Okay, so I received my K|NGP|N today, and just finished installing the EK water block and backplate. I chose to use the EK backplate over the stock one due to the fact that it actually makes contact with the back side of the VRM's via thermal pad, and provides some passive cooling for that area where the stock one does not. I also made it a point to order the Rev 2.0 version of the backplate which has been modified to specifically work with the KPE.
 
So the problems. First, let's take a look at the block and backplate installed on the KPE.
 
When looking at the backplate, think about what may be wrong...
 

 

 
So do you see the problem??
 
I'll give you a hint. Do you see the switches for the voltage boost, and the switches for the gpu and memory protection disable? No? Well that's because the backplate covers them up!! No access holes were cut to provide access to these switches which are exclusive to the KPE.
 
Also covered by the backplate are the led's that light up according to which BIOS you are in. Now, this isn't as terrible as blocking access to the switches, but it's still an issue.
 
So the second problem.
 
Take a look at the corner of the card by the power connectors. You will see that the pcb is bowed out away from the backplate. Why is it like this? Well, apparently, the regular 780 Ti Classified (which shares the same backplate) has a mount/screw hole where the third power connector is, and EK's stand-off hits the clip on the back side of the KPE's third power connector thus bowing the backplate away from the pcb on that corner, and since the backplate is much more rigid than the solid metal backplate, the pcb is the part that becomes bowed or distorted.
 



 
In this last picture you can see the stand-off not even touching the pcb. This is because the stand-off is actually hitting the little plastic clip that holds the power connector in place. I tried to get a better picture, but this is the best I can do. You can see the clips all lined up though behind the power connectors.
 

Can't you just use thermal pads with the backplate provided?

Supercharged_Z06
Are you sure you were sent the Ver 2.0 of the EK backplate? I thought the 2.0 backplate was supposed to come with the cutouts for the switches on the KPE? While I usually really like EK's stuff, that backplate is rather uninspiring... to the point of being rather drab.

Yes, the box was labeled 2.0, and the backplate itself is even etched on the inside Rev 2.0. I really don't know how this passed their product testing phase.
 

Gomez99
Can't you just use thermal pads with the backplate provided?

I'm sure you probably could, but I like the look of the understated EK backplates, and this backplate's thickness exceeds that of the stock one as well so any cooling effect should be greater with the EK.
 
I have no doubt that Eddie (EK) will make good on this, and make whatever revisions necessary.
 
I had a similar issue a long time ago with an EVGA X58 4-way SLI motherboard water block that wouldn't allow the graphics cards to fully seat in the PCI-e slots properly. Once it was brought to Eddie's attention, he quickly made the necessary changes, and sent me a new block.
 
I started a Support Ticket on EK's website, and linked them to this thread so I should think that we'll hear from someone from EK at some point on this.

hatchetrunner
I personally like the stock back plate. I will be using it with a ek waterblock for my Kingpin Classified 

Would a Solid BackPlate run hotter then one with vents?
It is nice looking though, not sure I like that the only use 4 screws to mount it.

Just received an email back from EK, and I'm not too happy with the answer they gave me.
 
 
____________________________________________________________________________
First, my message to tech support:
 
I just purchased one of your backplates for the EVGA GTX 780 Ti Classified Kingpin Edition, and it has two major flaws. First problem is that there are no holes cut in the backplate giving access to the two sets of dip switches on the back side of the pcb exclusive to the Kingpin Edition. The second problem is that the corner stand-off by the power connectors actually hits the small clip that holds the last power connector onto the pcb which causes the pcb to become bowed and distorted. Please see a thread that I started over in the EVGA forum alerting others about this, and please get back to me with a resolution to this issue. http://forums.evga.com/tm.aspx?m=2116917
 
 
And their response:
 
Dear customer,

Thank you for contacting EK Support.

We are sorry, but this backplate was not particularly design for KINGPIN videocards.
It is compatible, but it was designed using non KINGPIN videocards and before KINGPIN videocard was release.

If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Lep pozdrav, Kind regards, MFG!
Peter Šajn
 
________________________________________________________________________________
 
Can you believe this?? So what they are saying is that they are selling a backplate being advertised as being compatible with the Kingpin, even though it is not, and have absolutely no support for it. This is absolutely ridiculous. 

I've sent a message to Performance-PC's, but haven't heard back yet. I'm thinking I may end up just having to sell it to someone with a regular Ti Classified because this isn't going very well so far, and it'll work perfectly fine on one of those cards.

Hi
I think the problem doesn't come from the backplate...
There is some issues with the cooler, in my case i had a bowed card when screws were in place because the GPU contact base.
Also no contact with any memory chip , with 0.5mm pad. I should place 1mm pads to perform a good contact.
 
The bow appear perfectly when you look at the PCI E card connector... if when everything in place it's bowed, LAP IT or you will Kill the Card... ^^ 
 
I was mendated to LAP the GPU base of my EK Waterblock... a lot of work to made it perfect and do not LAP to much...because if no contact with the GPU.
Many hours and patience to test each LAP with 500 grit... and finish at 2000.
Now it's perfect , themal pads 0.5mm spilled and GPU base  spreads thermal paste perfectly. 
 
Be carefull with GPU Waterblocks, EK or any of these, they are made in serie and not specialy made to fit your videocard  as a glove.
 

 

I don't know why EK didn't change little water-block design for KP Edition to cover and back part...
 

 
Maybe they could design some little part with thermal pad under to cover that...
Update: I non stop think what people could install on that part to cool down that section, maybe and I will need that to...
Maybe some modified mosfet heatsink from Swiftech or other similar... First thermal pad and than modified heatsink, or several little for memory...
Arctic Alumina probably can hold heatsink on thermal pads and up side down.
 
 
 

For ROG Matrix GTX780Ti I'm sure they will cover everything with active cooling but here they don't even made block, only for GTX780Ti.
They could make at least some number of blocks and other people to order if they want. 

What coolant are you using ? Is this on a KPE card..

Ah that explains it, I also only use distilled water with full copper. Thanks for the reply..

That looks like a mess

EVGATech_BrittonT
I just had to do a double take on those pictures. Just made me shiver looking at it just now.

 
That is some vicious damage. Distilled water and Silver kill coil is what I use for my builds.

What you think about clear liquid from some brand as EK, XSPC, Koolance, silver coil.
Is it possible to same happen if you buy 5l of finish prepared coolant and change every 2-3 month???

So the stock backplate works fine if you use 3.5x6mm screws and the ek screws where it's marked red on the picture a couple pages back?