14 DAY TRIAL // Most water blocks are made for central processing units (CPUs) and graphics cards, but there are some especially designed for motherboards, and they usually come in two pieces due to how mainboards are set up.
Such is the case of the EK-FB KIT GA X99 LE, the latest water cooling product from Ljubljana-based premium liquid cooling gear manufacturer EK Water Blocks.
The EK-FB KIT GA X99 LE is made for Gigabyte motherboards powered by the X99 chipset. All such motherboards.
Considering that platforms powered by the X99 chipset are made for the best computers money can buy, it's no surprise that EK would release coolers for it.
Especially since systems based on them are supposed to last a long time. X99 LGA 2011-3 processors only came out this year, and the full range of DDR4 memory compatible with them will only be released in 2015.
Thus, computers based around Gigabyte X99 motherboards are “future proof” and likely to benefit greatly from a water cooler that can last a long time.
EK-FB KIT GA X99 LE
Rather than a single water block, it is a set of two coolers described as a “value oriented hybrid water cooling solution for GIGABYTE X99 Series motherboards.”
Half of the kit is the VRM water block, the other is a passive heatsink. So you could say that the ”hybrid” is the most important word in the description above.
EK obviously intended this for computers belonging to expert overclockers. The PCH isn't bound to produce much heat under any circumstances, but the VRM will definitely grow hotter and hotter the further a CPU is overclocked.
And with the CPU itself and graphics cards also (presumably) water cooled by the same system running water through the EK-FB KIT GA X99 LE, there really is no need for a second water block over the southbridge.
The VRM cooler is, of course, a high flow water block usable with weaker water pumps. The base is made of nickel-plated electrolytic copper and the top is of acrylic glass. Screw-in standoffs already pre-installed on both the water block and the aluminum heatsink will keep everything in place. Original motherboard backplates are used, so nothing extra needed there.
Availability and pricing
The EK-FB KIT GA X99 LE has a price of €64.95 / $79.68 and is made in Slovenia, Europe. The Cooling Configurator online compatibility will list all available system hardware components and configurations.
