Help to improve NZXT H510i thermals with MSI MAG coreliquid 240R AIO for i7-10700K

[Harsh555]

Hi Folks,

I built my first PC about a year ago and the inexperienced me choose Intel i7-10700k, MSI MAG CORELIQUID 240R AIO and NZXT h510i  from my local BestBuy. I am also getting a 3070Ti soon and want to make sure everything works okay. With this setup, my thermals are bad and the system thermal throttles even with light loads. CPU Core temps are : 55-65C (idle), 90C-99C (light -medium loads) and 99C (heavy loads). I currently have AIO mounted in the front with fans pulling air from the front, stock fans pushing fans out of the back and top. Any suggestions to improve thermals and get decent performance out of this system?

 

  I also have the following ideas and let me know if they will help,

1. Taking the AIO cooler out and mounting it outside the system. I will have the tempered glass panel removed. (Not elegant and I don't want to spend more money on case/ cooler soon. I am concerned about dust getting logged into radiator fins).
2. Dremel out some square cuts outs on the front and top to improve airflow over the radiators.

 

Or is there no hope and should I swap out for bigger cooler and spend money on a new case? Any way to salvage this?

Does anyone else have a similar setup and overcome this issue?

 

Thanks.

 

[WoodenMarker]

What are fan and pump rpm at under load? 

Have you tried flipping the top fan to exhaust? 

[GuiltySpark_]

That MSI cooler seems to be included in every thread like this. Plenty of threads where its failed outright. With GN's performance charts showing Arctics and EK's offerings as the best of the available AIO's, those are what everyone should by buying and Arctics models are very well priced. 

 

Do you have the ability to monitor the pump's RPM?

[bmx6454]

i have the h510i, and although the thermals aren't ideal, mine runs pretty well with an artic liquid freezer 2 280mm(some modification of the case required) with my 3700x, runs max 75c under load. i have heard a lot of things about the msi mag coolers, none of them good, so i second the notion that it may just be that cooler. also, as said, try flipping top fan to exhaust.

[Harsh555]

1 hour ago, WoodenMarker said:

What are fan and pump rpm at under load? 

Have you tried flipping the top fan to exhaust? 

Hi, the Top fans are already on exhaust. Pump constantly around 4200 ( turned off smart mode since it is relatively silent). Fans around 2000.

[Harsh555]

1 hour ago, rickeo said:

That MSI cooler seems to be included in every thread like this. Plenty of threads where its failed outright. With GN's performance charts showing Arctics and EK's offerings as the best of the available AIO's, those are what everyone should by buying and Arctics models are very well priced. 

 

Do you have the ability to monitor the pump's RPM?

Yes, I initially had it ramp up with temps but now running constantly at 4200.

Yea, the only good thing about this is it the pump is very silent. I also later realize they recomment 280 or 360 AIOs for i7-10700k, mistake on my part there too. I am trying to some how manage to run this setup until December and perhaps upgrade to a different case / cooling next year.

[Harsh555]

44 minutes ago, bmx6454 said:

i have the h510i, and although the thermals aren't ideal, mine runs pretty well with an artic liquid freezer 2 280mm(some modification of the case required) with my 3700x, runs max 75c under load. i have heard a lot of things about the msi mag coolers, none of them good, so i second the notion that it may just be that cooler. also, as said, try flipping top fan to exhaust.

Good suggestion, I was wondering if I should first spend money on new case or get a new cooler. Are the modifications to fit Artic liquid freezer 2 or to make it work better?

[WoodenMarker]

47 minutes ago, Harsh555 said:

Hi, the Top fans are already on exhaust. Pump constantly around 4200 ( turned off smart mode since it is relatively silent). Fans around 2000.

So it's been flipped since the photo that was posted?

That's high rpm. Have you tried reseating the cpu block? What's the thermal paste spread look like?

[Harsh555]

16 minutes ago, WoodenMarker said:

So it's been flipped since the photo that was posted?

That's high rpm. Have you tried reseating the cpu block? What's the thermal paste spread look like?

Yea, I flipped it after the photo. Yup tried that multiple times. It was fine the last time I checked. I am using Corsair XTM50 as my thermal paste, other threads seem to say it should not be a big deal.

 

I am now thinking that the AIO is just struggling to keep temps low. Also, my CPU socket temps are 20-40 degs lower than the CPU core temps. Could that indicate something?

[bmx6454]

12 hours ago, Harsh555 said:

Good suggestion, I was wondering if I should first spend money on new case or get a new cooler. Are the modifications to fit Artic liquid freezer 2 or to make it work better?

hard to say as both could help your issue. how well does it run with the side panel off? and yeah, modifying to make the liquid freezer 2 280mm fit, takes some bending of a few pieces on the case to fit,

[WoodenMarker]

On 10/21/2021 at 7:36 PM, Harsh555 said:

I am now thinking that the AIO is just struggling to keep temps low. Also, my CPU socket temps are 20-40 degs lower than the CPU core temps. Could that indicate something?

Core temps are normally higher than socket temps. 

What motherboard are you using and what are core voltages at under load? Are you using default motherboard settings?