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For this review, EKWB also sent over a pre-filled GPU block add-in for the Predator 280. It arrives in a similar-looking box to the actual Predator 280.
Inside, you get a separate instruction sheet which tells you how to install the GPU block to your graphics card.
Of course, all the necessary mounting screws and thermal pads are also included.
The block we were sent is specially made for EVGA's 10-series FTW cards. We will be using it with a GTX 1080 FTW.
The block itself has a lovely brushed finish, with a small EK logo in the bottom corner.
The underside of the block is nickel-plated – this is the section which makes contact with the GPU core.
Interesting cooler.
Can it run completely fanless in idle?
In theory I suppose so. However, at a low rpm the fans are really inaudible so it just feels a bit risky – if your CPU utilisation spikes without you knowing, it could overheat with the fans switched off
I’ve oc my 6800k 4GHz, after 3 hours of Gears of War 4, the maximum temperature was 49C. The Silverstone TD02-E was set at 65%, about 1600 rpm.
I like this design a bit more than the Switftech design for a semi open loop but I do wish the end reservoir was mounted in such a way that if you remove the fans, the front face of the radiator (side where the fans are normally mounted) would be flush with the res, I really would like a cooler like (so I can have some kind of loop) this in my Haf XB but given my graphics card is pretty long (it’s a triple fan Strix), this makes using a Switftech cooler or this cooler impossible unless the res with either unit could be remounted out of the way or was designed so that I can mount the radiator on one side, then the fans on the other side of a panel. Yes, I could go with an actual loop, but these semi open loops allow making one far cheaper, for cooling my graphics card, I just need to add 2 fittings, some tubing and a water block, which worst case would be $365 total