Intel Arc GPU water cooling blocks are coming, as compatible components are now listed for the Gunnir Arc A380 Photon OC. While the existence of graphics card water cooling parts isn’t strange in itself, pairing the solution with the blue team’s low spec contender could be perceived as a little odd.
Highlighted by Haze2K1 on Twitter, the Intel Arc water cooling block in question is the Bykski I-GNA380-X GPU Block, and appears to specifically cater to the Gunnir A380. Whether or not the part is compatible with other Arc Alchemist PCB designs, like upcoming ASRock models remains to be seen, but the component primarily targets Intel’s budget card.
If you’re familiar with the Intel Arc A380, you’ll know it’s an entry-level graphics card through and through. It’ll only set you back around $192, but you’ll have to go on a trip overseas to get it, as it’s currently only available in China. Reviews place its performance somewhere between an RTX 3050 and AMD Radeon RX 6400, so it’s not exactly the kind of card enthusiasts will be eager to water cool.
That said, overclocking an Intel Arc A380 boosts performance in Doom and other games by up to 60%. So, if you wanted to squeeze more performance out of the cost-cutting card, strapping a AIO cooler to it might help. Negating the need for conventional fans could also help builders create a super quiet Intel Arc gaming PC, one that could reside in a living room in place of a games console or media centre.
The idea of Intel Arc A380 sounds strange, but we’re not judging anyone that fancies giving it a go. Again, there’s a chance the block will fit other Arc Alchemist graphics cards, and the cooling concept isn’t completely redundant in terms of benefits. However, the Bykski page doesn’t appear to include a price for the part, so you might want to find that out first before making any budget PC plans.