Optimus  |  SKU: op-cpu-fou-int-ac-slv-ni

Optimus Foundation CPU BLOCK - INTEL 12/13/14th GEN LGA 1700 Acrylic Top Satin Silver Bracket Nickel Cold Plate

$132.95
Shipping calculated at checkout.

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Description

The Foundation CPU block forms the foundation of an ultra performance system. The Foundation Block is designed for the latest Intel CPUs and features extreme build quality and the same cold plate and performance design as our premium Signature block for maximum cooling and the highest available overclocks.

MAXIMUM COOLING FOR THE LATEST INTEL CHIPS

The Optimus Foundation block is designed for the latest high performance (and high temperature) CPUs including 12th gen (LGA 1700) and HEDT CPUs. In order to provide the best cooling, the Foundation block's fin area is designed for maximum heat dissipation to handle the high thermals of the most recent Intel chips. The Foundation's cold plate fin design features the highest surface area in the industry with groundbreaking accuracy and reliability.

PERFORMANCE-FIRST MODULAR DESIGN

The Foundation block is designed to cover more than 100% of the latest Intel CPU dies, like the 9900K seen right. Intel's dies have grown as core counts increase. And they've increased in heat output, requiring revised cooling designs to achieve the best performance.

The Foundation series is fully modular, meaning the top block and cold plate can be rotated in any direction all while keeping the logo upright. That way, you can adjust your inlet/outlet orientation to match your build. While we recommend orienting the flow to match the die layout, you'll still achieve excellent performance in a goofy layout.

A CPU block's performance is only as good as the contact with the CPU. This means mounting pressure and accuracy is paramount for best performance. To achieve this, the Foundation block uses a 1/4" (6.3mm) CNC aluminum mounting plate, rather than flat metal. This allows high pressure and accuracy when securing the block. Plus, it looks fantastic.

ONLY METAL-TO-METAL SCREW THREADS

All Optimus products are assembled with metal screws into metal threads, never acrylic or acetal threads. Plastic screw threads can easily strip and cause cracks, rendering a block useless. Most acrylic-threaded blocks can only survive a few assemblies before stripping. By eliminating plastic threads entirely, Optimus blocks are able to be reassembled for years to come. Plus, securing the top block using steel screws into machined aluminum mounting plate means leak-proof pressure.

CNC VS SKIVED FINS

In water cooling, there are two ways to manufacture fins: CNCing and skiving. Unlike the CNC process Optimus uses, skived fins are created by scraping a blade across a metal block, then flipping that shaving up to create a fin. While skived fins are the most common type and found in all-in-one units and water blocks, the shaving-style fins are never straight and fin collapse happens with nearly every skived plate. Open an AIO and see what has happened to the fins, upwards of a quarter of the fins will have deformed on the edges from the pressure of the o-rings and block tops, blocking flow channels, even breaking off.

CNC fins are typically much thicker than skived fins. Look at most open loop water blocks, the fins are quite large. The downside is the surface area is much lower compared to thin-fin designs. That's why the Optimus ultra thin CNC fins are the best of both worlds -- the highest surface area with CNC precision to ensure long lasting performance.

INTEGRATED VS STEEL JET PLATES

The Optimus Foundation V2 features an integrated jet design to force fluid through the fins to maximize contact. Other designs on the market use a cut steel jet plate to create pressure. While cheaper to manufacture, the steel jet plates often rust and cause galvanic corrosion when in contact with the fins, causing problems in the loop. By integrating the jet design into the unibody block, the Foundation eliminates steel from the loop, reducing potential for rust and corrosion. Moreover, we're able to tailor the cold plate bow to match the CPU IHS perfectly.

EASY O-RING GROOVES

No more struggling with slippery o-rings and shallow grooves. We take the extra step of creating o-ring grooves to hold our EPDM o-rings to make assembly fast and accurate.

WORLD’S FLATTEST COLD PLATE

Optimus sets another record for flattest cold plate on the market. Optimus machines blocks less than 1 micro-inch (µin) in flatness. This is 0.000025mm of roughness (measuring the peaks and valleys of the surface).Other companies are over 400% rougher than Optimus coldplates.

The only way to truly guarantee 0.000025mm level of accuracy is to CNC the cold plate perfectly with diamond bits. Optimus created proprietary diamond tooling that allows the cold plates to come off the CNC with a perfect mirror finish.

Additionally, because we control the fins and cold plate to such a precise level, we can make the distance between CPU IHS and the fins extremely small. Thin cold plates are able to transfer heat from the CPU faster than thicker cold plates.

Materials

  • TOP PLATE: Plexiglas® cast acrylic or Röchling-brand black acetal
  • COLD PLATE: US-sourced premium C110-grade copper, guaranteed ASTM B187 spec
  • COLD PLATE FINISH: Raw copper or Pro-XE nickel
  • BRACKET: US-sourced machined 6061 aluminum, satin hard anodized
  • O-RINGS: US-made plasticizer-free EPDM o-rings
  • SCREWS: 18-8 stainless steel or black oxide over stainless steel mounting screws, stainless steel cold plate screws
  • MOUNTING: Optimus-made CNCed stainless steel posts and 6061 thumbscrews

Compatibility

  • MOUNTING: Intel LGA-1700, LGA-1200, LGA-115X, LGA-20XX. Not compatible with LGA-3647
  • COOLING: Compatible with all consumer and HEDT Intel CPUs, including 18 core X-series
  • MODULARITY: Modular design for swapping mounting plates, cold plates and tops

In The Box

  • 1 x Foundation CPU Block
  • 4 x Optimus CNC Mounting Posts
  • 4 x Optimus CNC Thumb Screws
  • 4 x Optimus CNC Thumb Nuts
  • 1 x Thermal paste syringe
  • 1 x Installation diagram (below)

FAQ

  • COPPER VS NICKEL COLD PLATE? Choose raw copper for highest theoretical performance (depends on overclocking and overall system). Choose nickel for aesthetics and/or liquid metal compatibility
  • ACRYLIC VS ACETAL? Our cast acrylic is actually far stronger than acetal, the traditional professional choice. Acetal won't ever crack, but it's soft and will deform with pressure and easily scratch. Our cast acrylic will survive far more abuse than acetal. So for all users, acrylic is recommended, unless you want the black look.
  • LIQUID METAL? BARE DIE? Go for it! Remember, liquid metal will etch copper immediately, though some builders like the performance of pure copper. Liquid metal will discolor nickel, but etching will take far longer. In both cases, performance of the cold plate won't be affected.
  • THERMAL PASTE? We include US-made Ceramique thermal paste. However, numerous thermal pastes are also excellent. Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut and Arctic MX4 2019 are two of the highest performance we have tested.
  • FLOW DIRECTION? Fluid needs to flow in a specific direction -- center of fins and then out. On acrylic blocks, the "in" is connected to the center channel. On acetal blocks, the "out" shows the fins inside, while the fins can't be seen on the "in" port.
  • FLUSHING? All Optimus products have already been cleaned before shipping. You'll only need to flush your radiators and non-Optimus products. In fact, heavy system prep chemicals can be detrimental if they remain in small quantities in your loop. This can easily happen with fluid pressurized into o-ring grooves through heating.
  • CLEANING? Microfiber is your friend. Dish soap and water is ideal for our products. Always use microfiber glass cloths to prevent any scratches, especially on cold plates. Do not scrub, simply hand rinse. Isopropyl alcohol is not needed and can cause discoloration.
  • COPPER OXIDATION? Copper will immediately begin to oxidize (turn brown) when exposed to air. This is normal and expected and won't affect performance unless the oxidization is extreme, like the Statue of Liberty. But you're not leaving your blocks out by the ocean, are you?

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Untitled_design_-_2023-10-25T145203.494 - Digital Outpost LLC
Optimus

Optimus Foundation CPU BLOCK - INTEL 12/13/14th GEN LGA 1700 Acrylic Top Satin Silver Bracket Nickel Cold Plate

$132.95

The Foundation CPU block forms the foundation of an ultra performance system. The Foundation Block is designed for the latest Intel CPUs and features extreme build quality and the same cold plate and performance design as our premium Signature block for maximum cooling and the highest available overclocks.

MAXIMUM COOLING FOR THE LATEST INTEL CHIPS

The Optimus Foundation block is designed for the latest high performance (and high temperature) CPUs including 12th gen (LGA 1700) and HEDT CPUs. In order to provide the best cooling, the Foundation block's fin area is designed for maximum heat dissipation to handle the high thermals of the most recent Intel chips. The Foundation's cold plate fin design features the highest surface area in the industry with groundbreaking accuracy and reliability.

PERFORMANCE-FIRST MODULAR DESIGN

The Foundation block is designed to cover more than 100% of the latest Intel CPU dies, like the 9900K seen right. Intel's dies have grown as core counts increase. And they've increased in heat output, requiring revised cooling designs to achieve the best performance.

The Foundation series is fully modular, meaning the top block and cold plate can be rotated in any direction all while keeping the logo upright. That way, you can adjust your inlet/outlet orientation to match your build. While we recommend orienting the flow to match the die layout, you'll still achieve excellent performance in a goofy layout.

A CPU block's performance is only as good as the contact with the CPU. This means mounting pressure and accuracy is paramount for best performance. To achieve this, the Foundation block uses a 1/4" (6.3mm) CNC aluminum mounting plate, rather than flat metal. This allows high pressure and accuracy when securing the block. Plus, it looks fantastic.

ONLY METAL-TO-METAL SCREW THREADS

All Optimus products are assembled with metal screws into metal threads, never acrylic or acetal threads. Plastic screw threads can easily strip and cause cracks, rendering a block useless. Most acrylic-threaded blocks can only survive a few assemblies before stripping. By eliminating plastic threads entirely, Optimus blocks are able to be reassembled for years to come. Plus, securing the top block using steel screws into machined aluminum mounting plate means leak-proof pressure.

CNC VS SKIVED FINS

In water cooling, there are two ways to manufacture fins: CNCing and skiving. Unlike the CNC process Optimus uses, skived fins are created by scraping a blade across a metal block, then flipping that shaving up to create a fin. While skived fins are the most common type and found in all-in-one units and water blocks, the shaving-style fins are never straight and fin collapse happens with nearly every skived plate. Open an AIO and see what has happened to the fins, upwards of a quarter of the fins will have deformed on the edges from the pressure of the o-rings and block tops, blocking flow channels, even breaking off.

CNC fins are typically much thicker than skived fins. Look at most open loop water blocks, the fins are quite large. The downside is the surface area is much lower compared to thin-fin designs. That's why the Optimus ultra thin CNC fins are the best of both worlds -- the highest surface area with CNC precision to ensure long lasting performance.

INTEGRATED VS STEEL JET PLATES

The Optimus Foundation V2 features an integrated jet design to force fluid through the fins to maximize contact. Other designs on the market use a cut steel jet plate to create pressure. While cheaper to manufacture, the steel jet plates often rust and cause galvanic corrosion when in contact with the fins, causing problems in the loop. By integrating the jet design into the unibody block, the Foundation eliminates steel from the loop, reducing potential for rust and corrosion. Moreover, we're able to tailor the cold plate bow to match the CPU IHS perfectly.

EASY O-RING GROOVES

No more struggling with slippery o-rings and shallow grooves. We take the extra step of creating o-ring grooves to hold our EPDM o-rings to make assembly fast and accurate.

WORLD’S FLATTEST COLD PLATE

Optimus sets another record for flattest cold plate on the market. Optimus machines blocks less than 1 micro-inch (µin) in flatness. This is 0.000025mm of roughness (measuring the peaks and valleys of the surface).Other companies are over 400% rougher than Optimus coldplates.

The only way to truly guarantee 0.000025mm level of accuracy is to CNC the cold plate perfectly with diamond bits. Optimus created proprietary diamond tooling that allows the cold plates to come off the CNC with a perfect mirror finish.

Additionally, because we control the fins and cold plate to such a precise level, we can make the distance between CPU IHS and the fins extremely small. Thin cold plates are able to transfer heat from the CPU faster than thicker cold plates.

Materials

Compatibility

In The Box

FAQ

View product