Best CPU block for Ivy-E + RF4

Soldato
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Do I keep my Raystorm (had it ever since it was launched- 2012?) or do I swap out for another? Its getting a bit long in the tooth.

CPU is a 4960x (IVY-E so LGA2011) and it needs some super cooling - every degree counts.

EK make some bold claims here: http://www.ekwb.com/news/447/19/XtremeSystems-EK-Supremacy-the-best-choice-for-Ivy-Bridge-E/

Also thinking of watercooling the motherboard but noticed the Formula Rampage IV board doesn't have a full kit - only a MOSFET block :( - anyone any experience with the MOSFET block in comparison to air cooling?

Money not an issue..... thanks in advance.
 
The raystorms are a great block, you may gain a couple of degrees at best.

The mosfet is all that needs cooling and water is not essential, for benching just put a fan over the vrm's. You will gain next to nothing watercooling.
 
The Koolance 380i is said to be by far the best according to skineelabs. Mosfet watercooling is for bragging purposes only, they don't get hot anyway.

Personally I'm using Watercool heatkiller on both gpu and cpu (4930k) and I am very happy with them. (+cool looks)
 
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MOSFET blocks are really easy to mount if aesthetics and bragging rights is what you are after.

All high end blocks tend to be about the same but if money was no issue, i would be getting a full nickel EK Supramacy and change the jet plate for Ivy-E. Most people bench the standard Supramacy when comparing blocks but the more expensive full copper and nickel have a degree or two difference. The additional jet plates can let you claim a few degrees as well if you are on a socket considered non-standard.
 
yeah not that bothered about looks as I think the r4f mosfet cooler makes the board look crap as it removes the heatsink around the back port area. So will scrap that idea!

As I purchased the first batch of raystorms it didn't come with either the new 1155 bracket nor the socket 2011 screws - I'm just using some M4 screws I found in the meantime lol.

Rather than spend £15 on a new mounting kit I'd rather chuck in the extra for a new block. Raystorm is a pain to keep clean as it seems to clog up quite quickly I've found. I'm not impressed with the lack of support from XSPC aswell when I tried to get new screws and a replacement backplate - they didn't even have the courtesy to reply to my emails.

Only thing I don't like about EK is that if you use their nickel blocks they insist you use their own liquid for warranty purposes and will void the warranty (heres recalling the old nickel plates corroding issue we all witnessed here!). EK cooling liquid is veg based stuff so gets warm quite quickly (crap heat dissipation compared to distilled water/silver kill coil).

In all honesty I prefer black blocks anyhoo :) - The Koolance 380i has my interest too though.

That Mayhems concentrate any good that OLD PHART (I think) was going on about in another thread?
Doesn't copper perform better than nickel aswell? - thought nickel was more for aesthetics?
 
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Watercool Heatkiller CPU Rev3.0 1366 / 2011 - Black Nickel £60

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-034-WC&groupid=962&catid=1519

My CPU core temps mid forties 4820K:4.6GHz when gaming room temp about 21'c using the above Block, see sig. Well made a quality product could not fault the Watercool Heatkiller CPU block
used on my x58 build and its still doing a great good cooling now.

Don't forget the amount of radiators and size play a big part deciding your overall temps, l'm using a 560x60mm thick external rad with 4x900rpm fans.
 
yeah not that bothered about looks as I think the r4f mosfet cooler makes the board look crap as it removes the heatsink around the back port area. So will scrap that idea!

As I purchased the first batch of raystorms it didn't come with either the new 1155 bracket nor the socket 2011 screws - I'm just using some M4 screws I found in the meantime lol.

Rather than spend £15 on a new mounting kit I'd rather chuck in the extra for a new block. Raystorm is a pain to keep clean as it seems to clog up quite quickly I've found. I'm not impressed with the lack of support from XSPC aswell when I tried to get new screws and a replacement backplate - they didn't even have the courtesy to reply to my emails.

Only thing I don't like about EK is that if you use their nickel blocks they insist you use their own liquid for warranty purposes and will void the warranty (heres recalling the old nickel plates corroding issue we all witnessed here!). EK cooling liquid is veg based stuff so gets warm quite quickly (crap heat dissipation compared to distilled water/silver kill coil).

In all honesty I prefer black blocks anyhoo :) - The Koolance 380i has my interest too though.

That Mayhems concentrate any good that OLD PHART (I think) was going on about in another thread?
Doesn't copper perform better than nickel aswell? - thought nickel was more for aesthetics?

Mayhems concentrate for me its a good product been using it in my x58 build good vale for money. Its in bits at the moment and the inside of the Heatkiller block still looks good full copper, just dull due to heat.

My SLI 670 EK Blocks was in my x58 build for about 4/5 months and the inside's look ok. Don't forget EK improved their nickel plating of their blocks after that last disaster as well.

Any way how can they tell if you not used their coolent, if you flush the blocks out?

Mayhems XT concentrate you don't have to add anything like biocide, anti-corrosion, etc.
 
Thanks dude, yeah I'm inclined to take that route as EK and most other veg based coolants are crap performance compared to using de-ionised/distilled water.

It was almost a 5 Degrees C difference between the two!
 
Been doing some more reading up

Seems like the Koolance 380i has an 'incompatible' bow with the Ivy-E CPU's so doesn't play aswell as the others.

Bit the bullet and gone for some Mayhems XT-1 and an EK Acetal Supremacy /fingers crossed :)
 
Thanks dude, yeah I'm inclined to take that route as EK and most other veg based coolants are crap performance compared to using de-ionised/distilled water.

It was almost a 5 Degrees C difference between the two!

Also there is no way they can say you didn't use EK coolant.
I use EK pure water. Are they guna try void my warranty lol
 
There should be no measurable performance difference between mayhem coolant and DI water.

Also EK only had issues with third party coolant way back when there was an electroplating issue. It has long since been fixed and i have been using EK products for years with successful RMAs and was never asked about what coolant i used.
 
Been doing some more reading up

Seems like the Koolance 380i has an 'incompatible' bow with the Ivy-E CPU's so doesn't play aswell as the others.

Bit the bullet and gone for some Mayhems XT-1 and an EK Acetal Supremacy /fingers crossed :)
Doesn't seem to be a problem with the 380i cooling my 4820k. I get around 50°C while gaming at 4.5GHz. That's with a 26°C ambient temp and a small case with two skinny 240mm rads. (Plus a gtx780)

Personally I chose to mix my own coolant using di water and 10% ethylene glycol based coolant. Been running for 11 months and the blocks still looked brand new when I rebuilt it after xmas. Superb corrosion protection and biocide all in one plus it's dirt cheap for enough to last a few years. I just filtered the old coolant back in and topped up what was lost when I drained it. Didn't even damage my pc when it blew a hose off just before xmas either. The only downside is that it's toxic plus I have no idea how it reacts with dyes.
 
If you look at the charts the most perform quit well over half are 2/3'c of each other.

A few things could effect the temps when installing the CPU block TIM thickness, slight variation in room temp and the screws where equal all round by measuring there height.

Which ensures even pressure between the block and the CPU, Heatkiller actually do give you the height of the screw measured from the CPU block arm to the top of the screw.

Can anyone see the if the room temperature is giving during the test he might of missed it off. If he has note done this in the actual test his results are flawed.
 
His tests were pretty thorough - read through and he mentions his testing methodology quite clearly covering all them points.
 
His tests were pretty thorough - read through and he mentions his testing methodology quite clearly covering all them points.

Not saying that, just saying no mention of the room ambient temperature.

The tests would have took at least couple of hours to do in which time the room temps could have gone up 2/3'c or down. If he did not check the room temps while testing and allow for this in his results his readings would be wrong.

This would have changed the final outcome of the blocks all round.

I did a review on the H50 regarding fans and temps in just under a hour my room temp went up by 1'c alone. You can't just say it was warm, hot or cold while testing.

Stulid did a great review on Thermal Paste and forgot to take note of room temps and again this would effect the final results. But he did a review later on and remembered this which made his findings more accurate so no one could pick fault with the results.
 
XT-1 - check
Mayhems H2o - check
EK Supremacy - check
New piping - check

Can't believe my trusty DDC pump failed last night!! - Absolutely gutted :( - There goes another £100 on a flippin EK DDC 3.2 PWM X-Res kit :( :(

New pump should be here tomorrow, so time for an overdue system re-jigg.

How much of this XT-1 stuff do I mix with a litre of Mayhems H2o?
 
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