EVGA Hydro Copper owners: are they good cards?

[VanGoghComplex]

Been burned by pre-blocked cards before (Gigabyte's can't be disassembled easily for cleaning), but since Nvidia isn't using the "reference design" for its FE cards this go-around, and I don't know who actually is using the "reference design," pre-blocked is starting to look like the best way to secure a watercooled card on/near launch day.

I've seen EVGA's reputation for flawless customer service and exceptional products. Specifically to their Hydro Copper cards, though:

1.) Do they use highly binned chips?
2.) Do they have beefed-up PCBs with strong power delivery?
3.) How do the blocks themselves perform compared to other big names out there?
4.) Can the blocks be disassembled for cleaning? I don't mean taken off the card here - I mean taken apart, so one can scrub the channels.

 

[German Muscle]

1) Hydro Copper just means it has the water block on it. Its no indication of the card quality.
2) See 1, With Ampere and what EVGA has told us as of right now there will be two 3080 cards getting water blocks. The XC3 which is a reference and the FTW3 which is not reference. The 3090 is the same. XC3 which is reference and FTW3 versions will have the block. The Kingpin model will also have a limited run of HC blocks made for it as well.
3) Hydro Copper blocks in the past have been made by EK. So yes.
4) the block carries the same warranty as any block so once you take the block apart to clean it you have no warranty.

 

[arestavo]

1) Hydro Copper just means it has the water block on it. Its no indication of the card quality.
2) See 1, With Ampere and what EVGA has told us as of right now there will be two 3080 cards getting water blocks. The XC3 which is a reference and the FTW3 which is not reference. The 3090 is the same. XC3 which is reference and FTW3 versions will have the block. The Kingpin model will also have a limited run of HC blocks made for it as well.
3) Hydro Copper blocks in the past have been made by EK. So yes.
4) the block carries the same warranty as any block so once you take the block apart to clean it you have no warranty.

#4 is FUD if you're talking about EVGA.

You can disassemble and reassemble your card all day long and not lose the warranty - as long as you don't damage the card or lose bits of it.

https://www.evga.com/warranty/graphics-cards/

 

[VanGoghComplex]

#4 is FUD if you're talking about EVGA.

You can disassemble and reassemble your card all day long and not lose the warranty - as long as you don't damage the card or lose bits of it.

https://www.evga.com/warranty/graphics-cards/

Yep, just read the warranty - can't find anything in writing that prohibits disassembly, as long as you don't damage anything in the process.

May need to rephrase #4 though. I don't really care about warranty, what I wanted to know is if it's physically possible to disassemble the blocks without prying off a glued-on aluminum fascia like the Gigabyte blocks all seem to have. Are the screws accessible? Is it designed to be serviced?

 

[German Muscle]

#4 is FUD if you're talking about EVGA.

You can disassemble and reassemble your card all day long and not lose the warranty - as long as you don't damage the card or lose bits of it.

https://www.evga.com/warranty/graphics-cards/

Taking a cooler off of a graphics card != taking a waterblock apart.

Yep, just read the warranty - can't find anything in writing that prohibits disassembly, as long as you don't damage anything in the process.

May need to rephrase #4 though. I don't really care about warranty, what I wanted to know is if it's physically possible to disassemble the blocks without prying off a glued-on aluminum fascia like the Gigabyte blocks all seem to have. Are the screws accessible? Is it designed to be serviced?

Thats a gigabyte only thing and hopefully they learn from it. The screws are accessible and it is designed to separate like most other blocks.

 

[somebrains]

We are going to have to wait until someone pulls the EVGA cars apart for data on this cooler.

That being said, EVGA does have that extra spend path with their aftermarket hybrid coolers they market towards reference pcbs. I wonder if they'll do a hybrid cooler for FE as well this gen?

I'm looking at a blocked gpu this time around if the cost of the air cooler is as high as rumors make it out to be.

Will have to wait for reviews.

 

[arestavo]

Taking a cooler off of a graphics card != taking a waterblock apart.

Thats a gigabyte only thing and hopefully they learn from it. The screws are accessible and it is designed to separate like most other blocks.

You didn't read through EVGA's warranty I take it. I did, and there is no mention of water blocks. So again, as long as you don't physically damage anything or lose any parts - you can take the whole thing apart and put it together all day long and still have a warranty.

 

[VanGoghComplex]

Thats a gigabyte only thing and hopefully they learn from it.

Hopefully. They don't seem to have thus far, two generations in.

 

[German Muscle]

You didn't read through EVGA's warranty I take it. I did, and there is no mention of water blocks. So again, as long as you don't physically damage anything or lose any parts - you can take the whole thing apart and put it together all day long and still have a warranty.

Since you dont want to believe me I just called EVGA Technical support and was told you can take the hydro copper block off the card and there are no implications on the warranty. You CAN NOT take the block apart as that will 100% void the warranty. They did say you can run cleaner through the block and thats fine.

 

[arestavo]

Since you dont want to believe me I just called EVGA Technical support and was told you can take the hydro copper block off the card and there are no implications on the warranty. You CAN NOT take the block apart as that will 100% void the warranty. They did say you can run cleaner through the block and thats fine.

Then you can sue them when you do and they deny your warranty, as it's not in their warranty brief. Unless taking apart any water block means you physically broke it, then it'd be covered under the physical damage part of the warranty brief.

 

[German Muscle]

Then you can sue them when you do and they deny your warranty, as it's not in their warranty brief. Unless taking apart any water block means you physically broke it, then it'd be covered under the physical damage part of the warranty brief.

yeah, ok. Let us know how that pans out for you.

 

[arestavo]

yeah, ok. Let us know how that pans out for you.

I use AIO watercoolers with a Kraken G10/G12 due to how easy / cheap it is. Sadly, I will not ever be able to provide you that information - other than what EVGA is legally bound by in their warranty brief.

 

[VanGoghComplex]

Then you can sue them when you do and they deny your warranty, as it's not in their warranty brief. Unless taking apart any water block means you physically broke it, then it'd be covered under the physical damage part of the warranty brief.

I'm as big a right to repair advocate as the next guy, but there's a limit to what's practically applicable here. Even if you did manage to win the lawsuit, you'd far exceed the value of the card in legal fees.

 

[arestavo]

I'm as big a right to repair advocate as the next guy, but there's a limit to what's practically applicable here. Even if you did manage to win the lawsuit, you'd far exceed the value of the card in legal fees.

Small claims court doesn't cost much when you represent yourself?

They'd only have a legal leg to stand on, if they even send a rep to the small claims court, if you did physically damage the water block when you disassembled it.

Again, the only reason I chimed in on this is that their own warranty brief says that damage or a lost parts can void the warranty (and nothing about water blocks at all). If you cannot avoid damage to the water block when disassembling it, then don't disassemble it and void the warranty.

 

[Nimisys]

Small claims court doesn't cost much when you represent yourself?

They'd only have a legal leg to stand on, if they even send a rep to the small claims court, if you did physically damage the water block when you disassembled it.

Again, the only reason I chimed in on this is that their own warranty brief says that damage or a lost parts can void the warranty (and nothing about water blocks at all). If you cannot avoid damage to the water block when disassembling it, then don't disassemble it and void the warranty.

In many locations, small claims judgements are not enforceable unless there is a register a Sheriff deputy can physically remove the cash from.

 

[German Muscle]

I use AIO watercoolers with a Kraken G10/G12 due to how easy / cheap it is. Sadly, I will not ever be able to provide you that information - other than what EVGA is legally bound by in their warranty brief.

I dont need you to provide me any information. LOL?

Small claims court doesn't cost much when you represent yourself?

They'd only have a legal leg to stand on, if they even send a rep to the small claims court, if you did physically damage the water block when you disassembled it.

Again, the only reason I chimed in on this is that their own warranty brief says that damage or a lost parts can void the warranty (and nothing about water blocks at all). If you cannot avoid damage to the water block when disassembling it, then don't disassemble it and void the warranty.

You chimed in on this because you went and read the GRAPHICS CARD warranty information off their site. I chimed in with real world experience then called EVGA to confirm that your interpretation of the GRAPHICS CARD warranty terms being construed as the same warranty for the water block.

You take it to any court and their lawyer is going to show up alone and ask if you broke the warranty void if broke/removed seal on the block and the obvious answer would be yes and at that point it would be a complete loss. Just because the waterblock goes on a GPU doesnt mean its under the graphics card warranty terms umbrella. I honestly dont think there is a GPU waterblock out there that doesnt void the blocks warranty when you take it apart.

 

[arestavo]

I dont need you to provide me any information. LOL?

You chimed in on this because you went and read the GRAPHICS CARD warranty information off their site. I chimed in with real world experience then called EVGA to confirm that your interpretation of the GRAPHICS CARD warranty terms being construed as the same warranty for the water block.

You take it to any court and their lawyer is going to show up alone and ask if you broke the warranty void if broke/removed seal on the block and the obvious answer would be yes and at that point it would be a complete loss. Just because the waterblock goes on a GPU doesnt mean its under the graphics card warranty terms umbrella. I honestly dont think there is a GPU waterblock out there that doesnt void the blocks warranty when you take it apart.

You're right, tech support agents are always correct and know everything.

Have a pleasant day!

 

[German Muscle]

You're right, tech support agents are always correct and know everything.

Have a pleasant day!

I mean he was telling me what all i can and cannot do and what is inside and outside of the warranty. I would trust what an EVGA Support Employee says over someone on a forum. This is why i called them because i wouldnt trust the information from a user on their forum. You are still clinging on to the fact that you read warranty terms for a graphics card and are applying it to an accessory to a graphics card that has different terms. Not to mention they put warrant void if removed stickers on the blocks. You have no leg to stand on here. Its almost like you think if you take the block apart that the graphics card warranty is void which nobody has said. Its just for the water block.

 

[arestavo]

I mean he was telling me what all i can and cannot do and what is inside and outside of the warranty. I would trust what an EVGA Support Employee says over someone on a forum. This is why i called them because i wouldnt trust the information from a user on their forum. You are still clinging on to the fact that you read warranty terms for a graphics card and are applying it to an accessory to a graphics card that has different terms. Not to mention they put warrant void if removed stickers on the blocks. You have no leg to stand on here. Its almost like you think if you take the block apart that the graphics card warranty is void which nobody has said. Its just for the water block.

I'm not the one telling you, this is:

https://www.evga.com/warranty/graphics-cards/

Have a nice day!

 

[German Muscle]

I'm not the one telling you, this is:

https://www.evga.com/warranty/graphics-cards/

Have a nice day!

Thats for graphics cards, not water blocks.

 

[VanGoghComplex]

Sure is a good thing that

I don't really care about warranty, what I wanted to know is if it's physically possible to disassemble the blocks

...so, chips may be binned or not dependent on base model, PCB may be beefed up or not based on base model, blocks are made by EK, blocks can be disassembled.

Looks like these may be an option for me. Thanks to those who contributed.

 

[arestavo]

Thats for graphics cards, not water blocks.

Yes, and the heatsink fan assembly isn't either for the non-waterblocked cards. Yet somehow it's still part of the whole unit.

Have a nice day!

 

[German Muscle]

Sure is a good thing that



...so, chips may be binned or not dependent on base model, PCB may be beefed up or not based on base model, blocks are made by EK, blocks can be disassembled.

Looks like these may be an option for me. Thanks to those who contributed.

If your looking for a card with good power delivery with a block out of the box then the FTW3 Hydro Copper is your guy.