EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 XC3 and FTW3 Pictured in the Flesh

[Abaidor]

I don't deny the benefit of watercooling GPUs or even CPUs, but I generally prefer an air cooled GPU because you can't easily get a GPU cooler if the water cooler fails you one day (failed pump typically). At least for air cooler, I can slap on 1 or 2 fans by using cable ties to the chunky heatsink, which is missing for water cooled versions. Also, it may not fit in some small case where there is already an AIO used for cooling the CPU.

Get a dual pump setup - no worries........if you invest some money on a proper custom loop (I did) with dual pumps it can last for years....

With that said I still have an old rig with a cheap singly pump going strong for the last 10 years! It's a Q9500 overclocked at 3.8GHZ from 2008 that simply refuse to give up! One of my kids abuses it regularly (gaming with a GTX780)!
The loop is "glued" together from overuse! I have just added water from time to time........no other maintainance.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

I don't deny the benefit of watercooling GPUs or even CPUs, but I generally prefer an air cooled GPU because you can't easily get a GPU cooler if the water cooler fails you one day (failed pump typically). At least for air cooler, I can slap on 1 or 2 fans by using cable ties to the chunky heatsink, which is missing for water cooled versions. Also, it may not fit in some small case where there is already an AIO used for cooling the CPU.

I still have my stock GPU cooler and a cpu cooler spare.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Well, I'm not sure but I would hope that water cooled versions would be available... Sometimes I wonder with high end GPUs why they don't do them with a full cover block and then give you an option to put an AIO type cooler on them or just have the full block for a custom loop...

Water for GPUs is definitely king

I see you do make a good point, but surely I would hate to force every person to only have a choice of watercooling or watercooling for their GPU’s.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

proper custom loop

No offense but what is wrong with a single pump loop, i understand the one pump fail thing, but they very rarely do

 

[d0x360]

they alredy engineer the custom PCB ? how ? the original is not out yet no ?

They get reference designs from nvidia and amd long before the nvidia or amd reference model is even announced. They probably got the information they needed and the chips needed (testing samples) at least 6 months ago.

Not like this time.

Look the dimensions, the heatsink is way bigger now every millimeter is needed.

You dont have any technical view of the product thats why you are telling others: TO TAKE A GRIP ! Oh yeah man youre are a BADA... !

Im sure they are spending more resources for this 3000 series than ever before.

Uh no not really. It's no different than designing for any other gpu. They don't need to spend extra resources for the 3000 series and I have clue why you would think they do

I don't deny the benefit of watercooling GPUs or even CPUs, but I generally prefer an air cooled GPU because you can't easily get a GPU cooler if the water cooler fails you one day (failed pump typically). At least for air cooler, I can slap on 1 or 2 fans by using cable ties to the chunky heatsink, which is missing for water cooled versions. Also, it may not fit in some small case where there is already an AIO used for cooling the CPU.

If it failed then you just RMA it under warranty. I'm pretty sure all AIB's have 3 year warranties. I known for a fact that EVGA does. So if your card fails for any reason you go 2 weeks without a gpu unless you can talk them into doing an exchange where they ship a new one while you ship the broken one. To do that they require your CC info so they can charge you if you either never send it back or they receive the broken one it's it died because you hit it with a hammer.

But I wouldn't worry about gpus with waterblocks.. that's why they have such good warranties in the first place and those warranties aren't voided by overclocking, underclocking, over/under bolting etc. Don't worry..it safe.

 

[jesdals]

Prices are already rising in Denmark, a 3080 has gone up at much as 10% before being released for preorder

 

[Waldorf]

@phill
not sure what you are talking about as i remember at least since gtx 7xx series,
virtually all cards with xx70 or higher chip can be had with a Aio and/or full block...

@All
i have had more psus die on users/myself, than i have every seen water cooling leak/break.
as long as its put together properly (parts/work) and leak tested, its not an issue.
and unless it happened to YOU/friend/family, its hear say.
not counting the ppl that mixed metals and had the leakage because of gas build up, and not just from using water for cooling.

water has a much higher energy transfer, so even if compare a cheap single 120mm aio with an aluminum block (not that i recommend alu for water cooling),
will remove heat better than any cooper based heat pipe air cooler at same/lower price.

not even talking about that a rad can be set up to dump the heat outside the case, massively lowering temps for everything else inside the case (gpu/ram/chipset/vrms/drives),
or that stuff can be cooled at same temps much quieter, or at same noise with better temps.
and ignoring the fact that almost all the cards that come with aio or block are usually getting binned chips that are clocking better than air cooled cards.
i had issues with my rig (bios related) and thought it was the gpu, so i swapped multiple cards,
three "regular" 2080 hydros (aio), and they all clocked higher/boosted better than the air cooled FTW, using same everything else (cpu/psu/case/fans etc).

best example is a guy returning an air cooled 2080ti thinking it had issues (low performance),
replacing it with a water cooled 2080 (non S) that got much higher fps.

on how many things are we using some type of liquid for heat transfer (vs air)?!

 

[Searing]

EVGA really looks good this gen. I hope they fixed the loud startup noise for their fans from the 20 series.

The 3080 XC model there is the only 2-slot design, and it is also the shortest of the custom models. That's my pick.

 

[rtwjunkie]

@phill
not sure what you are talking about as i remember at least since gtx 7xx series,
virtually all cards with xx70 or higher chip can be had with a Aio and/or full block...

@All
i have had more psus die on users/myself, than i have every seen water cooling leak/break.
as long as its put together properly (parts/work) and leak tested, its not an issue.
and unless it happened to YOU/friend/family, its hear say.
not counting the ppl that mixed metals and had the leakage because of gas build up, and not just from using water for cooling.

water has a much higher energy transfer, so even if compare a cheap single 120mm aio with an aluminum block (not that i recommend alu for water cooling),
will remove heat better than any cooper based heat pipe air cooler at same/lower price.

not even talking about that a rad can be set up to dump the heat outside the case, massively lowering temps for everything else inside the case (gpu/ram/chipset/vrms/drives),
or that stuff can be cooled at same temps much quieter, or at same noise with better temps.
and ignoring the fact that almost all the cards that come with aio or block are usually getting binned chips that are clocking better than air cooled cards.
i had issues with my rig (bios related) and thought it was the gpu, so i swapped multiple cards,
three "regular" 2080 hydros (aio), and they all clocked higher/boosted better than the air cooled FTW, using same everything else (cpu/psu/case/fans etc).

best example is a guy returning an air cooled 2080ti thinking it had issues (low performance),
replacing it with a water cooled 2080 (non S) that got much higher fps.

on how many things are we using some type of liquid for heat transfer (vs air)?!

Blah blah blah. We know all the talking points. People either like it or don’t. Now stop pushing it as if it is all there is on those that don’t want it.

 

[phill]

I see you do make a good point, but surely I would hate to force every person to only have a choice of watercooling or watercooling for their GPU’s.

When you get to the high end cards (example I guess would be good, dual GPUs on a single card perhaps? 5970/GTX 590 and the like? or just high end single core cards as well) water for me would be the only real option.. I remember air cooling a pair of 7970's (Lightening cards as well) they'd idle about the 40C+ mark and under gaming load up to about 80C +/-. Same cards, under water, idling about the 25C mark, the under gaming loads, 40C with an overclock. For me the quietness and the sheer coolness of the card (please excuse my bad puns) was so impressive and it only made me wish I'd water cooled my GTX 580's when I had them in SLI and TRI SLI. We can safely say, it's a little warm like that...

Everything comes with Pro's and con's don't get me wrong but for those with that high end level of card, I'd like to bet that most of them would have probably a custom loop anyways, over an AIO type cooling setup? I'm only guessing here...

@phill
not sure what you are talking about as i remember at least since gtx 7xx series,
virtually all cards with xx70 or higher chip can be had with a Aio and/or full block...

As above really, I mean AIO type based cooled cards are better than just air cooled cards, but for me why spend out the cash for an AIO type based cooler when getting a full blocked version would definitely give the card more life and a cooler running temp? I mean the Kingpin cards for example. They are a flagship. Wouldn't you put your flagship under something a little more special than a AIO based cooler and an air cooler? To me it's something I'd not even consider, I'd go buy...

 

[lemoncarbonate]

They are overdoing their branding since 2000 series. Their cards literally have EVGA logos on every possible side, even the fan blade.

 

[Waldorf]

@rtwjunkie
guess i missed that your now a mod/admin telling me what i can post?
outside that i dont push stuff, just state the facts/get tired of ppl claiming stuff is "crap" when they havent even used it themselves..

when i already spend 800 on a gpu, adding another 50-100 so it can run cooler thus boost higher,
i will do that any day (if its within budget).
part of the reason why i have better perf then most stock/lower end 2080tis that would cost at least another 200$ more.

@phill
the evga hydros have vrms/vram covered with a big heatsink, and a second fan blowing air across the that/pcb,
so temps arent that much different between the aio and a full block, as long the cpu is also LC (and dumping heat outside the case).

the aio would have the advantage of being a separate loop if something does break (for whatever reason),
it wouldnt affect the other loop/aio.
only reason i swapped for a full block, is that i cant stand the pump whine from the aio incl evga hydro,
as it runs full sped and cant be throttled (properly).

 

[rtwjunkie]

@rtwjunkie
guess i missed that your now a mod/admin telling me what i can post?
outside that i dont push stuff, just state the facts/get tired of ppl claiming stuff is "crap" when they havent even used it themselves..

when i already spend 800 on a gpu, adding another 50-100 so it can run cooler thus boost higher,
i will do that any day (if its within budget).
part of the reason why i have better perf then most stock/lower end 2080tis that would cost at least another 200$ more.

@phill
the evga hydros have vrms/vram covered with a big heatsink, and a second fan blowing air across the that/pcb,
so temps arent that much different between the aio and a full block, as long the cpu is also LC (and dumping heat outside the case).

the aio would have the advantage of being a separate loop if something does break (for whatever reason),
it wouldnt affect the other loop/aio.
only reason i swapped for a full block, is that i cant stand the pump whine from the aio incl evga hydro,
as it runs full sped and cant be throttled (properly).

No, you’re totally pushing water-cooling GPU’s as if you are the only voice that matters. It would be different to just make a few points. That’s not what you did, though. It was a hard sell. We are all allowed to have our own desires and preferences, and I’m so sorry they don’t conform to your one way only view of the world. Not everybody needs or wants that level of performance requiring it. I’m happy at 1440p and have never had a GPU overheat (or even come close) while pushing The detail levels I want.

 

[phill]

@phill
the evga hydros have vrms/vram covered with a big heatsink, and a second fan blowing air across the that/pcb,
so temps arent that much different between the aio and a full block, as long the cpu is also LC (and dumping heat outside the case).

the aio would have the advantage of being a separate loop if something does break (for whatever reason),
it wouldnt affect the other loop/aio.
only reason i swapped for a full block, is that i cant stand the pump whine from the aio incl evga hydro,
as it runs full sped and cant be throttled (properly).

I know the coolers well but for me, skip the hydro and use the full block, it's just what I'd call personal preference Having tried it, it just seems such a better way to go. I'd hazard a guess and say that the difference between the AIO and the full block would be the VRMs and VRAM temps, I'd like to hope they are a lot cooler