MODDING / HOW TO GUIDES
10 / REPLACE THERMAL PADS
Occasionally, some VRM or memory thermal pads can detach from the
original cooler’s heatsink and stick to the PCB. You won’t need these,
so carefully lift them off and place them back on the cooler’s heatsink
to use later.13 / AT TAC H WAT E R B LO C K
Place the waterblock face down on a raised platform, such as a small
sturdy box, so the PCI-E bracket can dangle down and allow the two
parts to meet. Line up the screw holes, and then check the waterblock
instructions to see whether some screws need to be installed before you
fit the backplate.11 / CLEAN THE GPU
You’ll need to clean the GPU core ready for new thermal paste, so use
a thermal paste cleaner or isopropyl alcohol and a microfibre cloth to
clean it. The solutions aren’t essential, but will make your life easier, as
they break up the paste and reduce the amount of rubbing needed.14 / INSTALL THE BACKPLATE
The backplate in this case houses all the screws that go through the
card to secure the waterblock, so go ahead and remove the protective
film on the thermal pads before securing it using the included screws.12 / REMOVE PROTECTIVE CAP
The Corsair waterblock we’re using comes with thermal pads and paste
pre-applied, which is extremely useful, but some require you to apply
your own paste. Make sure you remove the cap protecting the thermal
paste. Only remove it when you’re ready to fit the waterblock.15 / CONNECT TO YOUR LOOP
Attach your fittings and allow the loop to fully bleed of air. Once there
are no air bubbles left, perform the stress test again. We found the
GPU temperature fell from 58°C to 48°C when using the waterblock
compared with the original Asus air cooler.