Estimated Costs for Extensible Watercooling

[Ryoutarou97]

I am planning to build my first computer soon, and I don't have enough left in the budget to do both the CPU and GPU on water for sure. For now...

 

I want to add the GPU to the loop later when I have more money to throw at it so that I don't have to buy a CPU cooler for now. How much would a good extensible (able to add another radiator and a GPU block) liquid cooling system cost? Right now I just need a CPU block, tubing, fittings, a pump, a 280 (or 240)mm radiator, and a reservoir. This is beginning to sound expensive. Does anyone have an estimate of how much it would cost so I can see if I should even begin to consider it.

 

Also, does anyone know if the NZXT Source 340 is a good case for water cooling? It seems like I could mount a 280 rad in the front and a 120 or two on the back. Thoughts?

[Oshino Shinobu]

Depending on the fittings and parts you use, you're looking at £200 to £400 (maybe a bit cheaper, more so in the US). The Pump, CPU block, rad and res all add up, as well as fittings costing a fair bit, especially if you use compressions. 

 

Watercooling is expensive, period. Unless you have got the build to a place where you're properly happy with it, I wouldn't recommend watercooling. Its more of a hobby thing to do, rather than performance. It's also a pain to add in another block to an existing loop, so I would advise just dealing with the stock cooler until you can afford the whole loop in one. 

 

Looking from the fan options, the Source 340 isn't great for watercooling. There's not much room for more than a 240 rad anywhere, with maybe just enough room for two of them. Phanteks Enthoo Pro is a much better case for watercooling, but I don't know the prices for the cases where you are. 

[SmileyBacon]

An aio set from ek waterblocks or xspc should have everything you are asking for. And you dont have to go throught the trouble of compatibility issues and you get a better price

xspc raystorm d5 photon rx480 v3 watercooling kit

ek water blocks water cooling set ek-kit x240

[D3LTA9]

Yeah I would look at a XSPC kit to get started, much cheaper than buying everything individually and individual components can be swapped/added as needed down the line. But yeah if you can only support a 240 rad in that case just be aware you would need to mount a rad externally or swap cases if you wanted to cool anything more than your cpu OR a gpu.

 

As Oshino Shinobu says its an expensive hobby, I hate to think how much I have spent on just fittings alone over the years(could have bought a console probably haha), but I find it is pretty addictive and rewarding so it is worth it.