EK Supreme и Alphacool NexXxoS X2 Hiflow Bold

• Foreword
• EK Supreme
• Alphacool NexXxoS X2 Hiflow Bold
• Testing
• Conclusion

Today we will get acquainted with two interesting waterblocks for cooling the processor, which are the flagships in the updated line from the respective manufacturer. Since the mass distribution of quad-core Intel processors, and later AMD, there has been a surge in interest and supply of Hi-End water blocks in the CBO market. Almost every manufacturer has released a new model of a water block, not forgetting to point out that it is his products that are “sharpened” for new processors. Of course, most of the claims are intended to grab attention rather than offer real benefits to the user when using quad-core processors. Although, in some cases, small gains in efficiency may occur. Now let’s move on to the review of today’s test participants and test them on a well-overclocked Intel Core 2 Quad.

The Supreme waterblock from the Slovak company EK Waterblocks appeared at the end of last year and made a lot of noise in certain circles. There were several reasons for that: it was declared “sharpened” for quad-core processors (with two physical crystals), there was a set of overclocking plates for deep adjustment to specific user conditions, and all this was adjacent to the traditionally moderate cost of products from EK. It is not surprising that we could not pass by such an ambitious product.

The water block is delivered in a small cardboard box, sealed with the manufacturer’s safe seal. The sticker contains basic information about the product – type of water block, cover material, absence or presence of fittings in the kit. In our case, there were no fittings in the kit.

The set with the water block includes everything you need for easy installation, including detailed instructions. For some reason, one of the nuts was missing from our kit, but this did not affect the installation in any way.

The first impression of the water block is purely positive. Fascinating brilliance, beauty of shapes and curves, inscriptions on the lid and a mysterious internal structure, everything ignites curiosity. The cover bears the name of the company and the model of the water block, as well as the places for the supply and return fittings. There is also room for two LEDs on one side. The mounting plate is made of steel and has a mirrored surface on one side and a matte surface on the back. The waterblock is compatible with all current platforms. All in all, the EK Supreme comes across as a very high tech product.

Mainly, the water block differs from competitors’ proposals in its foundation. It is copper, has a thin bottom and a developed surface made in the form of ribs. It is quite difficult to describe in words what the “ribs” of the EK Supreme base are. Rather, these are risks caused by a very thin cutter or electric erosion. The height of each rib is about a millimeter, and the intercostal distance is even its share. It should be admitted that there is not so much copper in the EK Supreme, but it is made exactly in the form that makes it possible to pretend to provide high performance.

The water block cover is also not trivial. It is made of plastic by molding and in some places it has been modified with a cutter, as evidenced by barely noticeable traces. In the central part, a distribution chamber for water is formed, which makes it possible to control the flow. All connections are sealed with rubber rings.

For those wishing to experiment with deep adjustment of the performance of the CBO, the manufacturer of the water block offers the possibility of installing accelerating plates, one of which is included in the delivery set. A sophisticated user, if desired, can make their own versions, since for this it is only necessary to have a steel sheet of the required size and tools. The accelerating plate makes it possible to additionally form the flow of water in the water block, but at the cost of this there will be a serious increase in hydraulic resistance, which in some cases can also reduce the efficiency of the water cooling system. However, given the positioning of the water block as a solution for high-performance systems, we will test with the overclocking plate installed.

The surface finish of the base of the water block is excellent – it is smooth and polished to a mirror effect.

The waterblock is universal and suitable for all current platforms. The installation process is quite simple and intuitive. However, the springs supplied with the water block can be considered too stiff. They do not allow themselves to be squeezed by a third without bending the motherboard (there is no backplate in the kit). The importance of ensuring a strong pressure of the water block to the processor is very high, since losses in efficiency begin long before the heat from the processor crystal passes to the base of the water block. But the EK in this case went to the other extreme and provided the Supreme with unnecessarily stiff springs.

Subjectively, the EK Supreme looks quite impressive at its combat post. The mirror surface of the mounting plate, the transparent cover, the view of the distribution chambers cool the internal structure of the system unit. We will see how well the waterblock will perform in practice a little later, but for now let’s get to know its partner for today’s testing.