EKWB Now Offers Active Backplates for RTX 3080, 3090 Reference GPUs
EK-Quantum Vector RE RTX3080/3090 active backplate is made to complement the existing EK-Quantum Vector RE RTX 3080/3090 water blocks and actively cool the backside of a reference design NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 and 3090 GPUs.
EK-Quantum Vector RE RTX 3080/3090 Active Backplates
EK-Quantum Vector RE RTX 3080/3090 active backplate links the water block and active backplate part with a new terminal, which replaces the stock terminal that comes with your water block. This way, the whole enclosure requires only one inlet and one outlet, removing unnecessary additional tubing and reducing clutter. It is the ultimate aesthetic and performance solution that finds your GPU sandwiched between two water blocks, allowing maximum cooling.
The brand new Vector Active Backplate directly cools all PCB hotspots found on the backside of the GPU core and VRM (voltage regulation module). In the case of RTX 3090, the VRAM located on the backside is being cooled, while the PCB on RTX 3080 GPUs is being cooled around the front-mounted VRAM. Cooling liquid is channeled over all these critical areas.
These newly developed active backplates feature a fin array with six wide channels allowing for very low flow restriction. This, in turn, provides overall lower temperatures, while the active backplate itself gets more than sufficient surface area for heat transfer.
The base of the active backplate is CNC-machined out of nickel-plated electrolytic copper, while the top is either CNC-machined out of glass-like cast Acrylic or black POM acetal. The rest of the backplate is made of nickel-plated or anodized aluminum, and it doesn't come in contact with the liquid. These Vector Active Backplates also feature terminals that match the top cover - the Plexi version has an acrylic terminal, while the acetal one boasts the black POM acetal terminal. The watertight sealing is ensured by high-quality EPDM O-rings.
Compatibility
EK-Quantum Vector RE RTX 3080/3090 Active Backplates are compatible with EK-Quantum Vector RE RTX 3080/3090 water blocks made for reference PCB design. For a full compatibility list, please check the EK Cooling Configurator.
D-RGB Lighting on EK-Quantum Vector RE RTX 3080/3090 Active Backplate
On the acrylic model, the aesthetic end-piece is housing the addressable D-RGB LED strip, while the acetal model has no LED lighting. This active backplate boasts a total of eight individually addressable RGB LEDs, and it's compatible with popular RGB sync technologies from all major motherboard manufacturers. The arrow marking on the 3-pin D-RGB LED connector is to be aligned with the +5V marking on the D-RGB (addressable) header.
Availability and Pricing
The EK-Quantum Vector RE RTX series active backplates are made in Slovenia, Europe, and are already available for pre-order through EK Webshop or EK Partner Reseller Network at an MSRP of 134.90 EUR (inc. VAT). They are expected to start shipping in early April 2021.
Senior Member
Posts: 1614
Joined: 2010-07-25
Awesome! I hope they make a Strix version of it soon so I can cool my card properly.

Senior Member
Posts: 951
Joined: 2015-11-21
buying one
I currently run an Alphacool Aurora Plexi GPX-N RTX 3080/3090
does it cool the gpu ok ? yes
was the price better than EK ? yes
is it pretty ? no it's fugly
4680
too many washers, plexi looks very opaque and white-ish the rgb is unusable it's a simple VERY visible led strip (some things need to stay hidden) making cnc work (on the right) super obvious
the led strip makes rgb unusable in horizontal placement, and vertically...not sure who'd want to see that horror (especially lit with the cnc showing)
and....the backplate to memory contact on a 3090 is really bad the thermal pads don't all have the right thickness, it's worrying me
Senior Member
Posts: 197
Joined: 2007-08-17

From what i remember reading the STRIX and FTW3 are next then the Founders Edition.
Senior Member
Posts: 1614
Joined: 2010-07-25
EK blocks seem to be much more available around these parts, so I hope I'll be able to fetch that block and backplate here before the summer (I want to put in a custom loop in time for the first heat wave). I need to buy some other Watecooling parts anyway, so far I only have the distro plate/pump that came with my case (I'm still looking to find a couple of white 360mm Radiators that fit the O11 Dynamic XL case and Koolance QD3s in stock somewhere, CPU blocks seem to be available in relative abundance, though, not sure which one I'll get, perhaps something white like Corsair's XC7 if that is any good - I haven't built a custom loop since the early 2000s - back then there weren't many options - so I'm really a bit out of the loop on what's good and where to buy parts in the EU right now).
Senior Member
Posts: 138
Joined: 2003-03-14
Very nice of Nvidia, not only you have to pay lots of money to water cool the front of the card they made the back hotter so there is more money for companies to make to cool the back, these back plate coolers are nearly as expensive as the front, it is indeed sad to be a gamer these days now is the time to get a console just glad i got my RTX 3090 for only £1450.00 and will be the last time i upgrade any of my pc will gradually go over to the console very sad days