EK Announces Quantum Vector FE RTX 3080 and 3090 Full Metal Water Blocks

EK, the leading computer cooling solutions provider, is proud to show off its Full-Metal Special Edition high-performance GPU water blocks for NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 and 3090 Founders Edition graphics cards. The EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3080 and 3090 – Full Metal water blocks come in the more popular Black color, featuring a black, completely metal enclosure with a nickel-plated brass terminal.

These water blocks come with two types of connection terminals, offering versatility in tube routing. The performance is one of the key elements of the design, which is why this block features a 30% larger fin area compared to other water blocks from the Vector family.

Special Edition Full Metal EK Water Block for Founders edition NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
The EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3090 D-RGB water block enclosure is the most complex GPU cooling solution developed by EK to date. Aside from the small form factor and unique shape of these PCBs, EK has built a hybrid cooling solution for the backplate that is so far unique to the EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3090 water blocks and their backplates.

The water block is purpose-designed with an extremely thick copper base for high-performance, allowing it to clear all components of the densely packed PCB and adding more heat removal capacity in the process. The cooling engine used in this water block is the largest one EK has ever built, having roughly 30% more surface area than the rest of the existing Vector series water blocks.

It comes with a single-slot bracket even though the design takes up about 2 slots.

Hybrid Backplate Cooling on the 3090 water block
This water block comes with an included backplate that makes sure the entire graphics card is enclosed and not visible at all. The aluminum CNC-machined backplate has a ribbed texture to increase surface area for additional passive cooling power. The “active” cooling part is achieved through the section of the backplate contacting the coldplate, which is then directly cooled by the liquid.

Special Edition Full Metal EK Water Block for NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 FE
The EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3080 D-RGB water block enclosure is one of the most complex GPU cooling solutions developed by EK to date. The small form factor and unique shape of the RTX 3080 Founders Edition PCB presented a rare engineering challenge.

The water block is purpose-designed with an extremely thick copper base for high performance, allowing it to clear all components of the densely packed PCB and adding more heat removal capacity in the process. The cooling engine used in this water block is the largest EK has built to date, having roughly 30% more surface area than the rest of the existing Vector series water blocks.

Build Quality
Like the Magnitude CPU water block, the entirety of this water block is CNC-machined without mass-production techniques. The block’s base is milled out of a 12mm thick piece of pure electrolytic copper sourced from Europe, which is then nickel-plated, while its top is CNC-machined out of brass that is encased by an anodized-aluminum outer shell.

The external enclosure is not in any contact with the coolant. It is machined out of a 20mm thick solid piece of aluminum, which is afterward anodized into black. The included single-slot I/O shield is supplied with special screws to be attached to the aluminum enclosure to even out the entire weight distribution of the water block. The watertight sealing is ensured by high-quality EPDM O-rings, while brass standoffs are already pre-installed and allow for a safe and easy installation procedure.

Special Terminal Design
This water block is delivered with a set of connection terminals, allowing users to swap them based on their needs. One terminal has two direct G1/4″ ports on the side, while the other one is more conventional, having four G1/4″ ports going through it. Both terminals are made of CNC-machined nickel-plated brass.

The latest design allows terminals to be directly attached to the copper coldplate of the GPU water block, making it more rigid and reducing the chances of damage.  The terminal is neatly located between two prongs on the PCB, utilizing minimal space. This design allows for incredible versatility, especially for Small Form Factor builds, and of course, more interesting aesthetics.

Cooling Engine
This Special Edition Vector water block directly cools the GPU, VRAM, and the VRM (voltage regulation module) as cooling liquid is channeled right over these critical areas. The water block is in contact with MOSFETs and chokes to maximize cooling and minimize the chances of unwanted coil whine. The flow paths are also optimized to reduce hydrodynamic instabilities and vortexing (dead spots) inside of them.

The integrated Open Split-Flow cooling engine design proved to be a superior solution for GPU water blocks. It is characterized by low hydraulic flow restriction, meaning it can be used with weaker water pumps or pumps running on low-speed settings and still achieve top performance.

The jet plate and fin structure geometry are optimized to provide even flow distribution with minimal losses and optimal performance when used in any given coolant flow orientation.  Fin array is populated by 31 microfins with 0.6mm wide microchannels that provide exceptional cooling performance without unnecessary flow restrictions or clogging hazards.

Availability and Pricing
The EK-Quantum Vector FE RTX 3080 and 3090 Full Metal water blocks are made and assembled in Slovenia, Europe, and are available for pre-order through the EK Webshop and the dedicated reseller network. The first batch of 3080 water blocks is expected to ship out in mid-October 2021 while the 3090 versions will ship out in late October 2021, with the later orders filling out in the following weeks.