block. XSPC knocked the aesthetic appeal factor out of the park with that design!
 
Are these water blocks really needed? I mean you can only push silicone so far before it's going to generate errors regardless of the heat. I was one of those guys who had the below 0F ASETEK case back in they day. Cool and everything, but the cost/value was a joke.
 
Nukester said:
Are these water blocks really needed? I mean you can only push silicone so far before it's going to generate errors regardless of the heat. I was one of those guys who had the below 0F ASETEK case back in they day. Cool and everything, but the cost/value was a joke.
Click to expand...

There is watercooling for Overclocking, there is watercooling for Silence, and there is watercooling for "Cool!" - the value to you depends largely on your own personal balance of these 3 factors. :)
 
Kyle, I am really liking all of the videos you have been doing lately. Well done sir.
I have been tempted to buy a XSPC watercooling kit for a few years now, but am a little nervous setting one up. At least I can use your videos as a quick tutorial.
 
Vegas P11 said:
Kyle, I am really liking all of the videos you have been doing lately. Well done sir.
I have been tempted to buy a XSPC watercooling kit for a few years now, but am a little nervous setting one up. At least I can use your videos as a quick tutorial.
Click to expand...
What would you be nervous about?
 
I'm disappointed they stuck with the 'serial flow' config rather then using a jet plate/slot to force coolant down through the center and out the sides of the fin array. It's been shown over and over that center loaded performs better then just shunting coolant across the fin array from one side to the other. I was hoping they would be moving away from serial flow for this new line of blocks. I predict "good, but not great" results.

I do love the XSPC 'black chrome' finish though. Shiny without being obnoxious. The glass will be welcome to those that like to run dyes in their coolant, since you won't have any issue with staining.

Nukester said:
Are these water blocks really needed? I mean you can only push silicone so far before it's going to generate errors regardless of the heat. I was one of those guys who had the below 0F ASETEK case back in they day. Cool and everything, but the cost/value was a joke.
Click to expand...

The biggest advantages to watercooling the video card these days beyond silence and fitting multi-GPUs are:

1) Full coverage of components. Even highend AIB coolers tend to not do anything for the RAM chips. For example, the Asus Strix cooler on mine has a thin aluminum plate with a thermal pad for one side's group, with nothing touching the other 2 group of chips. The Strix cooler only cools the core and VRMs essentially. This added cooling let me start playing above 9GHz on my card, even with Micron chips. Stock, it would drop performance (ECC) or artifact beyond 9GHz.

2) Removing the possibility of thermal throttling. IIRC, the 10X0 have an initial throttle step at 55C or around there, with more severe throttling as you go higher. If you can keep below this at load you will be limited only by the power limit of the card when OCing. While it may not buy you much of an increase in max clocks, it should let the card hold those clocks more consistently. The 1070 Strix (non-OC) I'm using barely touches 40C under load with the Barrow Strix block, so with the OC bios flashed I'm riding the 120% power limit without ever being close to thermal throttling. To really take advantage of the low temps you would need modify/bypass the power limit using a BIOS or Solder mod.

Some will point to removing heat dumped into the case, but I've always maintained this shouldn't be an issue in a properly ventilated case. The exception would be some of the insane Mini-ITX 'gaming' cases I've seen, as there just isn't enough volume and air flow to keep a loaded card from heating things up.

Admittedly, watercooling most current Nvidia cards is usually overkill, but I bet the 1080 Ti can make real use of it. It draws enough power to make watercooling really worthwhile, same as the current AMD cards.
 
Vegas P11 said:
Never watercooled before, and with my luck I'd spring a leak. After watching your videos and seeing the high quality products XSPC makes, I am definitely going to order a XSPC kit and give watercooling a go.
Click to expand...
Just make sure you TEST the loop for 24 hours or so before you put a bunch of expensive hardware under it.

Just a couple of tips. I grease all my o-rings with a tiny amount of silicone dielectric lubricant. That gives you better ring seats and keeps the ring from wadding up while tightening. I use the grease on the barbs as well. Just a tiny amount. Don't OVER-tighten things. And make sure you buy good quality tubing.

I use 3/8" ID X 1/2" OD, YMMV.

I like using PrimoChill Anti-Kink Coils and PrimoFlex Advanced LRT Tubing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top