AIO vs Air cooler

[Littlelaner]

Hey guys, piecing together a new build, and the last part I have to decide on is my CPU cooler. I really like the look of AIO coolers such as NZXT Kraken X62 or the Corsair H100i, but I am kind of concerned about them leaking and ruining my build, and the noise level that the pump would produce compared to an air cooler. I have looked and read many reviews on air coolers, and come to a conclusion that if I get one of those it would most likely be the Dark Rock 3 from be quiet, due to its nice looks and low noise outputs, but I have come to seek the advice of the people who know more than I do. 

 

So basically what I want to know is which cooler do you think is the best, and how long do typical AIO coolers last without leaking or needing something replaced? (I realize everyone's mileage may vary)

Also if you wanted to leave a reason or two as to why you pick a certain cooling solution, I love to learn. 

Thanks in advance!

[Cyracus]

My understanding is that AIO coolers can typically be relied to last 3-5ish years without too much concern and chances of leaks are low, and you get more noise from the fans on the rad than the pump when things are operating properly. Air coolers have the advantage of 0 leak chance, being somewhat effective even if the fans die and cool within spitting distance of dual rad 280mm AIO coolers

[fjdhdhcyfhf]

i would only water cool with a custom loop, a high end CPU, and a 280mm or larger radiator. Anything else you will be better served with air cooling. Anything with a heatsink & fan sandwich works better than a 120mm AIO. IMO Scythe Ninja is the last of the large good looking coolers still on the market.

[Cyracus]

Also I recall a lot of people have issues with installing dark rock coolers, not sure if it was the 3 or the pro, but worth looking into if you choose to go with air

[Littlelaner]

7 minutes ago, SCHISCHKA said:

i would only water cool with a custom loop, a high end CPU, 

So in your opinion a 100i or kraken x62 wouldn't be worth it? IMO they look way better than any air cooler out there, but if there is reason not to get one then I wont. 

What would a high end CPU classify as? I am thinking 6600k in my build? For some that would be high end, but its no 6950X.

[Cyracus]

3 minutes ago, Littlelaner said:

So in your opinion a 100i or kraken x62 wouldn't be worth it? IMO they look way better than any air cooler out there, but if there is reason not to get one then I wont. 

What would a high end CPU classify as? I am thinking 6600k in my build? For some that would be high end, but its no 6950X.

you won't see any performance gains but your thermals will come down ~5-8º, the thing is you can get a high end air cooler for much cheaper, but if it's the look you want the AIOs you mentioned should be fine

[rwaalph]

I saw a review on kraken x62 and its so sexy the rgb looks daamn fine i would get it for my rig sometime next month or so

[fjdhdhcyfhf]

8 minutes ago, Littlelaner said:

So in your opinion a 100i or kraken x62 wouldn't be worth it? IMO they look way better than any air cooler out there, but if there is reason not to get one then I wont. 

What would a high end CPU classify as? I am thinking 6600k in my build? For some that would be high end, but its no 6950X.

high end would be the $1000 Intel or the 200W AMD, i think its the 9000 series, the ones that require special motherboards.

Google the CPU and have a look at the overclocks & temps other owners are getting.

I over clock my AMD FX with a passive Z600, and thats suppose to be a hot running CPU.

If you like the look of the kraken then I won't attempt to talk you out of it.

[WoodenMarker]

What are you looking for in a cooler? AIO's allow for high capacity for cooling but are usually not as cheap and don't get as quiet as air cooling.

For a 6600k, it seems more reasonable to go for a cheaper air cooler instead of spending more that could have to gone into an i7.

[Littlelaner]

15 minutes ago, Cyracus said:

Also I recall a lot of people have issues with installing dark rock coolers, not sure if it was the 3 or the pro, but worth looking into if you choose to go with air

 I want a quiet, good looking and well performing cooler. I want to overclock the 6600k to maybe 4.5 ghz since I see that is what alot of the users overclocking that processor are getting. I have been going back and fourth between a 6600k and 6700k and to be honest I am still not 100% sure on which to get. The PCMR subreddit linked a video showing gaming benchmarks on an i7 vs i5 and there seemed to be almost no difference, now if you have a different opinion I would love to hear it, I have seen some other mods or users with high post count (who seemed knowledgeable)  suggest the i7 even just for gaming because you will have less frame drops and smoother game play and it will probably keep me going for a little while longer. Budget isn't the biggest concern for me, I do not want to spend unnecessary money, but I want a solid rig that will last me for a long time.

 

TLDR: Not sure about CPU choice yet, budget isnt a huge concern, want a QUIET, well performing cooler that looks nice in a tempered glass case. 

[Cyracus]

The i7 is better in heavily multi threaded games, most currently don't do more than 4 well so similarly clocked 6600k performs about the same as a 6700k, but how much gaming performance will see a boost under dx12 with more core/thread use is yet to be seen. But yeah 4.5 is a pretty much guaranteed OC there, have to seriously lose the silicon lottery to miss that

[WoodenMarker]

2 hours ago, Littlelaner said:

 I want a quiet, good looking and well performing cooler. I want to overclock the 6600k to maybe 4.5 ghz since I see that is what alot of the users overclocking that processor are getting. I have been going back and fourth between a 6600k and 6700k and to be honest I am still not 100% sure on which to get. The PCMR subreddit linked a video showing gaming benchmarks on an i7 vs i5 and there seemed to be almost no difference, now if you have a different opinion I would love to hear it, I have seen some other mods or users with high post count (who seemed knowledgeable)  suggest the i7 even just for gaming because you will have less frame drops and smoother game play and it will probably keep me going for a little while longer. Budget isn't the biggest concern for me, I do not want to spend unnecessary money, but I want a solid rig that will last me for a long time.

TLDR: Not sure about CPU choice yet, budget isnt a huge concern, want a QUIET, well performing cooler that looks nice in a tempered glass case. 

The SR Slim: http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/

and Fuma are good options: http://pcpartpicker.com/product/dVwqqs/scythe-cpu-cooler-scfm1000