searching for a cheaper alternative

[ki8aras]

I'm once again planning to build my first water cooling loop but I've kinda run into a problem

I was planning on using a pump/res combo like the EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 PWM but once I saw its price of 160 euros i knew i had to find something a bit cheaper

so my question is are there any cheaper alternatives?

[Tristerin]

I paid $23 shipped on Aliexpress for this pump/res combo:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Yosoo®-DC12V-Cooling-Exchanger-Cooler/dp/B00VHPADRW/ref=sr_1_26?keywords=pump+reservoir+combo&qid=1555262046&s=gateway&sr=8-26

 

Its silent (I have it hanging so nothing to vibrate either), and works great.  Just did my first loop with it and am very pleased

 

 

[Tristerin]

That loop cost me right over $55 to build for that PC.  The most expensive parts are the fans since I didn't want to skimp on those.  With the fans it was right under $69 for that loop (or less, rounding up in all cases)

[Tristerin]

Prime95 and Heaven running at the same time for over 1 hour yielded 61c max CPU temp (I have a bad mount, it idles at 40c, just don't feel like taking it apart cause it doesn't matter on that PC) and 50c on the GPU.  Pump works very well.

[Avve1000]

3 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

Prime95 and Heaven running at the same time for over 1 hour yielded 61c max CPU temp (I have a bad mount, it idles at 40c, just don't feel like taking it apart cause it doesn't matter on that PC) and 50c on the GPU.  Pump works very well.

Jesus christ! This is just crazy! hahah wow thats cool!

[Tristerin]

44 minutes ago, Avve1000 said:

Jesus christ! This is just crazy! hahah wow thats cool!

I expect 50c max temps when I mount it correctly with a decent TIM, as the loop equalizes depending on pump speed, radiator/fan heat dispersion (and reaches Thermal Equilibrium)

46 minutes ago, Mr. horse said:

I would not want to cheap out on a pump. last thing you want is for your pump to die and you parts overheat.

You can get a stock D5 for around 65-75$ USD and a micro rez for around 25$.

There are cheaper pumps out there too, but without knowing what you want to put in your loop I can't really recommend anything right now.

 

The reason I went with the pump I did (is not the cheapest on the market...cheapest is like $12 USD lol I Couldn't skimp that much personally) was because another user on this forum showed me his custom loop and he had paid $46 on amazon for it and he said his was in use for over 1 year.  I also read the reviews on the pump on Aliexpress, Amazon, and Newegg (same with the CPU block I got...its on all those sites just super cheap on Aliexpress compared) and it is a 4 star + pump/res combo.

 

As for overheating, your PC is built to shut off when it reaches a certain thermal threshold so that the silicone doesn't get killed - its a very very low risk to save double the money or more imho.  Now if there were reviews on the pump leaking, or enough reviews in THAT direction Id call that a major risk

[SolarNova]

1 hour ago, ki8aras said:

I'm once again planning to build my first water cooling loop but I've kinda run into a problem

I was planning on using a pump/res combo like the EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 PWM but once I saw its price of 160 euros i knew i had to find something a bit cheaper

so my question is are there any cheaper alternatives?

A custom loop isn't cheap, expect to spend close to the cost a top end GPU at least.

 

UK prices for example:

£170 for the blocks

£50-£100 for the rad(s)

£40-£50 for basic straight fittings

£10 soft tubing

£10-£30 for coolant

£30-£150 for 3-6 fans depending on quality.

£100-£150 for Pump and res

 

That's £410 - £660 total, using quality of the shelf copper loop parts.

 

You can do it cheaper if you go Aluminium, and cheaper still if you go with Chinese imported items from AliExpress, but quality drops.

 

As quality drops, aesthetics drop, performance drops, system gets louder, longevity drops, failure rates increase.

[ki8aras]

1 hour ago, Tristerin said:

I paid $23 shipped on Aliexpress for this pump/res combo:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Yosoo®-DC12V-Cooling-Exchanger-Cooler/dp/B00VHPADRW/ref=sr_1_26?keywords=pump+reservoir+combo&qid=1555262046&s=gateway&sr=8-26

 

Its silent (I have it hanging so nothing to vibrate either), and works great.  Just did my first loop with it and am very pleased

 

 

that could work

[ki8aras]

1 minute ago, SolarNova said:

A custom loop isn't cheap, expect to spend close to the cost a top end GPU at least.

 

UK prices for example:

£170 for the blocks

£50-£100 for the rad(s)

£40-£50 for basic straight fittings

£10 soft tubing

£10-£30 for coolant

£30-£150 for 3-6 fans depending on quality.

£100-£150 for Pump and res

 

That's £410 - £660 total, using quality of the shelf copper loop parts.

 

You can do it cheaper if you go Aluminium, and cheaper still if you go with Chinese imported items from AliExpress, but quality drops.

I wasn't planning on buying anything cheaper for the other parts(ek block, fittings and rads)but i just can't spend 160 euros on a pump

[SolarNova]

2 minutes ago, ki8aras said:

I wasn't planning on buying anything cheaper for the other parts(ek block, fittings and rads)but i just can't spend 160 euros on a pump

Well its a pump/res combo, ur not just paying for the pump, but also the top and res.

Buying them separately is actually more expensive which includes having to by extra fittings to go between the pump and res, the pump itself, a pump top ,, and ofc the res.

[ki8aras]

3 minutes ago, SolarNova said:

Well its a pump/res combo, ur not just paying for the pump, but also the top and res.

Buying them separately is actually more expensive which includes having to by extra fittings to go between the pump and res, the pump itself, a pump top ,, and ofc the res.

then I guess I don't really have a choice, do I?

[Tristerin]

18 minutes ago, SolarNova said:

A custom loop isn't cheap, expect to spend close to the cost a top end GPU at least.

 

UK prices for example:

£170 for the blocks

£50-£100 for the rad(s)

£40-£50 for basic straight fittings

£10 soft tubing

£10-£30 for coolant

£30-£150 for 3-6 fans depending on quality.

£100-£150 for Pump and res

 

That's £410 - £660 total, using quality of the shelf copper loop parts.

 

You can do it cheaper if you go Aluminium, and cheaper still if you go with Chinese imported items from AliExpress, but quality drops.

 

As quality drops, aesthetics drop, performance drops, system gets louder, longevity drops, failure rates increase.

 

A custom loop is cheap.  Its branding that causes it to be expensive.

 

You do realize all of those manufacturers are sourcing their parts from...China...lol. 

 

Nothing in that build I have above doesn't feel 100% solid or quality...all from Aliexpress or Malaysia via Ebay (the 80mm rads were cheaper there).  These are, once again, the Ghost Stories.

 

It takes a little bit of attention...a smidge of research...and the ability to look through the fearmongering.

 

9 minutes ago, ki8aras said:

then I guess I don't really have a choice, do I?

You always have a choice.  If I had listened to folks here (CANT MIX METALS...but all AIO's are aluminum rads and copper blocks)(CANT USE ANTIFREEZE - ummmm yes its a biocide and anticorrosion substance...its same same) solely based on the fear tactics Manufacturers have put into people...I wouldn't have built my loop here...and be building a second loop for under a TOTAL of $128 bucks.  (2 loops for $128...or just a res/pump combo lol)

 

You have a choice, my suggestion is to hear people (them and I) and do your OWN research and do what you are comfortable with.

 

I am 100% positive my loop will last as long as any EK loop.  Because I researched the products I was buying.

 

[Tristerin]

Everything in the pic I posted is available on Amazon US or Newegg US.  At double the price or more I paid on Aliexpress btw.

 

That CPU block on Aliexpress - $12 (I saw it on sale for $10 the other day)

Newegg - $22-30

Amazon - $22-30

 

Aluminum block with mount for GPU w/ pagodas - $4 (less, rounded up) (lets just say $4 I paid like $2 for a bag of 50 heat sinks and used 18-25 on the GPU)

or buy a GPU block from Aliexpress for $10-14 if you don't want to use a strap

Or pay double-quadruple that amount on Amazon or Newegg...for the same item.

 

Up to you all!