The cheapest
HD 7970 block also delivers the best cooling
Aquacomputer’s 7970 3GB waterblock, decked out in gleaming
polished copper and stainless steel, certainly looks the part. The lower copper
contract plate and heat exchanger covers most of the graphics card, and the
CNC-milled base has large flattened sections to make contact with the memory
modules and GPU. Due to the HD 7970 3GB’s use of chunky capacitors, there’s
also a large indent cut into the base to directly cool the power circuitry –
vital for overclocking.
Aquacomputer aquagrATIx
for HD 7970
Meanwhile,
a stainless steel top-plate is inlaid in the large copper base, and is secured
using 12 Allen bolts to allow for removal when cleaning. There’s also a second
copper plate standing proud of the steel top-plate, bearing Aquacomputer’s
3D Flow branding.
This second
contact plate is vital, as it contains a raised flow channel to allow coolant
to rise over the tall capacitors and flow down into a channel placed over the
VRMs, offering direct power circuitry cooling. The rest of the block’s interior
is dominated by a large area of tightly packed narrow channels arrayed on top
of the GPU, providing the most effective cooling for the large Tahiti XT GPU,
at the cost of flow rate impedance.
Capping off the design is an acetal fittings-block, equipped with four 1/4in thread
fittings – two upwards and two downwards
Capping off
the design is an acetal fittings-block, equipped with
four 1/4in thread fittings – two upwards and two downwards. Both sets are
sufficiently spaced to accommodate 1/2in compression fittings, and two 1/2in
screw plugs are included for the unused ports.
The
installation procedure is a little strange though, as it eschews the use of
thermal pads for the memory modules, instead simply advising you to deposit a
small amount of thermal paste onto each (although none is included). A thermal
pad is provided for the VRMs and power circuitry, however.
Meanwhile,
securing the block is accomplished via ten cross-head screws, with no included
washers, making installation very quick.
Fitted to
our overclocked HD 7970 3GB, running at 1,125MHz and a TDP 10 per cent above
stock, the aquagrATIx offered outstanding cooling,
with a peak delta T of just 140C – a fantastic drop of 390C
in comparison to a stock air-cooled HD 7970 3GB and comfortably the best on
test. The block’s narrow channels reduced flow rate, though, with a high-flow
rate of 5.5 litres/min and a
low-flow rate of 1.5 litres/min being the lowest of
the three HD 7970 3GB blocks.
Conclusion
As well as
offering the best cooling of the HD 7970 3GB blocks on test, the aquagrATIx for HD 7970 is also the cheapest; it’s arguably
the best-looking too, making it the obvious choice for those looking to
water-cool their HD 7970 3GB.
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Pros and cons
Tron
Best
cooling on test; low price; straightforward mount
Rinzler
No
thermal paste or tape included; more restrictive than other blocks
How much?
Product
code: 12576
Price:
$115 inc VAT
Supplier:
www.aquatuning.co.uk
Manufacturer:
www.aquacomputer.de
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Scores
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Cooling
|
9/10
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Design
|
8/10
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Value
|
9/10
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Overall
|
9/10
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