Can you use an non reference graphics card with a water block

[Sandvich]

Whenever I watch someone build a pc with a custom water loop they always use a reference graphics card I know companies like sapphire and evga buy the chip and make their own PCBs I can find a reference video card let alone one at a decent price. I was also wondering if there is a website that sells video cards with the water block instead of a air cooler. 

[Fictionvl]

If it has the reference PCB design then yes, there are compatibility lists for water blocks you should check before buying one.

Zotac do their air+water cooled cards

[DudeWazap]

EVGA sales GPU's with the water block already installed or you can buy their after market cooler card. Then you can switch it out with a water block later if you want.

[Ryoku]

Whenever I watch someone build a pc with a custom water loop they always use a reference graphics card I know companies like sapphire and evga buy the chip and make their own PCBs I can find a reference video card let alone one at a decent price. I was also wondering if there is a website that sells video cards with the water block instead of a air cooler. 

 

evga and zotac have some cards that come with water blocks stock, not sure about any others.

[Sandvich]

If it has the reference PCB design then yes, there are compatibility lists for water blocks you should check before buying one.

Zotac do their air+water cooled cards

How would you know if it uses the reference PCB?

[Fictionvl]

How would you know if it uses the reference PCB?

Check the manufacturers website

[MayorPotatoSalad]

EK waterblocks and I believe also Switfttech produce graphics card waterblocks for a large range of custom PCB's from companies like Gigabyte, EVGA and Asus.

 

The main reason people use reference cards when watercooling is because they don't carry the price premium that non-reference designs do as you are also buying a different cooler (Twin Frozer, ACX 2.0, Wind force to name a few) and as you are taking the air cooling unit off anyway to replace with a waterblock it does not matter.

 

So yeah, depending on how wide the range of stock is at your local store you can buy waterblocks for non reference cards but there arn't many graphics cards that come with pre installed waterblocks. Hope that helps at all 

 

EDIT: EK lists the compatibility for every waterblock they have. Here is a link to the one for the reference GTX 980 waterblock for example: http://configurator.ekwb.com/waterblock/3831109869239#DB_inline?height=260&width=530&inline_id=comp_table