Is a dual fan radiator necessary?

[rezellmine]

I've been multitasking heavily recently and it seems that my CPU is starting to feel it. 

I have a Intel 4670K with a stock fan attached to it.

My CPU temperature has been hiking up to high 50C and fan spinning really fast and loud to compensate.

 

I specifically purchased the unlocked version of the CPU because I wanted to leave the possibility of overclocking open in case I wanted to OC in the future. Now, with the purchase of water cooling, overclocking seems like a no-brainer. 

 

Now the problem arises because of the old old old case that I am currently using. I'm using an Antec Twelve Hundred v1 from 8+ years ago from way before water cooling compatibility was standard(I think).

Currently, I have no idea if a dual-radiator prefilled water cooling system will fit on the back of the case and I don't think I can install it on the top due to the 200mm fan. 

 

This is when a friend of mine suggested that a dual-radiator water cooling system is simply overkill because he knows from experience that a single radiator can still achieve acceptable temperatures.

 

Is it true that a single-radiator water cooling system is good enough? Are dual-radiator systems really overkill in non-extreme cases? 

[Aniallation]

This is when a friend of mine suggested that a dual-radiator water cooling system is simply overkill because he knows from experience that a single radiator can still achieve acceptable temperatures.

 

Is it true that a single-radiator water cooling system is good enough? Are dual-radiator systems really overkill in non-extreme cases? 

I mean, you could just get a decent air cooler.

[othertomperson]

A single-radiator cooler isn't bad, it just offers no benefit over an air cooler and costs a lot more. So you may as well just go for the air cooler.

[GloriousPain]

honestly instead of getting a custom loop like it sounds like you're considering I'd say just upgrade to an i7 and an aftermarket aircooler and call it good

[Statik]

I got an H80i (H100i wouldn't fit in my case). I It's practically silent, has a much more lower profile than a big ass air cooler, and under load (i.e. Dragon Age Inquisition, BF4, etc, Ultra, 1080p, with videos, TS, etc, on second monitor) I won't climb past 35C. I idle around room temp too.

[rezellmine]

So the consensus is that a single radiator water cooler doesn't offer much more benefits over an air cooler besides the lower profile? Thank you.

[Benji_w]

I've been multitasking heavily recently and it seems that my CPU is starting to feel it. 

I have a Intel 4670K with a stock fan attached to it.

My CPU temperature has been hiking up to high 50C and fan spinning really fast and loud to compensate.

 

I specifically purchased the unlocked version of the CPU because I wanted to leave the possibility of overclocking open in case I wanted to OC in the future. Now, with the purchase of water cooling, overclocking seems like a no-brainer. 

 

Now the problem arises because of the old old old case that I am currently using. I'm using an Antec Twelve Hundred v1 from 8+ years ago from way before water cooling compatibility was standard(I think).

Currently, I have no idea if a dual-radiator prefilled water cooling system will fit on the back of the case and I don't think I can install it on the top due to the 200mm fan. 

 

This is when a friend of mine suggested that a dual-radiator water cooling system is simply overkill because he knows from experience that a single radiator can still achieve acceptable temperatures.

 

Is it true that a single-radiator water cooling system is good enough? Are dual-radiator systems really overkill in non-extreme cases? 

 

Sigh... I've recently been told of how heat effects overclocking and why most of the people on this forum see loads of rads and think overkill while I sit there and think, well actually looks like you'll be able to take higher clock speeds if I'm honest. I've used a good quality air cooler and a custom loop and I'll tell you now, custom loop for overclocking is a no brainer, While you say you're hitting 50c that seems fine but you want to start overclocking, buying good quality and pricey equipment is the only way forward.

 

If you want to OC on air or water you need good airflow and unless you intend to heavily modify that 8 year old case (nothing wrong with this option actually) you might wish to consider grabbing a better case. As for air or water? well, that is up to you but please don't use a hyper 212, I've yet to see someone use that cooler on a 5ghz CPU in a real world ambient temperature while running intel burntest AVX on maximum or very high for 20 runs. Buy a twin tower air cooler or a 240mm and up AIO. Once you see temps drop you will want to apply this to your other components as that's how it all starts off and you get the watercooling bug, AIO are nice but there is a reason why custom loops are often holding 5ghz machines nice and cool... Jus' sayin' 

 

PLEASE NOTE: Not all CPU's are created equal, Intel CPU's sometimes need to be delidded in order to heavily reduce temps but not all of them, AIO coolers do a good job and I am biased towards custom loops, I am aware some people can overclock on lower tier products but they often have issues or hit walls while complete noobs like myself hit 5ghz fumbling around on high tier products... list goes on. 

[rezellmine]

Sigh... I've recently been told of how heat effects overclocking and why most of the people on this forum see loads of rads and think overkill while I sit there and think, well actually looks like you'll be able to take higher clock speeds if I'm honest. I've used a good quality air cooler and a custom loop and I'll tell you now, custom loop for overclocking is a no brainer, While you say you're hitting 50c that seems fine but you want to start overclocking, buying good quality and pricey equipment is the only way forward.

 

If you want to OC on air or water you need good airflow and unless you intend to heavily modify that 8 year old case (nothing wrong with this option actually) you might wish to consider grabbing a better case. As for air or water? well, that is up to you but please don't use a hyper 212, I've yet to see someone use that cooler on a 5ghz CPU in a real world ambient temperature while running intel burntest AVX on maximum or very high for 20 runs. Buy a twin tower air cooler or a 240mm and up AIO. Once you see temps drop you will want to apply this to your other components as that's how it all starts off and you get the watercooling bug, AIO are nice but there is a reason why custom loops are often holding 5ghz machines nice and cool... Jus' sayin' 

 

PLEASE NOTE: Not all CPU's are created equal, Intel CPU's sometimes need to be delidded in order to heavily reduce temps but not all of them, AIO coolers do a good job and I am biased towards custom loops, I am aware some people can overclock on lower tier products but they often have issues or hit walls while complete noobs like myself hit 5ghz fumbling around on high tier products... list goes on. 

 

honestly instead of getting a custom loop like it sounds like you're considering I'd say just upgrade to an i7 and an aftermarket aircooler and call it good

 

I have a feeling that you guys are not quite understanding the original question.

 

I don't think anyone would refute the fact that a custom loop would be more efficient than a prefilled loop or air cooling. I absolutely do not plan on getting a custom loop water cooling system. The question was between dual radiator water cooling vs single radiator watercooling vs air cooling.

 

Regardless of whether it's an AIO water cooling system or a custom loop, I think the argument between single rad and dual rad still stands.

 

Hitting 50C, I believe is perfectly fine considering that I'm only using a stock CPU fan at the moment. I certainly do not expect to overclock with a stock fan.

 

Do not let the age of the case fool you. The Antec Twelve Hundred v1 has more than enough airflow, I believe. Three 120mm's on the front for intake, one 120mm on the side and two 120mm on the back and a 200mm on the top for exhaust. 

[Benji_w]

I have a feeling that you guys are not quite understanding the original question.

 

I don't think anyone would refute the fact that a custom loop would be more efficient than a prefilled loop or air cooling. I absolutely do not plan on getting a custom loop water cooling system. The question was between dual radiator water cooling vs single radiator watercooling vs air cooling.

 

Regardless of whether it's an AIO water cooling system or a custom loop, I think the argument between single rad and dual rad still stands.

 

Hitting 50C, I believe is perfectly fine considering that I'm only using a stock CPU fan at the moment. I certainly do not expect to overclock with a stock fan.

 

Do not let the age of the case fool you. The Antec Twelve Hundred v1 has more than enough airflow, I believe. Three 120mm's on the front for intake, one 120mm on the side and two 120mm on the back and a 200mm on the top for exhaust. 

 

The more rad space you have the better, there is no argument. Go for the dual 120mm AIO and be done with it.