Alphacool Apex Monoblock for ROG STRIX X870E-E Gaming WIFI (14679)

The Alphacool Apex Monoblock for ROG STRIX X870E-E Gaming WIFI is a full-cover CPU water block for one motherboard, the ASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E Gaming WIFI, and its AM5 socket. It actively cools the CPU, the VRMs and the primary M.2 NVMe SSD beneath the CPU socket as a single, integrated cooling solution. Alphacool designed it specifically for this board, so compare the board name before ordering.

Properties

• Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E Gaming WIFI
• Socket: AMD AM5
• Cools: CPU, VRMs, primary M.2 NVMe SSD
• Cold plate: Chrome-plated copper
• Ports: G1/4, brass terminal
• Lighting: Addressable RGB, aRGB adapter in the box

Fit

Compatibility is limited to the one board named above. The monoblock takes the place of that board's own coolers. Alphacool's manual has you loosen the 4 screws of component M1 to remove the M.2 SSD cooler, and release component M2 with the "Push" button until the M2 memory slots are visible. Component M3, the IO cover and VRM cooler, comes off with the mainboard turned over and 5 screws loosened. The display cable is disconnected from the mainboard, and 4 screws separate the IO cover with display from the cooler. Components M5 and M6, the cooler and M.2 SSD holder, are held by 2 screws. With the two-piece AMD retention frame and all components M1 to M6 removed, the mainboard is ready for the monoblock.

The M.2 SSDs are installed next and the IO cover is screwed to the monoblock. The thermal pads go on the cooling block, their protective film comes off and the display cable is connected to the mainboard again. With the CPU cleaned and thermal grease applied, the monoblock is secured with 4 screws. The package includes the mounting hardware for all of this, the thermal pads and 1g of thermal paste.

Cooling engine

The monoblock is built upon what Alphacool calls the proven design of its Apex 1 CPU cooler. Its offset cooling base directs the coolant precisely toward the thermal hotspot of the AM5 processor, a layout optimized for AMD AM5 processors. Combined with Alphacool's Cross-Slot fin structure and the 3D Jetplate 2.0, which it calls advanced, this cooling engine generates high coolant velocity and pressure. Alphacool claims exceptional heat transfer and maximum cooling efficiency for it. It describes the block as optimized for overclocking and high-performance computing, making it an excellent choice for gaming and demanding workstation applications too, in its words.

What the loop needs

The block connects through the G1/4 threads of its brass terminal. They take the compression fittings for your tube size, which are not in the box. Connecting the ARGB lighting is the last step of the manual, and the aRGB adapter for it comes with the block. To run, this CPU water cooler needs a pump and a radiator in the same loop.

In the box

• 1x Alphacool Apex Monoblock ROG STRIX X870E-E Gaming WIFI
• 2x M2x20mm Screw
• 4x 85x8x2mm thermal pad
• 1x 75x22x2mm thermal pad
• 2x 70x22x2mm thermal pad
• 1x 11x15x2mm thermal pad
• 1x Thermal Grease
• 1x Putty tool
• 4x AM5 Mounting Nut
• 4x Washer
• 4x M3x8mm Screw
• 1x aRGB Adapter