Test run and temperatures
As always, I connect the graphics card directly to the Chiller to offer absolutely the same test conditions at 20 °C water temperature. The first pass I do with factory settings, the second with 50% power limit and maximum clock. Then I start Witcher 3 on maximum details at 3840 x 2160 pixels (Ultra-HD) and later also Furmark.
As already written, the water temperature was as always constant 20 °C and the room temperature was 22 °C. This gives us the best conditions for later comparisons with another product, which I also had in advance in the test. Do how well is the new Aurora GPX-A doing well in the hardness test?
With an average GPU temperature of 35 to 36 °C in gaming (analogous to the EKWB Vector RX 5700), it is as high as 40 °C below the BGA, which is a good value. The memory is also well cooled and, at just over 42°C, is in the hottest spot between the VRM block and the GPU. The voltage converters are also quite cool, which can finally inspire, because they were always the absolute weak point with the older GPX models. Here the new design finally takes hold better and there is nothing more to complain about.
Furmark now raises THE GPU temperature sharply. With approx. 56 °C in the internally read GPU diode, the GPX-A is approx. 1 to 2 degrees behind the Vector, which can actually hurt, because almost all other temperatures are in some cases significantly lower.
Comparison with increased load in stress test
Since both models are not yet retail goods, I would therefore rather ask for the following comparison as a guide or to be considered as an example, because I compare two products from the micro- and Pre-series.
However, the results and hotspots already show very nicely what you can expect from the final product. The EKWB Vector RX 5700 is also a bit of an advantage here, because the surface still shows the pure copper, while the Alphacool Aurora GPX-A RX 5700 already has the complete nickel plating.
This creates two additional heat transfer layers (bottom and top), which could be defined with up to 2 degrees difference. When idle, the delta between the constant cooling water and the GPU diode in the EKWB cooler is then exactly this value lower. I use Wattman to set both the power limit controller and the clock to the maximum (no SPPT!).
At 63 (EKWB Vector) and 65 degrees (Alphacool GPX-A), both coolers are almost the same in terms of GPU diode, which is also reflected in the area below the BGA. The measuring point for Memory #3 is approx. 4 Kelvin cooler, because the water flow is a little more direct and probably the ground is a little thinner at this point. This and the other values are of course also in the context of copper vs. nickel. With the GPX-A, the values for memory #2 below the terminal are better, while the memory #1 are the same again within the limits of the measurement inaccuracies.
What Alphacool has really achieved, however, is the better cooling of the voltage converters, whereby the surrounding coils and SMD capacitors are also cooled. Here Alphacool is even ahead with almost 5 Kelvin. Despite nickel.
Summary and conclusion
What you can take away from this test is the fact that Alphacool has managed to finally catch up with the competitors. I am not only referring to the cooling performance resulting from the completely new design, but also the new nickel plating process, the significantly more solid thread inserts, the stainless steel screws and the quality of workmanship in general. In addition, there is the redesigned Plexi cover with recessed stainless steel screws and the RGB stripe, which is also sunk in the Plexi.
If you put the offered features in relation to the price of currently just under 110 euros, then that fits quite well. However, the fact that I have again found something that must be improved shows once again that blind haste does not always lead to success with new products and that you can quickly break an otherwise good product in the finish. So let's hope for better screws and that the retail products may even be able to improve in quality.
The reboot of the cooler series seems to have been successful before, but now Alphacool has to deliver as well. And if it's a backplate. So let's see. The market will certainly benefit from such quality leaps and I don't want to know how many layers Alphacool had to fold the supplier into, so that it finally delivers cleverly.
Kommentieren