CPU only or GPU cooling as well?

[DrtyDiesel]

So, I've finally decided to step into water cooling.

Mainly for lower temps and the cool look of having a custom loop. I just had a few questions.

I planned on cooling just the CPU and running stock air cooling for my GPUs, but now I'm debating on whether or not it's worth the money for lower temps with adding the GPUs into the loop. I will be running two gtx 970s in SLI.

Should I just leave them alone and let them be air cooled by the stock air cooler and just focus on cooling the CPU, or should I also add them into the loop?

The case I've decided on is the Corsair Carbide Air 540. I know its not the most ideal case for water cooling, but I'm pretty dead set on it being my case.

I only plan on playing on a 1080p 144hz monitor, and plan on buying one 970 then upgrading to SLI a few weeks down the road. I was going to go with an i7 4790k, but may go with the i5 4690k to save some money if the i5 won't bottleneck the dual 970s.

Just wanted to get some opinions from y'all.

Drtydiesel

[cragger89]

Watercooling is what I would do - I run a 780Ti which although is perfectly happy in my Air 240 case, I plan to eventually get the Corsair plate and a H80i to watercool it.

 

I built a system in an Air 540 for my brother recently - it is a nice large case with plenty of installation space for multiple radiators, so you'll be fine.

[cragger89]

144Hz, bro.

 

For just Full HD you buy Two GTX 970 ?

[DrtyDiesel]

Watercooling is what I would do - I run a 780Ti which although is perfectly happy in my Air 240 case, I plan to eventually get the Corsair plate and a H80i to watercool it.

I built a system in an Air 540 for my brother recently - it is a nice large case with plenty of installation space for multiple radiators, so you'll be fine.

Alright, cool. Thanks for the info

[DrtyDiesel]

For just Full HD you buy Two GTX 970 ?

Yes but I'll also be running a 144hz monitor.

Watching joker's video on YouTube his recommendation is that two 970s in SLI are perfect for 1080p. Especially running a high refresh rate monitor.

[DrtyDiesel]

144Hz, bro.

I may also eventually step up to the Asus 1440p 144hz monitor. Haven't decided yet.

I was thinking about getting the 980 hydro copper editions, since I'm kind of nervous about installing the gpu water block.

That's the main reason I asked the question of water vs air for the 970s. Since evga doesn't have a 970 version with stock water block, I understand why they don't though lol

[Nonco]

I run a 780Ti which although is perfectly happy in my Air 240 case, I plan to eventually get the Corsair plate and a H80i to watercool it

 

I have a Air 240, and with a bigger card (Gigabyte G1 GTX 970), I found the H80i would be the best option.

 

I could maaaybe still fit the H100i into my smaller case but the H80i does everything I need it to do although the only issue I had was I had to orient the waterblock sideways as the water tubing was pushing against the side window panel. There is probably a better way but I just wanted to be on the safer side.

[DrtyDiesel]

I decided to just do the dual 970s, since I doubt I'll ever get $800 or so to drop on a 144hz 1440p monitor.

My main question would be, would a 240 and 120 rad support a 4690k and SLI 970s?

[f5alcon]

I decided to just do the dual 970s, since I doubt I'll ever get $800 or so to drop on a 144hz 1440p monitor.

My main question would be, would a 240 and 120 rad support a 4690k and SLI 970s?

The typically rule is 120 rad per major component and an extra 120 if you are overclocking. So you would be cutting it close. I have a 480 for a single 970 and 4790k and my GPU temps are in the mid 40s and CPU in the low 50s during gaming.  

[DrtyDiesel]

The typically rule is 120 rad per major component and an extra 120 if you are overclocking. So you would be cutting it close. I have a 480 for a single 970 and 4790k and my GPU temps are in the mid 40s and CPU in the low 50s during gaming.

Thanks for the info. I won't be over clocking much, if any. The 970s will be the superclocked versions from evga. So factory over clocked.

I was thinking of doing a 360 rad in the front then a 240 on top, unless that's overkill then maybe a 360 in front and a 120 on back.

My case will be the Corsair Carbide Air 540

[f5alcon]

Thanks for the info. I won't be over clocking much, if any. The 970s will be the superclocked versions from evga. So factory over clocked.

I was thinking of doing a 360 rad in the front then a 240 on top, unless that's overkill then maybe a 360 in front and a 120 on back.

My case will be the Corsair Carbide Air 540

Go for the larger amount, better to have too much than too little and the fans will be able to be lower rpm with more radiator space. 

[DrtyDiesel]

Go for the larger amount, better to have too much than too little and the fans will be able to be lower rpm with more radiator space.

Ah I didn't think about the fan speed. Thanks.

I was going to go with the Corsair sp120 low rpm fans. Would having both rads 30mm thick be enough or should I go with a thicker one?

I'd be using alphacool rads

[f5alcon]

Ah I didn't think about the fan speed. Thanks.

I was going to go with the Corsair sp120 low rpm fans. Would having both rads 30mm thick be enough or should I go with a thicker one?

I'd be using alphacool rads

That should be fine, thickness matters a lot less than surface area. 

[DrtyDiesel]

That should be fine, thickness matters a lot less than surface area.

Alright. I just didn't want them to be too bulky or too close to the motherboard if they didn't have to be. I'll go with a 360 and 240 then.

I appreciate all your advice and help.

[DrtyDiesel]

I went ahead and ordered the air 540, so I can measure things out and plan where everything will go

[asquirrel]

So, I've finally decided to step into water cooling.

Mainly for lower temps and the cool look of having a custom loop. I just had a few questions.

I planned on cooling just the CPU and running stock air cooling for my GPUs, but now I'm debating on whether or not it's worth the money for lower temps with adding the GPUs into the loop. I will be running two gtx 970s in SLI.

Should I just leave them alone and let them be air cooled by the stock air cooler and just focus on cooling the CPU, or should I also add them into the loop?

The case I've decided on is the Corsair Carbide Air 540. I know its not the most ideal case for water cooling, but I'm pretty dead set on it being my case.

I only plan on playing on a 1080p 144hz monitor, and plan on buying one 970 then upgrading to SLI a few weeks down the road. I was going to go with an i7 4790k, but may go with the i5 4690k to save some money if the i5 won't bottleneck the dual 970s.

Just wanted to get some opinions from y'all.

Drtydiesel

The cost: Watercooling is not worth it monetarily. If you're trying to save money know that you won't save any. The parts are too expensive and the failure rates on modern parts are so low, even when run at 80C, that you won't make back your money by running them 20-30C cooler. Odds are high you'll replace parts before they break.

 

CPU or CPU + GPU: Given a pair recent LTT videos (

and 

) it is clear that for the CPU, stock coolers are becoming better and better at keeping CPU temps reasonable, and even reasonably aggressive overclocks can be kept cool with reasonably cheap air coolers. That said, consider that the absolute hottest CPU you can get will be ~135W stock and the hottest GPU is 250W. Clearly the GPU has *way* more heat to get rid of, and the vast majority of that heat is all in a very small area, compared to a CPU. Watercooling a GPU makes more sense than a CPU if your GPU outputs more than 175W or so. Any of the 250W cards (titan X, 980 TI, (980?)) are absolutely worth water cooling. A 970...not so much.

 

I don't know how air starved SLI-d cards become. That may make water cooling 'lesser' cards worthwhile.

 

Note: when I say 'worth it' I mean in terms of temperature drop per $ spent.

 

The Air 540 case is actually built for water cooling. That's why it has the two-chamber design. In theory it is one of the best water cooling cases. o.0 You'd ideally put the pump and res in the 'second' chamber where the PSU and hard drives live.

[DrtyDiesel]

The cost: Watercooling is not worth it monetarily. If you're trying to save money know that you won't save any. The parts are too expensive and the failure rates on modern parts are so low, even when run at 80C, that you won't make back your money by running them 20-30C cooler. Odds are high you'll replace parts before they break.

CPU or CPU + GPU: Given a pair recent LTT videos (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrEHoVgfMjU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c66inwtS8_E) it is clear that for the CPU, stock coolers are becoming better and better at keeping CPU temps reasonable, and even reasonably aggressive overclocks can be kept cool with reasonably cheap air coolers. That said, consider that the absolute hottest CPU you can get will be ~135W stock and the hottest GPU is 250W. Clearly the GPU has *way* more heat to get rid of, and the vast majority of that heat is all in a very small area, compared to a CPU. Watercooling a GPU makes more sense than a CPU if your GPU outputs more than 175W or so. Any of the 250W cards (titan X, 980 TI, (980?)) are absolutely worth water cooling. A 970...not so much.

I don't know how air starved SLI-d cards become. That may make water cooling 'lesser' cards worthwhile.

Note: when I say 'worth it' I mean in terms of temperature drop per $ spent.

The Air 540 case is actually built for water cooling. That's why it has the two-chamber design. In theory it is one of the best water cooling cases. o.0 You'd ideally put the pump and res in the 'second' chamber where the PSU and hard drives live.

I'm mainly water cooling for the looks of it and because I'll be moving into a smaller room and don't want a space heater in there. So that's the main reason I'm wanting to water cool everything