120 mm Radiator

[Alpha Shadow]

Hey guys, I've been looking for the best value 120 mm AIO for my dollar. Is there any recommendations you guys have without it being to expensive?

[Imbellis]

If you're looking for performance per dollar, AIOs aren't the way to go. They're quite expensive for their cooling performance (and 120mm AIOs don't cool too well regardless).

[givingtnt]

11 minutes ago, Imbellis said:

If you're looking for performance per dollar, AIOs aren't the way to go. They're quite expensive for their cooling performance (and 120mm AIOs don't cool too well regardless).

Odd, I was under the assumption that my 120mm AIO (H80i) that's been running and cooling my 4790k for the past 4+ years is very good at it.
how do you figure ?

Also, then how about you suggest something rather than extending the conversation for no reason ?

[givingtnt]

8 minutes ago, Alpha Shadow said:

Hey guys, I've been looking for the best value 120 mm AIO for my dollar. Is there any recommendations you guys have without it being to expensive?

Get something with a decent thickness, the H80i V2 is pretty good, but if you want to save some money, the CM MasterLiquid 120 is also decent.

[Alpha Shadow]

14 minutes ago, Imbellis said:

If you're looking for performance per dollar, AIOs aren't the way to go. They're quite expensive for their cooling performance (and 120mm AIOs don't cool too well regardless).

What type of cooler would you recommend for a small form factor pc since it is going in this case? (COUGAR QBX Mini-ITX)

[Carz728]

42 minutes ago, Alpha Shadow said:

Hey guys, I've been looking for the best value 120 mm AIO for my dollar. Is there any recommendations you guys have without it being to expensive?

Out of personal experience stay away from the cooler master ml120r. It cools extremely well however it is very loud.

[Imbellis]

19 minutes ago, givingtnt said:

Also, then how about you suggest something rather than extending the conversation for no reason ?

1

No reason to get sassy - but you are right, I should've added more of an explanation, so here it is:

I'd rather get him what works best for his situation and providing alternatives than confining him to something he may not need. Some people that get into computer building think that water-cooling is automatically better because it's more expensive. Although water cooling is generally better for high-end rigs, most people don't need it and air coolers, generally, would be cheaper (unless you're doing it for the aesthetic).

 

Now that he mentions his motive for looking for a 120mm AIO (because he's low on space) If you're willing to do a bit of modding, you can fit a 240mm AIO in it.

 

Regarding air coolers, The Noctua NH-L12S, running without one if it's fans, runs several degrees hotter than a 120mm AIO; however, if you're willing to add a second fan on top (making it to ~95mm), it can cool a chip very well. If you can find an NH-L12 (comes with 2 fans by default), it'll be easier. Be quiet!'s Shadow Rock LP is also an alright alternative, but you give up a couple of degrees on it.

The L9x65 is also good, but I wouldn't recommend it simply because you have enough space for larger coolers that can fit more fins.

 

What CPU are you running? What is your budget? If you're looking only for the best performance-per-dollar, it'll be a cheap air cooler. If you're not planning on overclocking (or you're not running a hot CPU), you might not need a powerful cooler.

Quote

Odd, I was under the assumption that my 120mm AIO (H80i) that's been running and cooling my 4790k for the past 4+ years is very good at it.
how do you figure ?

1

That's just because you're from Canada and "hot" is just an abstract theory.

[Alpha Shadow]

1 hour ago, Imbellis said:

No reason to get sassy - but you are right, I should've added more of an explanation, so here it is:

I'd rather get him what works best for his situation and providing alternatives than confining him to something he may not need. Some people that get into computer building think that water-cooling is automatically better because it's more expensive. Although water cooling is generally better for high-end rigs, most people don't need it and air coolers, generally, would be cheaper (unless you're doing it for the aesthetic).

 

Now that he mentions his motive for looking for a 120mm AIO (because he's low on space) If you're willing to do a bit of modding, you can fit a 240mm AIO in it.

 

Regarding air coolers, The Noctua NH-L12S, running without one if it's fans, runs several degrees hotter than a 120mm AIO; however, if you're willing to add a second fan on top (making it to ~95mm), it can cool a chip very well. If you can find an NH-L12 (comes with 2 fans by default), it'll be easier. Be quiet!'s Shadow Rock LP is also an alright alternative, but you give up a couple of degrees on it.

The L9x65 is also good, but I wouldn't recommend it simply because you have enough space for larger coolers that can fit more fins.

 

What CPU are you running? What is your budget? If you're looking only for the best performance-per-dollar, it'll be a cheap air cooler. If you're not planning on overclocking (or you're not running a hot CPU), you might not need a powerful cooler.

That's just because you're from Canada and "hot" is just an abstract theory.

I thank you for your response. To answer your questions I have a 1000 USD budget. I want it to be on the mobile side of things that haves great performance for video and photo editing, designer, programming, VM's, and of course some games. You may be wondering why I'm not getting a laptop. My reasoning is, I already have one that preforms okish and I don't want to be limited by thermals and the worry of how much battery I have. The CPU that I have chosen is mainly based off cores vs Htz. It is the Ryzen 7 1700. I want this computer to last me at least 10 years before I think of making another one. Please tell me if I made a good choice with the CPU and provide some tips. Again, I thank you for your help.

[WoodenMarker]

23 hours ago, Alpha Shadow said:

great performance for video and photo editing, designer, programming, VM's, and of course some games. The CPU that I have chosen is mainly based off cores vs Htz. It is the Ryzen 7 1700. I want this computer to last me at least 10 years before I think of making another one.

10 years is a long while and longer than you should expect an AIO to last or a system to continue to perform well enough for what you've described without upgrading. You can generally trust AIO's to last as long as the warranty or ~5 years. 

As for the 1700, the stock cooler should be plenty for cooling if you're not planning to oc.