10 CPU water blocks tested on socket LGA1700 and AM5 in a big roundup including a necessary reappraisal

Aqua Computer cuplex kryos NEXT

The cuplex kryos NEXT from Aqua Computer is also available in the LGA1700 version. A conversion kit to AM5 is available separately. The LGA1700 SKU comes with the block itself, a sheet metal backplate with rubber insulation, 4 sets of standoffs, springs and screws, a matching H4 Allen key, a syringe of thermal paste and a spatula. This version of the block costs 110 euros, while other versions, e.g. with acetal cover, are available from 75 euros.

The block itself is made entirely of nickel-plated copper, which effectively makes it the number one fingerprint magnet. For assembly, the backplate with the rubber support is held against the mainboard from behind, and then standoffs with neoprene washers are screwed in from the front for insulation. The block is then placed on top and fixed in place with springs and knurled screws.

A practical feature here is that the standoffs are practically a grub screw with an H2 hexagon socket head and can be screwed in and unscrewed from the back – provided they are not so soft that the head tears out after 2 assemblies. In the end, I had to use pliers to remove them, with the corresponding risk of metal shavings on the mainboard.

Unfortunately, the backplate is relatively thin and bends noticeably as soon as the standoffs are screwed in. The backplate of the socket / ILM naturally protrudes more on the back than the PCB, and the thin, albeit stamped sheet metal causes the bending here. As a result, the standoffs on the front are no longer completely straight, so that the block is not so easy to attach. In fact, you have to bend the board back a little or press the standoffs apart so that the block with its very precisely manufactured holes slides into position in the stainless steel guides – which is exactly what a backplate should actually prevent.

So far, so scary, but it gets even more worrying. According to the instructions, the knurled screws with spring are then tightened to the end of the thread – assuming they can withstand it. Because one screw literally jumped into my face. Advertising a mounting system with “solid stainless steel brackets”, but then punching the backplate out of thin sheet metal and using soft aluminum screws is a bit ironic. Here, too, the support team was able to help me and send me a new set of screws within a few days. But if the forces acting on the LGA1700 socket are known and literally predictable, then perhaps water block manufacturers should allow for somewhat greater safety reserves and not use the mounting hardware at its absolute limit.

Sure, for most users who mount their water block once and then never touch it again, this can work, but conveying a high-quality impression is different. Just for fun, I measured the torques required to tighten the standoffs and knurled screws “to the stop” as described in the instructions: 0.8 Nm for the standoffs and 0.9 Nm for the screws. Depending on the material quality, this can be borderline for M3 threads.

Conversion to AM5

Aqua Computer offers several kits for converting the cuplex kryos NEXT to AM5. I opted for item number 21788, which additionally moves the water block downwards above the CPU and should therefore provide even better cooling performance (comparable to the AM5 Performance Kit from Alphacool). The kit costs 15 euros. If you already have an AM5 block and want to upgrade to Intel, you will have to reckon with 20 euros, although a backplate is also included in those kits.

To convert, the block must be opened by loosening the 4 screws on the base plate. According to the instructions, these are supposed to be hexagon socket screws and a corresponding wrench is included in the kit, but they are actually T20 Torx screws. Not a problem for me, but PC hobbyists might be annoyed by the lack of a wrench. After loosening the screws, the base plate can be easily removed. In the lid of the block, which is also made of nickel-plated copper, there is another smaller thread next to the thread for the screws of the base plate, in which H2.0 hexagon socket grub screws are located. These in turn hold the socket brackets in place and must be loosened. The two brackets can then simply be pulled out and the others for AM5 inserted.

Unfortunately, the groove on one side of my block is a little too narrow, making it very difficult to push a plate in and out. With a bit of pushing back and forth, it worked. Now the grub screws are reinserted and the block is simply put back together again. It is of course important to ensure that the two o-rings are seated correctly. One sits in the middle around the inlet and the other seals the block to the outside. There are no assembly instructions for AM5, but intuitively I combined the existing springs with the new knurled screws and simply screwed them into the standard backplate of the AM5 base. This is strange, because the conversion kit is explicitly designed for AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUs.

Due to the offset of the socket plates, the block effectively sits further down on the CPU, directly above the CPU’s heat-generating elements. This can also be seen in the TIM prints. While the finest structure on the Intel CPU was still in the middle, it has now moved slightly to the “south”. In theory, this should bring another small performance boost.

cuplex_kryos_next_english (1) cuplex_kryos_next_retrofit_en