Enthusiast Cools GPU Directly with Water via 3D-Printed Block: Temps Drop to 28°C

An enthusiast with the username TrashBench conducted a bold experiment in GPU cooling by eliminating the traditional metal water block from the system. Instead, they used a 3D-printed housing that allowed liquid to make direct contact with the GPU's silicon chip. The idea stemmed from a simple question: "Why use metal when you can pump water directly onto the chip?"

Initial tests were performed on a non-functional GeForce RTX 3060 to assess leak risks. Neighboring components were coated with lacquer for protection. The 3D-printed block was secured to the PCB using washers, gaskets, and clamps, with tubing fittings melted into the housing. However, early attempts failed due to liquid seeping through joints, requiring additional sealing with epoxy resin.

After successful tests on older models (GTX 980), the enthusiast moved to the main experiment with an RTX 2060 Super. The results were impressive: load temperatures dropped to 28°C compared to 70°C with stock cooling and 36°C with an AiO liquid cooling system. Tests also used a coolant chilled to -28°C, further confirming the method's effectiveness.

The experiment demonstrated that direct water contact with the chip can outperform traditional solutions but requires meticulous sealing and preparation. The creator also tested a similar approach on an Intel i5-7600K processor, noting that the size of the cooling chamber plays a key role in system efficiency. Despite the risks, the results open new possibilities for enthusiasts and cooling system developers.