Liquid Cooling (NZXT AIOs) to Air Cooling?

[CC268]

See my build here: https://pcpartpicker.com/b/bcnnTW

 

I'm considering changing over from my NZXT AIOs (Kraken x41 and x61) to the Noctua NH-D15 (black chromax) with all new Noctua chromax case fans. I would put the original air cooler back on my MSI 980TI.

 

My biggest concern is going back to air cooling on the MSI 980TI. The Kraken x41 keeps temps cool and keeps it quiet (no noisy fans), which is great. That said, I don't game at all. I built this system ~4 years ago, mostly for fun, and thought I might get into PC gaming, but never did. I do a little bit of 4K video editing, but not frequently. Realistically, I probably don't NEED the AIO on the GPU. I also don't do any overclocking. I did a little bit of this when I first built it and this is where the AIO seemed to make a big difference in terms of temps and noise.

 

Things I like about the NZXT AIOs:

- Aesthetics: They look so good and keep the build clean. The Fractal Define S was really setup and designed for water cooling. I actually think the Noctua NH-D15 in black (maybe red accents) would look really good in my build though. That said, it is going to cramp the case some more.

- Cooling: This is negligible for the processor as the Noctua NH-D15 is as good if not better than the x61 AIO. That said, my concern is with the GPU. Air cooling on the GPU is not nearly as good as the AIO and my guess is the fans are going to offset the drop in noise I get from the Noctua NH-D15? I'm not entirely sure.

 

Things I don't like about the NZXT AIOs:

- Pump Noise: This drives me nuts. My PC sits on my desk right next to me and the only way to get rid of the pump noise (which has become worse over time), is to raise the fan speed and thus pump speed.

- CAM Software: This software kind of sucks. They change it all the time and I feel like half the time they change it I can't even access the controls for the AIOs (such as right now!).

- Reliability: I've had these for ~4 years and so far they seem to be okay, but my impression is that these things are going to need to be replaced every 4-5 years due to failing/noisy pumps. The NZXT x41 has already showed some signs of it going out. I could be wrong about this though. Overall I've been fairly happy.

 

So what do you guys think? Should I take the temperature hit on the GPU by going back to air cooling? Is this going to kill the aesthetics/clean look of my build? (I think Noctua chromax will actually look pretty sharp). Or should I look into upgrading to the NZXT x42 and x62?

 

Any suggestions are highly appreciated. Thanks!

[GoldenLag]

Get yourself a Rajintek Morpheus 2 for the 980 and strap some noctua fans to it.

 

Its essentially as good as a 240++ AIO while not having all the issues of being an AIO

[CC268]

28 minutes ago, GoldenLag said:

Get yourself a Rajintek Morpheus 2 for the 980 and strap some noctua fans to it.

 

Its essentially as good as a 240++ AIO while not having all the issues of being an AIO

Interesting...never heard of that one before. I will take a look. That would be great if there was just a better air cooler I could throw on it. 

 

This thing relatively easy to install? @GoldenLag

 

Thing is big. Wondering if my case would have room for that plus fans and then the Noctua NH-D15...

[BigDamn]

The GPU will suffer much more than the CPU. The stock air cooler won't be bad, but not nearly as good as the AIO. As for the CPU, keep in mind the DH-15 is a massive ass cooler, ensure you have enough space in your system for it before purchasing. Also, if your PC is prone to moving around, stick with the AIO. With that heavy of a cooler mounted you'll want to be extremely careful with picking up and putting down your system. Very careful.

 

Performance wise, they'll be about the same. I don't think replacing it for fear of failure is a good idea, however. I've had my Corsair AIO (Coolit pump) for nearly 5 years and don't plan on replacing it soon. If it were to fail I'd likely buy another, they look and perform great. Also can't relate to your pump noise issue, I've never had that problem.

[GoldenLag]

11 minutes ago, CC268 said:

This thing relatively easy to install? @GoldenLag

Not super sure. Not got one, i just know it from Buildzoid who uses it as the cooler he uses for airoverclocking (ambient) since its easily moved around

[CC268]

5 minutes ago, BigDamn said:

The GPU will suffer much more than the CPU. The stock air cooler won't be bad, but not nearly as good as the AIO. As for the CPU, keep in mind the DH-15 is a massive ass cooler, ensure you have enough space in your system for it before purchasing. Also, if your PC is prone to moving around, stick with the AIO. With that heavy of a cooler mounted you'll want to be extremely careful with picking up and putting down your system. Very careful.

 

Performance wise, they'll be about the same. I don't think replacing it for fear of failure is a good idea, however. I've had my Corsair AIO (Coolit pump) for nearly 5 years and don't plan on replacing it soon. If it were to fail I'd likely buy another, they look and perform great. Also can't relate to your pump noise issue, I've never had that problem.

Yea that is what I was thinking. I never move my computer around so I'm not worried about that. 

 

The reality is by the time I buy the Noctua, fans, a better air cooler (Morpheus 2?), I will be in it for just as much as a new x42 and x62. I might just end up sticking with the AIOs.

 

What seems to be the top AIOs now a days anyways? Sticking with NZXT is probably my best bet since I know they will fit. Will be simple to swap out.

[BigDamn]

1 minute ago, CC268 said:

Yea that is what I was thinking. I never move my computer around so I'm not worried about that. 

 

The reality is by the time I buy the Noctua, fans, a better air cooler (Morpheus 2?), I will be in it for just as much as a new x42 and x62. I might just end up sticking with the AIOs.

 

What seems to be the top AIOs now a days anyways?

Although I still wouldn't buy a new quite yet if I were you, I will suggest Corsair AIO's. Corsair has a 5 year warranty and pretty good support, as well as the 2nd best fans on the market (Noctua is #1). The H115i Platinum is my recommendation based on performance and reliability, but not cost. That model uses the Coolit pump as opposed to the Asetek. All other H115i models and H150i's are Asetek, but are still quite good.

[CC268]

20 minutes ago, BigDamn said:

Although I still wouldn't buy a new quite yet if I were you, I will suggest Corsair AIO's. Corsair has a 5 year warranty and pretty good support, as well as the 2nd best fans on the market (Noctua is #1). The H115i Platinum is my recommendation based on performance and reliability, but not cost. That model uses the Coolit pump as opposed to the Asetek. All other H115i models and H150i's are Asetek, but are still quite good.

You wouldn't by new yet because there is some new stuff coming out 2019? 

 

Does Corsair have any GPU coolers for the 980TI?

[BigDamn]

17 minutes ago, CC268 said:

You wouldn't by new yet because there is some new stuff coming out 2019? 

 

Does Corsair have any GPU coolers for the 980TI?

I wouldn't because your current coolers are still working. Also, Corsair might be using CoolIt in more products coming up, something to watch out for.

 

Not sure about the 980ti, unfortunately.

[CC268]

8 minutes ago, BigDamn said:

I wouldn't because your current coolers are still working. Also, Corsair might be using CoolIt in more products coming up, something to watch out for.

 

Not sure about the 980ti, unfortunately.

Ahh I gotcha. Thanks for the feedback.

[WoodenMarker]

3 hours ago, BigDamn said:

Corsair has the 2nd best fans on the market (Noctua is #1).

By what metric?

3 hours ago, CC268 said:

This thing relatively easy to install?

Thing is big. Wondering if my case would have room for that plus fans and then the Noctua NH-D15...

Here's the installation manual. https://www.raijintek.com/images/InstallationGuide-MorpheusII.pdf

It would fit in your case just fine. The cooler only hangs below the graphics card and wouldn't interfere with the cooler. 

 

Raising the fan speed doesn't have to mean high pump speeds. Just power them off of different headers and use different settings. If you can get the current coolers quiet enough, there's no need to replace them until they fail or no longer support the hardware you're using. 

[BigDamn]

26 minutes ago, WoodenMarker said:

By what metric?

Common knowledge? But if it is proof you're seeking, I've done the research:

https://www.highgroundgaming.com/best-case-fans/

https://www.wepc.com/reviews/best-case-fans/

https://gameslearningsociety.org/best-case-fans/

https://www.pcgamer.com/best-pc-fans/

 

Disregarding points deducted for looks/lack of RGB (for Noctua) you can see that Corsair and Noctua are highly regarded in terms of noise and performance. They were top 5 on every list provided, and one of them ranks #1 or #2 on each, something no other manufacturers can say.

[WoodenMarker]

27 minutes ago, BigDamn said:

Common knowledge? But if it is proof you're seeking, I've done the research:

https://www.highgroundgaming.com/best-case-fans/

https://www.wepc.com/reviews/best-case-fans/

https://gameslearningsociety.org/best-case-fans/

https://www.pcgamer.com/best-pc-fans/

None of the articles show test results. They aren't proof. 

It's far from common knowledge and specs are unreliable. The highgroundgaming article refers to Sickleflows which are my go-to example of unreliable specs. They call it quiet but my personal experience and many, many users of the fan regard it as loud. There's little to no regulation on how they're measured between manufacturers so they're not very good for comparison. Look at benchmarks and in-depth reviews instead. 

The WePC article shows an airflow pattern that's the opposite of what I usually see in smoke tests. It shows a wider cone for static pressure designs when it's usually the opposite -- especially when it comes to those with guiding vanes. The air coming out of the rad should also be straightened instead of spreading back out so dramatically. 

https://youtu.be/agXhBh74n2c?t=70

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m8fC809TK0

https://youtu.be/b5I_SilNSqo?t=58

https://youtu.be/UIS9-ssg9Tc

https://youtu.be/QMePTeZnaAc?t=75

The gameslearningsociety article mentions the SP120 PE's as having the best performance for the noise. Anyone who's used the fans and many tests results show that it is far from that and is a very loud fan. SPCR regards it as too poor acoustically to even fully test. http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1342-page5.html

The PCGamer article doesn't even list how they determined the list order nor the pool of fans compared. From the first entry for the NF-S12B, it's apparent it's not just based on how quiet or efficient the fan is.

 

Corsair's best fans are their ML's. 

You can some examples of how it compares to others fans here:

https://www.thelab.gr/reviews/heatsinks-coolers-watercooling-reviews/noctua-nf-a12x25-and-noctua-nf-p12-redux-series-fans-review-r701/

http://thermalbench.com/2016/10/21/be-quiet-silent-wings-3-120-mm-high-speed-fan/3/

http://thermalbench.com/2016/07/29/corsair-ml140-pro-140-mm-fan/3/

 

ML's can deliver great airflow for the noise but they never get that quiet. That applies to Corsair fans in general. At the minimum rpm / noise level, there are still plenty of quieter fans. That may be quiet enough for some users but definitely not all. If very quiet operation is one of the metrics you're using, Corsair has tough competition from other manufacturers like Scythe, Thermalright, BeQuiet!, or Noiseblocker. 

 

Most manufacturers have both good and bad fans -- Corsair included. Most of their fans aren't stellar. Their current lineup is getting better but it's questionable whether or not they'd be in the top 5 whether you're looking at an overall picture or comparing the best fan from each company. Before the NF-A12x25, I don't think the list of #1 fan contenders was even under 5 given the different use cases fans excelled at. 

 

1 hour ago, BigDamn said:

Disregarding points deducted for looks/lack of RGB (for Noctua) you can see that Corsair and Noctua are highly regarded in terms of noise and performance. They were top 5 on every list provided, and one of them ranks #1 or #2 on each, something no other manufacturers can say.

The company's reputation doesn't determine the quality of the product. 

Plenty of manufacturers can say they're the best if you look at the right lists or specific pools of test results. 

You should be looking at as much data as possible with the test setups in mind instead for the most accurate assessment. 

[BigDamn]

1 hour ago, WoodenMarker said:

The company's reputation doesn't determine the quality of the product. 

Plenty of manufacturers can say they're the best if you look at the right lists or specific pools of test results. 

You should be looking at as much data as possible with the test setups in mind instead for the most accurate assessment. 

Air flow, fan speed, and noise level were listed on the links I provided. The links I provided were also up to date. Nearly everything you posted was from 2010-2012, not exactly what I'd be basing my research off of. Not sure what brands you've used yourself, but having owned many Corsair fans I can't agree with you on noise, except on the SP120 PE. Note that PE = PERFORMANCE EDITION. At full speed these will be loud, Corsair themselves says this. At normal speeds they're silent, but if noise is your main concern shoot for the quiet edition. Having also owned Cooler Master, NZXT, and Rosewill fans I can also commend Noctua and Corsair on longevity. I've had issues with those other brands, generally bearings, while this hasn't been the case for Corsair and Noctua. I understand my own use is a small sample size, but there's a reason these two brands are so highly regarded. This isn't to say other brands are bad, rather, these two are the complete package.

[WoodenMarker]

2 hours ago, BigDamn said:

Air flow, fan speed, and noise level were listed on the links I provided. The links I provided were also up to date. Nearly everything you posted was from 2010-2012, not exactly what I'd be basing my research off of. Not sure what brands you've used yourself, but having owned many Corsair fans I can't agree with you on noise, except on the SP120 PE. Note that PE = PERFORMANCE EDITION. At full speed these will be loud, Corsair themselves says this. At normal speeds they're silent, but if noise is your main concern shoot for the quiet edition. Having also owned Cooler Master, NZXT, and Rosewill fans I can also commend Noctua and Corsair on longevity. I've had issues with those other brands, generally bearings, while this hasn't been the case for Corsair and Noctua. I understand my own use is a small sample size, but there's a reason these two brands are so highly regarded. This isn't to say other brands are bad, rather, these two are the complete package.

The specs you're referring to are straight from the manufacturer and not from tests by those who made the articles. The age of the article doesn't have any bearing on the results. The articles you linked also refer to these fans that are just as old and most articles are of similar age to the fans being reviewed.

I've used fans from every manufacturer mentioned in this thread and currently have fans from most of those manufacturers. 

When the SPCR article refers to the SP120 PE's being too poor to test, that refers to every fan speed and not just at max. Even at the same rpm, the PE's are noisier than the QE's. If you've seen any of their articles and at least their reputation, you'll know that they're pretty close to a gold standard when it comes to reviewing fans or coolers. 

As mentioned, there's little to no regulation on how the fans are tested so the specs aren't reliable for comparing between different manufacturers. 

 

Fan longevity is something that's pretty hard to find data on. If you've seen any of it, please post some links. 

If you're mainly relying on reputation to determine what's best, I recommend specifying so.