Why do we do it..... gpu full cover

shadowscotland

shadowscotland

shadowscotland

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We all buy/demand aftermarket multi socket cpu HSF's.
We all buy/demand aftermarket multi socket cpu blocks.
We all buy/demand aftermarket multi socket gpu air coolers.

Most of us buy/want full cover blocks - Why?

They are VERY specific - not even to all manufactures of the same card.
Fiddlely to install.
Expensive.
mostly unseen.
Higher temps that universal 'core only' blocks.
low resale value.
I do however fully accept they can make sli / crossfire water cooling easier.

Universal GPU blocks are multi socket - but are not the norm.

Many offer better flow and lower gpu temps that full cover blocks.
Much easier to install.
Less expensive. (even when inc vrm / ram heat sinks)
Offer various tube routing options. (Koolance blocks especially)
Hold there resale value.

I use a universal block - Silverprop cyclone Fusion HL (it's nearly 10 years old)
If buying second hand I'd get a Danger Den Maze 4
if I was buying new I'd get a Koolance GPU-220,

What's on your graphic card?
 
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The short answer is the majority of people it seems don't want to phaff with separate sinks for ram and vrms, and will apparently choose to pay for a one use only block for their card.

You used to be able to get companion full board sinks for gcards for use with uniblocks, but these seem to have died a death in the last couple of years. One of them and a uni block looked every bit as good as a full cover, and since you only be buying a relatively cheap semi sink for each new card it would work out cheaper, but alas, seem to have died a death. However, most new cards now have a separate heat spreader as part of the default cooler which can be left in place whilst adding a uni block. This is what I am doing with Dtek GFX2 and a 580GTX. Works perfectly and I see no reason to change to a full cover on any new card, and would fight tooth and nail to avoid having to do so.
 
I'm not going to lie..... it looks better. And I wasn't fussy on either leaving the RAM chips either with no cooling or with the ropey looking heatsinks.


I had non-reference 5850's when I decided that I wanted to take the dive into water cooling.

I considered the universal GPU blocks, then ended up selling the 5850's and buying reference cards and then full cover blocks.


You make a good point - common sense/practicality wise the universal blocks would be better.
 
Probably looks come into it as well. Swiftech did some kind of VRM cover which would act like a full board cover but you could use a universal gpu block on it and it looked nice. That would be the closest to a sleek single gpu block in terms of looks I would say.
 
The other advantage of gpu only blocks is you aren't dumping excess heat from the stinkingly hot vrms into the loop and thus raising the temps of everything else, especially relevant if you are on a single loop. I keep hearing the vrms are designed to run hot and are perfectly fine running on an air cooled sink/heatspreader, why add them to your loop, other than compromising on looks?
 
Another disadvantage is the warranty. I'd never replace the cooler without testing it first for a long period of time. I tend to stick the new card on air for a few months just to be sure everything is functional laving just the CPU on water. Then a few months down the line i then break the loop down and change the stock cooler for the water block. Bang goes any chance of return and very time consuming. Like most hobbies, there is to logical explanation for the things we do.. No different to sitting on a river bank for 12 hours and catching a fish you put back..
 
For me it just the satisfaction of knowing everything is adequately cooled without need to stick heatsinks to other chips (how do you remove them?) and then pointing fans at the cards to cool the heatsinks. Yes I usually have other fans in the case to keep the air moving across other components, but I prefer most of my cooling to be done by the radiator fans.

Although I haven't yet, I'd also be inclined to buy motherboard specific blocks also.
 
I did use a universal GPU block, and I fully agree that being able to change the waterblock when upgrading the GPU is an advantage.
Even SLI or xfire is not difficult with the new bridges.

However I did change to a FC block, but that is when EK had the issue with Nickel and I changed my Nickel flaking EK block to a Koolance CPU-370(Didn't even open the replacement EK CPU block), to match the koolance effect I got a Koolance FC GPU block as well(second hand though) - that was my first step towards "EK Purge".
 
Defo for the looks, theres something satisfying about seeing a full cover block on your gpu with a back plate aswel... Agreed?
 
For me, the universals take up too much space if you want multi-gpu setups, plus they are a mess.
 
For me, a cleaner looking loop and not having to arse about cooling the memory and vrm's.

I even base what GPU I'm going to buy around the availability of full cover blocks.
 
I have always used core only blocks. Until recently. I had this 480 cooled with a core only block but simply could not keep the vrm's cool. After a year faffing around with positioning fans i got this full cover block cheap second hand. There is no way in hell i would ever buy a new one though. They are simply too expensive and as mentioned, only fit a specific card.
 
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