Buyers beware ! Asus Changes ROG Strix GTX 1080 Ti PCB Design

[XenosTech]

Quote

“Important notice!

Due to changes in the PCB design, ASUS ROG Strix GeForce® GTX 1080 Ti graphics cards in the following S/N range are not compatible with EK-FC1080 GTX Ti Strix full cover water blocks:

HBYVCM064817- HBYVCM999999

HCYVCM000001- HCYVCM059975”

If you're into building custom loops and love EKW for your gpus then you may need to check the model number of your ASUS 1080TI before you go all gun ho on you loop then realize that the water block doesn't fit. Asus seemingly made enough changes to their pcb design that it's not compatible with current EK Gpu water blocks for their 1080 Ti.

 

Just keep your eyes peeled and share this with your friends who maybe looking into buying a water block in the near future.
 

Source: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/asus-rog-strix-gtx-1080-ti-pcb,36181.html

[Matu20]

Any reason for the changes?

[XenosTech]

1 minute ago, Matu20 said:

Any reason for the changes?

They haven't specified as yet according to the article.

[EnergyEclipse]

Why wouldn't you just disclose what you've changed?  

 

There is no point trying to be secret about it as someone will probably come along, do a tear down and realize eventually, as they must have done to find out that it has been changed... 

[XenosTech]

2 minutes ago, EnergyEclipse said:

Why wouldn't you just disclose what you've changed?  

 

There is no point trying to be secret about it as someone will probably come along, do a tear down and realize eventually, as they must have done to find out that it has been changed... 

Pretty much but you'd have to find cards in those specific serial numbers

[Bcat00]

umm, wouldn't people get a card with a reference pcb if they want to water cool?

There's plenty out there isn't there?

[Derangel]

16 minutes ago, Bcat00 said:

umm, wouldn't people get a card with a reference pcb if they want to water cool?

There's plenty out there isn't there?

Depends. Non-Reference cards can have better components that could hold up better over long term and push OCing a little higher, though that's less of a concern with modern Nvidia cards. Reference cards have the best block compatibility, but EK, Phanteks (recently), and Bitspower all have pretty good non-reference support.

[8uhbbhu8]

20 minutes ago, Bcat00 said:

umm, wouldn't people get a card with a reference pcb if they want to water cool?

There's plenty out there isn't there?

I want to LC my 480. Didn't think I would want to for a while when I got it so I got "the best" xfx variant that very few if any ended up supporting. All its compatible with are universal gpu only blocks.

[Drak3]

27 minutes ago, Bcat00 said:

umm, wouldn't people get a card with a reference pcb if they want to water cool?

Only if they're not gunning for high overclocks and don't want features specific to the card.

 

Features such as ASUS' fanconnect, EVGA's iCX's additional sensors, HDMI ports on the back of the card, additional power, and the various backplate designs.

[XenosTech]

1 hour ago, Bcat00 said:

umm, wouldn't people get a card with a reference pcb if they want to water cool?

There's plenty out there isn't there?

Must remember also people buy 3rd party cards for their cooler designs at first then transition into custom loops when they have more money later, plus all the other stuff everyone mention.

[leadeater]

1 hour ago, XenosTech said:

Must remember also people buy 3rd party cards for their cooler designs at first then transition into custom loops when they have more money later, plus all the other stuff everyone mention.

Real men go straight to water cooling, also RAD size matters .

[XenosTech]

2 minutes ago, leadeater said:

Real men go straight to water cooling, also RAD size matters .

[XenosTech]

5 hours ago, VegetableStu said:

stay tuned to GN or ActuallyHardcoreOverclocking

Let's hope they get one of these cards.

[Princess Luna]

That is why I only buy EVGA FE cards, full water messing aorund warranty, regular PCB... win win... whoever buying a high end air cooled card like the Strix to put a water block on it is doing wrong

[XenosTech]

10 minutes ago, Princess Cadence said:

whoever buying a high end air cooled card like the Strix to put a water block on it is doing wrong

Not really, at this stage of my pc's life cycle I'd water cool it if getting the parts needed for water cooling were easily accessible. Not every one water cools their pc right out of the gate.

[Bananasplit_00]

12 hours ago, Bcat00 said:

umm, wouldn't people get a card with a reference pcb if they want to water cool?

There's plenty out there isn't there?

Not really, the reference PCBs are pretty neh compared to what the board partners put out and go for about the same. What I don't get is why you would get an ASUS card for watercooling 

[Bananasplit_00]

2 hours ago, Princess Cadence said:

That is why I only buy EVGA FE cards, full water messing aorund warranty, regular PCB... win win... whoever buying a high end air cooled card like the Strix to put a water block on it is doing wrong

I'd agree with getting EVGA but I'd say you should go for their custom PCB cards, there are full cover waterblocks from all the good companies for them and they have a better PCB. 

[Drak3]

2 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

What I don't get is why you would get an ASUS card for watercooling

Fan connect would let you control a GPU loop via the GPU, instead of CPU or system temps, without much setup or additional software.

[Bananasplit_00]

Just now, Drak3 said:

Fan connect would let you control a GPU loop via the GPU, instead of CPU or system temps, without much setup or additional software.

Why would you dual loop though?.. Unless you have extremely excessive space for rads and just have money burning your wallet I can't see why you would

[Drak3]

1 minute ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

Why would you dual loop though?.. Unless you have extremely excessive space for rads and just have money burning your wallet I can't see why you would

Aesthetics. Also, according to the residential watercooling dude with 30 years of experience on doing it wrong, the components will match temps at load in a single loop.

 

Maintainence may also be easier, depending on your maintainence shedule and method.

[XenosTech]

1 minute ago, Drak3 said:

Aesthetics. Also, according to the residential watercooling dude with 30 years of experience on doing it wrong, the components will match temps at load in a single loop.

 

Maintainence may also be easier, depending on your maintainence shedule and method.

It does if you don't have complex bends. You may notice the fluid for one loop looking odd and may want to drain that part and put in new fluid instead of draining and cleaning the whole thing

[Trik'Stari]

21 hours ago, Derangel said:

Depends. Non-Reference cards can have better components that could hold up better over long term and push OCing a little higher, though that's less of a concern with modern Nvidia cards. Reference cards have the best block compatibility, but EK, Phanteks (recently), and Bitspower all have pretty good non-reference support.

And as someone with a watercooled FE 1080ti (thank you very much EVGA step up program) I must say,

 

I'm having a wonderful exerience. This thing hits 2.0 and just goes along nice and cool at 60fps 4k in bf1 and bf4.

 

Seriously if you're water cooling the card, I don't see a point in the after market variants. From what I understand without serious work they won't go much higher than 2.0

[Brammm]

I've been looking at doing a new build and my first custom water cooling loop in 2018. I was planning on building with a Strix OC Gaming because I heard great reviews about it. But I'm reading mixed things here, and now with this news... Am I better off buying an EVGA FTW3 for example? 

[sof006]

On 27/12/2017 at 1:36 AM, EnergyEclipse said:

Why wouldn't you just disclose what you've changed?  

 

There is no point trying to be secret about it as someone will probably come along, do a tear down and realize eventually, as they must have done to find out that it has been changed... 

Not really unless they're removing something. Strictly speaking why should ASUS tell people who void their warranty by taking apart their card.

[XenosTech]

On 12/29/2017 at 7:44 AM, Brammm said:

I've been looking at doing a new build and my first custom water cooling loop in 2018. I was planning on building with a Strix OC Gaming because I heard great reviews about it. But I'm reading mixed things here, and now with this news... Am I better off buying an EVGA FTW3 for example? 

Probably, it's a potential you'd get one of the cards that incompatible with water blocks that re on the market now