Waterblock Alphacool Core 1 CPU:
As we mentioned on the previous page, we received a “Silver Aurora” model of the Alphacool Core 1. This new block is available in three different colors, two of which can be combined with an aRGB backlight called “Aurora”. So you can choose between five different finishes and colors: black, silver, white, Aurora black (aRGB) and Aurora silver (aRGB). You’ll have no trouble choosing the one that best matches your motherboard!
As its name suggests, this new waterblock is part of the “Core” series. Alphacool has just given its website a complete facelift. We’ve also discovered that the brand will be splitting its range into two series, “Core” and “Apex”. The “Core” range is designed to be more affordable, without compromising on performance.
Here’s how Alphacool defines them: “Apex stands for extraordinary design, which translates into extravagance and uniqueness combined with high quality and innovative ideas. The “Core” line offers optimum liquid cooling for all PC components. Whether you’re a beginner or an enthusiast, all your wishes will be fulfilled.”
The unboxing of our Alphacool Core 1:
New product series means new packaging. Alphacool’s Alphacool Core 1 comes in a brown cardboard box with the waterblock ‘s technical drawing on the front, complete with blue annotations. It’s a real success!
When you open the box, you’ll find the waterblock wrapped in plastic film and inserted in a pre-cut foam block. On the right are the installation instructions for the various sockets in English, German and French. Beneath this is a bag containing the brackets and screws required to install this Core 1.
Alphacool Core 1 waterblock:
We chose an Aurora silver (aRGB) model to match our ROG Z790 APEX motherboard. On the front panel, you can see the two ports and the border around the central port. As you’d expect, this is the aRGB backlight. The central port is your liquid inlet, and the one in the bottom corner is the outlet. It’s essential to respect the direction of your liquid’s flow to benefit from your waterblock ‘s performance. You’ll also find the brand logo in the top left-hand corner. The shape is unusual in that, as you can see from the photo, the lower right-hand corner has a more pronounced curve.
The base of the waterblock is protected by a transparent plastic sticker, but stamped with an inscription in red letters: ” Warning! Please remove, before using! The idea is to draw your attention to the fact that this must be removed before installation on your processor. Yes, yes, it’s happened before that some people forget to remove it and don’t understand why their temperatures are catastrophic.
The Alphacool Core 1 is compatible only with the latest AMD and Intel sockets, i.e. AM5 and LGA-1700. According to Intel’s fixation, LGA-1200 support seems to be taken into account as well. This may seem a pity, but there’s nothing to suggest that Alphacool won’t be offering other bindings compatible with older sockets in the weeks to come.
As this is an Aurora version, a cable is inserted into the waterblock. This terminates in two plugs to power the RGB and connect it to your motherboard.
And to make sure you never go the wrong way, Alphacool has engraved an “OUT” inside the output port! It really is a superb idea. The price is €99.98 (inc. VAT) for the Black/Silver versions, €109.98 (inc. VAT) for the White model and €119.98 (inc. VAT) for both models: Black/Silver Aurora. They are available in the online store by following this link.
Several new features for this Alphacool Core 1 waterblock:
The Core 1 CPU cooler belongs to the latest generation of Alphacool waterblocks. It features a new 3D-printed flat jet for improved cooling performance compared to the previous generation XPX models. Alphacool informs us that the Core 1 has been specially optimized for the latest Intel and AMD processors. Now let’s take a look at the Core 1’s inner workings.
After removing the six screws, we discover the base of our waterblock, i.e. the part in contact with the processor’s IHS. On the inside, we can see a whole series of grooves designed to increase the liquid’s contact surface with the base. We counted 65 grooves horizontally and 11 vertically.
Two 3D-printed elements are then revealed, with the famous flat jet and a second element which is placed on the upper part inside the block. Please note that we disassembled them after our tests, so as not to compromise them.
Finally, before we begin our tests, here’s an exploded view of the waterblock to give you a better understanding of the design.
