1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:09,760 Today I'm going to be unboxing something that I uh purchased for myself. This is 2 00:00:05,520 --> 00:00:13,120 an EK GTX 480 full cover block. It's an 3 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:15,519 acrylic nickel version. So, let's go 4 00:00:13,120 --> 00:00:21,600 ahead and break the seals on this guy. Uh so, this is for the system upgrade 5 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:23,600 that I've been well had in progress for 6 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:28,960 quite some time. So, I just have a quick disconnect fitting in my system right 7 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:30,400 now, bridging my CPU and my radiator. 8 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:34,480 But what I'll be doing is I'll be putting this graphics card in between 9 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:40,559 and then plumbing it in. So, this is an MSI GTX 480 card that uh will be going 10 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:44,559 along with the rest of my system. So, it comes in an orange box. It also comes 11 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:49,520 with some accessories. So, the first thing we're going to find inside are some thermal pads. It's important to use 12 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:55,039 a good quality thermal pad when you're installing any kind of aftermarket cooler on your graphics card because if 13 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:59,920 you use a lousy one, it might not make contact, which may not have any 14 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:03,840 noticeable negative effects right away, but it could dramatically shorten the 15 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:07,280 lifespan of the card. It comes with two stoppers, which are Oh, looks like 16 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:14,400 they've changed the style of their stoppers. They used to not have an Allen 17 00:01:09,119 --> 00:01:16,080 key. They were actually uh um 18 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:19,119 had like a top that you uh that you close with a wrench instead, but it 19 00:01:18,159 --> 00:01:24,240 looks like they're using a different style now. They've got O-rings to go uh 20 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:27,520 with some spacers. So, if you have barbs or compression fittings with long 21 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:31,840 threads, you can use these spacers in order to make sure that they don't hit 22 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:35,759 the uh stopper on the other side. If you have a block that you've run into this 23 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:40,000 before with, you'll know what I mean. They have also a washer here as well as 24 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:44,079 a little spacer for it looks like it goes around the GPU as well as screws 25 00:01:42,159 --> 00:01:50,240 that go into the back of the GPU to keep the block on from the back. You also get 26 00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:52,560 a black and white instruction sheet that 27 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:57,520 shows you how to install the block on your card and a little reminder. Don't 28 00:01:55,280 --> 00:02:04,000 forget other EK products for your water cooling system. Okay. And then we have 29 00:02:00,479 --> 00:02:07,360 the nickelplated block itself. very 30 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:10,479 dramatic looking, very heavy, very, very 31 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:14,800 nice. Um, I've always been a big admirer 32 00:02:10,479 --> 00:02:17,440 of EK's Pro Cover blocks. Um, they're my 33 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:24,319 personal favorite with coolants coming in as a close second. I mean, just the, 34 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:27,360 uh, the finish on these is mirror like 35 00:02:24,319 --> 00:02:30,879 in quality. As you can clearly see, it's 36 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:32,959 very, very, very reflective surface. And 37 00:02:30,879 --> 00:02:37,280 uh the thing about the nickel plating is that it is non oxidizing. If you get a 38 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:40,879 copper block, yeah, you might like the look of the copper block, but I 39 00:02:38,959 --> 00:02:44,560 guarantee you if I touched it like this and then left it for 6 months, it would 40 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:49,440 have a disgusting fingerprint that you can only remove by polishing it. So that 41 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:52,080 means if you like touch your block or you take it apart to clean it and 42 00:02:50,640 --> 00:02:57,280 accidentally leave a fingerprint in it, the only way to get it off is to take 43 00:02:54,640 --> 00:03:02,080 like a toothbrush and some brasso and like clean the heck out of it. and then 44 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:06,800 and then like polish it and it it's a lot of work. Nickel looks nice, stays 45 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:11,040 looking nice. So, it's uh it's that simple. So, I'm going to go ahead install this on the card. I'll probably 46 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:17,440 do a little guide about that. But, uh why don't you come in close and get some 47 00:03:12,879 --> 00:03:18,879 product shots of the FC 480 GTX and 48 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:22,640 hopefully this will allow me to keep that card nice and cool, nice and quiet. 49 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:26,319 Well, I know it will allow me to keep it cool and quiet, but uh there you go. 50 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:31,120 Here's all the machined surfaces on the back. So, these are going to make contact with the RAM. This is for the 51 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:34,879 GPU itself. I'll use thermal paste here and then pads on the rest of it. This is 52 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:39,040 for something else. And then this is for the VRM. Thank you for checking out my 53 00:03:36,799 --> 00:03:42,400 unboxing. Don't forget to subscribe to Lionus Tech Tips.