Why are basically all AiOs so fugly?

[Kevin_Walter]

NZXT makes the best looking ones, in my opinion, but I don't want to be stuck using their CAM software. I'm actually trying to get away from using it, but I currently need it to control the light strips in my case.

But looking at other coolers, they're all ugly as sin. Aren't there any with just plain black pumps or something?

Semi-related question... why doesn't anyone seem to make 140mm coolers? They're all either 120mm or dual/triple rads.

[jaslion]

Because single rad coolers make little sense as far cheaper aircoolers are better. You can only make a aio look so different. There are old 140mm units

[Applefreak]

11 minutes ago, Kevin_Walter said:

NZXT makes the best looking ones, in my opinion, but I don't want to be stuck using their CAM software. I'm actually trying to get away from using it, but I currently need it to control the light strips in my case.

But looking at other coolers, they're all ugly as sin. Aren't there any with just plain black pumps or something?

Semi-related question... why doesn't anyone seem to make 140mm coolers? They're all either 120mm or dual/triple rads.

Corsair used to make single 140 mm AIOs. ASETEK still has those plain old units you want as well as 140 mm single units.

[Kevin_Walter]

3 minutes ago, jaslion said:

Because single rad coolers make little sense as far cheaper aircoolers are better. You can only make a aio look so different.

A 140mm rad makes more sense than 120, yet there are 120s everywhere and 140s are extremely limited.

And you can make them look plenty different. NZXT seems to be the only company that really cares to do something different though. All the others are just throwing some RGB behind their logos and calling it a day.

I'd rather have something with just a plain, matte black pump cap than most of what's available, but everything has to be all glossy and gamer-y.

 

6 minutes ago, Applefreak said:

Corsair used to make single 140 mm AIOs. ASETEK still has those plain old units you want as well as 140 mm single units.

Where? The only thing they seem to sell to the general public is their retention kits?

[jaslion]

2 minutes ago, Kevin_Walter said:

A 140mm rad makes more sense than 120, yet there are 120s everywhere and 140s are extremely limited.

And you can make them look plenty different. NZXT seems to be the only company that really cares to do something different though. All the others are just throwing some RGB behind their logos and calling it a day.

I'd rather have something with just a plain, matte black pump cap than most of what's available, but everything has to be all glossy and gamer-y.

 

Where? The only thing they seem to sell to the general public is their retention kits?

Arctic is one of the few that is actually doing very smart things with their aio's

[Kevin_Walter]

1 minute ago, jaslion said:

Arctic is one of the few that is actually doing very smart things with their aio's

They make one of the ugliest ones on the market... lol

I do appreciate some of the things they're doing though. Like the fan cables being sleeved with the tubing. That's pretty cool.

[jaslion]

Just now, Kevin_Walter said:

They make one of the ugliest ones on the market... lol

I do appreciate some of the things they're doing though. Like the fan cables being sleeved with the tubing. That's pretty cool.

They have a vrm fan which makes a big difference for cooling and even overclocking. I don't know what you like as to me the nzxt ones just look like another generic aio like many others only with a glass shiny plate on it with a displaythingy. Aka useless crap.

[Kevin_Walter]

7 minutes ago, jaslion said:

They have a vrm fan which makes a big difference for cooling and even overclocking. I don't know what you like as to me the nzxt ones just look like another generic aio like many others only with a glass shiny plate on it with a displaythingy. Aka useless crap.

I don't do much in the way of overclocking, so nearly any cooler is going to work fine. I'm currently using the Wraith Prism that came with my 3800x.

As far as what I like... clean design. The cleaner the better. NZXT's coolers are really simple in their physical appearance, and the RGB lighting isn't intrusive. They would be the obvious choice if not for the fact that I kinda hate CAM. If I was able to control them with some other software, it would be great.

Cooler Master also has some okay looking coolers, I suppose. Like this one (despite the RGB fans, which are... ick...):

https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-MasterLiquid-Chamber-MLA-D24M-A18PC-R1/dp/B086BYYFG5?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

[jaslion]

5 minutes ago, Kevin_Walter said:

I don't do much in the way of overclocking, so nearly any cooler is going to work fine. I'm currently using the Wraith Prism that came with my 3800x.

As far as what I like... clean design. The cleaner the better. NZXT's coolers are really simple in their physical appearance, and the RGB lighting isn't intrusive. They would be the obvious choice if not for the fact that I kinda hate CAM. If I was able to control them with some other software, it would be great.

Cooler Master also has some okay looking coolers, I suppose. Like this one (despite the RGB fans, which are... ick...):

https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-MasterLiquid-Chamber-MLA-D24M-A18PC-R1/dp/B086BYYFG5?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

If you like clean why not a simple non intrusive air cooler?

[Kevin_Walter]

Just now, jaslion said:

If you like clean why not a simple non intrusive air cooler?

Because all air coolers are big and ugly. They're not clean at all.

That's why I'm still using the stock Wraith Prism that came with my CPU. The fan housing hides most of the heatsink, so it looks less ugly than most air coolers.

[jaslion]

2 minutes ago, Kevin_Walter said:

Because all air coolers are big and ugly. They're not clean at all.

That's why I'm still using the stock Wraith Prism that came with my CPU. The fan housing hides most of the heatsink, so it looks less ugly than most air coolers.

Plenty of air coolers that have frames and stuff over them only showing the fans. You do you so just get what you want. May wanna take a look at ek or id-cooling aio's plenty clean and good to use if you want that rgb flair on the block.

[Kevin_Walter]

45 minutes ago, jaslion said:

Plenty of air coolers that have frames and stuff over them only showing the fans. You do you so just get what you want. May wanna take a look at ek or id-cooling aio's plenty clean and good to use if you want that rgb flair on the block.

One of the best looking ones imo is the Hyper 212 Black Edition, but I've used Hyper 212 Evo before, and while it's undoubtedly one of the best coolers for the money, I wouldn't really say it's in any way aesthetically pleasing. Not as good as just having the pump/block on your CPU and a couple hoses leading to your rad that's tucked out of the way, anyway.