Reddit reviews NZXT Kraken G10 RL-KRG10-B1 GPU Bracket (Black)

I picked mine up for $450 due to a Best Buy pricing error. And that was considered an insane deal.

Founders Editions are built to NVidia's specifications and standards. Because of this, they're reference models and often used to pattern all sorts of aftermarket hardware.

The downside is the stock cooling set up is a reference blower fan, which is ok with most folks, but it is not the most efficient. Reference blower fans tend to be loud and very warm.

In the case of the FE cards, you can easily find and mount a water block to it.

Mine is fitted with a NZXT bracket and a Corsair AIO. It works quite well. I was pleased with the straightforward installation.

Edit! I will open myself to a brief AMA.

I did a similar setup, NZXT Kraken G10 with a Corsair H55 on my R9 290. The H55 is a budget AIO but it absolutely manhandled my 290. Temp never went above 65ish degrees with low fan speeds - no small feat for cooling a Hawaii chip. I'm not sure the G10 is compatible with a 480 however - this is just my anecdote using an AIO to cool a GPU.

I was just in the samr boat as you. I have a strix r9 390 that I was also having temperature issues with. For $120 you can get an NZXT Kraken g10 Corsair h55 aio, and vrm heatsinks to mount on your card. Brought my temps from 90C under load to low 60s.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ITTFO8M/ref=sxts1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492781463&sr=1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009VV56TY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492781493&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=corsair+h55&dpPl=1&dpID=41C3tKli1NL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00K73F60E/ref=oh_aui_i_sh_pre_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Now buy it, and you can watercool your GPU: http://www.amazon.co.uk/NZXT-G10-GPU-Adapter-Kraken/dp/B00ITTFO8M/

You can do a hybrid cooler setup which generally costs $125-150 to do properly. NZXT G10, Corsair H55, copper heatsinks for the VRM's, thermal adhesive to permanently attach them, and the adapter cable to let the card control the radiator fan.

https://www.amazon.com/NZXT-Kraken-RL-KRG10-B1-Bracket-Black/dp/B00ITTFO8M

https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Hydro-Quiet-Liquid-Cooler/dp/B009VV56TY

https://www.amazon.com/Enokay-Cooling-Heatsink-Raspberry-Heatsinks/dp/B014KKY3KI

https://www.amazon.com/Arctic-Alumina-Thermal-Adhesive-5g/dp/B0009IQ1BU

https://www.amazon.com/Gelid-CA-PWM-02-Adapter-Sleeved-Cooler/dp/B005ZKZEQA

A custom loop just for the GPU can be done with about $350. This will be a lower noise/temperature solution and offers the possibility of expansion but obviously also costs more.

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-fc-1080-gtx-ti-nickel - $130.

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-coolstream-pe-240-dual - $62.

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-xres-100-ddc-mx-3-1-pwm-incl-pump - $100

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/tube-primochill-primoflextm-advanced-lrttm-onyx-black - $8.

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-hfb-fitting-10mm-nickel - $21 for 6.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/b2vRsY/noctua-case-fan-nff12pwm - $38 for 2.

The Kraken G10 lets you connect a number of compatible CPU liquid coolers to your GPU and works pretty well. There are also a bunch of ugly, expensive, universal cooler options like this one

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor | $324.99 @ SuperBiiz
CPU Cooler | Corsair H115i 104.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler | $110.04 @ NCIX US
CPU Cooler | Corsair H115i 104.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler | $110.04 @ NCIX US
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $124.99 @ SuperBiiz
Memory | Team Dark 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory | $69.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Intel 540s 1TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive | $287.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $67.99 @ SuperBiiz
Storage | Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $67.99 @ SuperBiiz
Storage | Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $67.99 @ SuperBiiz
Storage | Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $67.99 @ SuperBiiz
Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB FTW DT GAMING Video Card | $649.99 @ B&H
Case | Fractal Design Define S w/Window ATX Mid Tower Case | $89.99 @ NCIX US
Power Supply | Corsair RMx 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $94.99 @ Amazon
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit | $92.19 @ Amazon
Monitor | Dell S2716DG 27.0" 144Hz Monitor | $549.89 @ Amazon
Other| NZXT Kraken GPU Cooler| $25.00 @ Amazon
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $2802.05
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-07 01:48 EDT-0400 |

Liquid cooled CPU + GPU

Well, there are a few ways to try to go about cooling them properly.

1. Try air (not recommended). Running a test bench setup (where the motherboard/GPUs are out in open air) with lots of fans might keep the GPUs cool, or at least not throttling. Setting the GPU fans at 100% speed and perhaps underclocking them might help too.
   
2. Try water. Either with AIO solutions like the Kraken G10, or a custom loop. An AIO setup will run you approximately $100 per card and keep temperatures decently cool/quiet. A custom loop will be hugely expensive ($500+ easily for the entire thing) and time consuming, but it will cool the best, look the best, and be the quietest (depending on how you create the loop).
   
3. Return them and get something like a 295x2 + 290x, or a pair of 290xs and AIO water coolers for them.
   
   Edit: not to repeat myself, I don't really see many other options here. There are only so many ways to deal with heat with cards packed that closely together.
   

You may find a GPU water cooler compatible with your card.

There are also brackets that allow you to use CPU water coolers with GPUs. You would need to find one compatible with your graphics card and your AIO. It's not a cheap solution, though, when you factor in the cost of the AIO.

You don't want any A/C in a computer. It may cause condensation. If you are looking for better cooling without a full cover block and custom loop, this comes to mind:

NZXT Technologies Kraken G10 Liquid Cooled GPU Bracket RL-KRG10-B1 Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ITTFO8M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_2aGGwbC81983F

You'll need a AIO water cooler from NZXT to use it. Make sure you check compatibility with your GPU.

i am not in the US so don't really know the best options

via amazon here is the NZXT Kraken G10

here is an example of a compatible cooler, the Corsair H55

and here is an example of VRM heatsinks

i don't know if these are the best priced options just grabbed good examples of what would work

note that this is more modification than people usually do - replacing a GPU heatsink is not too common of an activity but it is not too hard if you are careful

> NZXT G10 bracket and put on an aio radiator with VRM heatsinks

Ok ok pretend I only have half a clue what this means :)

Lemme break down what I do understand(?)

>NZXT G10 bracket

This replacement bracket that holds the card, right?


>and put on an aio radiator

Not sure what this is

>with VRM heatsinks

Did you order these seperately and attach them?

H55 - $60, or $50 after a $10 rebate: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181029

Kraken G10 - $30 - 34 New, or ~$22 used: http://www.amazon.com/NZXT-Technologies-Kraken-Bracket-RL-KRG10-B1/dp/B00ITTFO8M

Gelid Fan Adapter (to utilize the on board power for the Kraken G10 fan) - $7: http://www.amazon.com/Gelid-CA-PWM-02-Adapter-Sleeved-Cooler/dp/B005ZKZEQA

VRAM heatsinks - $2-6 depending on quantity: http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Pcs-20mm-x-20mm-x-6mm-Aluminum-Heatsink-for-IC-MOSFET-SCR-New-/181717262327
These heatsinks might be too small.. had a hard time finding the ones I purchased.

Total as low as $81.

https://www.amazon.com/NZXT-Kraken-RL-KRG10-B1-Bracket-Black/dp/B00ITTFO8M + any 120/240mm CPU cooler. I have x62 but h110i also good. Could do the x52 and wouldn't be too pricey.

Is this what you are talking about? :
http://www.amazon.com/NZXT-Technologies-Kraken-Bracket-RL-KRG10-B1/dp/B00ITTFO8M/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1405626571&sr=8-13&keywords=nzxt

Do i only need the bracket? or do i need something more than this?

• Kraken G10 mount, allows you to attach the watercooling onto the GPU.
  
  
• It is compatible with most AIOs using Asatek mounting.
  
  
• It is also recommend to glue heatsinks onto the the memory and have heatsinks for the VRM, this will clearly void warranty. (you will need to buy the glue and heatsinks separately)
  
  Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/NZXT-Technologies-Kraken-Bracket-RL-KRG10-B1/dp/B00ITTFO8M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466696941&sr=8-1&keywords=kraken+g10
  
  
• There are other solutions such as the MK-26 that perform similar to water cooling, you also need to glue heatsinks , the MK-26 uses massive heatsink, that can be cooled by 2x 140mm or 2x 120mm fans, for example you can use attach noctua fan's and it will be very quiet.
  
  Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/Prolimatech-Black-MK-26-VGA-Cooler/dp/B00BKBMSFI
  
  Picture of MK-26 mounted on a GPU: http://cdn.overclock.net/9/98/98cd2c9b__dsc11858lphh.jpeg
  
  
• Accelero Xtreme IV, a more conventional style cooler, it is essentially an enlarged triple slot cooler, will also require installation of small heatsinks, this is the most heaviest solution, it comes with a backplate and brace
  
  Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/ARCTIC-Accelero-Efficient-VRM-Cooling-DCACO-V800001-GBA01/dp/B00HHMJIIO
  
  Picture of Accelero Xtreme IV mounted on a GPU (Some GPUs might have cooling separate from the stock heatsink as show in the picture):
  
  https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gjXTsy_jxsA/maxresdefault.jpg

If you're considering 60$ ones, I would recommend going all the way and simply get a NZXT Kraken G10, as it can be had for 92.29 USD, and you'll get more life out of your card.

It's a GPU bracket adapter that allows you to use and AIO water cooler to cool the GPU.

It's currently on sale on Amazon

Why not just buy a NZXT G10 for $24 more?