Alphacool has released images and performance figures for the first full-coverage waterblock design to come out of its customisation service, demonstrating considerable improvements in GPU and VRM temperatures over the stock cooler.
Announced back in April, Alphacool's service allows those for whom no full-coverage waterblock design exists to send in their boards for 3D scanning. Once scanned, Alphacool will tweak their design to support the board - bringing the benefits of full-coverage blocks to those who eschew reference-layout graphics cards. At the time, the company had only pre-rendered images to show its planned designs, but now it has released the first images of a fully-working prototype produced for the Sapphire Radeon 280X.
While not entirely indicative of the finished product, which will be anodized in black rather than bare silver, the overall design is now complete - and Alphacool claims considerable gains over the stock air cooler. Using the company's dedicated testing lab - which includes the ability to control ambient temperature for accurate results between tests - Alphacool was able to demonstrate a drop from over 100 degrees Celsius to just over 60 for the VRM temperature and from just over 80 degrees to just over 40 for the GPU temperature. The latter is hardly surprising given the direct-contact waterblock, but the drop in VRM temperature without a fan on the cooler shows that the company's design is certain effective.
The company has not yet confirmed pricing or availability for the customised boards, but is still running its 3D scanning service for those whose non-reference designs have not yet been scanned - and offering a free waterblock to anyone loaning a new design of board.
Announced back in April, Alphacool's service allows those for whom no full-coverage waterblock design exists to send in their boards for 3D scanning. Once scanned, Alphacool will tweak their design to support the board - bringing the benefits of full-coverage blocks to those who eschew reference-layout graphics cards. At the time, the company had only pre-rendered images to show its planned designs, but now it has released the first images of a fully-working prototype produced for the Sapphire Radeon 280X.
While not entirely indicative of the finished product, which will be anodized in black rather than bare silver, the overall design is now complete - and Alphacool claims considerable gains over the stock air cooler. Using the company's dedicated testing lab - which includes the ability to control ambient temperature for accurate results between tests - Alphacool was able to demonstrate a drop from over 100 degrees Celsius to just over 60 for the VRM temperature and from just over 80 degrees to just over 40 for the GPU temperature. The latter is hardly surprising given the direct-contact waterblock, but the drop in VRM temperature without a fan on the cooler shows that the company's design is certain effective.
The company has not yet confirmed pricing or availability for the customised boards, but is still running its 3D scanning service for those whose non-reference designs have not yet been scanned - and offering a free waterblock to anyone loaning a new design of board.
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