EKWB Full Water Block for GTX 970 G1 Gaming

[MeltingPoint]

So apparently, EK already has various water block for the GTX 970 and 980 graphics cards. A few days back, they released a custom block for the Asus GTX 980 Strix and now, they have released another one for the Gigabyte GTX 970 G1 Gaming. 

This is good news for the G1 card as the cores of these cards are already cherry picked. Slap on a water block and could expect clocks in excess of 1500MHz.

 

 

 

 

The GTX 970 might be a great card because of its relatively efficient performance, but that doesn't mean that it isn't fun to overclock the snot out of it. At launch, Gigabyte released its GTX 970 Gaming G1 card, which is a non-reference design with a triple-fan WindForce cooler and a custom PCB design. Of course, you won't be able to fully reap the benefits of that elaborate power delivery circuit using only that cooler, but under water, chances are that you will. For that EKWB offers its EK-FC970 GTX WF3 water block.

The EK-FC970 GTX WF3 is a full-cover block, cooling the memory, VRM circuitry, and the Nvidia GPU. It has a high-flow design, meaning that it can be used in combination with longer, more complex loops, or in loops with weaker pumps. Over the GPU area you'll find a 0.5 mm microchannel structure, which increases the heat transfer between the GPU and the water flowing through the block.

EKWB is manufacturing two versions of the water block – one with an acrylic see-through top and another with a black Acetal top. Both come nickel plated, which protects the copper block underneath the coating from corrosion.

Both variants are available immediately for $137.10, with black and nickel backplates coming soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

sources: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/ekwb-ek-fc970-gtx-wf3,28142.html

             http://www.ekwb.com/news/550/19/EK-releases-ASUS-GTX-980-Strix-Full-Cover-water-block/

             http://www.ekwb.com/news/552/19/EK-releases-GIGABYTE-GTX-970-Gaming-G1-Full-Cover-water-block/

[Oshino Shinobu]

Really wish they would extend the acrylic or put a nickel plate over the end of the card. I don't like how the end isn't covered 

[Ren]

I don't get the hype behind EK's waterblocks. I think most are ugly as hell.

[brownninja97]

how do they have the money to support so many of these blocks, its crazy

[patrickjp93]

I don't get the hype behind EK's waterblocks. I think most are ugly as hell.

They're the best for cooling, which is why EVGA consults EKWB's when building its hydro copper cards.

[bigboy678]

I don't get the hype behind EK's waterblocks. I think most are ugly as hell.

i think the hype is mostly due to the fact that EK is the only company to my knowledge that takes the time and makes blocks for so many of the aftermarket graphics cards

[spartaman64]

I don't get the hype behind EK's waterblocks. I think most are ugly as hell.

but in a case you are not looking at that you are looking at the backplate and they cool really well

[patrickjp93]

how do they have the money to support so many of these blocks, its crazy

People buy them at 130% production cost. Also, they are the best in the business and the world knows it.

[brownninja97]

People buy them at 130% production cost. Also, they are the best in the. Business and the world knows it.

holy crap, thats a pretty massive profit margin. I wonder how many sales they get, i didnt think that demand for the custom blocks are there.

[Marvzl1357]

Hot damn, $137?

As much as I love getting maximum performance out of my pc, this is one of the many reasons why I'm unable to delve into the realms of water cooling

[Impact Blue]

They're the best for cooling, which is why EVGA consults EKWB's when building its hydro copper cards.

Hydro Copper are from Swiftech, No?

[patrickjp93]

Hydro Copper are from Swiftech, No?

Nope, designed by EKWB since 2012.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/evga-gtx-980-classified-hydrocopper,27782.html

[Impact Blue]

Nope, designed by EKWB since 2012.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/evga-gtx-980-classified-hydrocopper,27782.html

http://www.overclockers.com/evga-gtx780-classified-hydro-copper-waterblock-review

 

EKWB since 2014 

[Khvarrioiren]

People buy them at 130% production cost. Also, they are the best in the business and the world knows it.

 

I actually find that Aquacomputer is far superior both in cooling performance and aesthetics. Swapped my EK block on my 280x to Aquacomputer and had a 5-7 degree drop with 2/3 of the price. Well, apart from the catastrophic fuck-up with the 780 blocks.

[patrickjp93]

I actually find that Aquacomputer is far superior both in cooling performance and aesthetics. Swapped my EK block on my 280x to Aquacomputer and had a 5-7 degree drop with 2/3 of the price. Well, apart from the catastrophic fuck-up with the 780 blocks.

Bad mounting. People on the overclocking forums do a massive head to head comparison every years of blocks from every major maker. EK has been at the top for a decade followed shortly by Swiftech and Aqua who trade places for 2nd & 3rd.

[Khvarrioiren]

Bad mounting. People on the overclocking forums do a massive head to head comparison every years of blocks from every major maker. EK has been at the top for a decade followed shortly by Swiftech and Aqua who trade places for 2nd & 3rd.

 

I knew you were going to stay that the block was incorrectly mounted. I've installed so many waterblocks that I've lost count.

[patrickjp93]

I knew you were going to stay that the block was incorrectly mounted. I've installed so many waterblocks that I've lost count.

I didn't say it was your fault. Some thermal pads don't mesh well with EK's blocks. I always get custom ones.

I've never met an aqua computer block that was equal or even in 2 degrees of EK's.

[Khvarrioiren]

I didn't say it was your fault. Some thermal pads don't mesh well with EK's blocks. I always get custom ones.

I've never met an aqua computer block that was equal or even in 2 degrees of EK's.

 

And I've yet to encounter an EK block that's more efficient, apart from the 780/780Ti blocks.

 

Well, I guess we have to agree to disagree.

[BulkFish]

So apparently, EK already has various water block for the GTX 970 and 980 graphics cards. A few days back, they released a custom block for the Asus GTX 980 Strix and now, they have released another one for the Gigabyte GTX 970 G1 Gaming. 

This is good news for the G1 card as the cores of these cards are already cherry picked. Slap on a water block and could expect clocks in excess of 1500MHz.

 

Nice, I really do like the Gigabyte 970's. Good to see watercooling blocks coming out so quickly for non reference pcb cards.

 

Also... Your profile picture... just... 10/10....

[Real_PhillBert]

I'm more interested in the block for my 980 Strix. But I do like how they make blocks for many of the aftermarket cards.

[Scheer]

holy crap, thats a pretty massive profit margin. I wonder how many sales they get, i didnt think that demand for the custom blocks are there.

 

That is because it isn't a profit margin, profit margin is the percentage you take home for every dollar you earn. What he is talking about is markup. Sorry, its just a pet peeve of mine. 

 

Really, it isn't all that massive of a markup either. A somewhat general (extremely rough!) rule is 1/3 goes to materials, 1/3 goes to the company who made it, 1/3 goes to the distributor. It depends on the product a lot too, something like this takes a lot of overhead in CNC machinery, requires skilled labor and a lot of R&D, and I would assume they have a fairly high failure rate in machining that they have to compensate for. They may have to throw 1 in 3 of their blocks away, and replace a $200 end mill every 25 blocks, but overall I bet the vast majority of their profits go to R&D to release a block for nearly every custom card. That means several drafters and an engineer or two at a minimum, $5k or so per computer they they have Solidworks on... business is expensive. 

[X-Mass]

holy crap, thats a pretty massive profit margin. I wonder how many sales they get, i didnt think that demand for the custom blocks are there.

I don't want to derail but - most non box shifters work on a 30% margin.

I have known of high end stores who work at 105% margin - depending on their market

But then they have high outgoings for example rent in a select area

gIven the risk and costs involve I am concerned that they haven't got enough margin!

 

back when I was running a games publisher we would be typically getting about 45% of the list price for the product

with 25% going to the distributor and another 30% to the retailer

Nobody is making vast sums on markup unless your in the luxury market or a dispersion market, and getting there is really expensive

hope this help explain what is going on

kate

[patrickjp93]

That is because it isn't a profit margin, profit margin is the percentage you take home for every dollar you earn. What he is talking about is markup. Sorry, its just a pet peeve of mine.

Really, it isn't all that massive of a markup either. A somewhat general (extremely rough!) rule is 1/3 goes to materials, 1/3 goes to the company who made it, 1/3 goes to the distributor. It depends on the product a lot too, something like this takes a lot of overhead in CNC machinery, requires skilled labor and a lot of R&D, and I would assume they have a fairly high failure rate in machining that they have to compensate for. They may have to throw 1 in 3 of their blocks away, and replace a $200 end mill every 25 blocks, but overall I bet the vast majority of their profits go to R&D to release a block for nearly every custom card. That means several drafters and an engineer or two at a minimum, $5k or so per computer they they have Solidworks on... business is expensive.

1 out of every 28 blocks is a dud. Laser-guided Graphene mill bit managed by a computer. All the humans do is polish the final product and do validation testing.

[Maslofski]

Really wish they would extend the acrylic or put a nickel plate over the end of the card. I don't like how the end isn't covered 

 youll have to buy the front plate, and ive you want the backplate too