240mm custom loop or 360mm aio

[Jun Wei Goh]

hi guy i planning to go water cooling but for the budget i have i can either go custom loop but 240mm radiator or 360mm radiator but is aio cooler which one have better cooling performance using a 4790k also i have no intention on using gpu block so i going for aluminum water cooling will do.These are the product i planing to go with.Both price almost the same in my country with shipping 

for 360mm:  http://www.thermaltake.com/products-model.aspx?id=C_00003122 

OR   

for 240mm:  https://www.ekfluidgaming.com/ek-kit-a240

[SquintyG33Rs]

Custom. because when a part will fail you'll just replace it and nothing else. it doesn't have a set life span like an AIO does. the performance shouldn't be very different the better pump and much higher fluid volume (thermal mass) should make up for the smaller rad.

 you just lose RGB.... but i don't think the TT aio looks all that great. infinity mirror on the nzxt ones is much cooler and those are 280mm which also ends up comparable to 360

[LienusLateTips]

240mm all the way

[joshuawi99]

22 minutes ago, Jun Wei Goh said:

hi guy i planning to go water cooling but for the budget i have i can either go custom loop but 240mm radiator or 360mm radiator but is aio cooler which one have better cooling performance using a 4790k also i have no intention on using gpu block so i going for aluminum water cooling will do.These are the product i planing to go with.Both price almost the same in my country with shipping 

for 360mm:  http://www.thermaltake.com/products-model.aspx?id=C_00003122 

OR   

for 240mm:  https://www.ekfluidgaming.com/ek-kit-a240

Go for custom tho i suggest you to do it yourself and not the fluid gaming kit from EK, because you can expand it better in the future.

[itzsnookums]

I bought the CoolerMaster 240RGB AIO for my RYZEN 1600, its amazing and for $60....i think its worth it...i never exceed 60c with fans set to silent. It all depends on how much you wanna spend....

[LienusLateTips]

Just now, itzsnookums said:

I bought the CoolerMaster 240RGB AIO for my RYZEN 1600, its amazing and for $60....i think its worth it...i never exceed 60c with fans set to silent. It all depends on how much you wanna spend....

-air coolers better for same price

-it's leaky in a larger margin of coolers than i would prefer...

 

The ones he's talking about are in a completely different performance and cost category.

[RollinLower]

eventough i have a full custom loop, an AIO is definitely easier to work with.

if you don't mind the extra mantenance that comes with a custom loop, then it is definitely the best looking option tough.

[Bananasplit_00]

240mm custom seeing as you get a more proper block, pump, res and rad. I'd look into used watercooling parts in copper though so you have an upgrade path beyond being locked to EK

[Canada EH]

Why not custom loop with 360?

The more the merrier!

[RollinLower]

keep in mind that a fully custom loop (so not one of EK's fluid gaming kits and all copper parts) is going to be a fair bit more expensive than a 360 AIO.

[Jun Wei Goh]

1 hour ago, Canada EH said:

Why not custom loop with 360?

The more the merrier!

price and i still having a hard time finding a suitable atx case

[Jun Wei Goh]

2 hours ago, joshuawi99 said:

Go for custom tho i suggest you to do it yourself and not the fluid gaming kit from EK, because you can expand it better in the future.

ek kits can also expand and add gpu block further(just maybe need more tubing).I currently have no plan for gpu block and i already have a hard time researching which case can suit in a 30 cm gpu and the space for reservoir and radiator.So the kit can save me time and headache beside this is my first time so ya

[DarkSmith2]

Take a look at the Alphacool Eisbaer LT.

It will give you one of the best AiO's on the market for only 100bucks while having the chance to upgrade it to a full custom loop, well you can atleast use the 25mm thick full copper radiator later on. No need for going aluminium crap ;P

 

https://www.alphacool.com/eisbaer-lt

 

Test:

https://www.eteknix.com/alphacool-eisbaer-lt-360-cpu-liquid-cooler-review/

[Prolly_dyin]

The Fluid gaming kit will probably perform a tad better at a lower noise level. The main thing you're gaining with the ek loop is a better pump (it's probably the 3.2 ddc that they throw in most of the low end kits) and the vardar fans are probably better built and designed fans. As someone who's spent a small fortune over the years on cooling parts the fluid gaming kit could be a dangerous gateway drug into custom water cooling which could be good or bad. 

 

But overall:

• Performance will probably be within a couple degrees of each other for cooling just a cpu. (although the kit will have the potential to be a bit quieter)
• The aio will be probably half the price?
• The aio will require less maintenance. (no cleaning blocks, yearly fluid change/maintenance, dealing with plasticizer, corrosion, ect. ect. that come with a loop)
• It's honestly a crap shoot on longevity. I know a couple people still running aios they originally put on their 9-10 year old x58 platform and people that have had high end pumps die on them after a couple years and vice versa. I will have to say that I've had great service any time I've had to contact EK for anything which is more than I can say for a lot of companies out there so there's that.

In my eyes it sort of comes down to what you feel like messing with and the look you're going for to be honest. I can tell you from being one and knowing quite a few "water cooling enthusiasts" We don't build custom loops because it's the best bang for your buck. It's more just another hobby for your hobby. Spending $1500 to lower temps 5 degrees over what a couple hundred in aios or air coolers can do is not something you do for many practical reasons. (but we still do it)