Modder pumps liquid directly over bare GPU silicon via 3D-printed block — drops RTX 2060 Super load temps to 28°C despite initial leaks
The fearless TrashBench has been testing direct die water cooling of graphics cards and suffered most of the leaky nightmares you might expect.
TrashBench, a daring GPU testing enthusiast, has been experimenting with direct die water cooling for graphics cards. Initially, there were concerns about potential water damage, but the results proved quite surprising. "Why do we need metal water blocks at all?" TrashBench pondered, leading to the idea of pumping water directly over the GPU's bare silicon.
To test this unconventional approach, a non-functional GeForce RTX 3060 was chosen for the initial experiments. A 3D printed water block was designed to direct the coolant over the GPU die, with nail polish applied to protect surface-mount components. The block was then secured using a retaining clamp mechanism and various sealing materials, such as washers, gaskets, and hose clamps.
After addressing initial leaks with epoxy adhesive, the first non-leaky prototype was achieved. The RTX 2060 Super was then used for live testing, demonstrating a temperature drop to 28°C compared to the stock cooler and an all-in-one (AiO) cooling solution, which measured 36°C. While the results are promising, long-term reliability remains a concern. This method also allows for extreme cooling, such as using coolant at -28°C.
Written by urgent.news from Tom's Hardware's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
