I discovered modern pc watercooling through Jay (I tried it way back in the day of external aquarium pumps, adapted transmission radiators, etc). I learned about EK through Jay, and built my first open loop system back in October 2019. When I eventually upgrade my system, I'll be using new stuff based on his evolving experience with manufacturers. Thanks, Jay, your channel never fails to be both informative and entertaining (iFixiiiiiiiiiit!!!)
Just a heads up, I think you meant custom loop instead of open loop. That term gets thrown around for some reason and I've seen people get hammered for it on other forums.
I’ve said it once I’ll say it again, performance PCs is headquartered in my hometown. They’re some of the coolest and nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of talking to.
Please hurry with this build those blocks are stunning and I'm excited to see it. Also, do the frosted tubing and use blacklights to light them up that would look sick.
Had Optimus blocks in on my 3090 and Intel cpu for 2 years now, LOVE THEM! I ordered a block from EK that came damaged due to poor packaging. I had two other negative experiences with them on my build and just gave up as I couldn't see why EK was always being touted. Found Optimus and so glad I did. Block took a long time to get, but they were always very up front and sent emails regularly with updates on batches. When I got it, it was so worth the wait.
My 4090 block from EK had a missing standoff (didn't impact performance) and a metal shaving stuck to inlet jetplate. Lucky I had plexi so I could see it and that it wasn't on the other side so it didn't travel passed the gpu...
@@Teletha I also had some bad experiences with my first ek 4090 water block tone of the cables that needed to connect to the MOBO was damaged, I lost over $400 for nothing, replaced it with Byski and couldn't be happier, it is not worth spending that much for a water block when you can spend under $200 for one that does a great job or better. The only thing I have from EK is their water coolant and cleaning supply kit as well, never had any issues from that part, most of my other parts are from Thermaltake
6:35. That actually makes sense to me, because you said it was drain. I want the water "out" so I open the flow, I want to keep the water "in" so the drain is closed.
Nice to see Black Ice rads being shown - they were absolutely top of the tree 20 years ago - I though they had disappeared for a while - but nope - still about producing high quality rads.
@@concinnus Don't forget that a restrictive rad equates to more cooling time in the rad for the water. It's not all about blasting fluid thru there at 1000mph.
@@malphadour This is an old myth that I swear I've seen debunked, though I can't find that testing now. The theoretical correction: let's say you cut the width of your flat radiator tubes in half. Resistance doubles, flow velocity actually doubles for the same flow rate, dwell time doubles, and fluid in tubes is cut in half. None of that is helpful, unless the higher flow velocity is enough to cause turbulence. Alternately, switching from XFlow to UFlow: your tube area is cut in half and length doubles. So resistance is 4x, velocity is double, and dwell time is the same. More importantly, the practical correction -- to the consumer all that matters is that some less restrictive radiators perform as well (at low fan speed, Alphacool Nexxos and some XSPC specifically), so clearly the restriction isn't helping. Unfortunately, the only testing I can find of Nemesis XFlow is xtremerigs, and their methodology is garbage (they normalize by delta T, for starters).
@@malphadour there are other ways to get more cooling time whilst being less restrictive, like the cross flow ones he is using. More restrictive means the pump needs to work harder.
With a pump like a D5, the honest reality is that the restriction basically doesn't matter. You'll be able to get a decent flow rate through two of the most restricted Hardware Labs radiators you can find, and as many blocks as you can reasonably fit, and still great flow rates at sub 50% pump speeds. I run a GTX360 and a GTS360, plus GPU and CPU blocks, and my D5 is locked to 30% RPM and totally silent.
I used those exact radiators in my build. The Cross Flow was SUPER important for a clean look so I could get from one side of the case to the other without a long tubing run. Good choice!
@@conorstewart2214 Don't really know. I don't have time to watch him chew about everything over and over and over again. So I jumpa a fair bit in the video. Now the OP was asking if it wasn't a good idea to change them and I wrote that if he rips everything apart it's not all that much of an effort to swap out the radiators. He will have to redo all the hard tubing anyway when replacing the CPU and GPU blocks and the reservoir and pump. So I can't see much reason not to replace the radiators when he has the chance.
I came across Optimus shortly after finishing my current system last summer. They will definitely be a part of my next build. Semi local and as a CNC machinist myself, I can really appreciate the efforts they go through.
Maybe in NA but not EU. The shipping, customs and VAT would be too much. I guess Watercool would be the ”equal” to Optimus here. No false marketing though like saying that: our CPU block gives better cooling than delidding.
Quality! LOL that's funny. Wait until the finish starts coming off. Then Optimus says they don't have any warranty replacements available. That's what happened to me and a few other people.
@@Simon_Denmark kinda sucks there is no reverse flow for you guys, that is if I order from Watercool and do not exceed $800 USD I do not pay any import duties and shipping is honestly not horribly worse than inside the US for the standard tier.
As someone with 3 optimus blocks (modified the 3090 backplate to mount a threadripper block for vram) in my current system, i think you'll enjoy them, and if you get the itch for rgb, the gpu blocks are easy to mount a strip too and the cpu blocks have 3rd party 3d printed pieces that can be added
+1 for Barrow fittings. I started with EKWB but moved to Barrow and I've had zero problems and saved so much money. And +1 For Performance PCs. Great company to order from, and if you ever have a problem or a question or even a return, they're super quick to respond.
No one is talking about Optimus’s long wait/ship times or their lack of communication…. Optimus is going to have a massive influx of orders now with this spotlight, so time will tell if they correct their course and fix their house.
This is pretty much why I went with Watercool out in Germany on my last two builds. They ship pretty quickly and their communication and customer service has been top notch for me.
Their products are top notch but their customer service department could improve. I hear more bad then good when it comes to lead-times, questions about peoples orders and such. I've had a hit or miss with their customer support.
@@hotaru25189 Optimus is not a new company. I've had their waterblocks for about 4 years now. They only issue i've experienced with them is that they tend to make their blocks in batches, and I had to wait 4 weeks for my 3080Ti waterblock (to replace the EK block I had) because they usually start with pre-orders. But once they are able to make enough stock, their shipping times is about as fast as you can get for even ground shipping. When I got their Am4/Am5 waterblock, I got it to my door within 4 days of shipping. They almost now, exclusively use ceramic coating on their water blocks because it tends to have the least issues with regard to material compatibility with mixed metals in the loop and coolants. I've heard complaints about how they handle marketing and social media; which is something I can overlook since the product is so damn good and actually performs 5c cooler compared to EK's blocks in my experience. Also, its a US-based company which is always a plus.
Hey!! Glad to see Optimus getting some attention!! I got my waterblock for the EVGA 3080Ti from these guys. It took a little while to show up because ... y'know ... Covid n'shit, but I absolutely loved how easy the block install was. Smooth as silk install, loved the look and NO RGB nonsense. Loved doing business with them.
I like that!! as i German i went with TechN who are in Berlin also Manufacture there and there toleranzes are insane as a mechanical engineer I obv had to measure the Parts and lets just say i had to get the good measurement tools out ... Im allways happy to see something build by the people who design it thats for sure a important ingrediant for the extra premium quality
And to think I've just made my first watercooled rig last November, and I was so happy I could find some EKWB parts at a discount. Not gonna change them now, money don't grow on trees and all that. But I'll definitely look elsewhere for future builds. Bytski, Alphacool, Aqua Computer etc are all in Europe here, so... For example I got the " D5 NEXT " pump from Aqua Computer, which is an impressive-quality model, very silent even at 4800rpm, included display with a lot of sensor info... sensors that are actually included in the pump. Also the Leakshield lid option for the reservoir is unique - creating negative pressure in the loop to prevent leaks. This pump puts many similar pumps from other devs to shame, EK's included - highly recommended! (not a commercial, just a happy customer). Bytski fittings are another thing I recommend, especially their "alternate" solution to the O-ring coupling system for the rigid tubing. Also they cost half the price of EK or Corsair fittings, for example. What I'm trying to say is: even if EK, one of the biggest players on the water cooling market, goes extinct, there are other options out there, that can easily surpass them in quality and "worth of purchase".
On my build I have Aquacomputer Aquaero 6XT, it's old but is still one of the best fan controllers on market, using their Splitty and flow sensor Next with Quadro For fittings I'm very happy with Bykski and Barrow for good 6 or 7 years, using their fittings on several builds and no issues, for radiators I went with Hardware Labs and MO-ra3 360mm, but I have used Alphacool radiators, just they're not for me Other brands which I highly recommend is Watercool (Heatkiller), using their reservoir and I personally prefer it
Man seeing all of these EK things go down while I built a fully EK loop a few weeks ago for my new pc. I mean I guess the products are mostly fine it just sucks knowing what was happening.
As someone who also recently built and all EK system I'm not going to tear it apart but I'm definitely not going to buy from them in the future or recommend them going forward.
The only real problem I see with EK water blocks is that while you have those parts in your system, if they do go out of business or into bankruptcy, you're never going to be able to get a warranty on your part.
I'm in the same boat as you, and I just bought more parts to convert my full coverage GPU block/s to using a passive backplate. I am holding out hope that EK improves, there's no reason a company that big should have been doing such shady things as they've been allegedly doing.
@@TTM1895 it's unlikely they'll go anywhere. As Steve pointed out in his original video, EK is much bigger than just EKWB, meaning they're involved in a lot more than just the water cooling parts.
I built a SFF water cooled PC in the NR200P. I ended up using XSPC 240mm Ultrathin Radiators; one of which had to be crossflow for the tubing to work. The XSPC crossflows has 4 ports so you have to plug the two ports you don't use and you have to use the ports diagonally across from each other. It made the experience so nice.
Nice to see Optimus getting some of the spotlight. I have CPU/GPU blocks from them and couldn't be happier with the performance. After EK, I swore off nickel plating for life, so my new blocks are black ceramic and copper. Heatkiller also makes some very finely crafted reservoirs. I have a 200mm glass reservoir that has been in my build for a while. Breaking it down for cleaning and reassembling it is a machinist's pleasure. Everything just fits perfectly.
I know you said you don’t plan on mounting it vertical but if you buy a high density thin led strip it fits on the left side of the block in the acrylic gap by the mounting hardware. I have the same block and I have the whole block lit up with an led strip. I can share pictures of the setup if you’re interested!
I have been using Optimus blocks for years and have been very happy with all of them. If you want to add rgb to the 4090 block there is a slot in the block where the i/o ports are and you can add a small rgb strip in there. I did this and it shines the light nicely through the whole block.
I do not know about us, but aquacomputer and heatkiller are very cheap in eu, the most expensive block from aqua is like 170€, silver milled blocks are like 200-300 but those are made out of sterling silver
They have thicker cold plates, thicker fins, and less fin density. I have used alphacool, watercool, EK, bysksi, bitspower and Corsair blocks (probably missing a couple) and even my first gen Optimus block is a couple degrees at minimum ahead of any of the others I have used. With LM on my 3080 Ti pulling around ~570w it kept the core with 6-7c of my liquid temperature and my memory was like 1C warmer than the core. My loop does have much stronger flow rates than most with around 1100LpH.
3 месяца назад
Never Alphacool for me, the sold me tubes that malformed them selves while in use.
WOW!!!! Nice to see an American Co making really quality stuff again!!!!!!!! Makes me want to look into water cooling for the first time in my life and I'm 50 years old now.
Glad to see you finally check out Optimus. They have amazing designs. I happen to have a CPU block, fittings, and a pump/res combo from them. The pump res combo even using a a machine chunk of metal to house the pump that acts as a heatsink for it. I really hope they eventually move to making rads in the future.
For a niche product like a GPU waterblock to be manufactured in the US for $400 is actually an insanely good deal considering the equivalent from EK cost the same thing which was mass produced in China for pennies, probably. This is cool, Jay. Showing a US company some love is always awesome to see. I think I am going to try and look into getting some watercooling parts from them. I absolutely LOVE the clean, minimalist look of the CPU block. Definitely something that I am attracted to. EDIT: I bet you already saw this but Optimus also makes some really clean looking fittings as well!
Buddy say what you want about ekwb but if their stuff was made for pennies on the dollar they wouldn't be in their current financial mess. China is the most advanced mass manufacturing market on the planet. It's 2024, it's not longer a place you can joke about making janky parts for cheap. Even if they over work and underpay it's not like it was 20 some years ago
No, it is not insanely good. Watercool does their stuff in germany and a 4090 cooler is 260€. Not even Aquacomputer was as expensive as Optimus in the past even with crazy good tolerances. The Optimus stuff looks good, but i doubt their production capacity (they were often sold out during the first year of 4090)and the price is just insane. Furthermore they claim to be way better than competition, when they are clearly not. It is a good product from what i saw, but the pricing is insane.
Your post in completely wrong. All EK GPU blocks are machined in Slovenia. They outsource other parts out to China, like the Surface Radiators and fans, NOT gpu blocks. Also the price of an EK block is about $270, no where near the price of this optimus block. The process for every single one of these companies is the same. They mill blanks to spec. The "mass production" is merely how many people can man a CNC. While you're looking into the Optimus stuff, look into their atrocious lead times, their inability to ceramic coat properly following their inability to nickel plate, their thermal pads leaching oil and being too think to the point of bending PCBs. I'd love to go on about how hit and miss they are, and how they treat their customers like trash. EK screws over their staff, Optimus screws over their customers. Pick your poison.
@@TheFIghtin From the research I have done since making this post, all of those problems had been happening years ago, and that was because they're super picky on the materials and products that they use. From what I understand, whatever they don't make themselves they source from a US company. Every response I have seen from Optimus's CS has been very detailed, in depth but to the point and they don't cast blame onto anything else but instead they take accountability for their shortcomings and will replace any faulty, defective product that a customer receives. Most of the problems people have been having are from foreign contaminants/metals in radiators and fittings that aren't made by Optimus, which again, they will work with you if you have an issue with your product.
Off topic but the last video I just watched was the latest from The Slow Mo Guys and though you were not mentioned this time, Gavin does bring you up a lot, he has said that your channel is one of Gav's favorites. So you guys gotta do a collab of some sort, I bet he would be down to film whatever with you in slow mo.
I bought barrow fittings for my custom loop in January and couldn't be happier. Amazing aesthetic and equally good performance. Wish I could say more about their other offerings, but if they hold their products to the same standard, its an excellent product!
I love Optimus WBs. I bought one when i couldnt get an EK block for my 13900k. I got mine about a year ago, they were out of stock and a batch was out at nickel plating. I was able to talk with someone and they said they would be back soon and i asked if they come back before the weekend can i get it over-nighted. Sure enough they did get them back got the block to me on Friday. I was stoked when i found out it came with KPx. It does an amazing job on my CPU. I really wish they had a little more variety, i would love a GPU block for my MSI card but they do not have one at this time. Will probably base my builds around what this company has available for blocks.
I’ve been running Optimus blocks on my 5900x and 3080 ftw3 for 3+ years and they’re great. Cooling performance is beyond solid and their aesthetics are epic. Been using EK mystic fog premix the entire and no clogging or breakdown issue. 3080 with a strong OC tops out at 43c which ends up being about 2-3c over the coolant in temp. Their customer service and warranty are amazing. My cpu block acrylic cracked twice and they replaced it both times no questions asked. I had something similar happen to my EKWB distro plate and it was a nightmare to replace. Also, I’ve been using only Barrow fittings for 4ish years on 4 or 5 different systems and they’ve been solid. I have Black Ice Nemesis rads (45 and 60mm) in my main gaming PC and I have no complaints.
They need more publicity about their awful customer service, never shipping items on time, being 6 months late with items you pre order, their cerakote coatings falling off the block, their gaskets falling apart... I can't wait for Jay's follow up video where he has issues with their products.
Jay, I have never water cooled and I was about to use EK and I'm glad I didn't. Those Optimus blocks look awesome. I'm really looking forward to seeing how they perform in the system. I have supported other sponsors of yours, but this one really has me excited. Thanks for showing us these blocks, and as always, thank you and your team for everything that you do. Ronnie.
The tapered ends on the rad tanks are not for a smooth transition of flow, they are to promote even flow across the rad and even pressure in each cross tube of the rad. I am an Aerospace engineer that specializes in fluid cooling in electronic devices.
Curious if maybe the company told him this? He is promoting their products so I mean for a creator like him I would really doubt he would just say things about the product without knowing
Lmao I can’t wait for that Optimus block to fail in terms of the coating that’s going to be fun to see. I remember someone on Reddit getting in contact with them asking for a new one they told that person since the block was discontinued they couldn’t replace it. And for him to send it back in to recoat the block. That’s just crazy a 400$ block that fails and then you have to clean your loop because the coating failed. I’m sticking with Ekwb hopefully they they their stuff together.
Those blocks are beautiful, very sleek and classy like a good suit. Can't wait to see a follow-up video on their performance, ease of install, maintenance, etc.
it's about time people started paying more attention to Optimus. I was thrilled to see them start popping up in Stuart's builds from GGF and now others too but I was frustrated for a long time not seeing Optimus being used when their products give such amazing results and look incredible. They are way better than EK
I really appreciate this video on a level that some won't. whenever I buy things I try to buy the best quality things that I can find, priorizing on stuff made here in the US. thanks for opening my eyes on a US manufacturer that is high quality.
Not so much in recent times. Lots of reports of quality issues (compared to where they were 5 years ago) and their prices have been fairly comical for a while. The top end EK water blocks were easily matched by brands like Heatkiller and Alphacool for significantly less than half the price.
@@AKGWolf Absolutely - I used a ton of Supremacy's on builds when it was the best thing out there - slowly switched to Heatkiller IV's as EK's prices started to creep up and up. And Up. The problem is that they have relied on the name and reputation for the last 4 or 5 years and kept on creeping the prices up whilst the quality went backwards. EK Quantum Velocity now typically close to £200 in UK, Heatkiller IV around £100 and works better. And for me that is a problem.
So cool! And glad to see more positive coverage for Barrow and the likes (all my fittings and pump are from barrow, pump has been in use for 3+ years and I got that for £40-50ish, it is a DDC with RGB, whisper quiet too). Watercooling can be so expensive when just going with the more well known brands despite there being so many good competitors. These blocks look nice for that more clean aesthetic but my gosh that price haha, then again similar with EK. My 7900xtx red devil is waterblocked with the Alphacool core block which is pretty much as heavy as that bad boooii x) but got it for around £160 with a blackfriday promotion! So good! I recommend everyone really look into all the brands, can save so much! I look forward to the build with those parts though! Yay for more watercooling content! Keep it up, Jay and co!
I've had Optimus blocks, fittings and reservoirs in my system for years now and they are absolutely top notch in both form and function. The GPU block does have a hidden channel to mount RGB between the plexi and the GPU case bracket.
PPCs has been a huge help for me over the past few years, always happy to see you plug them because your channel brought me to them. Also those new blocks look AWESOME. I would love to put them in my rig and go to a blacked out theme again if I had the money for it.
Jay, I purchased an Optimus 4090 block instead of the abp ek block because of everything you outlined here. Good choice. I am loving the performance of this thing. Be careful. The back thermal pad has trouble laying flat on the pcb. Mine caused temporary bending of the pcb. Once the thermal pad heats up it straightens out and the screws needed to be retightened. Good luck
Been running Barrow fittings, HWLabs black ice slim rads, Heatkiller blocks & glass res with alphacool glass tubes for 5 years now and I just LOVE those parts :)
That is stunning and beautiful workmanship! OptimusPC is going to be in my radar - especially a US based company - hell to the Yeah! Thanks Jay for sharing!
USA! USA! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Really glad you’re giving these guys a shot. Love their design language and attention to detail and quality. Also, I don’t think you need more RGB in your build Jay. It’s called “Skunk Works”. These blocks look like they came from the SR-71 or the DarkStar from Top Gun 2. The matte all-black look will be sick!! Embrace it! lol 😆
I’m doing a black and copper build. I bought the Optimus version 2 block for my Strix OC 4090 in black. I disassembled the block, sandblasted the internal water channels and Cerakoted it in Copper Suede, an H series, heat cured coating. It looks so sweet I want to share it with everyone.
No issues with the rings after sandblast? You are removing material as you know even tiny amount. I'm guessing everything is screwed down tight enough to compensate. Sounds cool, great idea. btw did you use actual sand or soda or beads or whatever...cat eye sleep crust..
Thank you for recommending a one stop shop. I’ve been building since the 90’s and since this hobby has become mainstream thanks to streamers, it’s been difficult to have a reliable and great store front to buy from.
That's cool you are finally getting a chance to check out Optimus water blocks. I found out about them last year when trying to do some research for what other cpu blocks were out there. I ended up ordering one of their amd blocks for my AM5 build. Though took awhile for them to fulfill my order. I order the block in February, 2023 and got it in May, 2023.
Yup. Optimus is amazing and hands down make the best blocks in the business. Can't wait to watch Jay react to the cold plate. I send their parts to a finishing place to have them nickel plated. I've had optimus send me the blocks unfinished in raw brass. 4090 block and amd signature v3 are incredible. Liquid metal on both bare die on 7950x3d. Love performance pcs!
I used barrow on my old build somewhere in 2018. Just because they were much cheaper than bitspower, they worked really well. At the time no one knew anything about them and warned me about buying water-cooling parts off AliExpress. But they were solid
Byski is also a really good brand with lots of products in their lineup. I have used Barro stuff in the past but Byski was the only company that made a waterblock for my XFX 6800XT when I was looking. It works great and I have not had any leaks or issues in about 12-18months
Great choice of rad! I use a GTS nemesis 280 x-flow with push/pull fans pulling cool air in to cool a 3080 and 5800x3d in an itx build and it does a brilliant job.
The BlackIce rads are amazing. I've got 2 420's in my Corsair 7000D. Top one is standard flow, then front one is cross flow (which makes draining a piece of cake)
Those are some freaking amazing looking parts. The coating alone is worth it but the fact that the parts machined that superbly and made in the USA...I know what I'm checking out tonight.
Finally water cooling components that are actually worth the money. In my eyes at least. These are components that SkunkWorks truly deserves! Can't wait for the rebuild video! PC BUILD HYPE!
We call that TBOE in UK (Top,Bottom, Opposite Ends) was very common on large central heating systems with lower pressure allowing the heat to assist with the movement of water through the heating system
I love working with their cross-flow rads. There's a 280mm on the way to do a liquid cooling conversion on my new mATX setup. Used to run a 360 in a full ATX build with the water flowing down through the radiator. Made draining the loop really easy not having to flip it around to drain the rad.
I've never been a loyalist to the "made in USA" stuff, since I'm in construction and know the VERY questionable quality of USA made stuff across the board.... But this? This looks fuckin' KILLER. I already had an EKWB pump, GPU block, and CPU block that don't make financial sense to replace atm, but holy hell, I've already bookmarked Optimus for my future builds whenever AM6 or w/e happens. Hopefully a GOOD pump manufacturer will surface soon, or maybe a built-in for my Y70 Touch will happen on a distro block. Side note; I've been using Barrow parts for a while, and they're SO much better than what you'd expect for the price. Currently running Barrow for my dual 360 rads, 90s, and straight fittings.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I am very interested in the Optimus brand now that I know they exist. I can't believe how nice that looks
Hey jay, i haven't really been watching you, but I'm very excited to see the build. On a side note, i think people end up learning about the hardware analysis side of things over time, but the fact that you also do these builds brings us back because it is something we always want to see more of. Love from a brazilian PC enthusiast that was born through your content ❤
I’m homeless compared to Jay… but I still tore out my EK parts this week for Alphacool… I can’t fathom supporting a company that doesn’t valve their own employees. Even if they already got my money; it’s the principle. Good on you Jay and the team!
Smiling! Air is a fluid. Gas/ 21% oxygen, 79% Nitrogen more or less per my Scuba days. Sure, someone already got you on this but, being a dyslexic high school drop with a GED have to prove to my self, I be smart. Big Smile!
To be honest, I've never been much of a fan of water cooling or RGB . . . BUT I have to say that these parts look really nice! They should make for a nice looking build!
Im so glad you finally got some Optimus blocks. Been using them since having my 9900k and 2080Ti, and went with them again for my 7800X3D and 3080Ti. I love them. Although mine are just the normal nickel coloring as they didnt offer the ceramic coating until later.
I discovered modern pc watercooling through Jay (I tried it way back in the day of external aquarium pumps, adapted transmission radiators, etc). I learned about EK through Jay, and built my first open loop system back in October 2019.
When I eventually upgrade my system, I'll be using new stuff based on his evolving experience with manufacturers.
Thanks, Jay, your channel never fails to be both informative and entertaining (iFixiiiiiiiiiit!!!)
Just a heads up, I think you meant custom loop instead of open loop. That term gets thrown around for some reason and I've seen people get hammered for it on other forums.
I’ve said it once I’ll say it again, performance PCs is headquartered in my hometown. They’re some of the coolest and nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of talking to.
Can you ask them to make a matte black cerakoted reservoir to match their blocks? That'd be sick...
@@Truex007 Performance PCs is a distributor, Optimus is the manufacturer of the blocks
I've said "I've said it before" and "I'll say it again" before, and I'll say "I've said it before" and "I'll say it again" again.
@@joshburgin4379 Performance PC's offers a cerakoting service. They can customize any color you want your block to be in Cerakoting.
Easily one of the best businesses I've ever dealt with for anything
Wow. EKWB isn't just going down in flames. It's going down in an atomic explosion.
I'm waiting for the sonic boom!
EKWB got Oppenheimer'd
nah watch people forget after a week or two
Vaporising
This might sound bad but I hope this whole debacle will lead to shops trying to clear their inventory and EKWB being super cheap for a while.
being a CNC machinist from Chicago that ended up loving pc building and your channel, this is so cool to see
Please hurry with this build those blocks are stunning and I'm excited to see it. Also, do the frosted tubing and use blacklights to light them up that would look sick.
Can't wait to see this rebuild. Glad to see the support of a US company as well. Excited to see where it goes
Had Optimus blocks in on my 3090 and Intel cpu for 2 years now, LOVE THEM! I ordered a block from EK that came damaged due to poor packaging. I had two other negative experiences with them on my build and just gave up as I couldn't see why EK was always being touted. Found Optimus and so glad I did. Block took a long time to get, but they were always very up front and sent emails regularly with updates on batches. When I got it, it was so worth the wait.
My 4090 block from EK had a missing standoff (didn't impact performance) and a metal shaving stuck to inlet jetplate. Lucky I had plexi so I could see it and that it wasn't on the other side so it didn't travel passed the gpu...
@@Teletha I also had some bad experiences with my first ek 4090 water block tone of the cables that needed to connect to the MOBO was damaged, I lost over $400 for nothing, replaced it with Byski and couldn't be happier, it is not worth spending that much for a water block when you can spend under $200 for one that does a great job or better. The only thing I have from EK is their water coolant and cleaning supply kit as well, never had any issues from that part, most of my other parts are from Thermaltake
6:35. That actually makes sense to me, because you said it was drain. I want the water "out" so I open the flow, I want to keep the water "in" so the drain is closed.
Nice to see Black Ice rads being shown - they were absolutely top of the tree 20 years ago - I though they had disappeared for a while - but nope - still about producing high quality rads.
They're high quality but some are quite restrictive (particularly the thin U-flow rads, like the 480GTS in the vid).
@@concinnus Don't forget that a restrictive rad equates to more cooling time in the rad for the water. It's not all about blasting fluid thru there at 1000mph.
@@malphadour This is an old myth that I swear I've seen debunked, though I can't find that testing now. The theoretical correction: let's say you cut the width of your flat radiator tubes in half. Resistance doubles, flow velocity actually doubles for the same flow rate, dwell time doubles, and fluid in tubes is cut in half. None of that is helpful, unless the higher flow velocity is enough to cause turbulence. Alternately, switching from XFlow to UFlow: your tube area is cut in half and length doubles. So resistance is 4x, velocity is double, and dwell time is the same.
More importantly, the practical correction -- to the consumer all that matters is that some less restrictive radiators perform as well (at low fan speed, Alphacool Nexxos and some XSPC specifically), so clearly the restriction isn't helping. Unfortunately, the only testing I can find of Nemesis XFlow is xtremerigs, and their methodology is garbage (they normalize by delta T, for starters).
@@malphadour there are other ways to get more cooling time whilst being less restrictive, like the cross flow ones he is using. More restrictive means the pump needs to work harder.
With a pump like a D5, the honest reality is that the restriction basically doesn't matter. You'll be able to get a decent flow rate through two of the most restricted Hardware Labs radiators you can find, and as many blocks as you can reasonably fit, and still great flow rates at sub 50% pump speeds. I run a GTX360 and a GTS360, plus GPU and CPU blocks, and my D5 is locked to 30% RPM and totally silent.
I used those exact radiators in my build. The Cross Flow was SUPER important for a clean look so I could get from one side of the case to the other without a long tubing run.
Good choice!
Now you can change that partially plugged radiator like ya should have when discovering the chunks in the reservoir. lol
requires effort.
@@ottorouth As he is tearing everything apart it's not all that much effort to replace the radiators.
@@blahorgaslisk7763 I agree 100%
@@blahorgaslisk7763 isn’t he changing the radiators anyway? Isn’t that what he talked about at the beginning of the video?
@@conorstewart2214 Don't really know. I don't have time to watch him chew about everything over and over and over again. So I jumpa a fair bit in the video. Now the OP was asking if it wasn't a good idea to change them and I wrote that if he rips everything apart it's not all that much of an effort to swap out the radiators. He will have to redo all the hard tubing anyway when replacing the CPU and GPU blocks and the reservoir and pump. So I can't see much reason not to replace the radiators when he has the chance.
I came across Optimus shortly after finishing my current system last summer. They will definitely be a part of my next build. Semi local and as a CNC machinist myself, I can really appreciate the efforts they go through.
Looks like these guys are going for EKWB's throat with the level of quality and the little touches like the pre cut thermal pads.
Maybe in NA but not EU. The shipping, customs and VAT would be too much. I guess Watercool would be the ”equal” to Optimus here. No false marketing though like saying that: our CPU block gives better cooling than delidding.
Alphacool was okay too
Take note, EK... I own in box EK stuff waiting for a build soon and I'm SERIOUSLY considering just selling the shit for this!
Quality! LOL that's funny. Wait until the finish starts coming off. Then Optimus says they don't have any warranty replacements available. That's what happened to me and a few other people.
@@Simon_Denmark kinda sucks there is no reverse flow for you guys, that is if I order from Watercool and do not exceed $800 USD I do not pay any import duties and shipping is honestly not horribly worse than inside the US for the standard tier.
As someone with 3 optimus blocks (modified the 3090 backplate to mount a threadripper block for vram) in my current system, i think you'll enjoy them, and if you get the itch for rgb, the gpu blocks are easy to mount a strip too and the cpu blocks have 3rd party 3d printed pieces that can be added
I love my AlphaCool Nexxxos full copper X flow rads. They have been my go to for all my builds.
best rads apparently. They use real copper.
Yea alphacool has always been the best. Everytime I wanted to use another rad for something I would go right back to Alphacool at the end.
@@CwStrife I've used a thermaltake and a slim EK rad when I was doing budget stuff and they worked fine but the AlphaCools are my favorite
+1 for Barrow fittings. I started with EKWB but moved to Barrow and I've had zero problems and saved so much money.
And +1 For Performance PCs. Great company to order from, and if you ever have a problem or a question or even a return, they're super quick to respond.
That World of Warships ad still gives me a chuckle after all this time.
Nothing tops his iFixit ad.
Been using Barrow watercoooling stuff for years, and I never had an issue with any of their stuff. They're premium fittings for budget prices.
No one is talking about Optimus’s long wait/ship times or their lack of communication…. Optimus is going to have a massive influx of orders now with this spotlight, so time will tell if they correct their course and fix their house.
This is pretty much why I went with Watercool out in Germany on my last two builds. They ship pretty quickly and their communication and customer service has been top notch for me.
Their products are top notch but their customer service department could improve. I hear more bad then good when it comes to lead-times, questions about peoples orders and such. I've had a hit or miss with their customer support.
I have had issues with terrible lead times on EKWB and Alphacool, honestly its par for the course with Watercooling companies it seems
if a company has wait/shipping times they shouldnt be sending parts to YT's before the peopel who are rodering the parts imho.
@@hotaru25189 Optimus is not a new company. I've had their waterblocks for about 4 years now.
They only issue i've experienced with them is that they tend to make their blocks in batches, and I had to wait 4 weeks for my 3080Ti waterblock (to replace the EK block I had) because they usually start with pre-orders. But once they are able to make enough stock, their shipping times is about as fast as you can get for even ground shipping. When I got their Am4/Am5 waterblock, I got it to my door within 4 days of shipping.
They almost now, exclusively use ceramic coating on their water blocks because it tends to have the least issues with regard to material compatibility with mixed metals in the loop and coolants.
I've heard complaints about how they handle marketing and social media; which is something I can overlook since the product is so damn good and actually performs 5c cooler compared to EK's blocks in my experience.
Also, its a US-based company which is always a plus.
Hey!! Glad to see Optimus getting some attention!! I got my waterblock for the EVGA 3080Ti from these guys. It took a little while to show up because ... y'know ... Covid n'shit, but I absolutely loved how easy the block install was. Smooth as silk install, loved the look and NO RGB nonsense. Loved doing business with them.
I've been really happy with the new alphacool Core series blocks... Pre-cut pads, full coverage, and brass threads...
I just picked one of those up from PPCS for my FE 4090, looks awesome, I just need to find time to put it on and in my rig.
I like that!!
as i German i went with TechN who are in Berlin also Manufacture there and there toleranzes are insane as a mechanical engineer I obv had to measure the Parts and lets just say i had to get the good measurement tools out ...
Im allways happy to see something build by the people who design it thats for sure a important ingrediant for the extra premium quality
4090 and 1700 block from them? I dont see that on homepage
No matter the reason, I love other WC companies getting some love. I'll definitely give other brands a try for future builds
And to think I've just made my first watercooled rig last November, and I was so happy I could find some EKWB parts at a discount.
Not gonna change them now, money don't grow on trees and all that. But I'll definitely look elsewhere for future builds. Bytski, Alphacool, Aqua Computer etc are all in Europe here, so...
For example I got the " D5 NEXT " pump from Aqua Computer, which is an impressive-quality model, very silent even at 4800rpm, included display with a lot of sensor info... sensors that are actually included in the pump. Also the Leakshield lid option for the reservoir is unique - creating negative pressure in the loop to prevent leaks. This pump puts many similar pumps from other devs to shame, EK's included - highly recommended! (not a commercial, just a happy customer).
Bytski fittings are another thing I recommend, especially their "alternate" solution to the O-ring coupling system for the rigid tubing. Also they cost half the price of EK or Corsair fittings, for example.
What I'm trying to say is: even if EK, one of the biggest players on the water cooling market, goes extinct, there are other options out there, that can easily surpass them in quality and "worth of purchase".
On my build I have Aquacomputer Aquaero 6XT, it's old but is still one of the best fan controllers on market, using their Splitty and flow sensor Next with Quadro
For fittings I'm very happy with Bykski and Barrow for good 6 or 7 years, using their fittings on several builds and no issues, for radiators I went with Hardware Labs and MO-ra3 360mm, but I have used Alphacool radiators, just they're not for me
Other brands which I highly recommend is Watercool (Heatkiller), using their reservoir and I personally prefer it
Man seeing all of these EK things go down while I built a fully EK loop a few weeks ago for my new pc. I mean I guess the products are mostly fine it just sucks knowing what was happening.
As someone who also recently built and all EK system I'm not going to tear it apart but I'm definitely not going to buy from them in the future or recommend them going forward.
J is just being himself. A nal
The only real problem I see with EK water blocks is that while you have those parts in your system, if they do go out of business or into bankruptcy, you're never going to be able to get a warranty on your part.
I'm in the same boat as you, and I just bought more parts to convert my full coverage GPU block/s to using a passive backplate. I am holding out hope that EK improves, there's no reason a company that big should have been doing such shady things as they've been allegedly doing.
@@TTM1895 it's unlikely they'll go anywhere. As Steve pointed out in his original video, EK is much bigger than just EKWB, meaning they're involved in a lot more than just the water cooling parts.
I built a SFF water cooled PC in the NR200P. I ended up using XSPC 240mm Ultrathin Radiators; one of which had to be crossflow for the tubing to work. The XSPC crossflows has 4 ports so you have to plug the two ports you don't use and you have to use the ports diagonally across from each other. It made the experience so nice.
Yes Optimus! I love their AMD Foundation block.
Nice to see Optimus getting some of the spotlight. I have CPU/GPU blocks from them and couldn't be happier with the performance. After EK, I swore off nickel plating for life, so my new blocks are black ceramic and copper. Heatkiller also makes some very finely crafted reservoirs. I have a 200mm glass reservoir that has been in my build for a while. Breaking it down for cleaning and reassembling it is a machinist's pleasure. Everything just fits perfectly.
I know you said you don’t plan on mounting it vertical but if you buy a high density thin led strip it fits on the left side of the block in the acrylic gap by the mounting hardware. I have the same block and I have the whole block lit up with an led strip.
I can share pictures of the setup if you’re interested!
I have the 3080 block and I was always bleak it didn't come with RGB. Could you share your solution please?
Which led strip did you use? I haven't found one that fits.
Funny because I actually used an EKWB thin high density led strip on my Optimus.
I have been using Optimus blocks for years and have been very happy with all of them. If you want to add rgb to the 4090 block there is a slot in the block where the i/o ports are and you can add a small rgb strip in there. I did this and it shines the light nicely through the whole block.
I do not know about us, but aquacomputer and heatkiller are very cheap in eu, the most expensive block from aqua is like 170€, silver milled blocks are like 200-300 but those are made out of sterling silver
They have thicker cold plates, thicker fins, and less fin density. I have used alphacool, watercool, EK, bysksi, bitspower and Corsair blocks (probably missing a couple) and even my first gen Optimus block is a couple degrees at minimum ahead of any of the others I have used.
With LM on my 3080 Ti pulling around ~570w it kept the core with 6-7c of my liquid temperature and my memory was like 1C warmer than the core. My loop does have much stronger flow rates than most with around 1100LpH.
Never Alphacool for me, the sold me tubes that malformed them selves while in use.
Only thing from alphacool i had issues with thus far is the quick disconnects
WOW!!!! Nice to see an American Co making really quality stuff again!!!!!!!! Makes me want to look into water cooling for the first time in my life and I'm 50 years old now.
Barrow also has that Frosted Titanium colour available. Excellent quality fittings, second only to Bitspower imo 👍
Glad to see you finally check out Optimus. They have amazing designs. I happen to have a CPU block, fittings, and a pump/res combo from them. The pump res combo even using a a machine chunk of metal to house the pump that acts as a heatsink for it. I really hope they eventually move to making rads in the future.
For a niche product like a GPU waterblock to be manufactured in the US for $400 is actually an insanely good deal considering the equivalent from EK cost the same thing which was mass produced in China for pennies, probably. This is cool, Jay. Showing a US company some love is always awesome to see. I think I am going to try and look into getting some watercooling parts from them. I absolutely LOVE the clean, minimalist look of the CPU block. Definitely something that I am attracted to.
EDIT: I bet you already saw this but Optimus also makes some really clean looking fittings as well!
Buddy say what you want about ekwb but if their stuff was made for pennies on the dollar they wouldn't be in their current financial mess. China is the most advanced mass manufacturing market on the planet. It's 2024, it's not longer a place you can joke about making janky parts for cheap. Even if they over work and underpay it's not like it was 20 some years ago
No, it is not insanely good. Watercool does their stuff in germany and a 4090 cooler is 260€. Not even Aquacomputer was as expensive as Optimus in the past even with crazy good tolerances. The Optimus stuff looks good, but i doubt their production capacity (they were often sold out during the first year of 4090)and the price is just insane. Furthermore they claim to be way better than competition, when they are clearly not. It is a good product from what i saw, but the pricing is insane.
Your post in completely wrong. All EK GPU blocks are machined in Slovenia. They outsource other parts out to China, like the Surface Radiators and fans, NOT gpu blocks. Also the price of an EK block is about $270, no where near the price of this optimus block. The process for every single one of these companies is the same. They mill blanks to spec. The "mass production" is merely how many people can man a CNC. While you're looking into the Optimus stuff, look into their atrocious lead times, their inability to ceramic coat properly following their inability to nickel plate, their thermal pads leaching oil and being too think to the point of bending PCBs. I'd love to go on about how hit and miss they are, and how they treat their customers like trash.
EK screws over their staff, Optimus screws over their customers. Pick your poison.
@@TheFIghtin From the research I have done since making this post, all of those problems had been happening years ago, and that was because they're super picky on the materials and products that they use. From what I understand, whatever they don't make themselves they source from a US company. Every response I have seen from Optimus's CS has been very detailed, in depth but to the point and they don't cast blame onto anything else but instead they take accountability for their shortcomings and will replace any faulty, defective product that a customer receives.
Most of the problems people have been having are from foreign contaminants/metals in radiators and fittings that aren't made by Optimus, which again, they will work with you if you have an issue with your product.
EK just went greedy
I used barrow for my recent fitting replacement needs and have no complaints with them.
Same here, I have used Barrow and Bykski fittings and their waterblock on several occasions and no issues
Off topic but the last video I just watched was the latest from The Slow Mo Guys and though you were not mentioned this time, Gavin does bring you up a lot, he has said that your channel is one of Gav's favorites. So you guys gotta do a collab of some sort, I bet he would be down to film whatever with you in slow mo.
I bought barrow fittings for my custom loop in January and couldn't be happier. Amazing aesthetic and equally good performance. Wish I could say more about their other offerings, but if they hold their products to the same standard, its an excellent product!
I love Optimus WBs. I bought one when i couldnt get an EK block for my 13900k. I got mine about a year ago, they were out of stock and a batch was out at nickel plating. I was able to talk with someone and they said they would be back soon and i asked if they come back before the weekend can i get it over-nighted. Sure enough they did get them back got the block to me on Friday. I was stoked when i found out it came with KPx. It does an amazing job on my CPU. I really wish they had a little more variety, i would love a GPU block for my MSI card but they do not have one at this time. Will probably base my builds around what this company has available for blocks.
Wait, you had a good experience with Optimus and their customer support team responded to you?
That's got to be a lie. They're absolutely useless.
@@NotThatGuyJD That's been my experience. Most of the time their customer support never replies. When they do reply, they can't help you.
I’ve been running Optimus blocks on my 5900x and 3080 ftw3 for 3+ years and they’re great. Cooling performance is beyond solid and their aesthetics are epic. Been using EK mystic fog premix the entire and no clogging or breakdown issue. 3080 with a strong OC tops out at 43c which ends up being about 2-3c over the coolant in temp. Their customer service and warranty are amazing. My cpu block acrylic cracked twice and they replaced it both times no questions asked. I had something similar happen to my EKWB distro plate and it was a nightmare to replace. Also, I’ve been using only Barrow fittings for 4ish years on 4 or 5 different systems and they’ve been solid. I have Black Ice Nemesis rads (45 and 60mm) in my main gaming PC and I have no complaints.
"How many thermal pads did they give you for the GPU?"
"Yes."
Only 1, but it's really f'ing big!
@@Nareimooncatt That was just the backplate my guy. They gave him PRECUT pads for every spot needed. Made a big deal out of it actually...
EK water blocks are epic.
These guys really need more publicity. Thank you Jay.
No they don't. They're a bad company, they make great products but they're worse than EK for consumers
They need more publicity about their awful customer service, never shipping items on time, being 6 months late with items you pre order, their cerakote coatings falling off the block, their gaskets falling apart... I can't wait for Jay's follow up video where he has issues with their products.
Jay, I have never water cooled and I was about to use EK and I'm glad I didn't. Those Optimus blocks look awesome. I'm really looking forward to seeing how they perform in the system. I have supported other sponsors of yours, but this one really has me excited. Thanks for showing us these blocks, and as always, thank you and your team for everything that you do.
Ronnie.
Knowing Jay, in 2 weeks will be using all stuff from EK again 😂😂😂
Went with Optimus a couple of years ago for my wc build and the block was gorgeous. It's still running strong I'm glad Optimus is too!
The tapered ends on the rad tanks are not for a smooth transition of flow, they are to promote even flow across the rad and even pressure in each cross tube of the rad. I am an Aerospace engineer that specializes in fluid cooling in electronic devices.
Curious if maybe the company told him this? He is promoting their products so I mean for a creator like him I would really doubt he would just say things about the product without knowing
Wow.. and I just wanted to watch a chill video of some guy building a custom loop (something you don't have)
@@Dale-TND not ripping Jay, he does a great job, just clarifying. Jay likes facts and detail.
As a former machinist, these chunks of metal make me VERY happy.
Lmao I can’t wait for that Optimus block to fail in terms of the coating that’s going to be fun to see. I remember someone on Reddit getting in contact with them asking for a new one they told that person since the block was discontinued they couldn’t replace it. And for him to send it back in to recoat the block. That’s just crazy a 400$ block that fails and then you have to clean your loop because the coating failed. I’m sticking with Ekwb hopefully they they their stuff together.
Those blocks are beautiful, very sleek and classy like a good suit. Can't wait to see a follow-up video on their performance, ease of install, maintenance, etc.
Optimus is amazing just way too damn expensive
Hopefully if they start selling more parts, economy of scale will bring down their prices a bit.
thats the cost of not made in china :P
@@d3lsl0w Ha, I doubt it took forever to get my 4090 block they were quite overwelmed.
Their stuff is always on back order.
@@TheCrypt1c Why would I care or pay for that, though? And your CPU and GPU that you're cooling are, case, psu, the entire PC so weird line
it's about time people started paying more attention to Optimus. I was thrilled to see them start popping up in Stuart's builds from GGF and now others too but I was frustrated for a long time not seeing Optimus being used when their products give such amazing results and look incredible. They are way better than EK
the bot comments are crazy 😭
because they are china😅
Chy-nah
@@JagjagulaGood one! The boss was right, again.😎
Re reading through them is crazy after reading yours, fucking chy nah
Go away bot
I really appreciate this video on a level that some won't. whenever I buy things I try to buy the best quality things that I can find, priorizing on stuff made here in the US. thanks for opening my eyes on a US manufacturer that is high quality.
really sucks cause ek had good stuff
Not so much in recent times. Lots of reports of quality issues (compared to where they were 5 years ago) and their prices have been fairly comical for a while. The top end EK water blocks were easily matched by brands like Heatkiller and Alphacool for significantly less than half the price.
@@malphadour but generally ek used to be the name for watercooling
@@AKGWolf Absolutely - I used a ton of Supremacy's on builds when it was the best thing out there - slowly switched to Heatkiller IV's as EK's prices started to creep up and up. And Up. The problem is that they have relied on the name and reputation for the last 4 or 5 years and kept on creeping the prices up whilst the quality went backwards. EK Quantum Velocity now typically close to £200 in UK, Heatkiller IV around £100 and works better. And for me that is a problem.
Thanks for doing this, almost went with Optimus on my last build a year ago and glad I now have somewhere to go after the EK fallout.
So cool! And glad to see more positive coverage for Barrow and the likes (all my fittings and pump are from barrow, pump has been in use for 3+ years and I got that for £40-50ish, it is a DDC with RGB, whisper quiet too). Watercooling can be so expensive when just going with the more well known brands despite there being so many good competitors. These blocks look nice for that more clean aesthetic but my gosh that price haha, then again similar with EK. My 7900xtx red devil is waterblocked with the Alphacool core block which is pretty much as heavy as that bad boooii x) but got it for around £160 with a blackfriday promotion! So good! I recommend everyone really look into all the brands, can save so much! I look forward to the build with those parts though! Yay for more watercooling content! Keep it up, Jay and co!
I am SO STOKED YOU are FInally not using EK, Nemsis and optium build is something I dreamed to build
I've had Optimus blocks, fittings and reservoirs in my system for years now and they are absolutely top notch in both form and function.
The GPU block does have a hidden channel to mount RGB between the plexi and the GPU case bracket.
PPCs has been a huge help for me over the past few years, always happy to see you plug them because your channel brought me to them.
Also those new blocks look AWESOME. I would love to put them in my rig and go to a blacked out theme again if I had the money for it.
Jay, I purchased an Optimus 4090 block instead of the abp ek block because of everything you outlined here. Good choice. I am loving the performance of this thing. Be careful. The back thermal pad has trouble laying flat on the pcb. Mine caused temporary bending of the pcb. Once the thermal pad heats up it straightens out and the screws needed to be retightened. Good luck
Been running Barrow fittings, HWLabs black ice slim rads, Heatkiller blocks & glass res with alphacool glass tubes for 5 years now and I just LOVE those parts :)
That is stunning and beautiful workmanship! OptimusPC is going to be in my radar - especially a US based company - hell to the Yeah! Thanks Jay for sharing!
USA! USA! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Really glad you’re giving these guys a shot. Love their design language and attention to detail and quality.
Also, I don’t think you need more RGB in your build Jay. It’s called “Skunk Works”. These blocks look like they came from the SR-71 or the DarkStar from Top Gun 2. The matte all-black look will be sick!! Embrace it! lol 😆
I’m doing a black and copper build. I bought the Optimus version 2 block for my Strix OC 4090 in black. I disassembled the block, sandblasted the internal water channels and Cerakoted it in Copper Suede, an H series, heat cured coating. It looks so sweet I want to share it with everyone.
No issues with the rings after sandblast? You are removing material as you know even tiny amount. I'm guessing everything is screwed down tight enough to compensate. Sounds cool, great idea. btw did you use actual sand or soda or beads or whatever...cat eye sleep crust..
Thank you for recommending a one stop shop. I’ve been building since the 90’s and since this hobby has become mainstream thanks to streamers, it’s been difficult to have a reliable and great store front to buy from.
I'm actually EXCITED for Jay to use these optimus blocks! I have one for my 3080TI and it's been INCREDIBLE!
That's cool you are finally getting a chance to check out Optimus water blocks. I found out about them last year when trying to do some research for what other cpu blocks were out there. I ended up ordering one of their amd blocks for my AM5 build. Though took awhile for them to fulfill my order. I order the block in February, 2023 and got it in May, 2023.
I've not paid huge attention to the PC parts space in a while, but this is seriously one of the nicest water cooling components I've seen in memory.
Yup. Optimus is amazing and hands down make the best blocks in the business. Can't wait to watch Jay react to the cold plate.
I send their parts to a finishing place to have them nickel plated. I've had optimus send me the blocks unfinished in raw brass. 4090 block and amd signature v3 are incredible. Liquid metal on both bare die on 7950x3d.
Love performance pcs!
I used barrow on my old build somewhere in 2018. Just because they were much cheaper than bitspower, they worked really well. At the time no one knew anything about them and warned me about buying water-cooling parts off AliExpress. But they were solid
Byski is also a really good brand with lots of products in their lineup. I have used Barro stuff in the past but Byski was the only company that made a waterblock for my XFX 6800XT when I was looking. It works great and I have not had any leaks or issues in about 12-18months
Great choice of rad!
I use a GTS nemesis 280 x-flow with push/pull fans pulling cool air in to cool a 3080 and 5800x3d in an itx build and it does a brilliant job.
Appreciate your dedication to homemade products and shows a lot of integrity swapping ek parts out like that. Appreciate you man
The BlackIce rads are amazing. I've got 2 420's in my Corsair 7000D. Top one is standard flow, then front one is cross flow (which makes draining a piece of cake)
Both water blocks look absolutely amazing!
This has me wanting to give a custom cooling loop on my upcoming build,I will be kicking RGB to the curb and have a simple clean build. Thanks Jay!!
I went with a Foundation block from Optimus for my 7950x3D and the performance is amazing. Raw copper look is beautiful too.
Those are some freaking amazing looking parts. The coating alone is worth it but the fact that the parts machined that superbly and made in the USA...I know what I'm checking out tonight.
Finally water cooling components that are actually worth the money. In my eyes at least. These are components that SkunkWorks truly deserves! Can't wait for the rebuild video! PC BUILD HYPE!
We call that TBOE in UK (Top,Bottom, Opposite Ends) was very common on large central heating systems with lower pressure allowing the heat to assist with the movement of water through the heating system
Thank you JayzTwocents. Always good to have options for water cooling. Especially when EK is having is problematic at the moment.
I have never seen Optimus pc. I also am a fan of RGB. Having said that, that's a great looking waterblock. It's simple and matte black. I love it fr.
I love working with their cross-flow rads. There's a 280mm on the way to do a liquid cooling conversion on my new mATX setup. Used to run a 360 in a full ATX build with the water flowing down through the radiator. Made draining the loop really easy not having to flip it around to drain the rad.
I've never been a loyalist to the "made in USA" stuff, since I'm in construction and know the VERY questionable quality of USA made stuff across the board....
But this? This looks fuckin' KILLER. I already had an EKWB pump, GPU block, and CPU block that don't make financial sense to replace atm, but holy hell, I've already bookmarked Optimus for my future builds whenever AM6 or w/e happens. Hopefully a GOOD pump manufacturer will surface soon, or maybe a built-in for my Y70 Touch will happen on a distro block.
Side note; I've been using Barrow parts for a while, and they're SO much better than what you'd expect for the price. Currently running Barrow for my dual 360 rads, 90s, and straight fittings.
to be fair, it says "made in USA", not "made well".
Man Jay I have so much Respect for you not just as a content creator, but as a person.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I am very interested in the Optimus brand now that I know they exist. I can't believe how nice that looks
Did Barrow's fittings and distro in my Y70 touch. Very happy with both and saved a few bucks to put toward other components.
you're a fantastic guy Jay! Over the years you have taught me a lot more than computer skillz. Appreciate you, your team, and your channel!
Thanks for also mentioning weights in metric units. Highly appreciated.
Hey jay, i haven't really been watching you, but I'm very excited to see the build.
On a side note, i think people end up learning about the hardware analysis side of things over time, but the fact that you also do these builds brings us back because it is something we always want to see more of.
Love from a brazilian PC enthusiast that was born through your content ❤
I’m homeless compared to Jay… but I still tore out my EK parts this week for Alphacool… I can’t fathom supporting a company that doesn’t valve their own employees. Even if they already got my money; it’s the principle.
Good on you Jay and the team!
Smiling!
Air is a fluid.
Gas/ 21% oxygen, 79% Nitrogen more or less per my Scuba days.
Sure, someone already got you on this but, being a dyslexic high school drop with a GED have to prove to my self, I be smart. Big Smile!
Optimus blocks are absolutely amazing. I'm blown away by mine. My 4090 is one of the coolest components in my system
In my cooling loops I've always used HWLabs radiators. Incredible build quality!
Hats off to you Jay for standing behind your word. I sent all my EK products to a landfill.
To be honest, I've never been much of a fan of water cooling or RGB . . . BUT I have to say that these parts look really nice! They should make for a nice looking build!
Im so glad you finally got some Optimus blocks. Been using them since having my 9900k and 2080Ti, and went with them again for my 7800X3D and 3080Ti.
I love them. Although mine are just the normal nickel coloring as they didnt offer the ceramic coating until later.
I'm very excited to see how good the CPU and GPU coolers will look. First of all, I would set the fan LEDs like floodlights to highlight the coolers
As a machinist, the quality of the machining on these parts tickles my brain like you wouldn't believe 🤤