Watercooling a locked processor

[dreinal13]

Hi guys,

 

I know this might sound a bit stupid but I just wanted to weigh out my options here. I won't be overclocking (mostly because I am using an i5 4460) but I just want to keep my CPU as cool as possible for longer lifespan purposes. The thing is, I'm confused as to what should I do to cool it in a manner that I will be comfortable with (and tbh, looks and aesthetics factor is really huge things for me as well).

 

I hate the stock cooler. Its loud, it dies easliy, and it just looks bad.

 

Aftermarket cpu coolers are nice but they're bulky and those that look good don't really fit inside my case/conflicts with the other parts of my rig.

 

So I turn to liquid cooling, closed loop coolers to be exact. And I am actually sold on this one already, really I am, but the only gripe/s I have are the following:

 

Is it gonna be overkill?

Am I better off with an aftermarket heatsink fan?

Do I really need that much cooling? Main reason I want a liquid cooler is 1)it doesn't eat up too much space 2) it looks better and 3) My room can get really really hot like 36-37 degrees Celsius (96-97 Fahrenheit) hot.

 

Need you guidance, everyone on this matter. Thanks so much in advance!

 

EDIT: Title fixed

[connorpiper]

Watercooling a locked CPU. (Correct your title)

Is way overkill. The stock cooler is perfectly fine, and you will have basically no degradation. Won't change your lifespan at all unless your environmental conditions are very warm. 

[Mao_Zedong]

If you want silence, just get a hyper 212 evo, it will be quieter and will be just as good for this.

[Benji_w]

If you want silence, just get a hyper 212 evo, it will be quieter and will be just as good for this.

LOL I can't believe I'm agreeing to buying a 212 but he is right, a 212 with a noctua NF-F12 would be near impossible to hear and keel it nice and cool while it is a locked CPU.

[Mao_Zedong]

LOL I can't believe I'm agreeing to buying a 212 but he is right, a 212 with a noctua NF-F12 would be near impossible to hear and keel it nice and cool while it is a locked CPU.

Would you normally not recommend the 212? It is the best cooler for it's price. He wouldn't need an nf-f12 for it, the stock fan would be basically as good. The bitfenix spectre pro fans are actually quieter, though perform slightly worse.

[Benji_w]

Would you normally not recommend the 212? It is the best cooler for it's price. He wouldn't need an nf-f12 for it, the stock fan would be basically as good. The bitfenix spectre pro fans are actually quieter, though perform slightly worse.

 

I hate the 212 because it's worthless for overclocking, seriously overclock a FX8350 to 5ghz with one and come back to me on how good it is because you'll hit your thermal limit way before 4.6ghz which is mild. As a replacement cooler from stock, fine, as a legit overclocking cooler, just no I don't agree at all. The bitfenix fans are a good call but they don't direct air like the NF-F12's do (thats what the fin like bars on the back are for) which is better for moving air over fins on heatsinks and rads.

 

[dreinal13]

Thanks for the input guys, I actually had the 212 in mind when I was looking for aftermarket coolers. Might go with that instead. Other than that what other coolers you can suggest that would be either at par or even better than the Hyper 212? Case clearance is at under 7 inches.

[Faceman]

@Benji_w

Dude.. its a $30 cooler and you're trying to cool down an FX processor at high speeds, of course its not going to work for you. But for Intel, it will allow you to hit any overclock that your chip is capable of without issue.

Buying a 212 EVO and putting a Noctua fan on it is rediculous. Thats $50, you would be better off just spending that money on a higher end cooler from the start. Horrible recommendation.

@dreinal13: Buying a water cooler for a stock CPU is overkill, you will be just fine on your stock heatsink. If you want, the 212 EVO is an incredible bargain at just $30 and will be much more quiet and lower temps. An alternative is the Be Quiet! Shadow Rock 2, which often goes on sale for $30 on NCIX. Better looking and better performing than the EVO for the same price, just have to catch the deal.

[andy335e92]

like everyone mentioned.. 212 EVO its a no brainer.. since you're locked anyway it will manage your temps great and it is quiet and not to mention a fantastic value.. just comes down too are you ok with the looks.  

[Benji_w]

@Benji_w

Dude.. its a $30 cooler and you're trying to cool down an FX processor at high speeds, of course its not going to work for you. But for Intel, it will allow you to hit any overclock that your chip is capable of without issue.

Buying a 212 EVO and putting a Noctua fan on it is rediculous. Thats $50, you would be better off just spending that money on a higher end cooler from the start. Horrible recommendation.

@dreinal13: Buying a water cooler for a stock CPU is overkill, you will be just fine on your stock heatsink. If you want, the 212 EVO is an incredible bargain at just $30 and will be much more quiet and lower temps. An alternative is the Be Quiet! Shadow Rock 2, which often goes on sale for $30 on NCIX. Better looking and better performing than the EVO for the same price, just have to catch the deal.

 

You're missing my point in referencing the 212 and overclocking an FX CPU, people do it, clock it up, think they're stable and it fails everything they throw at it. It isn't as amazing as everyone makes it out to be, yes amazing value but budget parts = budget results. I'm pretty sure you can grab the noc's 2nd hand (you can here in the UK for a considerable reduction on cost...)

[Faceman]

-snip-

Its an amazing cooler that performs very well given its price! It allows you to hit any overclock you want that your processor is capable of on the Intel side. On AMD, where temperatures are more of a problem, of course the 212 EVO will limit you, it is still capable of a 4.2-4.6Ghz OC though, and that's not bad for a $30 Cooler.

[Benji_w]

you're the one being a jerk. Its an amazing cooler that performs very well given its price! It allows you to hit any overclock you want that your processor is capable of on the Intel side. On AMD, where temperatures are more of a problem, of course the 212 EVO will limit you, it is still capable of a 4.2-4.6Ghz OC though, and that's not bad for a $30 Cooler.

 

I disagree sir, you've gone to other posts of mine and brought back up this very subject, while I very much agree with you temps are a limiting factor on the FX CPUs (which I have said myself through out this very forum) I disagree that the 212 could push an intel chip to an outstanding overclock because temps do effect Intel chips too (Delidding anyone? No? Lapping?). I even agreed with you that it's amazing value for the price and its clocking ability but it isn't as amazing as everyone makes it out to be. How do I know this? As a lowly AMD peasant as you perceive me to be? Because my mate has Intel, Has had the 212 and has overclocked it to near 5ghz, the 212 started to get too hot way before 5ghz and please forgive me for not having the exact time, date and clocks with volts but it didn't perform, he then went to an AIO unit (H100) and hit his goal after weeks of tinkering.

 

Now drop the attitude towards me and seeking out my posts, this is a disagreement not a ****** war!