This Water Cooler Would Have Killed My RTX 4090 - Alphacool Core

[@Aesir247]

Is air cooling good enough? Absolutely. Is watercooling required? Absolutely not. Is watercooling good value for performance? no. Do we do it anyway? Yes

[@pappaptater1561]

I upgraded my loop yesterday. Am I happy? Yes Was it worth it? Absolutely not.

[@andykwan-d5m]

​@@pappaptater1561nice! what pump do you use? I think mine is breaking

[@pappaptater1561]

@@andykwan-d5m I use a watercool wdc d5-vario pump and heat killer pump too I got them from performance PCs Wc-30049 pump part # Wc-31010 pump top part #

[@pappaptater1561]

@@Aesir247 did the reply work?

[@garethblundell765]

Totally agree. I keep saying this to ppl who put full loops down. Is it worth the money for the small benefit in performance, lower temps and aesthetics Absolutely not they are simply confirmations that we put it together right. We do it because we love it we love the process and the small beneficial result, same reason people spend fortunes customising cars instead of just saving for a lambo.

[@MatiasVatanen]

I had the exact same experience but with Alphacool Eiswolf for the Zotac 4090. I had very poor contact no matter how I tried to install it. I ended up returning it for a replacement. I was hopeful but the replacement had the same issue. Then I noticed that when installing the block, the card would bow because the spacers near the core were too tall. I told the supplier from where I purchased the cooler and they ordered new units until they got a "good one" and sent it to me. There were small indents around the spacers in this unit and it fit perfectly and had good contact. So it seems there were essentially defective blocks for the Zotac 4090 in circulation..

[@rrekki9320]

Welcome to my Alphacool experience with the RX7900XTX Nitro block. I had a Delta of 50C or more, hitting thermal throttling point. tried different pastes, pad sizes and other stuff. Despite a 2x360+1x480+2x280 rad loop I had issues cooling my XTX at 330W. I contacted Alphacool, where I basically got told, its not their issue, its AMDs fault, no warranty or return doable. Tried support again via phone, got told the same bullshit. Controversial, I know, Bought an EK Evo² Nitro XT/XTX Block, now even with 800W shoved through Im still below what the Alphacool block even with tons of tweaks managed. I then asked around, low and behold. It wasnt just me with the XTX. Had multiple 4080/90 owners confirm the same issues. We even tried with different spacers. The unfunny side: On the Nvidia cards Alphacool asked them to ship the block back and they get a new one. But for the guys with AMD? They refused to warranty or ship a new one, instead blamed AMD for the issue. I had good experiences with Alphacool... But this? That put them on the No Buy List of mine. Unacceptable.

[@jocerv43]

Similar issue with my 7900xt. First try it was pretty bad, second try I caked up the die with more paste and didn't tighten the backplate as much (worked out nicely but wasn't a big difference from stock cooler, idle was way lower just because stock zero rpm feature). I kept this setup (two thick 360s) with the clock speed capped at 2600, ran nicely and very quiet but it wasn't remotely worth it. Just recently swapped back to my stock cooler since it was about time to clean the blocks and it's a similar story. My old pads dried out so I used the ones included with the waterblock (seemed about the same size) temps are about the same just slightly more quiet/loud while idle/under load. The junction temp is better than original cooler (stock pads are just bad I guess). On both stock and waterblock setup the delta is easily over 45, drops to maybe 15 by just capping the clock speed, something is off. Maybe that kind of clamp in the video would work better than the four spring loaded screws I have.

[@Hullbreachdetected]

I had similar experience as you guys, for reference I also had a Sapphire Nitro+ version. The die temp would shoot up above 110C and I took it out to repaste it and rebuilt it meticulously. It made no difference so I tried other paste, tried tightening the clamp around the core with various torque setting (used torque screwdriver), no difference at all. I had to limit GPU clock to 2600 MHz and downvolt it to 1.1 V to ensure die temp never breaches 100 C threshold (some games run cold even at 2800 MHz but some almost run at 100C @ 2600 MHz). I was quite disappointed with AC, because on top of all this, the manifold that came with the GPU waterblock, had pitting at one of the ports and was slightly leaking. Luckily, I had an AC waterblock for my 6900XT, so I just swapped the manifold from that one over. Insterestingly, the waterblock for the 6900XT worked like a champ, die temp never went above 80C even with extreme OC, I could throw almost 400W at it but it stayed below 80C. That is what has encouraged me to buy another AC waterblock, but sometimes you need luck as customer, it's not just AC sadly, all brands have these violent swings in product quality from one batch to another.

[@IK4MS]

You're surprised that the company that regularly threatens to sue their customers don't have good service? lmao

[@tamiglia]

@@IK4MS Could you tell me more about this? thx

[@blazingmatty123]

Yeah I had this same exact issue with the alphacool core one block for the 7900XTX red devil, really pretty block, but the performance was just dreadful, the air cooler did a better job, definitely not going to be buying another alphacool block moving forwards, gpu or cpu, rads too if I can avoid it

[@philrdaly]

I also had a bad experience with my alphacool core block, in which the contact was not as good as I was hoping, which resulted in a bad temperature delta from core to hotspot. My solution was to use the Ultra Soft thermal pads from Alphacool. I found the original pads to be the correct thickness, but they were just too hard. If I used .75mm thick pads, the core/hotspot temps were great, but the memory wasn't making any contact. With the 1mm ultra softs from Alphacool I was able to get the core/hotspot temps to be no more than 10 degrees at any load. The pads say they are only rated at 3w/mk but honestly the temperature difference on the memory was negligible.

[@rustler08]

So, the problem with Alphacool for this generation is that they're providing improper thermal pads. They need to be softer, because there is insufficient pressure to squeeze them with just the four individual screws. You can actually test this by removing all of the pads, screw it together, and see the squish of the thermal paste. If you reach out to Alphacool and request the softer pads, this should improve this issue. *My Solution:* What I did was I used thermal putty: TG-PP10. It entirely solved the issue because there is no guesswork with thermal putty. It conforms perfectly to the required height.

[@VapingFoxx]

You are my HERO! I have the Alphacool Eisblock Aurora for my RTX 4080 and my Hotspots were even worse than yours.. (115°C after 2-3 mins and i think it would climb even more) today i saw your Video and tried it with the Asus Retantion Bracket and all problems are solved! Thanks so much for this Idea!

[@RaizuYT-vb5sv]

Nice work figuring out the needed retention bracket!

[@rustler08]

That's not the solution.

[@PyromancerRift]

I also had to use standoffs on my 3080 when i watercooled it with an alphacool block. I just used plastic washers. It's no big deal if you are an enthusiast, but it's not good for neophytes.

[@Cleatus46]

Good job. I would be interested in a follow-up. I was going to go with an Alphacool, but now I will hold off as I am not interested in mounting and re-mounting a water block.Thanks.

[@rustler08]

I like where you can see that he forgot to uninstall the little gray thermal pads at 11:08. They're at the bottom of the GPU, right above the two silver and black caps.

[@MaavBR]

This ARGB connector isn't proprietary... It's just one of the several ARGB standards in circulation. Some Gigabyte motherboards even have native plugs for it

[@100500daniel]

Maybe the thermal pads were too thick

[@perngip]

I agree with this. maybe alphacool provide the wrong thickness pad or 1mm is just too thick. 60 degree with a thick 360 rad is still not good.

[@astronomyastrology7186]

Yeah that temp is still higher than it really should be with that rad. I would have expected around 45ish under full load.

[@ziggybombers1563]

@@perngipI’ve got the exact same graphics card and I’m using a EK block and if memory serves me correctly you’re right the pads are 0.5mm.

[@Khemotherapy]

I had a similar issue and ended up using 0.5mm thermal pads.

[@johni-db4xv]

thanks for making this video. I also ran into unacceptable hot spot temperatures with this alphacool block on my gigabyte 4090 gaming oc. I contacted alphacool support and they said it was a manufacturing issue with the GPU having tolerances that were too loose. Not sure how they would know that for sure without having hands-on my card. I'm in the US so they don't handle RMAs from the US. I would need to go through the vendor I bought it from. Overall it's been a very negative experience with this alphacool block and their lack of customer support. I'll reconsider purchasing from them in the future.

[@leereiyuu]

@@johni-db4xv Get the softer thermal Pads from them. This should fix your issue and shouldnt be too expensive for them to ship to you.

[@GSP-76]

They don't need your card...what they're saying is Gigabyte is at fault because their cards all have big tolerance gaps card to card. They're right, Gigabyte 4090s are terrible in this regard...the other person who said get softer pads is right...try that and possibly slightly thicker. I think outside of Nvidia, MSI is the only manufacturer who has kade very good 4090s.

[@Lorien311]

Usually the thermal pads are the issue. Mount it remove it check for contact if bad check Pads for hard imprints, make them flatter or change them and reassemble and test again.

[@solitajre222]

I run almost he same block on my gainward phantom 4090. I also had the problem with poor contact with the core. What I did, was to use the original "X-bracket" that is on the back of the card with the stock cooler and just re-use it with the waterblock. When I did, I got the great temps I was expecting. I also lowered the core-hotspot temp delta to a normal level (within 10C) The problem with this block is that the backplate does not provide sufficient pressure and thus results in poor die contact. I'm running this now in my SFF case with a single slim 240mm rad cooling the 4090 and a 7800x3d. GPU never goes above 60C.

[@jeffreychatfield7881]

LOL you left of the GPU retention sprung bracket, i made the same mistake the first time water cooling.

[@MrScart35]

He didn't left it out, alphacool instructions don't mention that you should use the xbracket. If you use xbracket you will just increase clamping pressure that will somehow fix the problem. But the problem is inherent in the block and you should use it without any additional modifications outside of those Alphacool suggest in the manual.

[@nekron75]

@@MrScart35 I’m confused, so can you use the x-bracket together with the backplate on top of it or onky one of the two?

[@rustler08]

You do not need this bracket.

[@ChrisGR93_TxS]

they could significantly increase the contact pressure and also be more safe from warping/bending uneven the board around the chip' by using the backplate as a support/ retention bracket to secure even contact across the chip. Would also make the pcb around the chip more robust.

[@vongdong10]

I will never get back into watercooling. Just way too expensive now. Plus the waterblocks are basically worthless once you want to sell them. Air cooling is fine, just need better fans like the noctua edition cards.

[@swizzler8053]

Facts.

[@MrFilip121]

There are mounting kits on etsy for de-shrouding and installing custom fans. I did it on Zotac RTX 4090(similar to the one in the video) and it's much quieter.

[@Custom_PC_Keebs]

@@MrFilip121 Very interesting ! Could you link one of these ?

[@MrFilip121]

@@Custom_PC_Keebs just google "etsy rtx 4090 zotac" without the ". Click on the first result. I believe links are removed in youtube comments.

[@MrFilip121]

@@Custom_PC_Keebs youtube deletes my comment. Google etsy zotac deshroud

[@MiddleofKnowhere]

Just watched. Great vid. Did you ever find out from Alphacool what the issue was?

[@xcom9648]

I just had the same issue, contacted alphacool and they tell me these high temps are totally normal. Their support is the worse i have ever seen. I might aswell go back to air cooling and throw this block in the trash, total waste of money..

[@Macior666]

I had the same problem on 4070ti changed thermalpads, paste, block mount, then i remebered that i had diffrent stand-offs from other blocks, changed them, and miracle, max temps 55c under load. Next time I buy Bykski block, I`ve never had a problem with them.

[@alltheboost5363]

I had the same issue with the retention bracket on my 6900XT build. I ended up using the retention bracket and it solved all my issues. I've been debating on my current PC about water cooling..... I have a strix 4090 OC. I'm just not sure if it's worth taking it apart. If I messed up my 6900XT at the time I had about 700 in it (was a dell fe card). But if I mess up the card that I currently have it's $2,000. And for what performance gain. Thank you for making the video.

[@jonle8142]

I had this exact same issue with my 4090 amp but with the eisblock which is basically the same block as the core. Stock thermal pads that came with the block yielded extremely highly GPU temp (in the 100c's) and extremely low memory temp (around 40-50c) so I swapped the pads with 0.5mm pads that I had and the temps swapped although the memory temp was far more acceptable now (75-85c) with GPU core at around 50c. I reached out to alphacool about this and they basically said it was a known issue about tolerance and sent me some thermal pads which I haven't had time to swap yet

[@knislappen]

Did you use the retention bracket from the original air cooler?

[@jonle8142]

@@knislappen No as it was not in the instructions

[@13lackphoenix93]

I had a similar experience with my waterblock for my RX 6900XT. After installing the temps were great, BUT, the temperatures of my hotspot and of my VRAM where terrible. So i checked all and redid everything, still same. and then i decided to swap the thermal pads to thinner and better ones. And would you look at that. GPU temp 45 degree under load with 52 degree hot-sport. (overclocked) and suddenly i could overclock my VRAM as well. Its been running like this for 4 years and then i had to clean the loop and everything but still great. It's still way cheaper and EKWB and i am fine with spending a little extra for the thermal pads. But Alphacool should test there products a bit more. Still my whole loop consists of Alphacool except for one of my 3 radiators because i needed a special fit. The overall quality is great for the price they are asking. It might not look as nice as EK, but my case is closed anyway so who cares?

[@fruityoverlord9937]

I got the iChill waterblock which is even smaller and much nicer looking (transparent with LEDS etc) and its totally fine under stress tests. I do have a big case with two large radiators (4 low rpm fans each). Silent and nice and looking.

[@valentinosgsxr]

Did the instructions required the retention bracket installed or not???

[@blazingmatty123]

@@valentinosgsxr instructions on the core one blocks just say to use the 4 sprung screws that come in the package, no mention of the original x bracket at all.

[@gistsc]

I had my first water cooling failure ever, and it was on my Asus ROG Strix RTX4090. Installed a EK front/back style block, and the process bricked my GPU. This was my first issue water cooling after having used blocks on many GPU/CPUs. Bought a second GPU and stuck with air. $5000 was enough wasted.

[@beardedgaming1337]

full load on my 3080 ti with an AC block - im at 40c or so. the thermal pads they sent were incorrect thickness, i also had to mill a bit of the acrylic to clearance a couple capacitors. not a big deal. i run mine on thick dual 360 rads + a 240 in an open air wall mount case. it works great.

[@astronomyastrology7186]

I put an ek block on my zotac for 4090. No problems at all. Runs about 38c under load but thats with a thick 480mm rad with 8x3000rpm fans plus a thin 360rad with another 3x 3000rpm fans.

[@Nobe_Oddy]

you can EASILY get a PERFECT STRAIGHT EDGE by using STRING! But it would probably be best if you used DENTAL FLOSS because it won't have any stray fibers that could get in the way of of seeing if there is a gap between the string and the surface, but I don't think you would be worried about THAT AMOUNT of precision on the PCB... ..but yea, a tight/taught string will ALWAYS be straight... but you would have to remove the water block all over again... but I REALLY don't think the PCB or Water Block are warped.. I think it was bad instructions... but that's just me :)

[@antonyhermens9985]

Thanks for the Review 🤔

[@wallywest2360]

Hmm, I've never had an issue with Alphacool, but I do have a XFX 7900XTX sitting on my desk and an Alphacool Core block for it. We'll see how that goes.

[@jonaswehrle]

Hey, great Video and also very interesting that you weren't getting proper contact with single screws. My watercooled 2080 has the same style of screws so i might check if a similar bracket exists (and hope it exists for a reason and won't bend and crack my GPU). Throughout the video I expected it to be a thermal Pad issue. My Phanteks Glacier G2080 Strix Block just straight up uses thermal pads that are too thick and swapping them out with thermal putty improved temps drastically. I saw that you tested the P12 Max white so with the Fluid-Dynamic-Bearing I assume. You also tested the Dual-Ball-Bearing Verison when it came out. I bought them at the time but was very disappointed with the bearing noises at low RPM. I run standard P12 at around 700 RPM on a double 360 push pull that cools gpu only and air cool my cpu. I am very interested in replacing the P12 with the P12 Max with their updated Fluid-Dynamic-Bearing, so the same bearing as the P12. I would be very interested in a comparison of P12, P12 Max DBB and P12 Max FDB especially at low RPM so 700-1000 RPM because I expect the P12 Max FDB to be able to match the P12 700 RPM in noise at around 1000 RPM with much higher CFM which would be a great deal but it's hard to find good tests of the new FDB.

[@benjaminfrohns]

I was thinking that maybe the thermal pads for the memory are too thick. That would take away pressure from the die.

[@The_Legend117]

nope that don't work i done this same problems i just putting the block in the trash

[@paskowitz]

If you want to test an S-tier block, try Watercool's Heatkiller V Pro Ultra (FE or TUF/STRIX). In my testing it's substantially better than other blocks 10c better than EK and about 5c better than Alphacool. Alphacool is the best value though. The benefit of custom water cooling, and specifically one block vs another is better realized in small form factor builds where cooling capacity is at a premium. The greater the efficiency, the less cooling capacity you need to hit a given temp/noise level. If you have less efficient blocks, you'll need to run your fans higher.

[@huzaifavawda8383]

But for those 2 cards only?

[@gl4nzaffe557]

Same with my Zotac 4080 and Alphacool here!

[@byrondubois_za]

People need to be informed that using an Auto function on their hardware is just not Optimal at all. MSI afterburner you should be using a custom curve for your GPU. And then the same with your CPU AIR cooler or AIO CPU cooler through either the motherboard software or the BIOS. It helps with both keeping a better moderation of temperature through the range usage up to 100%

[@clipuri]

Just use a Carbonaut thermal pad on the GPU. Its 0.2 mm thick and will probably do a better job than a blob of thermal paste, compensating for the height difference

[@BeanieBrosPC]

Damn thought he was gonna remove the cables for RGB!

[@ArdgalAlkeides]

Ah, Alphacool blocks found another victim. I've seen lots of people on Discord who have the exact same issue, and the solution is widely known and so far we have had 100% success rate - you find 1mm plastic washers, and put them behind the core screws. The mounting pressure is just way too weak for the screws. Dunno why, but it works. I dunno why Alphacool ships this shit. And this has happened on a lot of GPUs, each with slightly different blocks, and so many people with the exact same issue over and over again

[@nekron75]

I think the 4 GPU screws on the back can’t go deeper in the block on the front and mostly only apply pressure with those silly springs. Using washers the screws can go deeper and you literally are screwing the top and bottom together with pure screwing pressure on the GPU.

[@rustler08]

I love how you say "The solution is widely known" and proceed to share something that isn't even the solution. The real solution is that the thermal pads they initially provide are simply too stiff, so they do not compress enough. You're overcoming this with brute force, but at the risk of damaging the card. THE CORRECT SOLUTION is to request their softer thermal pads or use thermal putty. Not to jack up the spring pressure to try to squish stiff pads.

[@ufukpolat3480]

Quick rebuttal...putting aside cost, watercooling allows you to disperse of heat in a much more directed way. The problem with giant gpu airvcoolers is that they heat up the case and with the atx form factor there is no easy way to get rid of the warm air inside the case. Liquid allows you to transfer heat from point A to B more efficiently and get rid of it.

[@mr.praline9227]

A liquid cooling system is needed to cool highly loaded systems with a comfortable noise level, if we are talking about operation in an apartment or room in which a person can sleep, because static noise is harmful to health, including psychological health.

[@floorpizza8074]

Do the instructions say to use the original retention bracket on the alpha cool block?

[@blazingmatty123]

The instructions say to use the screws in the box and not the original retention mechanism, if it was just that he'd missed that part in the manual I'd get it but like, alphacool specifically say not to use the one that came on the air cooler

[@floorpizza8074]

@@blazingmatty123 Thanks for that. What a bad over sight on Alpha Cool's part. Yikes.

[@blazingmatty123]

@@floorpizza8074 It's not necessarily even just oversight, something far worse in my opinion, whilst using the original cross brace does help and does fix the issue, that's absolutely not intentional on their end, which in my opinion, is much worse than if they just neglected to mention it or something it's a godsend that the threads are the same so that this is a fix that can be performed, but man, it shouldn't be necessary at all

[@Hullbreachdetected]

Water cooling is more efficient than air cooling, but the massive heat sink and 3 fans is currently good enough for GPUs commercially available. The CPU air coolers are also the size of a PSU now. This is a better value for customers in general who don't want to pay premium price for generic usage. Water cooling has its merits, but to justify the investment, you need to be a person who: has flagship GPU/CPU and wants to do extreme OC, wants an organised single cooling loop, wants better looking PC. There's more things to mention that would not matter to the average PC gamers, but for a better analogy: Air cooling vs water cooling is like carburetor vs EFI. I can't tell the future, but once these hardwares gonna start drawing 500+ Watts the only thing these manufacturers can do is to throw more heatsink at the board, and it's already taking up huge space inside the case. Unless PC cases literally become huge heatsinks, they will start manufacturing high end CPUs/GPUs with inherent AIOs, which will probably begin to happen in 2-3 generations.

[@rick5078]

18:39 before you say it, let me guess, thermal pads were too thick. (production tolerance of thermal pads can sometimes lead to such a situation.) edit: hmm interesting how changing back to using the original bracket made such a difference. Just to rule out the thermal pads, I would give it a shot with some good thermal putty.

[@bubbelboe]

Haste ja noch mal Glück gehabt, mit ein bisschen Nacharbeit die Sollwerte locker erreicht.

[@M3h3ndr3]

What happes if you mix up in and out? Does the water heat up the gpu until it melts?

[@OptimizingNetwork]

I am gonna save you the time of speculating further: Frame Chasers did a test and had exact same issues The reason is that the block itself is not manufactured correctly, it does not contact the die, and he had identical issue So, in short, nothing is wrong with your card This is the video that once again made me realize that I should not buy this block, as FrameChasers experience is identical to yours, and it's recent, compared to his older video. Seems like same issues as before. He tested Alphacool Eiswolf 2 AIO and it comes with similar block, with exact same issue So, it's a manufacturing issue on Alphacool It's not bent, it's just not properly milled, and spacers would need to be ground down in order to try to find a sweet spot. Without cracking the die on nearly 2k GPU, yeah.

[@xcom9648]

Yes i got this block about 2 weeks ago and have same issue, no help from alphacool and seller. Those temps are totally normal they say, it has been a nightmare..

[@leggysoft]

GPUs over 300W should just have an AIO option by default, really fancy air coolers cost just as much as AIOs and ATX is not a good form factor for cooling.

[@antoniologiudice5499]

my case was different,i was scared about tolerances and so i used thermal putty.i was aware that the first application wouldn't be the correct one,i got 105C,disassembpled my 7900xt, putty has no shape so i physically pressed the putty on the VRAM and other components to get better contact on the die by getting the cooler to sit closer to the die while still maintaining contact on everything else,then everything was perfect.I followed my gut feeling not trusting the thermal pads they included and was right.other than that,works wonders. (i got the 360mm GPU AIO for the XFX 7900XT )

[@Jaejgaren]

When first mounting this block to my gpu i had hotspot issues, but problem was obvious. Paste was not covering 1 corner of the gpu. Remounted it with a bit more pressure. and got 15c delta(at 500w) Basicly same results as the tester here but slightly worse delta with about 2-3 degress c. 60c, 75c hotspot at 500 watts after 20+ mins of heatsoak. I did not try fans at 100% since I'd never use it that way. I did not use "x" bracket. maybe i will try next time I empty the loop.

[@fractalzombie]

this thing is installed on my gpu already 1 year, all is good. temperatures in games max 60, hotspot 65-70

[@omaior20]

I think in next 1-2 generations of GPUs new cards will be shipped with a 240 rad by default even on FE cards. I don't see how bigger heatsinks than what we have now are a reasonable product.

[@N0rth0M-1]

i put one of the first gen 4090 alphacool blocks on my card and it still runs fine, but the crazy part is even with liquid metal it does not give any headroom liftup, waterblocks on a gpu just aren't worth it anymore these days

[@The_Legend117]

it is chrome plated that's why i don't get why not just copper

[@xcom9648]

People who got the early gen blocks seem to be fine. There is something wrong with the newer ones, many people have problems including me and they don't come with thermal pads for the vrm anymore. As long as the early reviewers got the good ones it is fine i guess (Alphacool)

[@Nikola_Cirovic]

This video is super interesting!

[@tinygriffy]

I think you are not supposed to have air in your cooling loop ^^ .. could easily be fixed by lifting your (slightly janky 🙈) water cooling contraption above the level of the GPU water connectors I'd guess.. Interesting Video though, thanks ! PS .. the original heat-sink is probably worth more than my whole GPU .. and now it is sitting in a drawer somewhere .. that's just such a waste of material and a little sad :( I think GPU manufacturers should offer a version without any cooling solution for people that want to use water cooling !

[@xcom9648]

These heat sinks are worth less then 100$

[@BADKATT1969]

Use a magnetic dish and you will never lose screws again.

[@shinkji]

does Alphacool ship internationally ?

[@ChzimpO]

I have the eisblock for 4090 gigabyte gaming oc and the thermal pads that came with it are super soft and compress way more than normal 1mm pads do, i found this out by using 15kwh pads and they were so stiff the core was not making good contact and i was using ptm7950. i wasted a full application of ptm trying to figure out what happened. read on readdit that someone had to request the new thermal pads because they had the original version that were causing core contact issues...so what did i do? i contact alph send the rep pics of the contact and the pads tells me to use there pads i do and now I'm using there pads (not because i want to) and another application of ptm and i accidentally left the furmark test going on my pc and went to work came back after 7 hours and it was sitting at 50-53c core/65c hotspot/32c memory so i quit messing with it. I'm thinking i may have had other issues and the ptm solved it.... who knows.

[@xionsolaris]

I had the same problem with my gigabyte gaming 4090 oc. Hot spot temps were insane just like yours. Alphacool support blamed Nvidia different die heights and refused a refund so I'm stuck with the block in a box. They also said over 100c hotspot temp is fine for an overclocked card. My ek block doesn't have this option and temps are amazing even with 130pl and hall of fame galax bios.

[@leereiyuu]

Contact Alphacool again and demand the correct thermal pads for your card then. I had the same experience and basically they told me, that they got the measurements for the RTX cards from nvidia from which the blocks got designed. However the aftermarket cards were not manufactured by the tolerances that were communicated with Alphacool. These tolerance issues can be fixed with softer thermal pads. If this information from Alphacool is 100% true or if they just try to shift the blame...I dont know. But you can fix the problem easily with different thermal pads which Alphacool can provide and then the block performs great.

[@astronomyastrology7186]

You flashed HOF bios onto a gigabyte 4090? How did it go?

[@The_Legend117]

its a joke i got one for my 7900 xtx same problems don't help that it chrome and 20 mm the ek one is only 10 and made with real copper i just buying that one

[@tomcatr2966]

You have air in the pipes. Remove air locks from the system. The temperature will be even lower.

[@xcom9648]

Bit of air might make 1 maybe 2 degree difference not much

[@thesign6879]

I had a mounting issue with my 4090 with the alphacool block also, had to take it apart and start over, and second time around, it was wall fine, but there is something wrong witht he thickness of the thermalpads.

[@The_Legend117]

nothing to do with thermal pads the block is just badly made it has chrome all over it. chrome is not good for heat just get yourself a ek block i done the same

[@Wasmachineman]

I have a preblocked (Frostbite Ultra) 4090 with the same block, zero issues. I did change the paste for PTM7950 a while back though, am getting excellent temps. (then again my loop is completely retarded though, 2x420 and a MoRA3 420)

[@JJ-gk5tn]

Temps are still too high They should be lower Alphacools quality lately sucks

[@zlibz4582]

what is that radiator ??

[@alessandropoggi9488]

A good waterloop is way better ever. low temp in all sectors, but it has its own cost

[@BeanieBrosPC]

Probably got an un level block. It's possible. Or the card. If you don't use a support, you will cause a warp in any 4090, even if you can't see it. I had to use original retention bracket on my block also.

[@Sectorz]

Use PTM750 or Kryosheet. Forget thermal paste on GPU

[@MrScart35]

Had same problem with my 4080super with alphacool block. TLDR: it is common problem with alphacool blocks, they provide too thick or too stiff pads and will provide you a ultra soft ones that will squish more. Still 1mm is too much so had to order 0,7mm ones to get a proper contact on mems and core. I wouldn't recommend their aurora blocks to anyone, too restrictive and temps are also not great.

[@xcom9648]

Where can you buy 0.7mm pads? I can only find 1mm and 0.5mm nothing in between.

[@DeeDeeKL]

You can call me an Alphacool shill ... but I never had issues experienced by STS, or any other people here commenting and I've done around 20 AIO upgrades in the last few years. 3080, 3090, 6900XT, 7900XTX... not really sure what is going wrong here ... ah well, waiting for my first hickup...

[@villigoo]

Try push/pull on that thick rad..

[@vasioldbboy1389]

have you tried without any air bubbles in your water block?

[@ChadLetourneaurhavoc]

I have an AlphaCool water block and I have had no issues with it. My GPU never exceeds 45°C, even when running at maximum settings and power. If you don't have experience with water cooling, you may not know the tricks to achieve optimal cooling. Criticizing a product due to lack of knowledge is not fair to the company. Amateurs posing as experts can mislead others and discredit the experiences of those with genuine expertise. We all have to start somewhere, but blaming the product for your own lack of knowledge is unjust. you Can see the Alphacools water block that I have in my setup in my avatar

[@fvdeddrift]

Dude didn't install the spring retention bracket........ I get being enthused, and reviewing product, but like yo say, this criticism is completely unjust! And not at all reflective of what the problem really is. Watercooling is a more advanced step in PC construction, and I think having those "gained from experience" tools in yer back pocket would have made this a much more accurate video! I recently started replacing many.... many EK blocks and components and switched a few systems over to AlphaCool. Had excellent results once I got my mount right on the last block. (Don't rush and "circular screw" anything that contacts a cold plate or machined surface! Lol!) You have made a fantastic post here! I hope it gets read by all that view this video! 🤘

[@roysa5898]

almost people is stupid...air cooling good enough??? what the fuck???

[@blazingmatty123]

@@fvdeddrift you say this as if the instructions say to install the spring retention bracket, they don't, the instructions say to use the 4 sprung screws, it's a wonder they're even the same thread, if the fix is to go against the instructions, and specifically, to do something not intended by alphacool, then that's a genuine criticism. He's not the only one with this issue either, I had it with my core one block for the 7900XTX red devil and plenty of others are reporting the same contact issues specifically with the core one blocks, their older blocks were fine, it's really only this gen that they've messed up.

[@fvdeddrift]

@@blazingmatty123 I feel ya there! I just stated doing this when instructions were a "novelty" more than anything else. But I still believe that if you are going to construct a loop yerself, that mechanical inclination is essential. If things aren't right, I was having to wait up to 2 months in the past, and having certain rigs down for even days at a time isn't acceptable. So instead of trying to get new stuff, I will remedy the situation to the best of my ability. Which so far, has worked ever single time an issue like this has arisen. The typical process of elimination for his symptoms almost immediately point to a poor mount. TO remedy this, having those extra tools available in yer brain is super helpful. The real issue anymore is with the way people RMA their items. When we used to have issues in the past, the manufacturers would ask what we tried, and what worked to fix the problem. This doesn't happen anymore. The people building custom rigs aren't as "crafty hacky" as they used to be, and ALL of us are very unwilling to wait for any period of time. I'm actually very surprised to see no comments about how to work the retention bracket into a slightly higher pressure, without work hardening the material. The ladle trick! Lol! I often forget that I'm relatively old compared to many it seems, and I probably just have a much different attitude! Hahaha! Good thing is we're human, and can all bitch about everything! I understand teh instructions were pure shit! Lol! That's an utter failure, but I like to think the presenters are salty seasoned, when they truly don't need to be!

[@blazingmatty123]

@@fvdeddrift Yeah you need some mechanical inclination to put a loop together, but having to use that mechanical inclination because the company can't design a block that costs nearly 200 quid, is not a good look the way that alphacool handles RMA's now is purely to just blame the customer even when it is actually their design/fault and refuse the RMA, this has also been a constant issue with alphacool in recent years The reason people aren't asking about bending the retention bracket without running into issues is because it's not necessary in the first place, if you read the instructions, alphacool have you screw the block to the pcb around the core with 4 sprung screws, no retention bracket whatsoever, just using the stock one does fix the issue but first off, the fix is something they specifically ask you not to do, something specifically outlined in the manual, and secondly, would 100% not be necessary if they'd actually put any effort into the design of the block.

[@blountout6285]

why are video card geting bigger

[@All_Dead_In_Shimoda]

Clean the thermal paste off the air cooler before storing it you savage ! 😂🤣

[@outlet6989]

As you so proved, a GPU AIO is a hit-or-miss proposition. Before assembly, I suggest you use a small hobbyist metal ruler to check for warps.

[@ettorebugatti6846]

It warps the gpu, i had a similar problem with an 7900xtx and alphacool water block. After using it for 1-2 months and experienced similar hotspot temps. Soo i got back to the original air cooler, but couldn’t get the hotspot temps down until i used a graphene pad from der8uer.

[@costi08]

My 2 cents: you could get better temps if you proper bleed that waterblock And you have no excuse not doing it cosidering you "bench tested" - therefore, waterblocks got easier to install

[@PublicDomainHallOfFame]

nice job

[@hasanmich1504]

my core block for my 7900xtx is amazing

[@SebastienChedalBornu]

you also got lot of air in your block and taht is not good at all. unfortunately alpha cool is declining in terms of quality i think but EK is sinking so....

[@xxMyGodIsaDJxx]

Alphacool has serious quality control issues ! I bought a Nexxxos slim 240mm rad and it was a complete mess, the fins were absolutely not properly handcrafted it was a butchery. I contacted the customer service with photos and they told me it was normal 😂. What a joke

[@joshschmidt8784]

Better to be too big then too small.... Giggity.

[@Akkbar21]

Dude. You are not even coming close to the proper temps even at the end.

[@KyDme]

It is really minor, in between water block n heatsink. Not all people are going to waste money to buy water loop cooler

[@ZenMotionSim]

9:18 that’s what she said ;)

[@WatchMysh]

Lol. It looks comically big. I thought you were joking in the beginning with some kind of Fake gpu or sth.

[@Akkbar21]

Return it! Good god

[@GSP-76]

I had the opposite experience putting a good block on my MSI 4090. The Phanteks had terrible temps which fluctuated all iver the place. Even an RMA replacement didn't improve anything. Then i got the EK. Better temps but no better than air cooling. I finally tried the Alphacool and immediately i git fantastic temps. I barely hit 45-48c while gaming...and under full stress, it barely hits 58c. My hotspot temp difference is 6-7c. Yeah the temps you are getting here are terrible...like 30c too high.

[@knislappen]

Are you using the retention bracket that came with the air cooler or not at all?

[@GSP-76]

@@knislappen Not at all...I simply followed the instructions, used Alphacool pads and it's been running like a champ for me...I blame the card manufacturers for all these problems more than the companies making the blocks. It's been a crazy ride with the 4090 since day 1.

[@LoTrusconi]

My 3080 STRIX OC is still running max 55/54/66°C @ 435 watts with a 70€ shipped Bykski bought in 2020 ;-)

[@GotNoRapidFire]

as a german I have to ask, bist du deutsch?

[@videoterviral1862]

say no to drat on acrylic 😢

[@neredyfre2392]

Perhaps the washers you removed earlier? Check out the manual I don't know

[@markmitchezee2728]

So ... Water Displaces Heat & "Cools" better than Air ? Really ?

[@6r3ys0n]

I have a white zotac trinity 4090. I was gonna buy this waterblock LOL nvm

[@thebigbient8736]

Not very encouraging or my core waterblock that will arrive tomorrow LOL You shouldnt have to tinker and swap original parts in and out. very strange.

[@BeanieBrosPC]

i use nothing but AC blocks and they are very good. This dude critique unimportant things lie it's a negative of the block. Them washers he doesn't seem to know what or how important they are. Come one man.

[@xcom9648]

Are you talking about those foam ones that break as soon as you screw down the block? They should be replaced with plastic ones like with ek block, works much better.

[@BeanieBrosPC]

@@xcom9648 Yeah they are like little clear plastic washers. Never would I washers. They need to keep their size when tightened. Foam would just loose it's structure as soon as pressure was applied. AC has this specific block I run on all my GPU's. It's a server block. The block has a carbon fiber base with a thinner nickel-plated block a block that covers the whole card, not just the core and vram, chokes and so on, uses the whole length of the card with a real aluminum backplate. Inlet and outlets are at the end of the card instead of the middle. The acetal and acrylic don't dissipate the heat near as well. And the block is only 1 slot so super slim. Alphacool ES GPX-A and the price is 80-100 bucks if you can find it, but Alphacool always has them, and they are on sale right now for like 80 something. Fire. Drew.

[@xcom9648]

@@BeanieBrosPC Actually the 1 slot one was like 300$ and soled out last time i checked at my seller, there is also a 2 slot version that was 100$. I was looking at this block first because i was trying to build budget friendly loop for my gpu but then decided to spend a little bit more for this better looking one. Was not happy at first but after 3 remounts and using plastic washers it is working perfectly now. 10-15C watertemp delta and 6-8C hotspot delta At full load. With the included washers it is hard to feel when you are getting the right amount of torque. For anyone reading this and struggling i would say there is 2 phases initial resistance when compressing pads then harder resistance when you touch the core. You have to keep going till you get the harder one and give it another quarter turn. Then take a break, have a smoke or something come back and turn it 10 degree more to get perfect mount.

[@mr.praline9227]

The system is also airy!!!... apparently you were in a hurry, or just plain inattention UPD or just a fool

[@francescogarelli2374]

My recommendation is to stay away from Alphacool

[@andrikristjanivarsson1756]

there is something wrong with your results, I have a palit 4090 with a alphacool block and my gpu temps are usually only 12-15c over water temp, try checking flow rate or and try to include water temp in results, i am running 200l/h and water temp is about 30C under full load i have never seen over 50c

[@svingarm9283]

but won't there be problems with the other components? because water cooling only cools a few parts, where air cools everything. And it's probably best to get everything chilled probably also a bit stupid to throw in water cooling when you don't really get anything out of it. And it's not pretty