Water Cooling Question

[Smasher225]

So I'm looking at upgrading my Cooler Master HAF XB Lan box with a better CPU cooling set up and was thinking of getting a AIO watercooling set up. I'm using the top 200 mm fan slot so I don't really have room for a giant heat sink which led me to the AIO systems. I'm looking at getting a Corsair H100i or a NZXT Kraken X61 but where I have to mount them is in the front of the case on the only intake fans on my case. That leads me to my question of is it a good idea to have a rad on your intake as opposed to your exhaust fans? I've seen mix opinions on if its a good idea and right now I have what should be neutral pressure from my fans, two 140 mm in the front as intake, one 200 mm fan on the top for exhaust, one 120 mm fan on the back for exhaust and two 80 mm fans on the back as well for exhaust.

 

I don't want to use the 120 mm in the back for a rad as I think it wouldn't be as good as a fan cooled system so I would rather use that than an H80i system or equivalent.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Shaqo_Wyn]

So I'm looking at upgrading my Cooler Master HAF XB Lan box with a better CPU cooling set up and was thinking of getting a AIO watercooling set up. I'm using the top 200 mm fan slot so I don't really have room for a giant heat sink which led me to the AIO systems. I'm looking at getting a Corsair H100i or a NZXT Kraken X61 but where I have to mount them is in the front of the case on the only intake fans on my case. That leads me to my question of is it a good idea to have a rad on your intake as opposed to your exhaust fans? I've seen mix opinions on if its a good idea and right now I have what should be neutral pressure from my fans, two 140 mm in the front as intake, one 200 mm fan on the top for exhaust, one 120 mm fan on the back for exhaust and two 80 mm fans on the back as well for exhaust.

 

I don't want to use the 120 mm in the back for a rad as I think it wouldn't be as good as a fan cooled system so I would rather use that than an H80i system or equivalent.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Hi! Welcome to LTT.

 

If you go through with this definitely get the X61, it's much better than the H100i (more rad surface area). Having it as an intake would theoretically be better because you're cooling the hot water flowing through the radiator with colder air from outside your case and not with hot air from inside your case like if you were to put it in exhaust. In real world scenario's though, the temps will only be a few degrees lower between intake and exhaust. Your other components might get a bit hotter because the hot air coming off the radiator is being pushed into your case but this shouldn't be a problem if you have a good rear/top exhaust setup. 

 

In summary, the temps won't differ much between having the AIO as intake or exhaust but since you have neutral air pressure now and positive air pressure is better against dust, I recommend you mount the X61 in the front as an intake.

[Trik'Stari]

I'd recommend this, however there don't seem to be any reviews of it thus far, so proceed with caution.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100006519%2050120293%2040000575&IsNodeId=1&SubCategory=575&Manufactory=120293&SpeTabStoreType=1

It's a hundred bucks, but you'd have room to add in an extra radiator on the back if you wanted, plus it's cool looking any glows and what not, which is kind of a bonus for LAN boxes (or at least I'd think so)

 

@LinusTech @Slick @nicklmg where's the review? It was on sale a while back fo $89 and that seems like a steal.

 

Edit: There are 3 reviews on newegg, two 3 stars and one 5 star. One complaining about a leak from the factory, one about specifications, and one with no problems.

[Smasher225]

Ok thanks for your help, the case says it can fit a 240 mm rad so why I might be forced to get the H100i but it can fit two 140 mm fans on the front so one would be led to believe that you can fit a 280 mm rad in it. I'll have to do some measuring before I buy anything

[DarthBaggins]

I'd go for the NZXT AiO, and have it as an intake also beef up your exhaust fans to promote better air flow to ensure proper cooling for the remaining air cooler components.

[Smasher225]

I'm not sure how much more I can beef them up, I'm running a bitfenix spectre pro 200mm fan on the top, a nzxt fz 120mm fan and two arctic f8 80mm fans on the rear all for exhaust. I'm going for a green led fans for the 200 and 120 along with the two 140 in the front to give it a nice look.

Without the rad I'm sitting with neutral if not a bit of a positive set up since the 80mm fans are on the bottom "compartment" of the case as the motherboard fits horizontally in the case and kind of separates the top from the bottom. It is a high air flow case from cooler master so I don't think airflow will be a problem.