14 DAY TRIAL // Dual-GPU graphics cards are special products with equally special demands, and while NVIDIA managed to get away with a more or less common-looking cooler, the same cannot be said about AMD. It looks like there was still room for improvement though.
Aqua Computer has formally launched a full-cover water block for the Radeon R9 295 X2 dual-Hawaii “Vesuvius” graphics card.
This is actually a more surprising development than one might think, because the dual-chip graphics card already has a surprisingly good cooler.
Instead of using some air-based solution, AMD instead called on Asetek to make a hybrid cooling module that combines the benefits of a heatsink and fan with those of a radiator and two water blocks, one for each GPU.
It's why most of AMD's OEMs aren't likely to launch custom-cooled versions of the board: it's not just a simple case of replacing a normal, lackluster reference cooler with a mildly better, custom one.
Aqua Computer had the right idea: only a full liquid cooler could replace the default one, even if it did mean loss of independence.
What do we mean by that? The Radeon R9 295 X2 has a closed-loop, all-in-one hybrid liquid cooler, meaning that it can be installed, as is, in any PC.
Water blocks need you to already have a water cooling system in your desktop PC though, one with a reservoir, pumps, connection to an outside water source, etc.
Fortunately for Aqua Computer, those with enough money to create a PC strong enough to hold the overkill video card should have no trouble covering the costs. Indeed, they may choose water cooling as a default commodity regardless.
And now for the actual product. The Aqua Computer kryographics Vesuvius for R9 295X2 is made of high-purity electrolytic copper raw material and weighs 2.72 kg / 5.99 pounds all on its own.
In addition to the GPUs themselves, the RAM chips and the VRM (voltage regulator module), it comes into contact with the PCI Express bridge chip as well. That last one usually doesn't get direct treatment.
The areas above the GPUs have a micro structure with 0.5 mm grid, and maintain an even temperature thanks to how water flows through both in parallel.
Another advantage is the high gloss polished base which, helped along by thermal grease, should be able to pull and neutralize heat very quickly.
As for the cover, it is made of Plexiglass and milled from a single, solid block. It also totally lacks drilled threads, instead using a stainless steel frame to stay in place.
The kryographics Vesuvius for R9 295X2 water block from Aqua Computer has a price of €170 / $170, but a nickel-plated variant will come out soon, for €185 / $185.