aio 120mm

[ralphandmike]

what brand is the best for aio at 120mm? I currently use corsair h100i v2 for the one system. I can only do 120mm for the rad but what I am wondering is if corsair is the best brand for that type of cooling. also what other models in different brands offer better cooling as far as 120mm goes

[Firewrath9]

A mid sized air cooler is better than a small aio, what case

[ralphandmike]

rosewill thor v2. I did check it only allows for such a aio. I did this as I was going to use a fx 9590 in the unit.  also I grabbed some maglev fans for it. I just wanted to find out if there are other aios which are 120mm so I could use them possibly in the case. I might eventually buy the 3950x ryzen and water cool the thing. see the thing is the fans also have to be 120mm as well as the rad. I went with the thor as it has great options for cooling so I thought why not do a last gen build using water and then have some other water options for a new ryzen build when the time is right. by the way I have 5 computers. only I need to replace the motherboards and such as the processors are phenom x4 quad chips and using ddr 2 mem.  besides I might do a couple of ryzen setups for the cases I am using they are mid towers so I don't need much in terms of motherboard and mem and cpu combos. I also will be getting some adapters for ssds. 

[TheBean]

dont get 120 aio. its worse than useless. 

[ralphandmike]

umm ok that's weird I heard water aio units unless they leak are good at cooling. I mean maybe the pump might be a problem but other than that I haven't heard much negative comments on such units. thing is even with an air cooler the ryzen chips get a little toasty. the wraith max is the one I am using on my 2700x right now and I personally think water would be better.

[pizapower]

Get the NH-D15 and call it a day.

[ralphandmike]

umm ok what is the tdp rating on that cooler?

[WoodenMarker]

5 hours ago, ralphandmike said:

rosewill thor v2. I did check it only allows for such a aio

I'm not sure how you came across that conclusion. Here are some examples of 240 / 280mm's fitting in the case: https://pcpartpicker.com/builds/by_part/vxBv6h#h=5,424,36

5 hours ago, ralphandmike said:

even with an air cooler the ryzen chips get a little toasty. the wraith max is the one I am using on my 2700x right now

The stock cooler is good for a stock cooler but is still worse than many aftermarket air coolers available. You can see relative performance here:

3 hours ago, ralphandmike said:

umm ok what is the tdp rating on that cooler?

There isn't one but there's a cpu compatibility list that's more pertinent and arguably better: https://noctua.at/en/nh-d15/cpucomp

Were you planning on getting coolers for multiple systems or just one?

 

Make sure to quote a post or tag a member when replying or else they won't get a notification that you replied to them.

[ralphandmike]

well you see I want maximum cooling performance from a product for am4/am3 sockets which will allow for very good stable cpu boost frequencies or good overclocking but still be in a good price range and usable as I wont be doing ln2 or anything exotic for cooling. besides I do have multiple systems so yeah at some point I will need a good unit or two to be available for use on the cpu side of things. I did check that case I was talking about 120mm is all I could actually fit. I even checked the specs it says that is the biggest cooling unit you can use for an aio. now unless the specs did change and the company updated the products compatible with the case for aio usage I do not know. 

Quote

There isn't one but there's a cpu compatibility list that's more pertinent and arguably better

 

[WoodenMarker]

22 hours ago, ralphandmike said:

well you see I want maximum cooling performance from a product for am4/am3 sockets which will allow for very good stable cpu boost frequencies or good overclocking but still be in a good price range and usable as I wont be doing ln2 or anything exotic for cooling. besides I do have multiple systems so yeah at some point I will need a good unit or two to be available for use on the cpu side of things. I did check that case I was talking about 120mm is all I could actually fit. I even checked the specs it says that is the biggest cooling unit you can use for an aio. now unless the specs did change and the company updated the products compatible with the case for aio usage I do not know. 

Where did you see the 120mm rad mentioned? From what I can find, the specs off of their website and newegg.com state the fan mounts and not rad compatibility. 

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16811147053

https://www.rosewill.com/product/rosewill-thor-v2-gaming-atx-full-tower-computer-case-supports-up-to-e-atx-xl-atx-4-preinstalled-fans/

 

Air coolers like the NH-D15 can still deliver very good cooling similar to AIO's like the H100i V2. Another advantage an air cooler can provide is direct airflow to the motherboard components where an AIO may be reliant on case fans. If you intend to continue using the Thor V2 and move onto AM4, a downdraft air cooler may be better suited. 

If you're not using the H100i V2 and could use some cooler recommendations, let us know where you're shopping / located and your budget.

If you were mainly just looking for a cooler since you thought your current cooler wouldn't fit, the examples I provided from pcpartpicker should show where you can mount the cooler if you want to continue using it. 

 

To quote, press the Quote button (arrow icon) on the post you're referring to. If you're just pasting text in a quote, it's not going to notify any particular forum member. 

[ralphandmike]

well you see the thor v2 actually doesn't exactly state the water cooling option but I did ask around at BestBuy and I think one other site or something a while back. it can support the water in the top. I have my rad fans mounted in place of the fins on top and the rad underneath the top part of the case as it hides away well. I have 4 side mounted Thermaltake 120 rgb fans and a rear blue case fan and I kept the front 200m white intake fan. my problem is I want to know if I should try a bigger rad cooler or keep the 120mm size and just look for other brands/models which might offer similar cooling as far as aio. and believe me for the time being I have a good board for the 9590. its the only gigabyte board which could handle said chip version 4. its the 990fxa-ud3h I believe. also I might be getting the x570 boards when they come down in price sometime soon. I want to eventually get the 3950x and the 3900x chips as I think I can do a lot more with them. remember I am buying parts a little at a time so I have more options to either choose from or play around with. also I still have to buy a bluray re drive for the thor and I need to wait till I can get memory for the new boards. I am putting new motherboards processors and memory into the cases and then going for ssds for storage. I want to buy an new rx480 gtr and an new 580 gtr-s since those cards are the best right now that I can afford and I think unless navi is better than the latest from nvidia well I don't want to go overboard on my budget for a graphics card as they aren't always the more important part for the pc. I might do the air if I feel its going to do the job but I am talking serious cooling here for the processors as I want the best performance out of each chip without overclocking first and then once I am ready to have enough cooling to accommodate the oc as well. I found the statement Supports Corsair H100 CPU Cooler and Other CPU Coolers up to 180 mm Tall. that is what I am concerned about

[WoodenMarker]

5 hours ago, ralphandmike said:

I want to know if I should try a bigger rad cooler or keep the 120mm size and just look for other brands/models which might offer similar cooling as far as aio.

I found the statement Supports Corsair H100 CPU Cooler and Other CPU Coolers up to 180 mm Tall. that is what I am concerned about

Did you look at any of the systems shown in the pcpartpicker link I posted? There are plenty of examples of the H100i V2 mounted at the top of the Thor V2. 

Why would you get a 120mm AIO instead?

 

You have to quote the post you're responding to and not your own post. 

[ralphandmike]

well I heard that water cooling can actually be better than air. correct me if I am wrong but wouldn't it make more sense to cool a cpu or gpu with water than it would with air.

[ralphandmike]

Did you look at any of the systems shown in the pcpartpicker link I posted? There are plenty of examples of the H100i V2 mounted at the top of the Thor V2. 

Why would you get a 120mm AIO instead?

 

problem is I did and it only has a am3 socket so no updated ryzen cpus. sorry I stand corrected on the cpu side of things but so far not much in terms of the builds here I mean its mostly intel and a couple of fx builds. I know the case though pretty good just I am not sure what exactly your trying to help me understand in terms of what we are discussing. I just ultimately wanted to know what options as far as water cooling goes for different brands and or models in each brand would work with the case and air if that would be an option also besides being the case having a good rating for airflow I was wondering about what kinds of pumps and rads would be better. I want a very good water cooling solution as far as ryzen is concerned this way if I get the 3900x or the 3950x ill have very good cooling for that.

[SolarNova]

Understand that 120mm AIO's should only really be used in super small form factor cases where a tower heatsink cannot fit.

 

A mid range air cooler performs better than a 120mm AIO, and a top end air cooler can even beat most 240mm AIO's.

 

if your worried about OC headroom and dont want to, or cant, fit a 240mm AIO, then a NH-D15 or DarkRock Pro 4 are two options for top of the line air coolers that have plenty of cooling power.

[ralphandmike]

umm ok I wasn't sure about the usage of water cooling in the first place. I only did a water build in the first place since I bought an fx 9590. besides I really thought that water was a better option for cooling cpus anyways. the problem with the thor is it will only accommodate coolers up to 180mm so a rad that size would be good but its the fans which I need to keep 120mm on top since the top will only fit that. what I am wondering is I have heard there is an air cooler or two which has water inside the heatpipes. is that true? if so I would like to investigate the options for such a cooler and use it on a ryzen build. I don't know if there is an air cooler with a radiator.

[WoodenMarker]

5 hours ago, ralphandmike said:

problem is I did and it only has a am3 socket so no updated ryzen cpus. sorry I stand corrected on the cpu side of things but so far not much in terms of the builds here I mean its mostly intel and a couple of fx builds. I know the case though pretty good just I am not sure what exactly your trying to help me understand in terms of what we are discussing. I just ultimately wanted to know what options as far as water cooling goes for different brands and or models in each brand would work with the case and air if that would be an option

I thought you just weren't sure if the cooler you had fit in the case. You just need the AM4 bracket. https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Accessories-|-Parts/PC-Components/Cooling/AM4-AMD-Retention-Bracket-Kit-for-Hydro-Series™-Coolers/p/CW-8960046

Since you already have the H100i V2, you can just keep using that. 

 

To respond to a post, press the quote button on the post you're responding to. 

5 hours ago, ralphandmike said:

well I heard that water cooling can actually be better than air. correct me if I am wrong but wouldn't it make more sense to cool a cpu or gpu with water than it would with air.

4 hours ago, ralphandmike said:

umm ok I wasn't sure about the usage of water cooling in the first place

Liquid cooling can be better but it's not always better. It's more pertinent to compare specific coolers instead of liquid vs. air since there's a lot of overlap and what makes sense varies depending on the system. 

It doesn't necessarily make more sense to use liquid cooling unless you can't fit a larger air cooler. 

4 hours ago, ralphandmike said:

I have heard there is an air cooler or two which has water inside the heatpipes. is that true? if so I would like to investigate the options for such a cooler and use it on a ryzen build. I don't know if there is an air cooler with a radiator.

Heatpipes uses capillary action and move, evaporate, and condense the liquid in the pipes to move heat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pipe

Air cooling heatsinks are technically radiators and both air and liquid coolers use air to cool the fins. 

Liquid doesn't automatically make a cooler better. The main purpose of heatpipes and liquid cooling pumps / tubing is to more efficiently move the heat to a larger heatsink / rad that otherwise wouldn't fit around the cpu socket. 

[ralphandmike]

5 minutes ago, WoodenMarker said:

I thought you just weren't sure if the cooler you had fit in the case. You just need the AM4 bracket. https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Accessories-|-Parts/PC-Components/Cooling/AM4-AMD-Retention-Bracket-Kit-for-Hydro-Series™-Coolers/p/CW-8960046

Since you already have the H100i V2, you can just keep using that. 

 

To respond to a post, press the quote button on the post you're responding to. 

Liquid cooling can be better but it's not always better. It's more pertinent to compare specific coolers instead of liquid vs. air since there's a lot of overlap and what makes sense varies depending on the system. 

It doesn't necessarily make more sense to use liquid cooling unless you can't fit a larger air cooler. 

Heatpipes uses capillary action and move, evaporate, and condense the liquid in the pipes to move heat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pipe

Air cooling heatsinks are technically radiators and both air and liquid coolers use air to cool the fins. 

Liquid doesn't automatically make a cooler better. The main purpose of heatpipes and liquid cooling pumps / tubing is to more efficiently move the heat to a larger heatsink / rad that otherwise wouldn't fit around the cpu socket. 

hmm I was wondering about that. I mean I thought the whole purpose of a water cooling solution was to provide better cooling overall. however now that I see the be quiet cooler I will look into that one. I was wondering though is there any higher tdp air cooler than the dark rock one? I want to get the max cooling option for my computers whether its air or water. this is the one I am asking about DarkRock Pro 4

[Firewrath9]

On 7/4/2019 at 9:57 AM, ralphandmike said:

well I heard that water cooling can actually be better than air. correct me if I am wrong but wouldn't it make more sense to cool a cpu or gpu with water than it would with air.

Yeah, a full custom loop is better but those start at around ~300-500$. 

A large air cooler is comparable to a mid sized aio(U14S vs h100i pro) for example.

[WoodenMarker]

On 7/4/2019 at 12:45 PM, ralphandmike said:

I thought the whole purpose of a water cooling solution was to provide better cooling overall. however now that I see the be quiet cooler I will look into that one. I was wondering though is there any higher tdp air cooler than the dark rock one? I want to get the max cooling option for my computers whether its air or water. this is the one I am asking about DarkRock Pro 4

Liquid cooling can be better but it requires more surface area to do so. A small liquid cooler isn't going to perform better than a large air cooler. 

There are better performing air coolers than the DRP4 like the NH-D15. That being said, they're not dramatically better than the H100i V2 if you're not prioritizing low noise.

[ralphandmike]

18 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

Liquid cooling can be better but it requires more surface area to do so. A small liquid cooler isn't going to perform better than a large air cooler. 

There are better performing air coolers than the DRP4 like the NH-D15. That being said, they're not dramatically better than the H100i V2 if you're not prioritizing low noise.

ok what brands/models in liquid cooling should I look into as far as 120mm aios are concerned as I want to really develop a good average for water cooling options. also what air coolers are good for average cooling as far as stock and non stock coolers are concerned. does anyone have a good listing as far as brands/models for air and water for cooling cpus and gpus. I don't do custom though its a bit more than I feel comfortable involving myself in. what I am concerned about though is the pumps for water cooling. I need really good rated pumps for the aios for 120mm rads or 180mm rads. my fans must stay 120mm for the top of my thor case. I just need a comprehensive list of good to excellent watercoolers in 120-180mm sizes and air cooling units but the air needs to be 140tdp -250tdp but not break the motherboard if used things like that. the best ive been able to do for air so far is the wraith max however I need a good list for those and water. the other thing is I was wondering if there is a 92mm water cooling option for cpus.

[WoodenMarker]

3 hours ago, ralphandmike said:

ok what brands/models in liquid cooling should I look into as far as 120mm aios are concerned as I want to really develop a good average for water cooling options. also what air coolers are good for average cooling as far as stock and non stock coolers are concerned. does anyone have a good listing as far as brands/models for air and water for cooling cpus and gpus. I don't do custom though its a bit more than I feel comfortable involving myself in. what I am concerned about though is the pumps for water cooling. I need really good rated pumps for the aios for 120mm rads or 180mm rads. my fans must stay 120mm for the top of my thor case. I just need a comprehensive list of good to excellent watercoolers in 120-180mm sizes and air cooling units but the air needs to be 140tdp -250tdp but not break the motherboard if used things like that. the best ive been able to do for air so far is the wraith max however I need a good list for those and water. the other thing is I was wondering if there is a 92mm water cooling option for cpus.

Did you look at the CPU Cooler Performance Tier List I linked? 

There are few 92mm AIO's and mainly from Asetek. 

Most air coolers come with mounting hardware that should adequately spread the weight of the cooler across the motherboard. 

TDP isn't a very good metric for comparing coolers when there's little to no regulation on how they're measured between manufacturers. 

Why not stick with the H100i V2 you already have?

[ralphandmike]

3 minutes ago, WoodenMarker said:

Did you look at the CPU Cooler Performance Tier List I linked? 

There are few 92mm AIO's and mainly from Asetek. 

Most air coolers come with mounting hardware that should adequately spread the weight of the cooler across the motherboard. 

TDP isn't a very good metric for comparing coolers when there's little to no regulation on how they're measured between manufacturers. 

Why not stick with the H100i V2 you already have?

yeah I did check that list out but my concern is getting the most cooling out of any product that is used for that purpose as far as a cpu is concerned. I would like to know if there is anything better though than the h100i as far as corsair is concerned with 180 or 120 mm as far as size is besides ive heard some units have improved water pumps for the block so that would mean better temp control for removal of the heat. heat and dust are the main killers of electronics. that's why its crucial to have the right amount of cooling and such. I do want a better air cooler though. I might buy the drp4 or the noctua one though tdp is the amount of heat a device puts off and the amount needed to cool it as well. that's why I am concerned because I may in the next year or so actually buy the 3950x to use in one of my rigs. though its going to be using a water aio for cooling and an x470 or greater board for it. besides I am getting some future proofing for the 7nm+ ryzen when it comes out in 2020. this way I have real cooling for my cpus and better options as far as oc if I ever want to do it.

[WoodenMarker]

1 hour ago, ralphandmike said:

I would like to know if there is anything better though than the h100i as far as corsair is concerned with 180 or 120 mm

No.

1 hour ago, ralphandmike said:

I do want a better air cooler though. I might buy the drp4 or the noctua

Why? It doesn't perform much better than the H100i V2.

[ralphandmike]

well there is a difference in my rigs. I have about 4 midtowers which are of the matx design and one the rosewill case which is a full atx variant so that's part of the issue. getting good cooling out of the units is hard for the midtowers as far as air cooling is concerned and well the water cooled one is going to be my workstation unit since I already have a 9590 and am planning the 3950x sometime down the road when I have the money saved up. 

3 minutes ago, WoodenMarker said:

No.

Why? It doesn't perform much better than the H100i V2.

I am doing everything I can to cool these computers off and keep them that way. it was very hot today I'm surprised that my cpu didn't hit 60c. I have an air unit but it was still that hot. I am currently using a ryzen 2700x matx board and all. I am using used cases to house these computers. besides there is another reason longevity and reliability I need to have cpus and such which will last for a while at least. a computer is an investment but it depends on who you ask whether its a good one or not. that is why I am so concerned about cooling options and why I need a good list for water and air cooling for each unit so I can choose the right cooling solutions. I mean if the water is still a good option ill keep it but the air is just as important for the other coolers.