Questions about new water cooling build

[MrShinny]

Hey Guys!

 

So I am building my first water cooling build, and I just wanna skip soft tubing and go straight for hard tubing. I know it's gonna be a lot harder, but I am ready for a ton of trail and error. (My friends will also help me)

I have a couple of questions about the build though, and was looking for some answers.

 

Build

 

I haven't put fittings or tubing in there yet, because I can't decide on which ones to use.

 

Questions

 

1. Overall, does the build look solid? (From a performance POV)

2. Are EK parts good? I know they are the most "generic" out of all brands, but are they solid?

3. This is what I was going to use for the tubing (Buying 2 packs, because I know I will mess up). Is PETG really that much worse than arcylic? I am really going for the looks here, but I also don't want it to be too hard to bend and cut either.

4. Do I need to buy a fitting with every 90 degree adapter I use?

5. Are alphacool radiators one of the best rads? If not what are?

6. What parts do I need to buy to use the drain and fill ports on the upcoming Evolv X?

7. Is PWM really needed in a pump? Is the pump in the list good for the money and is it quiet?

8. Is there anything missing, other than fittings and tubing, that I will need to buy for the loop?

 

 

Sorry for the amount of questions, but I am confused on some things, (obviously) and I really appreciate the help!

 

Thanks!

[W-L]

1 hour ago, MrShinny said:

-SNIP-

Overall that looks good, what your going to need is to get a pump either with the reservoir as a combo or completely separate. Something like a D5 or DDC would be a good option for pumps, PWM is optional but if you wan to control the speed and how quiet it runs it's recommended. There are also vario versions of the D5 which has a potentiometer for you to adjust and set it's running speed. 

 

For tubing and fitting that is up to the design of your loop and how it's configure but you will need two hardline compression fittings per component. One of the most important details is to ensure the fittings match the size of the tubing as there is metric and imperial exact hardline tubing. Ideally choose the same manufacture for the tubing and fittings will help but that is not absolutely a requirement. In a hardline setup it would be recommended to have a drain since it's not easy to empty the fluid without one wither an alternative already put into place. 

[MrShinny]

10 minutes ago, W-L said:

Overall that looks good, what your going to need is to get a pump either with the reservoir as a combo or completely separate. Something like a D5 or DDC would be a good option for pumps, PWM is optional but if you wan to control the speed and how quiet it runs it's recommended. There are also vario versions of the D5 which has a potentiometer for you to adjust and set it's running speed. 

 

For tubing and fitting that is up to the design of your loop and how it's configure but you will need two hardline compression fittings per component. One of the most important details is to ensure the fittings match the size of the tubing as there is metric and imperial exact hardline tubing. Ideally choose the same manufacture for the tubing and fittings will help but that is not absolutely a requirement. In a hardline setup it would be recommended to have a drain since it's not easy to empty the fluid without one wither an alternative already put into place. 

So if I use a 90 degree adapter, would it already have a screw in for the block?

 

So for example, Adapter->Fitting->Tube------------------------------Tube->Fitting->Adapter

 

Or would I need another fitting on the other side of the adapter as well?

[W-L]

3 minutes ago, MrShinny said:

-SNIP-

It depends on the adapter since there are ones that are female to female but for regular male to female adapters they can directly connect to components. There are also types which are integrate into a single fitting where both the angled adapter and hardline compression are one piece.

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-af-angled-90-g1-4-black-nickel

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-hdc-fitting-16mm-g1-4-black-nickel

 

 

http://www.performance-pcs.com/bitspower-black-sparkle-enhance-rotary-90-degree-multi-link-adapter.html

[ninbura]

W-L has you covered on the adapters, some right angles connect directly to the tube, others connect to a fitting and then the tube.

However when looking at your PCPartPicker page I noticed you have a fairly expensive 850w PSU, while this would work fine for your build you could get away with a much smaller / cheaper one if you wanted, after OC you'd be around 500-550w under synthetic load.

Some other options:

CORSAIR TXM650M
Corsair SF600

 

Furthermore you could invest the extra cash in a PCIe NVMe M.2 which would blow the 860 EVO out of the water in read and writes.

The 960 EVO is on deal today for prime day if you have a prime account:

Samsung 960 EVO

Alternatively you could go with the Mushkin Enhanced Pilot which is cheaper with very comparable read and writes to the 960 EVO:
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=20-226-885&cm_mmc=snc-twitter-_-sr-_-na-_-na

860 EVO vs 960 EVO:

http://ssd.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Samsung-850-Evo-250GB-vs-Samsung-960-Evo-NVMe-PCIe-M2-500GB/2977vsm204072

 

Edit: According to community guidelines you aren't suppose to use the share button on Amazon / shortened links. I have updated the post to contain appropriate links, apologies for the inconvenience.

[MaratM]

if the case is evolv X it might be tricky to fit 2 360 x 45 rads into it they might not fit

i would of use HWlabs black ice nemesis rads GTS (slim one) as top and GTX (fat one) in the front, or even 2 GTS 

[MrShinny]

On 7/16/2018 at 3:41 PM, W-L said:

It depends on the adapter since there are ones that are female to female but for regular male to female adapters they can directly connect to components. There are also types which are integrate into a single fitting where both the angled adapter and hardline compression are one piece.

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-af-angled-90-g1-4-black-nickel

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-hdc-fitting-16mm-g1-4-black-nickel

 

 

http://www.performance-pcs.com/bitspower-black-sparkle-enhance-rotary-90-degree-multi-link-adapter.html

Would you recommend bitspower or ekwb fittings? I've heard they are the most popular for fittings, but which in your opinion is better?

 

18 hours ago, MaratM said:

if the case is evolv X it might be tricky to fit 2 360 x 45 rads into it they might not fit

i would of use HWlabs black ice nemesis rads GTS (slim one) as top and GTX (fat one) in the front, or even 2 GTS 

If you are talking about the new Evolv X and not the Evolv Shift X, I'm hope you can at least. I guess I will just wait until it actually comes out so I can find out the exact specs and see builds inside of it.

 

I also want to see Steve from gamers nexus do a review of it's airflow to see if it actually that much better.

 

On 7/16/2018 at 3:57 PM, TheAgnda said:

-SNIP-

O shoot thanks for telling me that. I just switched it too the RM850x 2018 model and saved around 70 bucks right there. Didn't even realize that was a thing. Still going to get 850 watts though for the future. I'm sure if I get a 650 I will have to upgrade sooner.

On 7/16/2018 at 4:11 PM, TheAgnda said:

-SNIP-

But are the better read/write times realistic? I don't edit, I mainly stream and game. And from comparisons, etc., I heard that the extra read/write times were much better, but only effective in certain workloads.

 

Am I wrong? Please tell me.

 

If I don't get the NVMe m.2, I mostly likely will get one in the future to hold my OS and most played games, and move all the other games on my HDD to the SATA SSD. 

[MaratM]

43 minutes ago, MrShinny said:

If you are talking about the new Evolv X and not the Evolv Shift X, I'm hope you can at least. I guess I will just wait until it actually comes out so I can find out the exact specs and see builds inside of it.

 

I also want to see Steve from gamers nexus do a review of it's airflow to see if it actually that much better.

By the looks of Evolv X (shown at computeks) it looks more or less identical chassy to standard Evolv with some added features, such as improved airflow. There are a lot of watercooled builds on singularity computers youtube chanel in the evolv and they pointed out that it is a very tight fit

[MrShinny]

3 minutes ago, MaratM said:

By the looks of Evolv X (shown at computeks) it looks more or less identical chassy to standard Evolv with some added features, such as improved airflow. There are a lot of watercooled builds on singularity computers youtube chanel in the evolv and they pointed out that it is a very tight fit

The new one has support for 480 at the top, while the old one could only support 360 on the top.

 

Are you talking about tight fit as in the rads touching eachother, or the rad on the top hitting the mobo? If the second one, I'm not so sure either.

[W-L]

3 hours ago, MrShinny said:

Would you recommend bitspower or ekwb fittings? I've heard they are the most popular for fittings, but which in your opinion is better?

Both are good but in terms of being best of the best Bitspower has always taken that lead. That also comes with the price to match, but they have a lot more adapters and fitting options compared to others. 

[MrShinny]

33 minutes ago, W-L said:

Both are good but in terms of being best of the best Bitspower has always taken that lead. That also comes with the price to match, but they have a lot more adapters and fitting options compared to others. 

What about phanteks fittings? I really like the look of them, are they good as well?

[ninbura]

5 hours ago, MrShinny said:

But are the better read/write times realistic? I don't edit, I mainly stream and game. And from comparisons, etc., I heard that the extra read/write times were much better, but only effective in certain workloads.

 

Am I wrong? Please tell me.

I personally noticed big speed improvements in day to day tasks when I switched from an 860 EVO raid to my EX920 m.2, whether it was game load times, boot times, or copying large files.

I definitely think that at least Mushkin Pilot is worth the additional $15 for 3x read / writes and the added convenience (much smaller, easier mounting, no need to run cables).

[W-L]

3 hours ago, MrShinny said:

What about phanteks fittings? I really like the look of them, are they good as well?

Never used them but from the details they look to be pretty good as the whole assembly is brass even the compression ring.

[MrShinny]

5 hours ago, W-L said:

Never used them but from the details they look to be pretty good as the whole assembly is brass even the compression ring.

Would they work with any 16mm OD Hard Tubing?

 

Also, what bending kit do you recommend I use that has angles, a silicon insert and heatgun?

 

6 hours ago, TheAgnda said:

I personally noticed big speed improvements in day to day tasks when I switched from an 860 EVO raid to my EX920 m.2, whether it was game load times, boot times, or copying large files.

I definitely think that at least Mushkin Pilot is worth the additional $15 for 3x read / writes and the added convenience (much smaller, easier mounting, no need to run cables).

Lol I can't find any speed comparisons between the two, thats kinda unsettling.

 

I don't know, I will have to see.

[W-L]

6 minutes ago, MrShinny said:

Would they work with any 16mm OD Hard Tubing?

 

Also, what bending kit do you recommend I use that has angles, a silicon insert and heatgun?

Phantek's are metric exact fittings so as long as you get 16mm exact hardline tubing it will work. There are some such as Primochill and Monsoon which use imperial exact fittings and tubing. 

 

For bending all you would need is a silicone insert and heatgun with something to cut the tubing. If you want you can get bending guides which helps to get consistent bends. 

[MrShinny]

1 minute ago, W-L said:

Phantek's are metric exact fittings so as long as you get 16mm exact hardline tubing it will work. There are some such as Primochill and Monsoon which use imperial exact fittings and tubing. 

 

For bending all you would need is a silicone insert and heatgun with something to cut the tubing. If you want you can get bending guides which helps to get consistent bends. 

So you don't recommend an angle bender?

 

What tool would I use to cut the tubing?

[W-L]

7 minutes ago, MrShinny said:

So you don't recommend an angle bender?

 

What tool would I use to cut the tubing?

For PETG you can use a PVC tubing cutter but for acrylic you have to use a hacksaw. The guides are nice if you want very precise and consistent bends but they aren't absolutely necessary to do hardline. 

[ninbura]

On 7/17/2018 at 2:06 PM, MrShinny said:

Lol I can't find any speed comparisons between the two, thats kinda unsettling.

 

I don't know, I will have to see.

That's because the drive was just released last month, much like the EX920 it has yet to be added to userbenchmark. Many people have left pictures of their speed tests on the Amazon product page: Mushkin PILOT

 

5xRead and 4xWrite in comparison to the 860 EVO.

I understand why you may feel uneasy without more public opinion but everything I have seen thus far has pointed to it being a great value, backed by a three year warranty you have little to worry about. However if you still are then pick up the 960 EVO (be aware it often benches slower than the Mushkin), my earlier sentiments still stand I feel like the added convenience and speed is worth the extra money. Of course at the end of the day, do as you please.

Edit: According to community guidelines you aren't suppose to use the share button on Amazon / shortened links. I have updated the post to contain appropriate links, apologies for the inconvenience.

[MrShinny]

23 hours ago, TheAgnda said:

That's because the drive was just released last month, much like the EX920 it has yet to be added to userbenchmark. Many people have left pictures of their speed tests on the Amazon product page:<Link Redacted>

 

-img-

5xRead and 4xWrite in comparison to the 860 EVO.

I understand why you may feel uneasy without more public opinion but everything I have seen thus far has pointed to it being a great value, backed by a three year warranty you have little to worry about. However if you still are then pick up the 960 EVO (be aware it slower than the Mushkin), my earlier sentiments still stand I feel like the added convenience and speed is worth the extra money. Of course at the end of the day, do as you please.

Wait.... the mushkin is faster than the 960 evo??

 

If so that's a great a deal and I will pick that up.

Edited July 18, 2018 by W-L
Referral Link

[ninbura]

3 minutes ago, MrShinny said:

Wait.... the mushkin is faster than the 960 evo??

 

If so that's a great a deal and I will pick that up.

At least when comparing the 500gb models, looks to be benching just slightly above, I've seen a few others with the 960 EVO pulling ever so slightly ahead. The 1tb model is going to be faster than the Mushkin counterpart.

[MrShinny]

1 minute ago, TheAgnda said:

At least when comparing the 500gb models, looks to be benching just slightly above, I've seen a few others with the 960 EVO pulling ever so slightly ahead. The 1tb model is going to be faster than the Mushkin counterpart.

Oh in that case, I will get the mushkin haha. Thanks for telling me! I was oblivious.

[ninbura]

2 minutes ago, MrShinny said:

Oh in that case, I will get the mushkin haha. Thanks for telling me! I was oblivious.

No problem, just trying to help!

Good luck with the build.

[MrShinny]

16 hours ago, TheAgnda said:

No problem, just trying to help!

Good luck with the build.

Thanks for the help! I will update with the finished product.

[MrShinny]

16 hours ago, W-L said:

For PETG you can use a PVC tubing cutter but for acrylic you have to use a hacksaw. The guides are nice if you want very precise and consistent bends but they aren't absolutely necessary to do hardline. 

So you can get the heatgun and PVC tubing cutter from a local store I'm guessing. I might get 90, 45 and 180 guides just because I know if I don't get it completely straight, I will beat myself up about it.

 

Thanks for you help as well! Will update with finished build.