Custom PC - UK (2021-05)

MODDING / HOW TO GUIDES

2 / VERTICAL OR HORIZONTAL?

There are numerous waterblocks available, and some may be better

suited to particular case layout orientations. Before you reach for your

wallet, decide on your tubing routes and whether you want to mount

your GPU horizontally or vertically.

Wa t e r- coo l RTX

3000-series

partner cards

How to

3 / RUN A STRESS TEST

It’s always fun to see the fruits of your efforts, so run a stress test

first. Use a repeatable graphics benchmark, such as an in-game

benchmark or Unigine Superposition (benchmark.unigine.com).

Then use GPU-Z (techpowerup.com) to record the highest GPU

temperature and boost frequency during the test.

L

ast month we showed you how to water-cool Nvidia’s
GeForce RTX 3080 Founders Edition, which was a very
involved process, but in this guide we’ll be using a different
waterblock on a very different card. This time, we’re dealing with the
RTX 3060 Ti, but the card is part of the Asus ROG Strix range that
encompasses the RTX 3060 Ti, 3070 and 3080 with similar PCBs.
As a result, unlike the Founders Edition waterblock we looked at last
time, the Corsair block we’re using this month fits all three of the
aforementioned models of the Asus ROG Strix range. We’ll show you
how you how to identify the block you need for your model, how to
remove the large triple-fan cooler and how to fit your waterblock.

Antony Leather shows you what’s

involved with water-cooling third-party

RTX 3000-series cards, using an Asus

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti model

TOTAL PROJECT TIME / 3 HOURS

TOOLS YOU’LL NEED

1 / IDENTIFY GRAPHICS CARD

While different tiers of RTX 3000-series cards within a specific range

are often compatible with one specific waterblock, the same isn’t true

as you move across ranges, even from the same manufacturer, as PCBs

can change slightly. Check online compatibility charts to identify the

waterblock you need for your exact card.

GPU waterblock

watercoolinguk.co.uk

Precision screwdrivers

amazon.co.uk

Microfibre cloth

Most hardware stores

Thermal paste cleaner

overclockers.co.uk