AIO vs. Custom?

[TheRealSon]

Hey all,

 

I am going to start water cooling the components in my PC (CPU & GPU). I was wondering about getting an AIO for my CPU and doing a custom loop on the GPU? Or would it be better to just start with a custom CPU loop and add the GPU in later or do it the other was around and do GPU first then CPU? Im very new to this and it will be my first attempt at liquid cooling so using as much detail as possible for things i need or might consider is really appreciated.

 

Thanks for the input,

Ryan

[CCap]

If you don't know whether or not you will be cooling your GPU right off the bat, there are products like the Glacer 240L that are designed for this. 

 

It is an expandable AIO, so if l later on you decide "Hey, I want to liquid cool my Graphics card too" then you can just buy some tubing, compression fittings, and a GPU block and call it a day. Albeit you would probably want more radiator space, it should get the job done just fine. (I mean, the R9295x2 runs on a single rad)

[C_Mike]

I would lean towards just adding the CPU and GPU into a custom loop in one go, especially if you don't have any experience draining and taking apart a custom loop.

 

If you don't have enough money at the moment, I would suggest starting with the CPU, keeping the stock air cooler on your GPU then adding the GPU into the loop later.

 

But like I already said, personally I would just go all out and do the whole loop at once.

[creativename]

custom loop, AIO are loud, and are more expensive than air coolers when they don't even perform that well compared to high end air coolers.

 

The only reason  you ever go AIO is for looks, never for silence. or performance.

[Paralectic]

custom loop, AIO are loud, and are more expensive than air coolers when they don't even perform that well compared to high end air coolers.

 

The only reason  you ever go AIO is for looks, never for silence. or performance.

H100i/H220 not good performance or silent? k den lol

[Guest]

I'm too much of a wimp to build a custom loop because I'm scared I'll do something wrong and my $1000+ compnents will get damaged. I also don't feel comfortable taking apart a GPU to install a waterblock

[creativename]

H100i/H220 not good performance or silent? k den lol

h100i and h220 are not silent. when did i say they didn't have good performance, i said they don't perform much better than high end coolers.

 

It doesn't matter what fans you strap onto those AIO coolers, they are loud. Those pump noises is a high pitch irritating noise. With a custom loop you can have your pump near silent, AIO coolers have loud pumps, that's just how it is, can't do anything about it.

[PuNkPoEtS]

i was a little scared when i first went watercooling as i didnt know how good i could do it or if it would be a viable solution so i bought a cheap kit which was complete, choosing the parts i wanted was going to cost $500AUD just for a CPU loop and i didnt think it was worth spending that much on it so i got the kit and i built on that. it can be more expensive doing it that way as i think i have spent AU$1000+ but i have worked out it has become alot better and it has made my whole system completely silent and i have it running 24/7 and i have not had any issues. the best advice i can give you if you decide to go custom loop is TAKE IT SLOW dont rush it as that will guarantee that there will be as issue

[TheRealSon]

Any idea on how big or how many rads i am going to need for just one GPU and a CPU? I have a 750D so i can fit a few larger rads in there without issue. Also any preference on a website to use for parts?

[PuNkPoEtS]

Any idea on how big or how many rads i am going to need for just one GPU and a CPU? I have a 750D so i can fit a few larger rads in there without issue. Also any preference on a website to use for parts?

 

well it all depends on which CPU and GPU you want to cool as a rule of thumb is blockX120mm rad+120mm rad so you have enough space to head room but i would say that as a minimum but there isnt really a maximum but i would atleast get a 360 rad and a 240 and you would be sweet in a 750D with room for adding more blocks

[bbqsauce]

h100i and h220 are not silent. when did i say they didn't have good performance, i said they don't perform much better than high end coolers.

 

It doesn't matter what fans you strap onto those AIO coolers, they are loud. Those pump noises is a high pitch irritating noise. With a custom loop you can have your pump near silent, AIO coolers have loud pumps, that's just how it is, can't do anything about it.

well, i have a H105 and my pump runs at max speed (as long as its going to get) I can't hear any audible noise. So yeah..

Even when i put my ear next to my case exhaust all I hear is air moving. With the occasional soft sploosh sound. And i'm pretty sensitive to high pitch sounds.

All the pump sound if any, is not louder than my fans. And my fans are running at a very low rpm. 600~rpm

My system makes practically no noise(ambient sounds are louder than it).

Don't say AIO coolers have loud pumps. Good AIOs can be silent as well.

[airdeano]

Hey all,

 

I am going to start water cooling the components in my PC (CPU & GPU). I was wondering about getting an AIO for my CPU and doing a custom loop on the GPU? Or would it be better to just start with a custom CPU loop and add the GPU in later or do it the other was around and do GPU first then CPU? Im very new to this and it will be my first attempt at liquid cooling so using as much detail as possible for things i need or might consider is really appreciated.

 

Thanks for the input,

Ryan

 

welcome to the LinusTechTips Forums!

 

since the CPU usually is the warmest, you'd want to be able to cool it the best.

since this is your first h2o build, then i'd suggest starting with a CPU loop and

build into it more with upgrades. easiest would be an alphacool XT45 360 for

the roof of the 750D. this will easily take care of the CPU and when you have

the funds and knowledge then incorporate GPU into the 360.

 

also depending on your overclocking skills, hardware and knowledge, you

have room to use a 240 radiator incase the temperatures or fan speed is too

loud. the more radiator surface area the lower the fan speed (fan noise) can

be to tolerate.

[creativename]

well, i have a H105 and my pump runs at max speed (as long as its going to get) I can't hear any audible noise. So yeah..

Even when i put my ear next to my case exhaust all I hear is air moving. With the occasional soft sploosh sound. And i'm pretty sensitive to high pitch sounds.

All the pump sound if any, is not louder than my fans. And my fans are running at a very low rpm. 600~rpm

My system makes practically no noise(ambient sounds are louder than it).

Don't say AIO coolers have loud pumps. Good AIOs can be silent as well.

Never heard the h105 before. But I can say that H100i, H80i, and H60(whatever the LED one is called) all have annoyingly loud pumps. Same with the h220, h220 actually makes sense though, it has a louder pump, and it performs better. Corsair's "i" series are just uselessly loud. I do remember having an intel AIO before, and that didn't have an annoying pump noise. I guess asetek's designs are just more silent, unlike corsair's stupid design.

[nokturrduk84]

If you want serious overclock (4.8GHz & more) then custom, if you want light overclocking closed loop will do the job good as well.