Modder Achieves 28°C GPU Temperatures by Pumping Water Directly onto Bare RTX 2060 Super Die

Technology enthusiast TrashBench achieved a remarkable 28°C load temperature on a GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card by pumping coolant directly onto the bare silicon die, bypassing the traditional copper water block. Using a custom 3D-printed chamber sealed with epoxy, the modder demonstrated an 8°C improvement over a standard 360mm AIO cooler. However, the high risk of leaks, lack of direct cooling for memory and VRMs, and failure to replicate these gains on an Intel CPU highlight why this experimental method remains impractical for everyday PC users.

Direct die water cooling experiment

• ▪The technology enthusiast known as TrashBench conducted an experiment where they pumped liquid coolant directly onto the bare silicon die of a GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card.
• ▪TrashBench tested the direct liquid cooling method on a non-working GeForce RTX 3060, a GeForce GTX 980, and an Intel Core i5-7600K processor in addition to the RTX 2060.

3D-printed chamber design

• ▪TrashBench designed and fabricated a custom 3D-printed plastic chamber to route water directly across the bare GPU die using the original cooler's retention points.
• ▪During the 3D printing process, TrashBench found that print material selection was critical because some filaments leaked at the edges or were slightly porous, allowing water to seep through the chamber walls.

Leak mitigation techniques

• ▪TrashBench utilized a PCIe riser cable during live power testing to physically isolate the graphics card and prevent any leaking coolant from dripping directly onto the motherboard.
• ▪TrashBench applied epoxy adhesive, gaskets, washers, and worm-screw hose clamps to seal the 3D-printed block and tube fittings after experiencing multiple leaks during early testing.
• ▪To prevent water damage and electrical shorting, TrashBench coated the surface-mount components surrounding the GPU die with nail polish.

Temperature performance comparison

• ▪The direct-die water cooling setup reduced the GeForce RTX 2060's core temperature to 28°C under load in Unigine Heaven, compared to 70°C with the stock heatsink and 36°C with a clamped-on AIO liquid cooler.
• ▪Using coolant chilled to -28°C, TrashBench achieved a GPU core temperature of 13°C in Unigine Heaven, though this caused condensation to form around the pipes and waterblock.
• ▪The direct-die cooling setup achieved a hotspot temperature of 41°C on the GeForce RTX 2060 during the Unigine Heaven benchmark runs.
• ▪When tested on an Intel Core i5-7600K CPU, the direct water cooling method failed to outperform a conventional AIO cooler, reaching 52°C compared to the AIO's 39°C.

Seal engineering challenges

• ▪Experts and hardware analysts warn that direct-die liquid cooling is highly risky for daily use because any seal failure or leak of contaminated coolant can instantly destroy the graphics card and surrounding components.
• ▪Unlike commercial water blocks designed with specialized sealing surfaces and isolated channels, TrashBench's custom block relied on the GPU's existing mounting system, which was not designed to contain pressurized fluid.
• ▪A die-only cooling chamber leaves critical graphics card components, such as GDDR6 memory chips and voltage-regulator modules, without direct cooling, potentially leaving them thermally unmanaged under prolonged workloads.

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