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EK-FB MSI X399 RGB Monoblock Review: Full Coverage For Threadripper
Why you can trust Tom's Hardware
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
How We Test: Watercooling Components
One of the challenges with testing individual liquid-cooling components lies not with the component itself, but with maintaining consistency with remaining pieces comprising the cooling loop. For this, we’ve chosen common, dependable loop hardware that is designed to limit any specific weakness and provide us with a consistent platform on which to isolate testing components.
Watercooling Hardware
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Pump
Swiftech MCP50X
Reservoir
Swiftech MCP35X/MCP50X rev.2B Acrylic
Fittings
Bitspower Matte Black ½”ID x ¾” OD Compression (x6)
Radiator
XSPC EX360
Fans
Scythe Ultra Kaze 3000 RPM 120mm (x3)
Tubing
½” inner diameter, ¾” outer diameter; clear
Coolant
Distilled water, no additives, coolants, or dyes
Our liquid-cooling testbed loop combines excellent flow rates, high-volume fans, and a great-performing radiator to focus all results on those produced by the water-block samples themselves.
Testing Hardware
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Power Supply
Seasonic SS-760KM 760W, 80 Plus Gold
Thermal Probe, Fan Controller, Logger
CrystalFontz CFA-633 w/ Dallas One Wire DS18B20 sensors (x2)
Software
Prime96 v27.9, AVX FFT length 8K, each test is a two-hour continuous run
Our testing hardware closely mimics our standard Intel CPU cooler test system, with the only differences being the AMD Threadripper 1900X (instead of the Intel Core i7-5930K) and the MSI X399 Gaming Pro Carbon AC motherboard (rather than the MSI X99S XPower AC). While this does not allow for apples-to-apples comparisons with Intel tests, most of the environment variables are otherwise eliminated.
Garrett Carver is a contributor for Tom’s Hardware, primarily covering thermal compound comparisons and CPU cooling reviews; both air and liquid, including multiple variations of each.
