Alphacool Core 1 Aurora
Let’s get to the elephant in the room. In addition to the block itself, the Alphacool Core 1 comes with a set of brackets and standoffs for Intel LGA1700 and for AMD AM4 and AM5. The block is no longer compatible with other platforms. For LGA1700, the core backplate is also included, which is designed to prevent the CPU and mainboard from bending as far as possible with its 3 mm thick steel construction. In the Aurora RGB version, an ARGB strip with a daisy-chain capable 3-pin JST connector is embedded in the cover of the block. A suitable adapter to 3-pin digital RGB for connection to mainboards is included. Finally, 4 rubber washers, 4 knurled nuts, a small tube of TIM and a spatula are included. A short manual in paper form is also included. The price is 119 euros, plus 19 euros for the AM5 Performance Kit.
An AM5 Performance Kit is also available separately, with which the block is effectively only moved approx. 1 cm downwards. The background to this is, of course, that the silicon of the heat-generating CPU cores in Ryzen CPUs is not located in the middle under the IHS, but a little further down. By moving the center of the water block accordingly, Alphacool hopes that the performance kit will – who would have thought it – deliver slightly better performance. At Alphacool’s request, we tested this kit in addition to the normal Core 1 without the Performance Kit. Both configurations and their performance are shown separately in the diagrams.
For installation, the corresponding “socket brackets” are simply pushed into the appropriate groove on the block and ideally click into place. “Ideally” because the groove on my block was milled too narrow and the brackets have approx. 1.8 mm play. As a result, they don’t really hold onto the block and don’t click into each other. The block can still be mounted, but that’s not how it’s supposed to be. Alphacool has confirmed that this is indeed a fault in a production batch and that customers can obtain a replacement block from support on request.
The brackets in turn have holes that are placed over the standoffs, on which the block is then fixed with the knurled nuts. With AMD, the standoffs are screwed into the standard backplate of the socket, with Intel into the included core backplate. Unlike many other blocks, there are no springs, so the block is screwed in “hard” and the nuts have a firm stop. The instructions do not give any explicit instructions for screwing the nuts on, only the standoffs are referred to as “hand-tight”. However, as there is metal on metal here, tightening them more firmly with a screwdriver would hardly generate any higher contact pressure on the CPU anyway.
After commissioning, the RGB strip (not) catches the eye, which looks a little weak on the chest. The G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB modules are significantly brighter in comparison. Otherwise, the block makes a solid impression.
The thermal paste impressions suggest that the nickel-plated copper base plate is strongly convex, especially along the transverse axis. On the LGA1700 CPU, the concavity is exactly along the other axis, i.e. rotated by 90 degrees, but it still looks as if the Core 1 could also make good contact here, at least to the center of the IHS, because the structure of the imprint is very fine there.
Mounting on AM5 (with performance kit)
Mounting on AM5 with the other standoffs with UNC thread for the standard backplate is also straightforward and simple. The fact that no springs, washers etc. are required when bolting makes installation extremely quick and easy.
Fitting the performance kit is slightly different. The two adapters are screwed to the backplate with the original screws of the AM5 cooler brackets, the block is then placed on top of these and the specially supplied knurled screws are then screwed through the holes in the socket brackets.
Unfortunately, another mistake has crept in here, as the recesses in the black adapter pieces have too small a diameter for the original screws on my mainboard.
Here, too, the support team naturally offers a solution with an extra set of screws, which was then sent to me. New AM5 performance kits should now come with these screws from the factory. But it is somehow disappointing that the accuracy of fit of various AM5 socket variants was not tested beforehand.
Alphacool Core 1 Aurora Black, Messing/Nickel (13446)
 | Zentrallager: verfügbar, Lieferung 3-5 WerktageFiliale Wilhelmshaven: nicht lagerndStand: 21.05.24 02:26 | 112,89 €*Stand: 21.05.24 02:28 |
 | Alsdorf: bei Vorbestellung in ca. 24h - 48h lagerndVersandlager: lagerndStand: 20.05.24 23:45 | 112,90 €*Stand: 20.05.24 23:47 |
 | 3-4 Werktage | 115,20 €*Stand: 21.05.24 01:22 |
- 1 - Introduction and test methodology
- 2 - Test hardware and systems
- 3 - EK-Quantum Velocity 2 D-RGB 1700
- 4 - Watercool Heatkiller IV Pro
- 5 - Alphacool Core 1 Aurora
- 6 - Aqua Computer cuplex kryos NEXT
- 7 - Thermaltake Pacific SW1 Plus
- 8 - Liquid Extasy No. Uno
- 9 - EK-Quantum Magnitude
- 10 - Corsair Hydro X XC7 RGB Pro
- 11 - Alphacool Eisblock XPX Aurora und XPX Pro 1U
- 12 - Results for Intel LGA 1700 – Core i9 13900KF
- 13 - Results for AMD AM5 – Ryzen 9 7950X
- 14 - Lessons learned, summary and conclusion
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