Introduction

It has been a few years since Alphacool went all in with their product overhaul consisting of updated designs across the board and names beginning with "Eis" (ice). We examined the Eisblock XPX last year in the nylon top version, which itself was an update to the original Eisblock XPX from 2016 as far as aesthetics go, given RGB has become ubiquitous since. The company decided that was not enough, and their OEM side of operations found avenues to create more specialized versions for servers that fit into the 1U rack unit space. These blocks should also cater to the small form factor builders among us who still want options for a custom watercooling loop in their system. Thanks to Alphacool for sending a review sample to TechPowerUp!


There are two versions of the Eisblock XPX 1U from Alphacool; the regular we have here and the Pro version designed for AMD's sTR4 socket if you want to cool a Threadripper-based system/server. The obvious change is the availability of inlet and outlet ports on the side of the block, in addition to the top, which allows for users to route tubing within the same space as taken up by the block itself. This is supported further with the use of flush mount stop plugs, so the ports that are not used will not result in any more taken up space, either. The biggest feature with the Eisblock XPX was the use of Alphacool's ramp system for the coolant flow path, and no doubt this design clashes with it. We will see how much the design changes the cooling engine and how it performs in this review that begins with a look at the specifications below.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

Alphacool's product packaging has improved greatly with the whole Eis overhaul, and the Eisblock XPX 1U is no exception. The box uses a thick two-piece cardboard design with the company and product name on the front, alongside a product illustration, albeit of the original block and not this 1U variant. On the back is the certification and information clarifying that the block was designed in Germany and manufactured in China. There are two seals on the sides that keep the packaging intact, which need to be broken to access the contents inside, and the top can simply be lifted off as seen above.


Opening the box, we are greeted by an instruction booklet that is the manual for installation on all compatible CPU sockets (online copy here), which again is taken directly from the original Eisblock XPX, but thankfully, the installation process is identical here. It comes with details in English and German, but is not very good in actually describing each step, especially to a novice user. Note also that some things are specific to the metal frame/plastic top version and not the 1U black acetal version I have here, which again is an issue the previous nylon top version had. The other accessories come packaged inside a large zip-lock pouch with more pouches to separate the various items inside. Alphacool includes mounting hardware for both Intel and AMD platforms, including metal springs, locking nuts, and washers, and a tube of thermal paste, which is nice to see.


The Intel-marked pouch comes with an Intel socket installation backplate, the two-piece Intel mounting bracket, a note about specific LGA 2011 motherboards that may not have cooler mounting holes on the front, and the two sets of four mounting posts for the various Intel sockets. The AMD-marked pouch is simpler in only having a single set of mounting posts, the two-piece mounting bracket, and offsets for AM4 in addition to a note on AM4 installation, as the Eisblock XPX launched before Ryzen was a thing in the retail channel. The water block itself comes wrapped in plastic to keep it pristine and free of dust out of the box.