280mm custom loop vs 280mm AIO

[PeggersXtreme]

hi,

 

Was doing some research into coolers and was wondering how much of a difference there is in performance between a custom loop with a 280mm custom loop vs a 280mm aio

 

Thanks

[VinsinityKT]

Not worth it for the effort and cost associated in with custom water loops unless you like the look. Also depends if it's hardline.

[airdeano]

custom loop usually employs both CPU and GPU, as the AIO is just either the CPU or GPU.

if just doing a custom loop for the CPU vs an AIO, the custom usually is better by a fraction of degrees.

the only AIO closest to being the same is the ek predator which is mainly a loop in a kit form.

[PeggersXtreme]

6 minutes ago, VinsinityKT said:

Not worth it for the effort and cost associated in with custom water loops unless you like the look. Also depends if it's hardline.

Tried to do hardline once before didn't even finish the build because I couldn't get the tubing to line up lol. I'm looking for something that is low maintenance quiet and keeps my cpu cool enough to OC a bit 

4 minutes ago, airdeano said:

custom loop usually employs both CPU and GPU, as the AIO is just either the CPU or GPU.

if just doing a custom loop for the CPU vs an AIO, the custom usually is better by a fraction of degrees.

the only AIO closest to being the same is the ek predator which is mainly a loop in a kit form.

Hasn't that kit had issues with leaking and air locking?

[airdeano]

the earlier version did have complications, but the manufacturer did make all kits good.

but value to money, a simple corsair of nzxt kit is 3-4° warmer than the predator kit. prolly not worth the many extra dollars spent. only consideration for this kit would be the inclusion of the GPU and extra radiator at a latter date.

[PeggersXtreme]

Just now, airdeano said:

the earlier version did have complications, but the manufacturer did make all kits good.

but value to money, a simple corsair of nzxt kit is 3-4° warmer than the predator kit. prolly not worth the many extra dollars spent. only consideration for this kit would be the inclusion of the GPU and extra radiator at a latter date.

Yeah I probably won't be adding a gpu at any point I recently moved away from watercooling my gpu because I got a new gpu and am planning on moving to a smaller case with less rad space 

[Katsunaka]

There's always soft tubing. 

I did hardline once, and needless to say I spent alot more time screwing around with bends than I did with anything else. I had 6hours in and only had a couple lines done. 

If I go custom loop again, it's soft tubing. I'm done trying to win internet points while slaving over a build to keep it nice and clean. 

 

An AIO makes it easy, there's little to no maintenance on an AIO. Just hit it with a DataVac or cans of air every now and then and done.  Literally like 2 minutes with a DataVac and my PC is dust free. Plus no more cans of cold ass air.

 

I've been looking into the EK AIO kits with the QDC, to me it seems like a middle ground between AIO and custom loop. I'd imagine you still have some of the maintenance of the custom loop, but with the ease of use of a AIO. Especially considering you can get a whole loop with pre filled GPU block sent to your door. 

For a 360 EK AIO loop with GPU block and pre filled your close to $400 bucks.  220 for the CPU block and rad, 150 for waterblock, 30 for gpu pre filled. 

[PeggersXtreme]

1 minute ago, Katsunaka said:

There's always soft tubing. 

I did hardline once, and needless to say I spent alot more time screwing around with bends than I did with anything else. I had 6hours in and only had a couple lines done. 

If I go custom loop again, it's soft tubing. I'm done trying to win internet points while slaving over a build to keep it nice and clean. 

 

An AIO makes it easy, there's little to no maintenance on an AIO. Just hit it with a DataVac or cans of air every now and then and done.  Literally like 2 minutes with a DataVac and my PC is dust free. Plus no more cans of cold ass air.

 

I've been looking into the EK AIO kits with the QDC, to me it seems like a middle ground between AIO and custom loop. I'd imagine you still have some of the maintenance of the custom loop, but with the ease of use of a AIO. Especially considering you can get a whole loop with pre filled GPU block sent to your door. 

For a 360 EK AIO loop with GPU block and pre filled your close to $400 bucks.  220 for the CPU block and rad, 150 for waterblock, 30 for gpu pre filled. 

Yeah I went soft tube in the end very costly as the hardline fittings cost me quite bit but I have got fed up with the maintenance of my loop and keeping it clean I also keep getting leaks which I didn't have this issue with my last loop I used more expensive fittings this time as well as swivel fittings and it's the swivel fittings that have started leaking this time I also had to replace my cpu block cause it kept leaking. The case I have ordered takes a 280mm in the top and a 360mm in the front but it only fits upside down in the front so I was looking at 280mm solution which I take it will be enough for my 5960x 

[PeggersXtreme]

18 minutes ago, airdeano said:

the earlier version did have complications, but the manufacturer did make all kits good.

but value to money, a simple corsair of nzxt kit is 3-4° warmer than the predator kit. prolly not worth the many extra dollars spent. only consideration for this kit would be the inclusion of the GPU and extra radiator at a latter date.

What are the fans like that come with the EK kits cause if I get a corsair kit I have been told it's best to swap out the stock fans. which would make the ek 240mm kit similar priced to the corsair kit 

[Katsunaka]

2 minutes ago, PeggersXtreme said:

Yeah I went soft tube in the end very costly as the hardline fittings cost me quite bit but I have got fed up with the maintenance of my loop and keeping it clean I also keep getting leaks which I didn't have this issue with my last loop I used more expensive fittings this time as well as swivel fittings and it's the swivel fittings that have started leaking this time I also had to replace my cpu block cause it kept leaking. The case I have ordered takes a 280mm in the top and a 360mm in the front but it only fits upside down in the front so I was looking at 280mm solution which I take it will be enough for my 5960x 

 

Yea, sounds like an AIO from Corsair or someone is in your future. After my hardline build, I went with one for my 6700k. It does it's job, keeps my cpu cool under load and just works and works with no maintenance. 

 

I just wish someone other than EK made a bigger AIO that had the reliability of the Corsair/NZXT stuff.

[PeggersXtreme]

Just now, Katsunaka said:

 

Yea, sounds like an AIO from Corsair or someone is in your future. After my hardline build, I went with one for my 6700k. It does it's job, keeps my cpu cool under load and just works and works with no maintenance. 

 

I just wish someone other than EK made a bigger AIO that had the reliability of the Corsair/NZXT stuff.

yeah i'm stuck between the corsair h115i and the EK 240mm now I wonder what the performance different would be 

[Katsunaka]

 

There's Jay on those. Haven't watched the video but maybe he can shed some light on it.

[PeggersXtreme]

3 minutes ago, Katsunaka said:

 

There's Jay on those. Haven't watched the video but maybe he can shed some light on it.

Thanks, I was reading the review on Scan.co.uk and there is a lot of people saying about pump failures and leaks around the cpu block a little concerning

[airdeano]

corsair or nzxt 280 AIO to keep it simple and inexpensive.

otherwise a mid/high end air cooler.

[PeggersXtreme]

46 minutes ago, airdeano said:

corsair or nzxt 280 AIO to keep it simple and inexpensive.

otherwise a mid/high end air cooler.

Ok what fans would you recommend I replace the 140mm's with on the corsair aio something like Noctua NF14's or is there better quieter fans than them?

[airdeano]

dunna know, i gave up on the 140mm fans. finding the right speed, noise and static pressure was a gruesome chore. and still haven't found that fan. so i mainly deal in 120mm fans.