German overclocker Der8auer reviewed a very unique CPU waterblock concept that takes inspiration from reverse-side motherboard-mounted power supply connectors. Instead of channeling liquid through the front of the waterblock, as traditional waterblocks do, this waterblock brings in liquid from behind the motherboard. The end result is a very clean look that hides the cooling tubes from the front of the system.
To make this work, the waterblock is composed of two sub-blocks that are sandwiched on the top and bottom of the motherboard. The top portion is responsible for cooling the CPU, while the bottom portion feeds liquid to the top sub-block. The liquid is transferred through the four mounting holes you'll find on a typical consumer motherboard. Both sub-blocks are made of acrylic, with the top featuring an RGB-illuminated light strip and a flow meter to demonstrate the loop is working properly.
Installing the waterblock requires some additional steps due to the dual-block design: the stock CPU mounting mechanism needs to be completely removed and mounted with a custom mount so that the screw holes can be repurposed to move liquid between the two blocks. A custom backplate, which supports the back of the motherboard, also needs to be applied. Once put together, the front and rear blocks screw into each other to put pressure on the CPU and connect both blocks together so that liquid can pass between them.
The design is pretty innovative and gives custom builders another way to change the look of their custom-cooled machines. If you're only cooling the CPU, hiding the tubes behind the motherboard can give the system an extremely clean look, and expose more of the motherboard, RAM, and CPU block to the viewers without tubes in the way.
This CPU waterblock is currently just a concept, and there are no plans to bring itto market at the moment. Der8auer says he has some ideas of how to bring the waterblock to market, but he says the block needs to be refined before it can be sold in large quantities. One of the biggest problems is case compatibility, since the rear-mounted sub-block juts out several millimeters past the back of the motherboard.
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Holy cow, I just figured it out! The perfect way to hide cables, tubes, and every other unsightly thing... we need to start using panels that are solid, that you can't see through. Like metal or somesuch material. That would hide everything all at once. Has anyone tried this yet?
