This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.
00:00:00 – 00:33:39
The video primarily focuses on evaluating various CPU water cooling blocks, discussing their design, performance, and practicalities. Key brands and models tested include AlphaCool Core, Aqua Computer Cuplex Kryos Next, Barrow Intel 1700S acrylic RGB, Corsair XC7 RGB Pro, EKWB Magnitude, EK Quantum Velocity 2, Steel Key Customs Predator, and WaterCool Heatkiller 4 Pro.
The AlphaCool Core water block consistently showed outstanding performance, leading to a detailed review and comparison with retail units. The WaterCool Heatkiller 4 Pro also performed admirably, with temperatures often highlighted as some of the lowest in tests. Comparisons were made between different heatsink designs, such as CNC-milled versus skived heatsinks, impacting thermal efficiency.
Notably, the EK Magnitude, despite high expectations and build quality, often underperformed relative to its cost, mainly due to mounting challenges and suboptimal contact with the CPU. However, improvements in its design did yield better results in later tests. The Corsair XC7 RGB Pro had adequate performance, but the reliance on proprietary connectors was seen as a drawback.
Testing methodologies were thorough, including consistent mounting pressure using Cinebench R23, and measurements with various sensors. Challenges with mounting mechanisms and compatibility issues on high-end motherboards were recurrent themes, underscoring the intricate balance between design, ease of use, and cooling efficiency.
Overall, the video highlights the importance of considering multiple reviews and testing methods when evaluating cooling solutions, with AlphaCool and WaterCool emerging as top performers, emphasizing effective, practical, and reliable components for CPU water cooling.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, the creator discusses a conversation with Igor from Igor’s Lab about an article on the AlphaCool Core water block, which showed outstanding performance. Inspired, the creator decides to test several high-quality water blocks, including those from AlphaCool, Aqua Computer, Barrow, WaterCool Heatkiller, Corsair, and EK. The plan involves comparing these blocks’ performance using a modified Intel 12900 KS CPU and a 13th gen contact frame. The setup includes using a temperature sensor for accurate readings and controlling for environmental variables. The tests are conducted with a D5 pump running at 30% speed to balance sound and performance. The creator emphasizes the importance of checking multiple reviews due to potential differences in testing methods. The segment concludes with a focus on the Barrow block, noting its decent quality and design for its price, despite an unusual RGB connector.
00:05:00
In this part of the video, the presenter discusses the components and steps involved in testing various CPU water blocks. Emphasizing the importance of accurate temperature readings, they compare the temperature readings of different sensors and the actual CPU temperature under load. The testing process includes overclocking the CPU to 5.3 GHz and utilizing Cinebench R23 to measure temperatures, ensuring consistent mounting pressure using the same thermal paste for all tests.
The presenter tests multiple CPU water blocks, including the Barrow Intel 1700S acrylic RGB block, which showed an average P-core temperature of 84.81°C. Another block tested was the SK Desti Predator from Steel Key Customs, surprising with a competitive temperature of 84.47°C despite lacking a jet plate. The Water Cool Heatkiller 4 Pro achieved a lower temperature of 77.59°C, highlighting its effective design. Next, the Corsair XC7 RGB Pro is introduced, noted for its unique skived heatsink design. Each test focuses on the block’s performance under load, providing a thorough comparison of their cooling efficiency.
00:10:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses different types of heatsinks, comparing CNC-milled structures with skived heatsinks. The Corsair XC7 RGB Pro exhibits slightly worse performance, about 2 degrees Celsius higher, than the Heatkiller from WaterCool but is still deemed adequate, maintaining CPU temperatures around 79.8 degrees Celsius. The video explains that skived heatsinks, due to the deformation during their manufacturing process, have a less ideal grain structure, reducing thermal and electrical conductivity by 10-20%. The segment also evaluates Aqua Computer’s high-quality Cuplex Kryos Next water block, noting its solid performance. Furthermore, the EK Magnitude block is praised for its aesthetics but criticized for its high price and lackluster back plate quality. The video highlights the flawed surface quality and edge sharpness of the EK Magnitude’s back plate, questioning its value given the cost.
00:15:00
In this part of the video, the focus is on evaluating the thermal performance of two water blocks: the EKWB Magnitude and AlphaCool’s Core One. The EKWB Magnitude, priced at 250 euros, showed underwhelming results with temperatures around 81.22 to 81.46 degrees Celsius under load. The AlphaCool Core One was initially received as a sample but piqued enough interest to warrant a detailed review and the purchase of a retail unit for comparison. The video covers the mounting process of the AlphaCool Core One on an Intel 1700 socket, highlighting that it is straightforward with backplates, standoffs, and thumb screws. It notes that the cold plate, although not entirely even, ensures main contact in the center. Attention is drawn to the block’s internals, which, despite being common, perform well due to deeply slotted structures. Curiosities such as the presence of M4 threads and visible copper through the nickel plating on the cold plate are discussed, with potential explanations provided.
00:20:00
In this segment of the video, the presenter discusses the evaluation and performance of different cooling blocks. The Alpha cool Core 1 performance is highlighted as it managed to outperform others with a temperature of 77.11 degrees Celsius. The EKWB magnitude’s surface was milled using a CNC machine to improve its contact with the CPU, resulting in a slight temperature improvement but still lagging behind the leaders. The final chart showed Alpha cool Core 1, Heat Killer 4 Pro, and Aqua Computer Cuplex Kryos performing similarly, with differences small enough to be insignificant in practical use.
The presenter gives a quick overview of various cooling blocks, including the budget-friendly Barrow block, which, despite its price, did not perform as expected. The SteelKey Customs block performed slightly better but is mainly available to a German audience. The Watercool Heat Killer 4 Pro performed well, but the presenter wishes it included a backplate. The Corsair XC7 Pro performed decently but has a proprietary connector that may not be ideal for users without the IQ system. Lastly, the Aqua Computer block is noted for its high performance and slight performance difference, potentially due to mounting tolerances.
00:25:00
In this part of the video, the presenter discusses the difficulties and challenges encountered with high-end motherboards when mounting water blocks, specifically highlighting the inconvenience caused by the capacitors and inductors surrounding the mounting holes. The presenter disapproves of the mounting mechanism that requires the use of pliers and proprietary connectors for RGB integration, which necessitate additional adapters. They express disappointment in the EK water block magnitude, despite its high build quality and customization options. The cooling performance was unsatisfactory when compared to other high-end blocks, mainly due to the contact frame and lapped CPU configuration which might not suit this block’s design. Challenges with the mounting mechanism, especially with standoffs and backplates, were also mentioned, citing the EK block and the Aqua computer block as examples of inconvenience and quality issues. EK’s response and future plans for a new version with improved mounting solutions were also communicated, alongside a note on better performance expectations with non-contact frames.
00:30:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the performance of various water cooling blocks, starting with the EK Magnitude, which shows improved temperatures of 79.13 degrees Celsius due to a modified, slightly thinner cold plate. Measurements of the flat cold plate indicate a significant reduction in unevenness from 200 microns to 40 microns. The EK Quantum Velocity 2 outperforms the more expensive EK Magnitude, achieving an average temperature of 80.83 degrees Celsius, and is praised for its convenient mounting mechanism. The Alpha Cool Core 1 is surprisingly the best performer, despite minor quality issues such as mounting gear and scratches. The speaker concludes with an overall positive assessment of Alpha Cool’s performance.