Water cooling VRM

[alexkyriak]

Hi guys, is watercooling the VRM of any real benefit for ‘normal’ overclocking of a system (just upping the performance, not benching), or is it an added heat source that doesn’t really benefit the overall loop and performance? Cheers

 

[Radox-0]

Not really going to up performance. Usually the VRM blocks or monoblocks are typically made for high end boards these days which come with robust power delivery solutions anyways half decent heatsinks that decent airflow will keep temps in checks. If anything will add heat to your loop. That said I do cool the VRMs with a monoblock in some of my builds as it does look cool, but not for any performance gain.

 

[im4gine3]

it's mainly for aesthetics to be honest.. unless you are into hardcore overclocking... and sometimes a pita designing an optimal loop for it

 

[alexkyriak]

Ah ok cheers guys, thank you for the responses.

Suspected as much from reading a bit on the web, but obviously OCUK forums wisdom is held in high regard all so thought I’d ask you all.

Part of the reason for asking is, I was reading about the ASUS Z690 Formula which has a VRM heat sink with watercooling ports. The watercooling is supposedly ‘optional’, you can apparently run with or without.

So I was wondering why a)it’s optional at all (and the big question: how does that actually work being optional?)

And b)if it’s optional, why would it be optional if VRM cooling is a meaningful benefit? Just make the design definitive as it were? Surely a heat sink is better than a ‘hybrid’, as it were?

 

[SirConfused]

It works being optional because the heat generated from the VRM is fine to be dealt with by a reasonable level of passive cooling via air change in the case. As long as your case isn't an oven then you just don't need them to be cooled.

You can cool them but all you're doing is adding more heat to your loop which you then have to dissipate at the rads. Even with crazy OC'ing, as long as you have a decent mobo then the VRMs will be overspecced to the point that it won't be an issue.

 

[Grim5]

its rather pointless

the reality is that the only boards that would benefit from water cooling are the entry level models when paired with a power hungry CPU and no one makes blocks for those boards. Only high end boards get blocks and those boards don't need any more cooling because the VRM on those boards is overkill already.

And the level of overkill is getting worse, the new gigabyte extreme z690 has 23x 105amp power stages. This is the type of board that someone like EKWB will make a monoblock for so you can cool the VRM but the problem is this board will run at 30c with an overclocked 12900k without any water cooling, adding water cooling will only reduce temps by like 2c and have absolutely zero affect on CPU performance.

But grab the cheapest z690 board money can buy and you'll likely find its VRM will run at 70c to 90c with a 12900k on it, now that board would benefit from water cooling but no one will make a block for it because the block will cost more than the entire motherboard and people who buy that board will never buy water cooling parts anyway.




So tldr: water cooling VRM is pointless and will remain pointless so long as the only motherboard which have the option of water cooling are motherboards that don't need it and it remains impossible to water cool the motherboards that actually need it

 

[Haz123]

Some of the new Z690 mobos with the preinstalled VRM waterblocks are absolutely beautiful. I agree it is not a worthwhile exercise but they are amongst the best looking mobo I have ever seen.

 

[clone]

I have the Asus maximus xii formula with the EK vrm block on top of the cpu block.


Seening no temp difference.

 

[MikeTimbers]

I've got a Maximus IX Formula with pre-installed EK VRM block and didn't bother to hook it into my loop.

 

[alexkyriak]

So hypothetically then: Asus z690 Formula vs Asus Hero z690?

 

[Grim5]

So hypothetically then: Asus z690 Formula vs Asus Hero z690?

ekwb and/or others will most likely make a monoblock for the hero anyway, if that helps your decision

 

[alexkyriak]

I was more thinking, with the heat sinks on the Hero, surely just blowing air on them from the bottom rad fans might be better than the Formula with the hybrid. I think they’re the same board apart from the VRM heat sinks and the colour/styling?

 

[Grim5]

If this formula is anything like my x570 formula it doesn't need to be watercooled, the VRM can be cooled just by being overkill components. There is only 2c difference in temp on my x570 formula between water cool and not water cooled.

They are mostly the same board but there is still differences you'll notice if you compare the spec sheets on the Asus website, such as the formula has 10g Ethernet and the Hero has 2.5g, there are other minor things but it's all minor.

my x570 formula has 16 phase 60amp VRM, the Z690 formula has 21 phase 105amp VRM. My VRM runs in the 30s without watercooling on my 250w 5950x. So I think the Z690 formula would be able to handle a 350w 12900k just fine and still have very low temps