What is the purpose of water cooling?

[PersianWarfare]

Like I understand it is for better and lower temperatures and all but like why would anyone spend hundreds of dollars for a custom water loop? I seriously don't understand what is the benefit of spending so much money and time just to get lower temperatures. An NH-D14 would be more than enough to get a 3770K at 4.6 GHz at good temperatures and does anyone today really need anything over 4.6 GHz for a 3770k. Also a CPU is meant to go up to 105 degrees although it is not recommended, is 75 degrees like not good enough? I seriously don't understand why people spend so much money that is completely not necessary. Maybe someone here can explain.

[Wats]

what are you on about? a sub $60 closed loop could cool a 3770k@4.6. Think bigger..

[MdX MaxX]

It's not just about temperatures, but about noise. With water cooling, you can run fans at much lower speeds and lower noise levels than you can with air cooling and achieve the same temperatures. Especially for GPUs, I mean GPU fans get loud. Plus you have the benefit of cooling everything you want in the same loop.

And "good enough" isn't what enthusiasts strive for. Sure, multi-hundred dollar loops aren't necessary. An NH-D14 or Silver Arrow is "good enough." But being a PC enthusiast is much more than having a "good enough" rig. Most people here would have much lower-specced PCs if they only wanted what was "good enough" for them.

Also, it's fun. Building is fun. Taking on an such an intensive project is a thrilling challenge for a lot of people. You get to really absorb the experience rather than putting together a system in 2-3 hours and then you're done.

And lastly, water cooling loops are freaking gorgeous. I mean look at them. :p

[Gmac]

It's not just about temperatures, but about noise. With water cooling, you can run fans at much lower speeds and lower noise levels than you can with air cooling and achieve the same temperatures. Especially for GPUs, I mean GPU fans get loud. Plus you have the benefit of cooling everything you want in the same loop.

And "good enough" isn't what enthusiasts strive for. Sure, multi-hundred dollar loops aren't necessary. An NH-D14 or Silver Arrow is "good enough." But being a PC enthusiast is much more than having a "good enough" rig. Most people here would have much lower-specced PCs if they only wanted what was "good enough" for them.

Also, it's fun. Building is fun. Taking on an such an intensive project is a thrilling challenge for a lot of people. You get to really absorb the experience rather than putting together a system in 2-3 hours and then you're done.

And lastly, water cooling loops are freaking gorgeous. I mean look at them. :p

Reference cards with blower fans are the worst. I was able to replace a blower fan with a water block without adding any new fans to my system. Went from a fan running at 70+ percent to nothing. Went from 70-80 degrees centigrade to 50. Oh and water cooling is fun and addictive.

[PersianWarfare]

what are you on about? a sub $60 closed loop could cool a 3770k@4.6. Think bigger..

I am referring to custom water loops

[GrandmasBoy]

The beauty is in the eye of the beholder so to say. I spent about 900 CAD on my loop. Is it really worth it for temps alone? No... that would be ridiculous.

It's a hobby, it was a fun project to design and build. My pc is very quiet right now, my graphics card is water cooled now, I have the ability for high clocks if I so desire. All in all I used to be a poor little boy and now that I am all grown up I will buy myself some fun toys to play with and build.... that's why. ;) Was it worth it? Totally.

[GrandmasBoy]

The beauty is in the eye of the beholder so to say. I spent about 900 CAD on my loop. Is it really worth it for temps alone? No... that would be ridiculous.

It's a hobby, it was a fun project to design and build. My pc is very quiet right now, my graphics card is water cooled now, I have the ability for high clocks if I so desire. All in all I used to be a poor little boy and now that I am all grown up I will buy myself some fun toys to play with and build.... that's why. ;) Was it worth it? Totally.

Also simply because it looks kewl and for wow factor. Why do people buy ferrari and lamborghini even though they won't drive them 300 km/h? Same reason.

[JimmyGrimble]

The beauty is in the eye of the beholder so to say. I spent about 900 CAD on my loop. Is it really worth it for temps alone? No... that would be ridiculous.

It's a hobby, it was a fun project to design and build. My pc is very quiet right now, my graphics card is water cooled now, I have the ability for high clocks if I so desire. All in all I used to be a poor little boy and now that I am all grown up I will buy myself some fun toys to play with and build.... that's why. ;) Was it worth it? Totally.

Although you spent a lot, your loop is the most beautiful loop I have ever seen! :)

[Whaler_99]

Same thing here. I spent over $700 - for the fun of it. That's what being an IT Geek is all about. Been building systems and done most everything. Water cooling was next. :) My 3570k never gets above 50 at load and my crossfired 6870's went from 88 at load (at sounded like a jet plane in my basement) to about 38 and silent. 50 degree drop. Amazing! And my whole rig is silent. That is what is was mostly about for me... and having a window and showing it all off is nice as well. :D

[Kristian]

It's not just about temperatures, but about noise. With water cooling, you can run fans at much lower speeds and lower noise levels than you can with air cooling and achieve the same temperatures. Especially for GPUs, I mean GPU fans get loud. Plus you have the benefit of cooling everything you want in the same loop.

And "good enough" isn't what enthusiasts strive for. Sure, multi-hundred dollar loops aren't necessary. An NH-D14 or Silver Arrow is "good enough." But being a PC enthusiast is much more than having a "good enough" rig. Most people here would have much lower-specced PCs if they only wanted what was "good enough" for them.

Also, it's fun. Building is fun. Taking on an such an intensive project is a thrilling challenge for a lot of people. You get to really absorb the experience rather than putting together a system in 2-3 hours and then you're done.

And lastly, water cooling loops are freaking gorgeous. I mean look at them. :p

I totally agree with MdX here.

[Kristian]

The beauty is in the eye of the beholder so to say. I spent about 900 CAD on my loop. Is it really worth it for temps alone? No... that would be ridiculous.

It's a hobby, it was a fun project to design and build. My pc is very quiet right now, my graphics card is water cooled now, I have the ability for high clocks if I so desire. All in all I used to be a poor little boy and now that I am all grown up I will buy myself some fun toys to play with and build.... that's why. ;) Was it worth it? Totally.

Yes. Like, who’d watch Top Gear if it was all about cars "good enough" for average users (same thing for a computer IMHO…)

[Kristian]

Yes, it’s about temperatures (you won’t be able to Rambo–clock your CPU on an average air cooled system). Yes, it’s about noise when you have 4 GHz on a silent rig. And yes, it’s about having a nice rig and knowing that it is yours. Why attend NASCAR if you can drive safely to work every day…?

[Emkryan]

Here is my take on the point of custom loops

1.Temps

2.Noise

3.Looks

If anything I'd say I would spend the extra $500-$800 just to make my whole rig look super sexy just because I can

[bordrx]

Like I understand it is for better and lower temperatures and all but like why would anyone spend hundreds of dollars for a custom water loop? I seriously don't understand what is the benefit of spending so much money and time just to get lower temperatures. An NH-D14 would be more than enough to get a 3770K at 4.6 GHz at good temperatures and does anyone today really need anything over 4.6 GHz for a 3770k. Also a CPU is meant to go up to 105 degrees although it is not recommended' date=' is 75 degrees like not good enough? I seriously don't understand why people spend so much money that is completely not necessary. Maybe someone here can explain.[/quote']

a) noise

b) looks

c) can't stress b) enough

d) cause it's a hobby. Like why do people sleave their cables? They gain 0 from it. Yet I and many others have spent houuuuuuurs single-sleeving endless amounts of cables

e) cause enthusiast doesn't just mean oh look I pawn you I have 7 more fps at BF3 multiplayer

and most importantly cause it's a fun project. Some people enjoy gardening, some people enjoy baking, some people enjoy building awesome systems even if that means "awesome" is mostly aesthetic

[Whaler_99]

Like I understand it is for better and lower temperatures and all but like why would anyone spend hundreds of dollars for a custom water loop? I seriously don't understand what is the benefit of spending so much money and time just to get lower temperatures. An NH-D14 would be more than enough to get a 3770K at 4.6 GHz at good temperatures and does anyone today really need anything over 4.6 GHz for a 3770k. Also a CPU is meant to go up to 105 degrees although it is not recommended' date=' is 75 degrees like not good enough? I seriously don't understand why people spend so much money that is completely not necessary. Maybe someone here can explain.[/quote']

a) noise

b) looks

c) can't stress b) enough

d) cause it's a hobby. Like why do people sleave their cables? They gain 0 from it. Yet I and many others have spent houuuuuuurs single-sleeving endless amounts of cables

e) cause enthusiast doesn't just mean oh look I pawn you I have 7 more fps at BF3 multiplayer

and most importantly cause it's a fun project. Some people enjoy gardening, some people enjoy baking, some people enjoy building awesome systems even if that means "awesome" is mostly aesthetic

Some people enjoy gardening' date=' some people enjoy baking, some people enjoy building awesome systems even if that means "awesome" is mostly aesthetic[/quote']

And seems to cost us a small fortune. :)

[Dustin1706]

As above, Noise and Temps!

I am running an OC 3930k and an OC 680. I have Noctua NF12s PWM'd to 500 rpm so they are nearly silent. I Idle at 21/23 and after 100% load for 1 hour via Furmark and Prime95 I sit at 55/51.

Why would I not want that? Plus all of the fittings, tubing, pumps, reservoirs and often the CPU block can be transferred from build to build.

[airdeano]

OP, i think you have your answers pretty clear...

airdeano

[Jokrik]

Try and water cool you CPU

I can bet that WC is just so addicting, I'm on my third update in a year. Everytime I said "this would be my last one" but it just kept going

somebody help me .... now aiming for 5c different from ambient temp on my CPU, its oc'ed to 4.5ghz

[REDNINJA2012]

Custom water cooling loops can look awesome that is prob the only other reason that people do it

[Caesar]

It's not just about temperatures, but about noise. With water cooling, you can run fans at much lower speeds and lower noise levels than you can with air cooling and achieve the same temperatures. Especially for GPUs, I mean GPU fans get loud. Plus you have the benefit of cooling everything you want in the same loop.

And "good enough" isn't what enthusiasts strive for. Sure, multi-hundred dollar loops aren't necessary. An NH-D14 or Silver Arrow is "good enough." But being a PC enthusiast is much more than having a "good enough" rig. Most people here would have much lower-specced PCs if they only wanted what was "good enough" for them.

Also, it's fun. Building is fun. Taking on an such an intensive project is a thrilling challenge for a lot of people. You get to really absorb the experience rather than putting together a system in 2-3 hours and then you're done.

And lastly, water cooling loops are freaking gorgeous. I mean look at them. :p

That's exactly it MdX !

[JupiteL]

i don't know, as a student seeing a $100 would be a "MONEY!" for me, i don't even know what to do except for looking at them.. but i also want to have some enthusiast PC like everyone on internet..

but anyway water cooling are purposed for a noise reduction and some other flashy thing

[BCMods]

My main reasons for watercooling in order of importance;

1) Looks

2) Noise

3) Cooling performance