EK Supremacy MX CPU waterblock

[VSG]

INTRODUCTION

 

Have you read my review of the EK Supremacy Evo CPU block yet? If not, you really should. That sets up this article very nicely. The Supremacy Evo is EK’s flagship CPU block replacing the Supremacy (original) and it was only natural that their budget oriented Supreme LTX CPU block get updated also. Enter then the Supremacy MX! EK says and I quote “EK-Supremacy MX is a reduced cost variant of EK-Supremacy EVO flagship performance water block, introduced in 2014. It has been designed to lower the production costs yet still offer premium hydraulic- and thermal performance at the best price.” Well thanks to Derick and Niko from EK, I got the chance to test it out for myself and see just how close these claims come.

 

Let’s begin by taking a look at the features courtesy the product page:

 

EK-Supremacy MX is a reduced cost CPU water block that fits all modern Intel® LGA-115x and LGA-2011(-3) socket motherboards and comes with pre-assembled, error-preventing mounting mechanism. The result is a perfect installation which results in optimal performance every time.

 

EK-Supremacy MX brings exceptional value for the money by providing the best in-class cooling performance.  Built upon the same cooling engine as EK-Supremacy EVO it offer the same great hydraulic performance and almost identical thermal performance. The key features are:

 

- ultra-high thermal performance –  only slightly simplied copper base allows EK-Supremacy MX to achieve almost the same cooling potential as EK-Supremacy EVO.

- very high-flow design – low hydraulic restricion allows this product to be used in setups using weaker water pumps.

- pre-assembled mounting mechanism - blazing fast installation, especially on Intel® LGA-2011(-3) platform.

 

 

The EK-Supremacy MX uses the same cooling engine as the EVO variant. The cooling liquid accelerates through jet plate’s nozzle and turbulently continues its path through numerous very thin channels, which provide extreme heat dissipating surface area. Specifically designed and carefully machined copper base (sometimes referred to as ‘cold plate’) is made from purest copper available on the market and is further polished to absolute mirror finish. This alone greatly improves the cooling performance of EK-Supremacy MX.

 

The top and the insert are made from injection moulded transparent MABS polymer while the cover is made from black anodized brushed aluminum. Translucent top variants have two slots for easy installation of 3mm LED diodes.

 

Mounting mechanism comes pre-assembled to the CPU water blocks and is secured with a circlip to hold it in place. Such design allows for a blazing fast installation, especially on Intel® LGA-2011(-3) platforms!

 

CPU socket compatibility:

 

- Intel LGA-1150/1155/1156

- Intel LGA-2011(-3)

 

Enclosed: 

- EK-Supremacy MX series water block with pre-installed mounting mechanism

- EK-Supremacy MX Backplate (for Intel LGA-115x platforms)

- TIM / thermal grease: EK-TIM Ectotherm (1g)

- Torx key T20

 

Due to commonality of parts, the EK-Supremacy MX offers the potential for an upgrade to full EVO standard.

 

Now keep in mind that this, unlike the Supremacy Evo, comes in Intel and AMD specific variants so you need to be sure of what platform you are going to use. Also keep in mind that this Intel specific variant does not support the older sockets (775, 1366 etc). Straightaway we also see one cost reduction here- the provided TIM is their Ectotherm and not the excellent Gelid GC-Extreme or the Indigo Extreme that comes with the Supremacy Evo variants. What else has led to the cost reduction? Let’s take a look at it now.

 

UNBOXING AND OVERVIEW

 

 

 

 

The box arrived in a package along with some other items all the way from Slovenia, and if you have had an EK waterblock before then this packaging will be familiar to you. On the front we see a label that identifies the product as the Supremacy MX and also informs you of the specific variant inside. The one I have here is the Copper Plexi version. There are only two options available- copper plexi and copper acetal. The other two options are only available with the Supremacy Evo, and is a result of using a common label across their water blocks.

 

 

 

 

On the back and sides we see contact information for EK, some technical specs and a QR code that takes you to the EKWB home page. Once more we see the four options listed out despite there being only 2 offerings- again a result of re-using the same packaging as the Supremacy Evo.

 

 

There are two seals on opposite ends that need to be broken to get access to the inside. If you get the product with a broken seal then you may want to talk to your retailer.

 

 

 

Opening the box, we are greeted immediately to the user manual and installation guide which can be found here. Here are pictures as well:

 

 

 

I will say right away that if you are using the Intel sockets 1155/1156/1150 (and potentially even the upcoming 1151) then you really need to read the manual- installation is not as straight forward as you may think. More on that later though.

 

 

 

 

 

Under the manual we see the rest of the components- a T20 Torx key/wrench, the 1g tube of EK Ectotherm TIM and the CPU block itself which arrives with the mounting mechanism for the sockets 115x pre-installed:

 

 

 

Another seal here which you should pay attention to- if broken, then contact your retailer.

 

 

Here you see what I meant when I said that the mounting mechanism was pre-installed. Let’s unscrew the backplate and washer off, shall we:

 

 

That’s better. Hang on a minute, what’s that on the corners?

 

 

The washer was torn at 3 of the corners out of the box and I found the pieces inside the plastic pouch:

 

 

 

 

 

Now this seemed odd given that the BAS washer and the replacement backplate has been sold by EK for years now as part of their TRUE Backplate accessory for the Supreme LTX waterblock. Upon contacting EK, they checked quite a few units on stock and confirmed that this was a one-off incident, possibly during packaging. They are now going to incorporate a better packaging routine to ensure this does not happen again. In my case, I went ahead and used a spare washer I had to be sure it would not impact anything.

 

Now let’s take a look at the CPU block itself:

 

 

 

 

 

As we read before, the Supremacy MX uses a precision mount system which you can see in the posts here- there is a section of defined length in the M4 thread which then leads to a larger section that stops you from over-tightening the posts. No need for any more guesswork here!

 

 

On one side we see the Supremacy MX wording etched into the injection moulded top (as opposed to CNC machined in the Supremacy Evo, another cost saving measure here). There is a hole each for 3mm LEDs on two of the sides, but due to my 3mm LEDs arriving DOA and the rest of my LEDs being larger in size I can only re-use EK’s own photo here to show how it comes off:

 

 

Ok then, back to my pictures:

 

 

On the back is the protective sticker telling you to remove it before installation, and it also covers the four screws that hold the block in place.

 

 

Here you can better see the circlips holding the posts in place on the CPU block itself.

 

 

The top cover is a piece of black anodized aluminum with a brushed metal finish.

 

 

No, these screws are not for disassembly of the block. More on that real soon!

 

 

 

The two ports are standard G1/4 size and are cut neatly into the plexi.

 

 

The port closer to the center is the inlet port and you can see the insert inside through it.

 

 

The port closer to the edge is the outlet port and you can see the cold plate through it which has the multiple thin channels machined into the copper.

 

 

 

 

The EK logo/sticker has a protective cover on it which can be easily removed as shown.

 

 

 

The base of the cold plate that makes contact with the CPU IHS is pure copper and is lapped to a mirror finish. How much of a mirror finish you ask?

 

 

 

 

 

Is that enough? Well I hope it is since that’s the end of it as far as I go.

 

 

The sides themselves are not polished, however, and will be prone to oxidation. Now let’s take a look inside!

 

DISASSEMBLY

 

Before we begin, I will point out that disassembly was done after all testing was completed. Given the nature of the internals, and the fact that it can be upgraded to a full Supremacy Evo type customized insert and jetplate for performance, disassembly does not void warranty as long as it is done properly. But it is not encouraged, and we also notice the missing allen key that is provided with the Supremacy Evo here.

 

 

 

 

There are four screws here and you need the allen key (this 2.5mm one to be exact) or a similar sized driver bit to get them out. Once done, the block immediately pops open.

 

Let’s go bottom up in terms of components beginning with the cold plate itself:

 

 

 

 

We see the full copper cold plate which has several thin channels machined into it to force the coolant through them and increase the active surface area of heat transfer from the CPU IHS to the coolant itself. We also see the imprint on the side from the O-ring which is always a good sign of proper assembly at the factory and no leakage- indeed, there was no leakage out of the box and careful assembly makes sure it continues to operate correctly.

 

Next up is the Intel bracket and the pre-installed posts:

 

 

Nothing new to say here that has not already been covered before so let’s move on.

 

 

Here we see the rest of the components inside the top: the jetplate, the O-ring, the insert, and the insert locking pin.

 

 

There was a partial fingerprint on the jetplate as seen here. I am surprised that the coolant did not remove it, or perhaps it was a full fingerprint before! Either way, I would like to see gloves being used for assembly either way irrespective of whether this affects thermal performance or not.

 

 

The jetplate (J1 from the Supremacy Evo) has a thin nozzle down the middle which directs the coolant into the middle of the channels on the cold plate and the coolant then spreads outwards in both directions.

 

 

Jetplate J1 is 0.25mm thin, and there’s even a J3 at 0.1mm only which can be purchased separately that can help out with LGA 2011-3 socket CPUs.

 

 

 

 

 

Next up we see the Insert (I2) and the locking pin which are both injection moulded transparent polymer pieces (specifically, polymethyl methacrylate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene- who says being a chemical engineer doesn’t help?).

 

 

 

Finally the top itself (and the O-ring, and the top cover too!). Look at that symmetry! Once you are done admiring it, reverse the step and re-assemble the block. Be careful to not over-tighten the 4 screws and also be sure they are aligned properly before screwing them in.

 

But what about those screws on the top?

 

 

 

 

 

There are again 4 screws here (shorter than the ones at the bottom) and one is underneath the EK logo/sticker. Even so, we can see that the top cover is just that- you can’t simply remove it and expect a full plexi top surface to look back at you! That’s also reserved for the Supremacy Evo along with a lot more options. Now we see why this comes in at a lower price! Now let’s see how the installation process in with the Supremacy MX.

 

INSTALLATION

 

Keep in mind that the pictures below are for demonstration only and serve as a supplement to the installation manual.

 

Let’s begin with socket LGA 2011-3 since it is probably the easiest installation of any CPU block/cooler I have done so far:

 

 

There are 4 M4 threaded holes that accept the block as it arrives (having removed the backplate and washer first) directly:

 

 

 

Apply TIM (I prefer a thin line down the middle for these larger CPUs), align the 4 posts, and screw them in sets of 2 each (diagonally opposite posts) until you hit the end of the M4 threaded section and can proceed no further:

 

 

That’s it! Now tell me you have had a simpler installation for another product and I will eat my hat= if I wore one anyway. Oh, while we are here let’s define this CPU block orientation as “regular” and this:

 

 

as “Goofy” keeping up with the conventions used before and borrowed from Stren over at Extremerigs.net. Also keep in mind that the port closer to the center is the inlet port and the other one closer to the edge is the outlet port. Flipping the block by 180º may well help out with easier loop routing but at no change to performance from what I have seen- it is only a 90º (or 270º accordingly) rotation that has a definite effect.

 

The Supremacy MX makes up for the super easy installation with LGA 2011/2011-3 with a more-complicated-than-average installation with LGA 115x. Let’s take a look:

 

 

So far so good? Well I would suggest at this point to remove the CPU, store it safely and put back the plastic safety cover over the socket:

 

 

Now use the provided Torx key on the three screws connecting the socket latch and the latch backplate:

 

 

Loosen all three just enough to get the backplate out. Be careful here since the socket latch is also loose now and you may very likely get it out of the socket area if not careful.

 

 

 

Here’s the stock latch backplate on this Gigabyte board, and we see the electrical insulating layer on the side in contact with the motherboard PCB, hence the need for the BAS washer provided with the block.

 

Now’s the tricky part: You either get another set of hands and have the three screws + socket latch held in place while you align the provided replacement backplate + washer in place, or you have to remove the socket latch + screws exposing the socket itself and then align the replacement backplate + washer. Either way, you end up doing this:

 

 

 

Then depending on what you had to do previously, correct it so you can then screw together the socket latch and the backplate (with the washer in between the motherboard PCB and backplate) using the same three screws and the Torx key:

 

 

 

Now put the CPU in, apply TIM (I prefer a small dot in the middle) and follow the same steps as before:

 

 

 

Above you see again the “Regular” and “Goofy” orientations respectively for the block. One more thing to keep in mind is that due to the nature of the separate top and top cover, the thin aluminum plate with its sharp edges can pose an injury risk if you are not careful. Just be aware of this and nothing will happen. At worst, you may have to remove RAM sticks if there is no room to maneuver around the block when tightening the posts. Ok then, let’s now see if the lower price of the Supremacy MX has affected performance relative to the Supremacy Evo beginning with liquid flow restriction.

 

LIQUID FLOW RESTRICTION

 

Testing methodology

 

I used a Swiftech MCP50X pump with a FrozenQ 400mL cylindrical reservoir. The pump was powered by a direct SATA connection to an EVGA 1300G2 PSU, and was controlled by an Aquacomputer Aquaero 6 XT. There was an in-line flow meter previously calibrated, as well as a Dwyer 490 Series 1 wet-wet manometer to measure the pressure drop of the component under test- in this case each radiator. Every component was connected by 1/2″ x 3/4″ tubing, compression fittings and 2 T-fittings with the manometer.

 

 

The Supremacy MX shares the same cooling system (or engine, as EK calls it) as the Supremacy Evo and so it makes sense that this is about as restrictive to liquid flow as the Supremacy Evo itself with the different insert and jetplate combinations seen above. The Supremacy MX is slightly more restrictive than the Koolance 380i, but nowhere near the Swiftech Apogee XL as it ships today. In fact, a Supremacy Evo and Supremacy MX would have the same liquid flow restriction if they both have the same insert and jetplate. What about thermal performance?

 

THERMAL PERFORMANCE

 

The tests were done on 3 CPUs across 2 different Intel Haswell platforms:

 

1) LGA 1150: Intel Pentium G3258

 

This 2 core, 2 thread unlocked CPU has been very popular for the great performance to cost ratio it offers. Very few would actually put a waterblock on it- much less one that is more expensive than the CPU itself. But hey why not?

 

Motherboard: Gigabyte Z97N-Wifi

RAM: Adata XPG DDR3 1600Mhz (2x4gb)

CPU frequency: 4.7 GHz core at 1.4 Vcore

 

2) LGA 1150: Intel i7 4770k

 

This 4 core, 8 thread unlocked CPU is the current mainstream top CPU from Intel. The newer i7 4790k is based off the same platform and performs the same clock to clock, while perhaps running a bit cooler. If anything, the older 4770k would benefit more from a custom loop.

 

Motherboard: Asus ROG Maximus VI Formula

RAM: Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR3 1866 MHz (2x8gb)

CPU frequency: 4.7 GHz at 1.4 Vcore

 

3) LGA 2011-3: Intel i7 5960x

 

The behemoth 8 core, 16 thread unlocked CPU is the current enthusiast top CPU from Intel. Running at ~$999, it is one that benefits from a custom loop for sure.

 

Motherboard: Asus ROG Rampage V Extreme

RAM: Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR4 2666 MHz (4x4gb)

CPU frequency: 4.4 GHz at 1.3 Vcore

 

Testing methodology

 

Pump: Swiftech mcp35x2 set to 1.2 GPM

Controller: Aquacomputer Aquaero 6 XT

Radiator: HardwareLabs Black Ice Nemesis 480GTX with Noiseblocker NB-eLoop B12-3 fans at full speed

TIM: Gelid GC-Extreme

 

Everything required was placed inside the hotbox and the ambient temperature set to 25 ºC. TIM cure time was taken into consideration and 5 separate mounts/runs were done. For each run, a 90 minute Intel XTU stability test was performed. XTU is a stability test from HWBot that uses a custom preset of Prime 95 to ensure the load is uniform on each run. CPU core temperatures were measured using RealTemp and average core temperature was recorded at the end of each run. Loop temperatures were recorded using 2 inline and 1 stop plug type temperature sensor connected to the AQ6 and the average loop temperature was recorded at the end of each run. A delta T of CPU core and loop temperature was thus calculated for each run with an average delta T then obtained across all 5 runs. This way the cooling solution is taken out of the picture. The measurement cycle was done for both blocks in both orientations for a total of 4 cycles.

 

 

 

 

Now I must say that all the blocks don’t scale equally with flow rate. So keep that in mind since these results are at a set flow rate. But we do see that block orientation does have a noticeable effect and it isn’t even the same trend with the different blocks and sockets. We also see that the Supremacy MX does get outperformed by the Supremacy Evo with the socket specific inserts and jetplates, but it still outperforms the Koolance 380i and Swiftech Apogee XL on the LGA 115x platform. On the LGA 2011-3 platform, the Koolance 380i comes back at it but we are still talking less than 1º Centigrade here. Not bad at all for something coming in at a much lower price! Note also that each review result can only be taken to fit that particular CPU being tested out and your results may well vary- especially with non soldered IHS on CPUs.

 

CONCLUSION

 

As of the date of this article, the EK Supremacy MX costs $54.99 in the USA for both the plexi and acetal versions. The EK Supremacy EVO costs $72.95-126.49 depending on the options chosen from the same place, the Koolance 380i costs $74.95 and the Swiftech Apogee XL costs $64.95. Over in the UK, the Supremacy MX comes in at £34.99 inclusive of VAT from OcUK while the others are appropriately more expensive with the Supremacy Evo coming in from £49.99 to £84.95 and the Koolance 380i at £63.95.

 

From a performance to price basis, the Supremacy MX easily provides the most bang for your buck here. EK has on their hands a CPU block that rivals/beats out contemporaries and can be upgraded to the full Evo by purchasing the additional inserts/jetplates as per your specific needs.

 

On a 2 core/2 thread CPU, there isn’t enough of a difference to recommend any one block over the other. At this point, liquid cooling itself is not really going to do a whole lot in terms of performance. If benching or going for a quiet PC, go for the one best within your budget and aesthetics choice. On a 4 core/8 thread, things get a little more interesting with the EK Supremacy MX only beat out by the Supremacy Evo. Finally, with a 8 core/16 thread CPU we see that the Supremacy MX gets held back by the lack of socket specific internals that keeps the Supremacy Evo on top but not enough to the point where it gets really outperformed by the other blocks.

 

Installation on LGA 2011/2011-3 is super simple and takes very little time, but the vast majority of customers use CPUs on the Intel LGA 115x sockets where the installation is more tedious and not for the faint of heart or nerves. Still, following the instructions and not rushing through when replacing the socket backplate means 5 more minutes of your time only.

 

Packaging was not great in my case as evident in the tears in the BAS washer but hopefully it is a thing of the past now with no retail customers having to go through this.

 

If the aesthetics fit your personal choice, there really isn’t much more to say other than this is one hell of a CPU block- especially at that price!

 

[VSG]

Massive fail there with the spoiler quotes, I give up

[Interfectorem]

You have got to be THE best and most in-depth reviewer on this forum. Especially those pictures. Excellent job! I was actually curious as to how the inside of a waterblock looked like.

[Norman_the_Owl]

Huh, nice review...

 

But the first thing i could think of when i saw the aluminum top was; man, XSPC isn't gonna be happy!

[VSG]

You have got to be THE best and most in-depth reviewer on this forum. Especially those pictures. Excellent job! I was actually curious as to how the inside of a waterblock looked like.

 

What's the smiley for blushing here? Does this count:  :wub:

 

Thanks man, and anything you guys think I can include- just let me know.

 

Huh, nice review...

 

But the first thing i could think of when i saw the aluminum top was; man, XSPC isn't gonna be happy!

 

I've seen others say this too but I simply can't place this and the Raystorm as similar in looks. Then again, XSPC is working on a Raystorm Pro (which they announced on social media last year) so maybe they just don't care about this?

[Norman_the_Owl]

I've seen others say this too but I simply can't place this and the Raystorm as similar in looks. Then again, XSPC is working on a Raystorm Pro (which they announced on social media last year) so maybe they just don't care about this?

It's EK's signature square design, but it's XSPC's signature LEDs under that nice brushed plate.

 

I personally like it, but i wouldn't be surprised if XSPC tried to change things up now that they're no longer unique...

[VSG]

Well I can't say much more than this but there are going to be a lot of interesting CPU blocks coming out this year, some prototypes of which are with me for testing already! 

[ErickS89]

I got the MX mainly do to it having spots for LEDs, I didn't feel $100 extra was worth a few degrees. Nice review!

[blackadder]

great post, great reading, i love the ending graphs more detail than most online reviewers.

the brother hood of nod approves 

[VSG]

Thanks