I'm considering purchasing a secondhand 9070XT that currently has an Alphacool water block installed. The seller mentions they have all the necessary parts to convert it back to air cooling, but I'm not familiar with water-cooled GPUs and their components. Is it a difficult process to revert it to air cooling? Any tips or advice would be appreciated!
4 Answers
As long as the seller provides all the mounting hardware, it should be a pretty straightforward task. The only potential challenge could be replacing the thermal pads, but everything else is relatively easy. Honestly, it might be worth asking the seller if they could do the switch for you. Just a thought!
If you're in a pinch, thermal putty can help if you happen to misplace the thermal pads. Just be careful not to glob it on too thick!
There could be some issues, especially if the thermal pads have dried out while exposed. You might need to replace them, which can be a bit tricky since they come in various thicknesses. But overall, putting everything back together isn't much more challenging than building a PC.
I’m fairly handy with PC builds, so it sounds manageable. Looking into getting some thermal pads to try it myself. Appreciate your advice!
I wouldn’t buy it unless it’s significantly cheaper than other listings. There's always a risk that the seller might not have all the parts, and if the price isn't lower, it’s just not worth it. Also, keep in mind that a water block doesn’t carry resale value, so selling it with that attached might hurt your future options. Just something to consider!
You’ll only need a Phillips #2 screwdriver along with the mounting set screws and other hardware. Since the seller claims to have all the parts for the air cooler, that’s a major plus. Also, grab some 99% isopropyl alcohol from a pharmacy to clean up any old thermal paste. Just ask where they keep the medications if you can’t find it!
I'll definitely keep that in mind. Thanks for the tips!
I actually asked them to do it, but they said they're too busy. Since I'm pretty comfortable building PCs but have never changed a GPU cooling system before, I was a bit concerned. I'm planning to buy some thermal pads and give it a go. Thanks for the encouragement!