Please stop recommending pseudo water-cooling solutions all over the place...

[Bobert]

I am not so sure that the cheaper pumps have that tach wire.

Well you would send it off and use your stock/spare cooler in the meantime.

But draining a loop is way more effort than removing a AIO. Most people who use the H100i aren't looking to spend hours replacing thier broken wc pump.

 

Very true, to most of the people who use an AIO cooler, but quite a bit of people who do custom loops are doing it for the sheer fun of watercooling (I myself as one). I have an intricate loop setup and I had to drain it this week in order to change my fluid and I was not bummed about it, I was happy because I was tinkering with it and getting to make a change to it.

 

I do not think that a custom loop is for everyone, especially those who would rather buy a pc than build one. If you refuse to touch anything on the inside of your pc than a custom loop is not for you, and if you would rather not have to ever think about it than maybe an AIO is for you.

 

I pesonally will never run an air cooler or an AIO again on my personal rig, I love custom loops and all of the things they offer.

[addbot]

Very true, to most of the people who use an AIO cooler, but quite a bit of people who do custom loops are doing it for the sheer fun of watercooling (I myself as one). I have an intricate loop setup and I had to drain it this week in order to change my fluid and I was not bummed about it, I was happy because I was tinkering with it and getting to make a change to it.

 

I do not think that a custom loop is for everyone, especially those who would rather buy a pc than build one. If you refuse to touch anything on the inside of your pc than a custom loop is not for you, and if you would rather not have to ever think about it than maybe an AIO is for you.

 

I pesonally will never run an air cooler or an AIO again on my personal rig, I love custom loops and all of the things they offer.

If you can't have a custom loop would you agree that air coolers are the way to go as the thread suggest?

[Bobert]

If you can't have a custom loop would you agree that air coolers are the way to go as the thread suggest?

 

In some cases, yes. If you need something that day and have to buy locally than odds are you will find more AIO coolers than high end air coolers, and some people do enjoy the aspect of saying 'my computer is water cooled'. Also some people can more easily fit an AIO radiator in their setup than something like a NH-D14.

 

Almost everyone has a different setup and use case scenario.

[gatecrasherlok]

Variety is the spice of life and that certainly applies to this topic like many other things in life, computing blah blah. NH - D14 great cooler in my opinion and definately keeps up with an h100 from my own testing as i have them both. You can argue that a aio in the likes of the h100 will perform a little better at higher overclocks which it should. They then negate to note the fact that incidental airflow also affects Motherboard power regulators etc which could inturn hamper performance. This although a small factor is where aircoolers have an ever so slight advantage I guess. I certainly noticed it on my x58. Full custom loops however allow you to fully cool (in most scenario's) all the parts that need cooling, whether it be the VRM's, chips, the list goes on. However it is an expensive venture to go down, so if you decide to, I highly recommend having a reasonable budget where compromises should not be taken. Done right and you could have your own unique artwork, a station that is powerful yet quiet. These three alone reasons were enough to sway me into watercooling a few years ago and  I dont think I would go back at all.

 

All three cooling solutions have their own merits and downfalls. If there were a forth option we would not be here debating this at all.

[TheCrazyCryptonian]

H100i for looks tbh. I just dont want to completely cover up the window in my case with some massive cooler.

(Probs gonna get hate for this )

[sirreco]

H100i for looks tbh. I just dont want to completely cover up the window in my case with some massive cooler.

(Probs gonna get hate for this )

Agree 100%. I used to have a massive air cooler on my i7, it basically covered the whole side window, and looked ugly.

I replaced it with a 100i, now it is quieter, cooler and looks much better.

[Thecrazyswede]

Why are you comparing highest end aircooling (short of compressed air and similar) to low MEH end watercooling?

[Wolfur]

Why are you comparing highest end aircooling (short of compressed air and similar) to low MEH end watercooling?

 

Because people recommend others to pay premium for the low MEH end watercooling over cheaper aircooling.

[TheProfosist]

I like AIO because it moves where the heatsink is for the most part as it gets it out of the way of everything.

[Thecrazyswede]

Because people recommend others to pay premium for the low MEH end watercooling over cheaper aircooling.

 

And this is wrong because?, performance aside it looks 10 times better then having a huge hunk of fans and heat sinks imo.

[Wolfur]

And this is wrong because?, performance aside it looks 10 times better then having a huge hunk of fans and heat sinks imo.

So instead of paying 50$ more for a GPU or better CPU, you preffer to pay 50$ more for the cooling solution for your lower-end parts?

[TheProfosist]

So instead of paying 50$ more for a GPU or better CPU, you preffer to pay 50$ more for the cooling solution for your lower-end parts?

Who said I was spending less and $50 less at that on the other components?

[Thecrazyswede]

So instead of paying 50$ more for a GPU or better CPU, you preffer to pay 50$ more for the cooling solution for your lower-end parts?

 

Hell yes if it means i get a cleaner area around my CPU / memory / GPU area.

 

The biggest reasons why i support closed loop coolers is because they fit into smaller cases and frankly rapes every other short of custom loop in that regard.

 

Try fitting that NH-14 in small cases and then compare to "average 120mm closed loop system"

[gatecrasherlok]

I have had an NHD14 and apart from looks the performance is similar to a corsair h80 I had. Yes given it may look better (subject to the individual) I personally prefer a hunk of metal over my socket or full full custom loop. Inregards to raping short custom loops do you have any tangiable material to suport your claim?

[Thecrazyswede]

I have had an NHD14 and apart from looks the performance is similar to a corsair h80 I had. Yes given it may look better (subject to the individual) I personally prefer a hunk of metal over my socket or full full custom loop. Inregards to raping short custom loops do you have any tangiable material to suport your claim?

 

You need to read again, i said in tight spaces ( small cases ) that's where closed loops pay off the most because you can move the heatsink away and fit it where you want. which you cannot with air cooling.

If you are suggesting that Low profile air coolers and small air coolers can keep up with a 30mm decent make 120mm closed loop then you might be a bit crazy.

[outofmyheadyo]

I have no idea what was tomshardware testing or how they did it but 4.5ghz 4770K reached 90c+ on my noctua NH-D14 and my "pseudo watercooling" swiftech H220 was 61 degrees so yeah, i have no idea what was tomshardware doing.

 

I used linx to test with.

[gatecrasherlok]

In tight spaces I give you tight spaces heres one I made earlier

 

 

 

 

i5 cpu running nice and cool

[Thecrazyswede]

In tight spaces I give you tight spaces heres one I made earlier

 

 

 

 

i5 cpu running nice and cool

 

I can rig up a mobo & cpu to a rad stand and preform better but what's the point ?, that's hardly what i would call optimal or safe.

[gatecrasherlok]

If you can fit a 30 mm closed loop rad with a 120mm fan into q07 rig without extensive modifications then go for it. I know it has been done with a custom loop with plenty of modifications but were diverting from the point at hand. A closed loop in a small chassis will run into other problems regardless. brininging the arguament of hooking the rig to perform better with a rad stand totally defeats the whole point of having sufficient cooling within the space given so I'm not really too sure what you are trying to point out. Both closed loops, air cooling and custom water cooling have their merits and disadvantages and finding the right solution is subjective to the build at hand.

[Thecrazyswede]

If you can fit a 30 mm closed loop rad with a 120mm fan into q07 rig without extensive modifications then go for it. I know it has been done with a custom loop with plenty of modifications but were diverting from the point at hand. A closed loop in a small chassis will run into other problems regardless. brininging the arguament of hooking the rig to perform better with a rad stand totally defeats the whole point of having sufficient cooling within the space given so I'm not really too sure what you are trying to point out. Both closed loops, air cooling and custom water cooling have their merits and disadvantages and finding the right solution is subjective to the build at hand.

 

You clearly miss the entire posts that i made, I clearly stated that air cooling is fine but takes up too much space vertically, aka tower coolers, and that you cannot move the heatsink when aircooling, then you posted that build and said "look how small it is" without even putting it in a case in the first place.

 

small cases where you CANNOT fit tower coolers = Superior for 120mm closed loops

medium cases where you BARLEY can fit tower coolers = middle ground

big cases where both are no problem = whatever floats your boat.

 

I've used both and i prefer closed loop coolers over the Phantek cooler i had because my H100i is way quieter.

[KamiKatze]

I have a Dark Rock 2 but i would like to change it to a single 120 mm AIO (something like a H80i). I'd like to clear the area around my CPU for aesthetics, so i could have a better view on my RAM and other stuff. Right now the Dark Rock 2 is taking up a bulk of space, which i would like to move to the back of my Define R4.

 

On the flip side the Dark Rock 2 is a good looking and high performing air cooler. And i am not willing to spend that much money on a worse performing AIO + red SP 120 fan. Even if i sell my DR 2 I'll get only like 40€ (it is slightly damaged), which is next to nothing compared to the AIO prices. A firm upgrade to my DR 2 would be a H220 + 2 SP 120 red fans. But what for?! I won't go for extreme overclocks anyways.

 

With these thoughts i end up right where i was at the start. Stuck with my DR 2, which is unsightly but yet so damn efficient.

Edited October 27, 2013 by airdeano
Language

[For]

TL;DR these people have a different opinion then I have, clearly they are wrong and I must prove how my opinions are better then their opinions.

[gatecrasherlok]

You clearly miss the entire posts that i made, I clearly stated that air cooling is fine but takes up too much space vertically, aka tower coolers, and that you cannot move the heatsink when aircooling, then you posted that build and said "look how small it is" without even putting it in a case in the first place.

 

small cases where you CANNOT fit tower coolers = Superior for 120mm closed loops

medium cases where you BARLEY can fit tower coolers = middle ground

big cases where both are no problem = whatever floats your boat.

 

I've used both and i prefer closed loop coolers over the Phantek cooler i had because my H100i is way quieter.

 

Neither have I slated closed loop systems but my original arguamnet is, do you have any tangiable reviews to back up your claim on closed loop systems beating smaller custom loops (or Rapes in your words) My point being if you read again through my post is regardless of how small the case is you will run into exactly the same problem as a regular tower heatsink. I also run custom water cooling and have had large heatsinks before and can tell you closed loops would not beat custom loops.

 

In reagrds to moving the heatsink away in small cases you will find that depending on how small the case is again I repeat its subjective to build. From my experience with small cases there are few mounting position to mount the radiator so again I don't see what your percieved advantage is in a small case over a heatsink.

[Joshyy]

Another point about AIOs is that they remove the heat directly from the case, an air cooler just sort of spits it out everywhere, heating up other components including the heatsink itself, I know I shaved a few degrees on my GPU temperature when I moved from an air to a watercooling loop. 

[martinrox1568]

I don't want to drop $200-400 just to cool my CPU.

The xspc rs240 kit costs $150 on frozen CPU with everything you need to water cool cpu