I was just browsing through MB's on newegg and noticed now that there are 3 companies making Mb's with WC options for the chipset heatpipes. GigaByte,MSI and of course everyone knows about ASUS's boards. Looks like everyone is following suite on ASUS. Just wondering if anyone knows if these blocks are as cheap and prone to leak as the one's on the ASUS formula boards? I also noticed that the heatpipe designs are getting crazier and crazier. For instance this MB. I guess they figure the more exotic looking the heatpipe the more they would sell.

Holy shizzle that's 1 bizzarre looking heatpipe array!

I've noticed pretty much the same thing. Something not often mentioned is that if you plan to use a nice high end case that uses the right side for hardware mounting, like the Lian-Li 1000B Plus II, the motherboard mounts upside down compared to standard ATX cases. If you do this with a lot of heatpipe mobo's you actually inhibit the heatpipes ability to work and cool the components.

i personally like this development, i am obsessed with personal custon things, and these mobos really set you out from the crowd. superficial yes, but then again i might as well go buy a dell/apple/other amorphous machine

 My take is...

About friggin time!

I've been watercooling for years, and placing it on the chipset makes my job much easier.  Though they do tend to be on the cheap (well, not as well built) side, it's still a step forward.  And I'd take watercooling over that MSI heatpipe anyday.  I never really liked MSI's boards that much... Just personal preference but their layouts of components is always weird.  I wish they'd just stick to reference designs like everyone else.

Like the 24 pin power connector being just to the left of the rear I/O connectors, causing you to have to either run the power cable directly accross the CPU/Fan or if you have enough slack, all the way around the case. Or the ever popular floppy connection at the bottom left, making you have to use a 10 foot cable to hook it up. Gotta love it!

nECrO1967:

I've noticed pretty much the same thing. Something not often mentioned is that if you plan to use a nice high end case that uses the right side for hardware mounting, like the Lian-Li 1000B Plus II, the motherboard mounts upside down compared to standard ATX cases. If you do this with a lot of heatpipe mobo's you actually inhibit the heatpipes ability to work and cool the components.

 Very true but you can eliminate that problem by adding an exhaust fan at the top of the case. Works very well. I know fron experience as I have the first MB built with this design and a V1000 case. As for the power cable, you can by a cable to extend it if you are anal about wiring like I am and they are very inexpensive. It is an incovenience though but easily solvable.

The only problem is that some motherboards with heat pipe designs are so inhibited by being mounted upside down that gravity causes them to not work at all. I read about this not long after I built into that case and remember being glad I didn't have that board. I don't remember the exact board, but it was an ASUS board. Personally, if the board gets that hot,I would rather just add aftermarket cooling anyway.

 your refering to the board I have. The A8N32-SLI deluxe. and your right it is an issue. Without the fan  at the top of my case I get alll kinds of alarms during the summer about my MB temps. It only happens now during the summer which is why my computer is currently out of its case. Since I got rid of the fan at the top and put a window in and did the watercooling it has been that way. thats why I am not keeping the case and I am building another. well and that it's fun to mod but you get the idea

Gotcha. Are you gonna sell that case? And if so, how much?  :)

 I was thinking of asking $150 for it since I paid over $400 for it originally and put alot of work into it. Not sure I can get that though as it's not professionally done.

Here is what it looked like.

nelsoncp21:

I was thinking of asking $150 for it since I paid over $400 for it originally and put alot of work into it. Not sure I can get that though as it's not professionally done.

 

Here is what it looked like

 Nelson just curious why are you selling your case and is it the one you recently mounted the Rads in it? Looks good by the way!

 Oh no. this is the case I have had for several years now. It will be replaced by the 1 I am building. I really don't need it. If I can get a few extra bucks towards new hardware by selling stuff I don't need then that would be great. Unfortunatley I will never get nowhere near the amount for the time and money I put into it.