I'm currently in the step-up queue for a 3090 FTW3 Ultra since 9/29.  In an impatient impulse buy, I was able to order a 3090 Founders Edition from Best Buy last Friday.  Ultimately I want to install a water block for integration into my custom loop.  Currently I'm using a 2080S Hydro Copper, which works pretty well.  Here are my three options, what would you do?

1. Keep the FE, sell the FTW3 (at cost, I'm not an ahole) when I receive the step-up, wait for the awesome looking EKWB water block
2. Sell the FE, wait for the step-up FTW3, wait for either an EKWB block or EVGA hydro copper block
3. Sell the FE, cancel the FTW3 step-up, wait for a FTW3 hydro copper

Option 1 will be the best looking result, and slightly cheaper.  Option 2 would perform better than 1.  But 1 and 2 both require disassembling a brand new $1,500+ card to install a water block.  I've watched plenty of videos and it looks easy enough, but still.  Option 3 would perform similarly to 2, but without disassembly.  
 
Option 1 and 2 would allow me to use an air cooled 3090 temporarily, but that means I have to disassemble my custom loop two more times (remove 2080s HC, add block to FE or FTW3).  Ultimately I think Option 3 is my preferred choice, but could take the longest time.
 
I know, first world problems, right.

andrewm24
I'm currently in the step-up queue for a 3090 FTW3 Ultra since 9/29.  In an impatient impulse buy, I was able to order a 3090 Founders Edition from Best Buy last Friday.  Ultimately I want to install a water block for integration into my custom loop.  Currently I'm using a 2080S Hydro Copper, which works pretty well.  Here are my three options, what would you do?

1. Keep the FE, sell the FTW3 (at cost, I'm not an ahole) when I receive the step-up, wait for the awesome looking EKWB water block
2. Sell the FE, wait for the step-up FTW3, wait for either an EKWB block or EVGA hydro copper block
3. Sell the FE, cancel the FTW3 step-up, wait for a FTW3 hydro copper

Option 1 will be the best looking result, and slightly cheaper.  Option 2 would perform better than 1.  But 1 and 2 both require disassembling a brand new $1,500+ card to install a water block.  I've watched plenty of videos and it looks easy enough, but still.  Option 3 would perform similarly to 2, but without disassembly.  
 
Option 1 and 2 would allow me to use an air cooled 3090 temporarily, but that means I have to disassemble my custom loop two more times (remove 2080s HC, add block to FE or FTW3).  Ultimately I think Option 3 is my preferred choice, but could take the longest time.
 
I know, first world problems, right.

FTW3 HydroCopper would be the cheapest and easiest method by far.  And if you're planning to water cool, and you're not planning to void your warranty by shunt modding the card, then the FE is out of the question.  375W vs 500W power limit is massively important.  Why not sell the FE, keep the FTW3 until either an FTW3 HC shows up in Step-Up, or you get on the Notify list for the FTW3 HC, OR...if all else fails...until you get your preferred block for your existing card whenever that may be.  In the mean time, I'd recommend doing some short testing with undervolting to see how good your GPU die is.  If your existing card happens to have a great chip, then the recommendation would be to keep it and get a block separately.  If it's not a great chip, may be a better idea to sell and roll the dice on a new card when it becomes available.

andrewm24

TheHyperMatrix

andrewm24
I'm currently in the step-up queue for a 3090 FTW3 Ultra since 9/29.  In an impatient impulse buy, I was able to order a 3090 Founders Edition from Best Buy last Friday.  Ultimately I want to install a water block for integration into my custom loop.  Currently I'm using a 2080S Hydro Copper, which works pretty well.  Here are my three options, what would you do?

1. Keep the FE, sell the FTW3 (at cost, I'm not an ahole) when I receive the step-up, wait for the awesome looking EKWB water block
2. Sell the FE, wait for the step-up FTW3, wait for either an EKWB block or EVGA hydro copper block
3. Sell the FE, cancel the FTW3 step-up, wait for a FTW3 hydro copper

Option 1 will be the best looking result, and slightly cheaper.  Option 2 would perform better than 1.  But 1 and 2 both require disassembling a brand new $1,500+ card to install a water block.  I've watched plenty of videos and it looks easy enough, but still.  Option 3 would perform similarly to 2, but without disassembly.  
 
Option 1 and 2 would allow me to use an air cooled 3090 temporarily, but that means I have to disassemble my custom loop two more times (remove 2080s HC, add block to FE or FTW3).  Ultimately I think Option 3 is my preferred choice, but could take the longest time.
 
I know, first world problems, right.

FTW3 HydroCopper would be the cheapest and easiest method by far.  And if you're planning to water cool, and you're not planning to void your warranty by shunt modding the card, then the FE is out of the question.  375W vs 500W power limit is massively important.  Why not sell the FE, keep the FTW3 until either an FTW3 HC shows up in Step-Up, or you get on the Notify list for the FTW3 HC, OR...if all else fails...until you get your preferred block for your existing card whenever that may be.  In the mean time, I'd recommend doing some short testing with undervolting to see how good your GPU die is.  If your existing card happens to have a great chip, then the recommendation would be to keep it and get a block separately.  If it's not a great chip, may be a better idea to sell and roll the dice on a new card when it becomes available.

My current card is a 2080s hydro copper.  I'm still in the step-up queue for a 3090 FTW3 Ultra.  I think I'll return the FE to Best Buy when it arrives and cancel my 3090 FTW3 Ultra step-up queue.  Then wait for the 3090 FTW3 or Kingpin Hydro Copper notification queue.

Yeah if you can get in on any of those queues, that'd be the way to go.  Your F5 game's gotta be strong though.  Haha.