Radiator Upgrade?

[PoLoMoTo]

Since upgrading from my push pull setup to just a pull setup with some of the Noctua Industrial NF-F12s I've been thinking that it might be worth using the room gained from removing the push fans to get a thicker rad.  Also when installing the new fans I discovered that the radiator I have currently is not threaded and actually uses self tapping screws which really pissed me off, seriously whoever thought that was a good idea needs to be shot even my previous AiO was pre-tapped and used machine screws.  I seriously cannot express how terrible this is, it might as well be one use only because I'm pretty sure when I put the screws back in they barely grabbed, I even had to remove the rubber noise dampeners from the fans....  So now that the rant is out of the way, I currently have a Black Ice Xtreme III 360mm, I was looking at getting the Aquacomputer Airplex Modularity System 360 with copper fins but not sure if it's really an upgrade with the lower fin density and especially the price, but its so beautiful lol.  Is it worth it?

[airdeano]

not really. it is spendy, but an alphacool radiator is all copper for less money.

unless you are needing the modularity of the system, then it'd be money wasted.

alphacool uses a M3 screw not like HL using M4. if you goof the thread you

have two sizes (6-32 - M4) to rectify.

[VSG]

Alphacool isn't all copper despite whatever they say. The tubes are still brass as with all the usual Chinese manufactured rads.

As far as the Aquacomputer rads go, unfortunately they seem to be mediocre at best when it comes to performance. They do look tremendous, I will give them that. Also amongst the cleanest thanks to solderless construction.

[PoLoMoTo]

not really. it is spendy, but an alphacool radiator is all copper for less money.

unless you are needing the modularity of the system, then it'd be money wasted.

alphacool uses a M3 screw not like HL using M4. if you goof the thread you

have two sizes (6-32 - M4) to rectify.

 

Well thats unfortunate to hear, glad I checked here first though.  I'll take a look at Alphacool

 

Alphacool isn't all copper despite whatever they say. The tubes are still brass as with all the usual Chinese manufactured rads.

As far as the Aquacomputer rads go, unfortunately they seem to be mediocre at best when it comes to performance. They do look tremendous, I will give them that. Also amongst the cleanest thanks to solderless construction.

 

So what would you recommend instead?

[VSG]

I never said that the Alphacool rads don't perform well. They are good, especially at the price they go for. My personal recommendation would be the HardwareLabs Nemesis GTX, especially since I just tested out the 2000 rpm Noctua IPPC fans on them too.

[PoLoMoTo]

I never said that the Alphacool rads don't perform well. They are good, especially at the price they go for. My personal recommendation would be the HardwareLabs Nemesis GTX, especially since I just tested out the 2000 rpm Noctua IPPC fans on them too.

 

Well... Are the holes threaded for machine screws?  Also it's not that much thicker and has a bit lower FPI than mine, would it really be an upgrade?  How well did it play with the fans?

[VSG]

I am not sure what happened with your previous rad, but HWLabs has a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects on all their rads. Why not just see if you can get a new one?

As far as the Nemesis GTX goes, why not take a look at my review and decide: http://thermalbench.com/2015/01/05/hardwarelabs-black-ice-nemesis-480gtx/

More rads are coming in there, even if their results are already in there.

[Spev]

Alphacool isn't all copper despite whatever they say. The tubes are still brass as with all the usual Chinese manufactured rads.

As far as the Aquacomputer rads go, unfortunately they seem to be mediocre at best when it comes to performance. They do look tremendous, I will give them that. Also amongst the cleanest thanks to solderless construction.

Yeah they really are clean inside, I didn't know they are solderless though. I cleaned out the insides of both my alphacool (240 & 360) rads with hot water multiple times. I didn't even see a spec of ANYTHING come out from either after washing the insides out. I honestly thought I was doing something wrong lol.

[VSG]

Yeah they really are clean inside, I didn't know they are solderless though. I cleaned out the insides of both my alphacool (240 & 360) rads with hot water multiple times. I didn't even see a spec of ANYTHING come out from either after washing the insides out. I honestly thought I was doing something wrong lol.

Alphacool or Aquacomputer? Don't confuse the two, especially in matters of cleanliness.

[Spev]

Alphacool or Aquacomputer? Don't confuse the two, especially in matters of cleanliness.

I have 2 alphacool rads, that's what I originally said. I haven't even heard of alphacomputer lol. The alphacool rads were clean inside, completely clean.

[VSG]

I have 2 alphacool rads, that's what I originally said. I haven't even heard of alphacomputer lol. The alphacool rads were clean inside, completely clean.

Good for you then. Those are the least clean rads on average of any going from my and the experience of hundreds of people on OCN. Mick specifically made his Blitz Pro kit for them.

Alphacool rads aren't solderless.

[FluffyNuggets]

If I had the money I'd get the Aquacomputer radiator just because they look amazing and you can mount the reservoir and pump directly to the radiator. That frees up a lot of space and just makes things look much cleaner. 

[Spev]

Good for you then. Those are the least clean rads on average of any going from my and the experience of hundreds of people on OCN. Mick specifically made his Blitz Pro kit for them.

Alphacool rads aren't solderless.

I guess others could have different experiences but it just seems a bit odd if these are apparently dirty rads that I wouldn't have gotten a spec of anything upon multiple rinse/washes...

[VSG]

I guess others could have different experiences but it just seems a bit odd if these are apparently dirty rads that I wouldn't have gotten a spec of anything upon multiple rinse/washes...

 

Depends on the type of wash done, the flux used is only really removed properly by an acid bath. I had flushed my Monsta rad several times with distilled water before I then did an acid bath. Guess what came out:

 

[PoLoMoTo]

Depends on the type of wash done, the flux used is only really removed properly by an acid bath. I had flushed my Monsta rad several times with distilled water before I then did an acid bath. Guess what came out:

 

Was that clear water at some point?  lol

 

If I had the money I'd get the Aquacomputer radiator just because they look amazing and you can mount the reservoir and pump directly to the radiator. That frees up a lot of space and just makes things look much cleaner. 

 

Yea thats what I was thinking but hearing in this thread I really can't justify it.  They have a very low FPI (only about 7 I believe) and the tubes going through them are cylindrical, rather poor at dissipating heat compared to the flat tubes of the other rad's mentioned here.

 

I am not sure what happened with your previous rad, but HWLabs has a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects on all their rads. Why not just see if you can get a new one?

As far as the Nemesis GTX goes, why not take a look at my review and decide: http://thermalbench.com/2015/01/05/hardwarelabs-black-ice-nemesis-480gtx/

More rads are coming in there, even if their results are already in there.

 

Nothing really happened to it, its how it was designed.  I didn't mess up the threads there simply were no threads to begin with, the screws are supposed to make their own sort of like new fans but the problem is that it's only going into like a millimeter of sheet metal, not nearly enough to make some half decent threads with the coarseness of the screws.

 

I do like the Nemesis GTX though.  They seem to have fixed my complaint and used machine screws instead and I really like that finish.  But I'm still not quite sure if it would really be an upgrade but I guess I'm never really gonna get a definite answer unless someone does a test with my rad and the Nemesis GTX but thats highly unlikely so I'll just have to think about it I guess.  Great review btw, although maybe try to use more different colors in the graphs.

[VSG]

Yeah I tried using different colors but there is a limited set available to choose from

 

As far as your first question goes, yes that was a clear solution. The blue is from the copper phosphate formed and the black you see is the excess flux in the rad.

[PoLoMoTo]

Yeah I tried using different colors but there is a limited set available to choose from

As far as your first question goes, yes that was a clear solution. The blue is from the copper phosphate formed and the black you see is the excess flux in the rad.

Still a great review! So based on your tests I'll probably just get the Nemesis GTX since it performs so much better at lower with lower rpm fans

[VSG]

If your current rad is the one with 30 FPI, then it will definitely be outperformed at low-med fan speeds by most of the rads I tested. It will still be champ at high airflow but then again it also means more noise and dust.

[decripple]

Nemesis GTX like he said. In my experience Hardware Labs have always been at the front of the performance curve in radiators.

[PoLoMoTo]

If your current rad is the one with 30 FPI, then it will definitely be outperformed at low-med fan speeds by most of the rads I tested. It will still be champ at high airflow but then again it also means more noise and dust.

 

I've never even heard of a radiator having 30 FPI   Mine is only 20, thought that was about as high as it got.

 

Nemesis GTX like he said. In my experience Hardware Labs have always been at the front of the performance curve in radiators.

 

Welp looks like I'll probably be getting a Nemesis GTX.