Why liquid cooling isn't necessary....

[19_blackie_73]

Hey guys,

as the summer is over, temps are going down and so it is the best time to test how temperatures in my first build ever are behaving at normal room temps of 21°C.
 

My system specs:

• CPU & CPU Cooler: Intel Xeon 1231v3 with a be quiet dark rock advanced c1 on it
• Mobo, RAM:
• GPU: Gigabyte GTX970 Gaming G1 noc
• Case: be quiet! Silent Base 800 (orange) with stock fan configuration (2 140mm Pure Wings 2 in the front, 1 120mm in the back)
• Other stuff in the system:  Mobo: Gigabyte H97 D3H  RAM: 16GB 1600MHz Dual Channel Crucial Ballistix Sport  PSU: be quiet Straight Power E10 500W CM  HDD: 1 TB Seagate Barracuda

Test scenario:

I used for stressing cpu and gpu a scene in Blender which i rendered first on the gpu and then on the cpu for about 10 min. For idle temps, i let the system run for approximatly 5 min with doing nothing with it.

 

Here are the results:

 

IDLE:

 

GPU Rendering:

 

CPU rendering:

 

 

Conclusion:

I was damn impressed how well the system does under stress - 50°C on a GPU on nearly full load is very low for air cooling. The dark rock did his job pretty good and now i think it was worth it spending the money to get this good looking, powerful cpu cooler. This is also the reason which led me to the title: Here is the evidence: nobody needs liquid cooling in a system with only one card . If I'd overclocked the 970, this beast won't run that much hotter, maybe i'll hit 60 or 70 °C, and on cpu side: there is much headroom, too. 

Thanks for reading. Feel free to share your temps on your system!

 

P.S.: @Tim Drake here is the evidence, on gaming nothing changes on the temps side

[Arty]

well seeing how the 970 is a cool card

 

Try a titan X?

you will get different results 

Liquid Cooling is worth it most of the time.

[79wjd]

You're also running a locked Xeon. And technically the stock cooler is also, fine, but an aftermarket cooler is just better. 

[d3sl91]

Liquid cooling has never been necessary. If you are not pushing hardware limits.

 

This is one reason I always say - the main reason you should do a custom liquid cooling setup is for the fun of building something - not for performance. AIO blurs the lines a bit - but lets all be honest - its 95% aesthetics for most of us. 

[othertomperson]

Liquid cooling isn't necessary

Uses a locked CPU and runs the GPU at stock.

 

[minibois]

Hmm, yeah..

There are many variables, you have a locked CPU, we don't know how loud your whole system is compared to a liquid cooled system.. etc.

 

Necessary? No.

These products are designed to work with air cooling, so they work with air cooling. If you want to OC more, have a quieter system, have not as cool parts, etc. it might be very helpful. But you can't say it's unnecessary based on ONLY your use case scenario.

[NannerBeans]

You didn't overclock though. People who liquid cool are looking to overclock and bump up the voltage. Of course you don't need it if you're at stock. 

[ApolloX75]

-snip-

Okay. Now put a 4670k or a 4790k in there with a hefty overclock and tell me water cooling isn't necessary.

My 4670k stock temps are around 25C idle and 40C under load, but overclocked to 4.4-4.5 it can hit 75C easy on a Hyper 212 Evo. My water loop keeps it below 50C.

 

Your Xeon isn't representative of everyone's systems, so I mean it's cool to see your setup and I'm happy for your results but unfortunately it can't speak for everyone else.

[Whorax]

Liquid cooling looks cooler though.

[Raudi_]

Lock CPU
and GPU at stock speeds......



 

[19_blackie_73]

Liquid cooling isn't necessary

Uses a locked CPU and runs the GPU at stock.

 

 

 

Hmm, yeah..

There are many variables, you have a locked CPU, we don't know how loud your whole system is compared to a liquid cooled system.. etc.

 

Necessary? No.

These products are designed to work with air cooling, so they work with air cooling. If you want to OC more, have a quieter system, have not as cool parts, etc. it might be very helpful. But you can't say it's unnecessary based on ONLY your use case scenario.

I don't want to say that you shouldn't liquid cool - but it is only really necessary (in my opinion) on very high overclocks and multigpu setups. A unlocked 4790k has not a much higher tdp, only a few watts and if you overclock it, you won't run into any trouble

[CydiaDash]

Most people get liquid coolers and custom loops mostly for aesthetics anyway don't they?

[EvilWiffles]

I only like AIO because it takes up much less space and it's easier to work around then a large annoying air cooler, plus it pushes heat outside much easier.

[KE2012]

I agree, very few people need liquid cooling, but most people get liquid cooling not for its performance but for the looks and noise factor, and because it's fun to do your own system, it gives that extra 'this is mine' and 'I did that' feel, aswell as looking bitchin. 

[GoodBytes]

To add, liquid cooling is only quieter under heavy system load if you lock the fan speed at low and keep them there. But at idle, it is louder then air cool due to pump noise, and the fact that the included fans for the water cooling kit aren't usually not good. You need to replace them, which is an other cost to add, and might break aesthetics.

[Sauron]

Liquid cooling has never been necessary. If you are not pushing hardware limits.

 

This is one reason I always say - the main reason you should do a custom liquid cooling setup is for the fun of building something - not for performance. AIO blurs the lines a bit - but lets all be honest - its 95% aesthetics for most of us. 

 

besides something like the nh-d15s outperforms most aios for cheaper

[19_blackie_73]

besides something like the nh-d15s outperforms most aios for cheaper

that's what basically the dark rock does, too (especially the dark rock pro 3)

 

I agree, very few people need liquid cooling, but most people get liquid cooling not for its performance but for the looks and noise factor, and because it's fun to do your own system, it gives that extra 'this is mine' and 'I did that' feel, aswell as looking bitchin. 

that might be true - i have to admit that i like the look of custom loops, but i don't see any other reason to do that because the temps i reached today.

[rjfaber91]

(...) - its 95% aesthetics for most of us. 

 

Most people get liquid coolers and custom loops mostly for aesthetics anyway don't they?

 

I agree, very few people need liquid cooling, but most people get liquid cooling not for its performance but for the looks (...)

 

Am I the only one who actually prefers the looks of an air-cooled system with good-looking coolers to a custom water loop? I think water cooled builds can look fantastic, but I personally prefer to look at delicate yet muscular heatsinks and fans actually moving around to what is essentially high-profile plumbing...

[CydiaDash]

Am I the only one who actually prefers the looks of an air-cooled system with good-looking coolers to a custom water loop? I think water cooled builds can look fantastic, but I personally prefer to look at delicate yet muscular heatsinks and fans actually moving around to what is essentially high-profile plumbing...

I'm sure you're not the only one, but personally I prefer the look of watercooled loops

[Deli]

Because I don't need it. No one in the world would need it. 

 

So you can speak for everyone and every situation. Good example. 

[GoodBytes]

So you can speak for everyone and every situation. Good example.

You are right.. I don't need any heat sink on my CPU, you know what? I'll remove it right now, computer on and everything! Yea! As we spe

[Deli]

You are right.. I don't need any heat sink on my CPU, you know what? I'll remove it right now, computer on and everything! Yea! As we spe

I just love the mentality of some people. If I work 7 days, 100 hours a week. Everyone should do the same. If I can cycling 80 km a day to go to work. Everyone should abandon their cars. If I haven't take a vacation for 10 years. Why vacation isn't necessary...... :lol:

 

I'm the living proof why the world evolves around me.  :lol:

[d3sl91]

Am I the only one who actually prefers the looks of an air-cooled system with good-looking coolers to a custom water loop? I think water cooled builds can look fantastic, but I personally prefer to look at delicate yet muscular heatsinks and fans actually moving around to what is essentially high-profile plumbing...

 

Naw. 

 

I prefer a clean system in general, over anything. Throwing a watercooling setup in there doesn't make it clean and managed. 

 

Heck, my Server's internals look better than many people's Watercooled gaming desktops. And it doesn't even have a window....

 

 

[19_blackie_73]

Liquid cooling isn't necessary

Uses a locked CPU and runs the GPU at stock.

 

 

 

You didn't overclock though. People who liquid cool are looking to overclock and bump up the voltage. Of course you don't need it if you're at stock. 

 

 

Okay. Now put a 4670k or a 4790k in there with a hefty overclock and tell me water cooling isn't necessary.

My 4670k stock temps are around 25C idle and 40C under load, but overclocked to 4.4-4.5 it can hit 75C easy on a Hyper 212 Evo. My water loop keeps it below 50C.

 

Your Xeon isn't representative of everyone's systems, so I mean it's cool to see your setup and I'm happy for your results but unfortunately it can't speak for everyone else.

 

 

Lock CPU

and GPU at stock speeds......

for the sake of science - i easily achieved an overclock on my 970 (not the limit) to 1526 MHz (didn't put it further because i didn't had the time to see which clock was stable). I ran the same test and got 5°C more - so no reason to change the conclusion. May give you some screenshots in the future

[othertomperson]

for the sake of science - i easily achieved an overclock on my 970 (not the limit) to 1526 MHz (didn't put it further because i didn't had the time to see which clock was stable). I ran the same test and got 5°C more - so no reason to change the conclusion. May give you some screenshots in the future

 

The 970 is a 150W TDP card! Do it again with a 390X. Do it with two of them.