We discussed the VRM waterblock situation today very thoroughly. Here are some hard facts: it is very time-consuming to exactly measure motherboards. Next up, it is very time-consuming to produce MB-X waterblocks for them. But then, often enough, we only sell a few of those blocks! Inside the big Enthusiast market, watercooling is a niche, and VRM cooling is a niche in this niche, and WATERCOOL is a relatively unknown manufacturer with high quality products (and corresponding prices) - all this adds up to a small market segment that we can aim for. So, if we want to support VRM cooling (which we totally do want!), we need to find a modular system, that doesn't require a lot of designing and machining time for each separate motherboard, but comes with a handful of standardized components that can be assembled to match most motherboards on the market.
We already do have a few ideas how such a system could work, but we need data. We can't simply buy the 100 most popular motherboards to gather that data ourselves, so...
We need your help
If you want to help us, provide pictures of your motherboards! That way, we can hopefully build a broad database with which we can start initial designs. We need three clear, focused shots:
- motherboard socket area without the VRM heatsink(s), straight shot from above. Preferably not tilted or angled, but straight frontal shot. Example, Preferred example
- backside of the heatsink with thermal pads still applied (optimal: VRM prints in the pad visible) Example, Example2
- backside of the motherboard (with vrm heatsink backplates mounted, if present) Example
We are only looking for ATX and eATX boards with sockets 1151, 2011, 2011-v3, 2066 or AM4. If you have or want to provide pics, please send them to
Jakob@watercool.de and state the full name of your motherboard.
We cannot and do not promise that this will work out on the long term. As I said, we want to compare measurements and see if we can come up with a simple, modular, one-product-fits-most solution. Maybe we'll fail. But if we get a lot of samples and our initial rough pen sketches work out, we might come up with some sort of solution in 2018.
Thanks for your help!
![Jakob [WATERCOOL]](/community/data/avatars/m/277/277325.jpg?1604049650){kind=avatar}
