This issue could have even further ranging impacts to both Gigabyte and AMD as Asetek is demanding all sales be stopped of product containing coolers with infringing technology.  AMD’s R9 based Fury X is cooled by a Cooler Master supplied CLC (close loop cooler). Gigabyte’s GTX 980 Water Force has the Seidon cooler in use.

As Cooler Master has decided not to abide by the findings in the patent suit with Asetek they now are required to pay 29% of revenue and has to stop selling the Glacier, Nepton and Seidon coolers. This is not a good thing for a company that has taken a back seat to the competition in the last couple of years. We would not be surprised at all to see these coolers disappear from places like Amazon, Newegg and Fry’s very soon. Meanwhile both AMD and Gigabyte will need to find another partner for cooling on the Fury X and the GTX 980 Water Force before they can push them to the public.

Of course in the design of any high-end product multiple vendors would have been contacted. It should not be too hard for both AMD and Gigabyte to change over to another source for cooling. They, in turn, could have legal remedies against Cooler Master to recover any revenue lost because of this. Cooler Master is who is at fault here by not abiding by the court’s order. Both AMD and Gigabyte are victims in this case so getting their money back should not be too hard. This could go very badly for Cooler Master…