Cost of watercooling CPU/GPU/Motherboard?

[Henry]

How much would it cost for all the basic items needed to watercool your processor, ur graphics card, and your motherboard? And what is the cost if u don't watercool the motherboard?

I know this is kind of a broad question, but for just the basic stuff (maybe like 2 triple rads, compression fittings, a decent quality pump, etc), how much would it cost? Im not very knowledgeable on watercooling, I only recently started research on it like yesterday instead of doing my homework .Im interested in doing a custom loop in my future build btw.

 

[TheNinjaNextDor]

Don't watercool your motherboard.

 

Meh: $300-400

Good: $400-600

High-end: 600-Infinite

[MegaDave91]

@Lays

[WunderWuffle]

Expect to spend more than $500. 

 

CPU block: ~$80

graphics card: ~$100

motherboard: ~$50 - $100 depending on what motherboard and waterblock you get. Also depends if you only want to cool the VRM or if you want to cool both the VRM and chipset.

pump: Laing D5: ~$100

radiators: ~$200

accessories: ~$150

 

Total should be around $700, more or less for those things.

[Lays]

two triple rads, around 80-100$ a piece, lets say 170.   Then fittings will be around 150 if you want to do it PROPERLY, with straight runs + short runs.

 

one GPU ~110$ and then cpu block around ~70-80.

 

 

Then.... coolant / water ~ 20$ tubing ~15$ res/pump ~50-150 $

 

 

I really recommend if you're only doing a custom loop for one part, do it for the GPU/GPUS because it benefits them so much more.

 

 

Also motherboard blocks are around 90-160 depending on the board

[_ASSASSIN_]

Expect to spend more than $500. 

 

CPU block: ~$100

graphics card: ~$100

motherboard: ~$50 - $100 depending on what motherboard and waterblock you get. Also depends if you only want to cool the VRM or if you want to cool both the VRM and chipset.

pump: Laing D5: ~$100

radiators: ~$200

accessories: ~$150

 

Total should be around $750 for those things.

CPU blocks shouldn't cost that much, only around $60-80 or so

[WunderWuffle]

CPU blocks shouldn't cost that much, only around $60-80 or so

Oh, woops. I remembered it being $100 last time I checked.

 

Edited post.

[Henry]

Expect to spend more than $500. 

 

CPU block: ~$80

graphics card: ~$100

motherboard: ~$50 - $100 depending on what motherboard and waterblock you get. Also depends if you only want to cool the VRM or if you want to cool both the VRM and chipset.

pump: Laing D5: ~$100

radiators: ~$200

accessories: ~$150

 

Total should be around $700, more or less for those things.

Ouch, $700...

Yeah I dont think i'll watercool the mobo. $150 accessories? Jeesus..

[WunderWuffle]

Ouch, $700...

Yeah I dont think i'll watercool the mobo. $150 accessories? Jeesus..

Fittings, coolant, tubing, and more fittings. Possibly fans, too.

[Henry]

two triple rads, around 80-100$ a piece, lets say 170.   Then fittings will be around 150 if you want to do it PROPERLY, with straight runs + short runs.

 

one GPU ~110$ and then cpu block around ~70-80.

 

 

Then.... coolant / water ~ 20$ tubing ~15$ res/pump ~50-150 $

 

 

I really recommend if you're only doing a custom loop for one part, do it for the GPU/GPUS because it benefits them so much more.

 

 

Also motherboard blocks are around 90-160 depending on the board

Thanks! Ouch, $90-160 for mobo..Ill probably just stick to gpu and cpu.

is there any point in coolant? Why not just use distilled water?  

[Lays]

Thanks! Ouch, $90-160 for mobo..Ill probably just stick to gpu and cpu.

is there any point in coolant? Why not just use distilled water?  

 

 

Coolant makes it look nice if you use clear tubing, some people prefer it over colored tubes  (like myself)

[Henry]

Coolant makes it look nice if you use clear tubing, some people prefer it over colored tubes  (like myself)

Do coolants help with not making anything made of copper, rust? since rads are copper and waterblocks have copper?

[Lays]

Do coolants help with not making anything made of copper, rust? since rads are copper and waterblocks have copper?

 

 

They have anti corrosive + biocides in them.

 

If you want plain distilled you'll have to add that stuff separately to the water.

 

I'm goin to sleep now, if you need further stuff someone should be able to help you

[Henry]

They have anti corrosive + biocides in them.

 

If you want plain distilled you'll have to add that stuff separately to the water.

 

I'm goin to sleep now, if you need further stuff someone should be able to help you

So if I add anti corrosive to the distilled water, the copper will be fine? And I could use silver fittings or a silver killcoil to be the biocide?

[WunderWuffle]

Do coolants help with not making anything made of copper, rust? since rads are copper and waterblocks have copper?

They have anti corrosive + biocides in them.

 

If you want plain distilled you'll have to add that stuff separately to the water.

 

I'm goin to sleep now, if you need further stuff someone should be able to help you

If you have any questions, just ask me in this thread or you can PM me.

[Henry]

If you have any questions, just ask me in this thread or you can PM me.

Thanks! I'll pm you.

[WunderWuffle]

So if I add anti corrosive to the distilled water, the copper will be fine? And I could use silver fittings or a silver killcoil to be the biocide?

Yes, you can use either of those as a biocide. As long as you don't mix copper and aluminum, you're good. I still recommend adding an anti corrosive just in case.

[airdeano]

for a CPU/GPU loop, $700 for bling look, $500 for serious, $300 for budget (used parts).

2x 240x 60 rads or 1x 360x 60 rad. pump, res, fans, tubing fittings.

 

first time doing this, use distilled and a silver kill coil. makes for "wasting" water on

first attempt easier to handle than flushing expensive pre-mixes. you'll prolly re-tube once

or twice to get the orientation the way you like.

[Henry]

for a CPU/GPU loop, $700 for bling look, $500 for serious, $300 for budget (used parts).

2x 240x 60 rads or 1x 360x 60 rad. pump, res, fans, tubing fittings.

 

first time doing this, use distilled and a silver kill coil. makes for "wasting" water on

first attempt easier to handle than flushing expensive pre-mixes. you'll prolly re-tube once

or twice to get the orientation the way you like.

Distilled, killcoil, *and* anti corrossion additivies right?

God damn it, water cooling, why are you so expensive..Looks like I'll be spending about $500 on just watercooling.. Yeah I'll probably re-tube a few times, Im not very good at these kinds of things.

[airdeano]

Distilled, killcoil, *and* anti corrossion additivies right?

God damn it, water cooling, why are you so expensive..Looks like I'll be spending about $500 on just watercooling.. Yeah I'll probably re-tube a few times, Im not very good at these kinds of things.

 

corrosion from aluminum or mixed metal use, naw.. the kill coil gets the swimmers/algea.

you are good on major mannie water cooling parts. copper, stainless steel, plexi, acrylics,

chrome plating, nickle plating, just no steel or aluminum.

 

practice makes a perfect build.

 

if you can not afford it, don't do it. you'll never recover the money spent if you stop

mid-build. easily a 40-60% price hit on used and 30-40% on unused parts hit. easiest is

to start just a CPU loop, make it the best CPU loop, wrench the CPU and get the basics

out of the way and then later add a GPU (might have changed GPU) and then retweak.

[Henry]

corrosion from aluminum or mixed metal use, naw.. the kill coil gets the swimmers/algea.

you are good on major mannie water cooling parts. copper, stainless steel, plexi, acrylics,

chrome plating, nickle plating, just no steel or aluminum.

 

practice makes a perfect build.

 

if you can not afford it, don't do it. you'll never recover the money spent if you stop

mid-build. easily a 40-60% price hit on used and 30-40% on unused parts hit. easiest is

to start just a CPU loop, make it the best CPU loop, wrench the CPU and get the basics

out of the way and then later add a GPU (might have changed GPU) and then retweak.

What do you mean stopping mid build?

[airdeano]

What do you mean stopping mid build?

 

some get distracted albeit because of the budget, fixing the car, schooling or

just fall out of the idea of spending 20-40% of the build cost in water cooling.

 

it happens. you use money you don't need for water cooling. using the rent

payment on water cooling your rig can be a bit of a damper on the build. meanwhile

you computer is in limbo until the next pay period and you want to game/compute.

[Henry]

some get distracted albeit because of the budget, fixing the car, schooling or

just fall out of the idea of spending 20-40% of the build cost in water cooling.

 

it happens. you use money you don't need for water cooling. using the rent

payment on water cooling your rig can be a bit of a damper on the build. meanwhile

you computer is in limbo until the next pay period and you want to game/compute.

Ah. Money isnt that much of an issue for me. Im kind of spoiled (yay parents) , but not spoiled enough to get some kickass $1000 water cooling setup (just for cooling). I'll make money somehow when I go to college and use it for the system.

[airdeano]

just make a kick-ass CPU loop for now.. upgrade to GPU later.

[Henry]

just make a kick-ass CPU loop for now.. upgrade to GPU later.

Alright.

Btw, how would I quickly and easily drain a loop? I hear there is a way to do that with QDC Fittings?