Need some input on a Custom Loop

[Flynn]

So two issues, price and I want to make sure I'm getting the most bang for my buck. The general rule of thumb as I remember is 1 120mm rad for each heat source plus an extra 120mm for the entire loop. I'll have an overclocked 3770k (most likely to 4.5, seems to be the sweet spot for that proc before really hitting high temps) and an XFX Radeon HD7970. My plan calls for a total of 140mm x3 rad area. so that should cover heat dissipation just fine. Here is the biggest issue though, PRICE. Holy cow it's high. I know that since I'm getting a 90 dollar reservoir is a novelty item, but the rest of the loop is still going to cost a total of 455 bucks. I haven't chosen the tubing yet, but thats only 2 bucks a foot or so that's negligible. Here is my price list, any ideas would be appreciated, or maybe I'm just being a baby and this is typical for a loop. I've checked NCIX, Newegg, FrozenCPU, and Xoxide. So far FrozenCPU is the cheapest.

Fittings:

$41.94 - 6 Phobya G1/4" 45Deg Rotary Adapters (Matte Black)

$71.88 - 12 Koolance 1/4" x 3/8" Threaded Compression Nozzle (Black)

$14.97 - 3 Alphacool G1/4" 90Deg Low Profile Fitting Adapter (Deep Black)

Blocks:

$62.99 - XSPC RayStorm Acetal CPU LC Block (LGA1155)

$104.99 - EK Radeon HD7970 Acetal LC Block

Pump and Rads:

$50.99 - Alphacool DC-LT Ceramic 12v DC Pump + Plexi Top

$62.99 - XSPC Dual 140mm Low Profile Split Fin Radiator

$44.99 - XSPC Single 140mm Low Profile Split Fin Radiator

Total: $455.74

Does this total seem right to you? Anyone know of any places that might have this stuff for cheaper?

[Whaler_99]

Well, if you check the stickies, water cooling on custom loops is not cheap. Unless you can find used gear, then it is buyer beware. :)

Overall, parts/prices look fine. What kills you is fittings price. Want to save money, get barbs for your first build. Then later when upgrading, adding in compression fittings isn't such a huge hit. Also, do you REALLY need all those rotary and 90's? That again is a lot of extra costs. For your first loop, just go with a couple - won't be AS neat as with all those extras, but minimizes your initial investment. The one other things that hurts, having to use two rads. If you could go with a larger single rad, would save you some cost on fittings... but sometimes not a lot of choice there.

Also - I have never used the Phobya or Alphacool ones, but those different "blacks" may not match up perfectly. With rotary, only rotate them as needed. I have heard reports of them starting to leak if swiveled a lot. Don't forget coolant in your order - or of going plain distilled, get some biocide.

[Flynn]

Yeah, I own a company that I can get the tubing and coolant, along with any chemicals needed at cost which is why I didn't include them. The issue with the GPU block is that it only has lower connections, it doesn't have the side connections that can go up or down. The nice thing is that it's only costing me 15 bucks to rectify that, which is much less than it is to get a different water block.

The point with the 45s is a good point, I'll have to rethink if I really want to do them or not, I guess if all else fails I can wait to order them until I set everything in place and decide how it looks, that would drop my total fitting cost about in half. With the rads I don't have a choice :( There is only room for a dual up top, and unless I was to completely get rid of my drive cages only room for 1 in front.

[Whaler_99]

As is often the case, you need to cram rad's in where you can. :)

For my first build I bought all the "basic" first. Then as I was fitting it, decided exactly what 45 and 90's I needed and ordered them. Yep, had to wait an extra two weeks to build it - but probably save me 50 bucks on fittings I wouldn't need and have to send back...