EK Water Blocks Now Offers Monoblocks For Gigabyte Boards

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EK Water Blocks announced the release of the company's next monoblock water cooling block. The EK-FB Z170X Monoblock has been designed and engineered in conjunction with Gigabyte to be a perfect fit for three different motherboards -- the GA-Z170X-UD5 TH, GA-Z170X-Gaming 5 and GA-170X-Gaming 7. EKWB said the block makes direct contact with the CPU and the power regulation modules (MOSFET), and fluid flows directly over both components. It has been designed to clear all other components, including the M.2 connectors found on the Gaming 5 and Gaming 7 motherboards.

The EK-FB Z170X Monoblock is designed with the same qualities as other EKWB water cooling parts, such as the EK-Supremacy EVO water block. The base is made of nickel-plated electrolytic copper that features a high flow channel design. EKWB said the block is designed to not be restrictive and is capable of reverse flow, and low head pressure pumps should work just fine.

EK Water Blocks is offering the EK-FB GA Z170X Monoblock with the choice of a black Acetal top, or a clear acrylic top that lets you see the fluid flowing through it. Both options are available now through the EK Webshop and partner resellers. EKWB is asking $136.99 for both variants. 

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Kevin Carbotte

 Kevin Carbotte is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware who primarily covers VR and AR hardware. He has been writing for us for more than four years. 

7 Comments Comment from the forums
  • rubix_1011
    What is the pressure drop of this vs. other commonplace EK CPU blocks that would be used instead, such as the Supremacy?
    Reply
  • Shankovich
    What is the pressure drop of this vs. other commonplace EK CPU blocks that would be used instead, such as the Supremacy?

    Probably not too much more, there aren't any fin channels for the mosfet areas
    Reply
  • N.Broekhuijsen
    What is the pressure drop of this vs. other commonplace EK CPU blocks that would be used instead, such as the Supremacy?
    (Niels here), from what I've seen, hardly more than the standard Supremacy EVO block. The Monoblock water blocks are typically made with the same base as a Supremacy EVO, with an added path for the VRM circuitry. That path doesn't have any fins, as Shankovich mentioned, so it hardly adds any hydraulic restriction.
    Reply
  • heydan
    I think those monoblocks looks ugly, I prefer separate blocks for CPU and VRM even if that combination is more expensive than this one.
    Reply
  • rubix_1011
    I'd personally rather have this as long as it is free-flowing. Problem with most VRM blocks is that they typically are restrictive.
    Reply
  • Lutfij
    The monoblocks came as a fruit of love by the community. EK noticed how many modders who had access to a CNC milling machine would make their own version of a top cover which would later combine with any regular block.

    Rubix,
    The pressure drop on such a block isn't too much and they follow EK's design philosophy of being least in terms of restriction but optimized in terms of flow rate and temps. The only other competitor of this class is by Bitspower. Watercool may come around but they are hot off the heels of their new Heatkiller 4.0 block.
    Reply
  • JackNaylorPE
    Nicely done ..... and grats to Giga for making the 3 mobo designs similar enough for EQ to realize economies of scale in making one block for 3 boards. The one I expected EK to come out with early was one for the MSI Z170 Titanium the nickel plated block is a great aesthetic match.
    Reply