First watercooled build ideas

[RobTapps]

OK so at the moment I'm stuck on a 2012 ASUS X73SD laptop with the following specs..

i7 2.1ghz/3.1boost, 8gb 1600 ram, 1gb geforce 610m (ouch)..

While a good laptop for workload that I received free.. It's not optimal for gaming by any means. The last desktop I built was over 10 years ago and a modded P4 Dell with 4 gb ddr2 and a 512mb BFG Geforce 550 or something like that . I am on a super fixed income at the moment and am doing this build on a monthly budget of just a couple hundred bucks Canadian.

And before I list the parts I'm going to be working with I just want to say this.. I HAVE ALWAYS GONE TEAM BLUE.. ITS TIME I TRY THE RED TEAM TOO!

So here is my plan. For parts and I would like some help if you guys are willing

Stuff I have

MSI 970 gaming motherboard AM3+

AMD FX-8320 8core (I do other stuff besides game )

Kingston fury hyperX 8gb for now

Thermaltake TR-500 PSU

Stuff I need

GPU - thinking of the Club3D r9 380 4gb open to suggestions on this one..

Kingston 120gb ssd (x2)

NZXT s340 in white

Corsair h80i (I have an i dea for it down the road)

Custom loop ideas

Later down the road i want to do a custom loop the h80i is to get me running until I can stock up on parts over time due to my tight budget. But I would like to get a resivor, pump, CPU/GPU water blocks, and an EK dual rad up front, and an EK single for the rear.

Case mods

Painting the case tops white?! Yes this needs to be done.. The black top (witch I have heard scratches very easy) will be painted white and the 120/140 fan spot up top will be used to mount a BAY style res that faces the window with some custom brackets.

I am going to remove the 3.5" drive bays up front under the bottom section and fashion a 45° single radiator mount where the drive bays were, this will utilize the corsair h80i radiator as it will be out of sight from the window and you won't see the clamped Barb fittings. The Dual EK rad up front and the single in the back. (Still doing research on fans)

So that's my plan, if any one has thoughts or suggestions please don't hesitate to post them in a reply thanks

[W-L]

Sounds good but it'd be best to go for higher end hardware to watercool especially the GPU side of things cause I'm not sure if you are able to get a full cover block for a R9 380. If you want to go for a lower budget try getting a kit from EKWB or XSPC and add in a waterblock for the GPU.

[RobTapps]

Sounds good but it'd be best to go for higher end hardware to watercool especially the GPU side of things cause I'm not sure if you are able to get a full cover block for a R9 380. If you want to go for a lower budget try getting a kit from EKWB or XSPC and add in a waterblock for the GPU.

I have looked in to those cooling kits and that's what I was planning on later on (in about 6 months or so) the only part I would be interested from an all in one after purchasing a loop kit would be the radiator it self to add in to the loop, not to use for a separate unit on the GPU, I have looked in to that route as well well a good idea not optimal for the setup I want in the long run.. Thanks for your input though its greatly appreciated.

[W-L]

I have looked in to those cooling kits and that's what I was planning on later on (in about 6 months or so) the only part I would be interested from an all in one after purchasing a loop kit would be the radiator it self to add in to the loop, not to use for a separate unit on the GPU, I have looked in to that route as well well a good idea not optimal for the setup I want in the long run.. Thanks for your input though its greatly appreciated.

 

You can't add an AIO (H80i) to a custom loop though, they aren't designed to be separated not to mention most are aluminum based rads making it a dis-similar metal loop.

[RobTapps]

Fair enough

[W-L]

Fair enough

 

i'd personally stick with the stock cooler until you want to do the watercooling and go from there, it will also save you the cost of an aftermarket AIO or cooler.

[SuperCookie78]

I think you should aim to get an r9 fury(non-x)

[RobTapps]

i'd personally stick with the stock cooler until you want to do the watercooling and go from there, it will also save you the cost of an aftermarket AIO or cooler.

the Fx-8320 doesn't come with a "stock cooler" sooooo unless I'm gonna burn my cpu out I need as cooler of some sort..

 

I think you should aim to get an r9 fury(non-x)

No. I'm not spending the ammount the rest of my system will cost for a GPU....