EKWB releases distro plate with D5 pump for Fractal cases

EKWB has created and released a new water-cooling distribution plate that has an integrated D5 pump and multiple inlet/outlet ports, specifically tailored to fit certain cases by manufacturer Fractal Design.

The full tongue-twister product name is the EK-Quantum Reflection Fractal ATX D5 PWM D-RGB, and the following Fractal Design ATX cases are supported:

• Define 7
• Define 7 AXL
• Define R6
• Define S2
• Vector RS
• Meshify S2
  

As regular readers will be all too aware from having followed our own guides on how to design and machine distro plates (including ones with integrated pumps, no less!), they are both aesthetic and functional by nature. Sometimes acting in part as a reservoir, their main purpose is to route fluid around a system across a flat plane, and for this reason they’re often used to cut down on the amount of tubing and produce gorgeous clean builds. Taken a step further with some CAD and machining wizardry, distro plates can have pumps directly integrated into their design, potentially tidying up your build even further – and that’s exactly what EKWB has done with this one.

Aimed squarely at anyone building a custom water-cooling loop into one of the above cases, the new EK-Quantum Reflection distro plate is designed to be mounted next to the motherboard.

Made from CNC-machined cast acrylic, it’s a single-sided plate with all the G1/4” threaded inlet and outlet ports accessible from the same side as the pump is mounted to. According to EK, there are enough of these to accommodate a loop with one CPU block, two GPU blocks, and two radiators, and unsurprisingly the ports are ‘perfectly aligned to match other EK cooling components to minimise the number of bends the user has to make’. A list of the recommended radiators for each case is provided on the product page.

There’s also a built-in 22-LED addressable RGB strip with its own 5V RGB connection. The LEDs are disguised with an anodised black aluminium cover, so you won't see any direct light, just that which is dispersed through the plate. The strip is compatible with the usual software from Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, and ASRock.

The pump is a genuine D5 model with PWM control and a maximum flow of 1,500 L/h. There is a Molex connector needed to power it and an optional PWM connector to help control the speed; the pump will run at 100 percent duty if no PWM signal is present.

The EK-Quantum Reflection Fractal ATX D5 PWM D-RGB is available to pre-order now for €272.17 at the time of writing (roughly £250), with shipments expected to start on March 23rd. More information is available on the official website.