Older AIO...am I missing out on anything?

Domingo

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I have a Corsair H110 that I've used for roughly 7 years with no issues. My fan settings are being handled via my mobo's BIOS and I mostly devised them based upon online recommendations and trial and error. Things seem to work fine.

Are newer AIO coolers with real-time monitoring programs able to offer legit advantages over this setup, or should I keep using this setup as long as possible? I'm not really looking for better OC's - mainly just a consistently quiet experience that can ramp up as needed. Right now I feel like I'm accomplishing that, but I have no idea if there is something way better that I don't know about.

Is there any reason to look for anything newer? I think I'm just paranoid because I rarely keep using any PC parts up and running for so long. Am I missing out on anything?
 
I'm not really looking for better OC's - mainly just a consistently quiet experience that can ramp up as needed. Right now I feel like I'm accomplishing that

Sounds like you're good to go. In my case I had an H100i GTX that developed what appears to be a very small leak after only 3 years or so. Not big enough for any liquid to actually drip out but big enough that when I finally removed it, more than half of the liquid in the radiator had evaporated and there was an obvious rust spot where the very minor leak was. The problem first became obvious via increased temps so if your temps are still good then you are probably still okay to keep using your unit.

Am I missing out on anything?

Many of the new units have flashing rainbow lights and can project unicorns on the inside of your PC.
 
Sounds like you're good to go. In my case I had an H100i GTX that developed what appears to be a very small leak after only 3 years or so. Not big enough for any liquid to actually drip out but big enough that when I finally removed it, less than half of the liquid was still there in the radiator and there was an obvious rust spot where the very minor leak was. The problem first became obvious via increased temps so if your temps are still good then you are probably still okay to keep using your unit.

Many of the new units have flashing rainbow lights and can project unicorns on the inside of your PC.

I'm still pulling good temps in stress tests. Maybe not quite as great as they used to be, but we're talking 1-2 degrees difference under full load for more than an hour. So little that it could just as likely be my thermal compound.
The last things I want are more lights in my case. I struggle to turn all of my current ones off as-is. I was mainly just curious about the monitoring software and/or a more quiet environment.
 
I'm still running my h100 as well, and I don't think we need to worry too much about it. Ours are monitored in real time, as the pump and the power for the fans are all from your cpu header anyway.

I love this thing BUT I have noticed some of the new larger air coolers are just as good and usually pretty silent.
 
Use it till the pump dies.

There’s no reason to switch. A friend of mine is still using my original Corsair AIO pump that is coming close to 10 years old on a x58 setup.
 
I'm still running my h100 as well, and I don't think we need to worry too much about it. Ours are monitored in real time, as the pump and the power for the fans are all from your cpu header anyway.

I love this thing BUT I have noticed some of the new larger air coolers are just as good and usually pretty silent.

The thing that gets me though is that the air coolers are somewhat more difficult to remove (in my case, dual tower with dual fans), and I had to manipulate the fan to get RAM to fit underneath it (Scythe Fuma). If nothing else, an AIO allows for much easier swapping of CPUs and RAM.
 
The thing that gets me though is that the air coolers are somewhat more difficult to remove (in my case, dual tower with dual fans), and I had to manipulate the fan to get RAM to fit underneath it (Scythe Fuma). If nothing else, an AIO allows for much easier swapping of CPUs and RAM.

For sure my air coolers on my DC rigs require me to really work to install ram.
 
I have a Corsair H110 that I've used for roughly 7 years with no issues. My fan settings are being handled via my mobo's BIOS and I mostly devised them based upon online recommendations and trial and error. Things seem to work fine.

Are newer AIO coolers with real-time monitoring programs able to offer legit advantages over this setup, or should I keep using this setup as long as possible? I'm not really looking for better OC's - mainly just a consistently quiet experience that can ramp up as needed. Right now I feel like I'm accomplishing that, but I have no idea if there is something way better that I don't know about.

Is there any reason to look for anything newer? I think I'm just paranoid because I rarely keep using any PC parts up and running for so long. Am I missing out on anything?

Not really, I have a fairly new h100i platinum and other than being able to tune the fan curve real time from inside windows and a slightly improved pump (and all the rgb bullshit), it doesn't add much. I think it has marginally improved maximum cooling due to supposedly better fans but I never use them at max anyway as like you, I more want a quiet system.
 
As long as you have a backup cooler handy in case our CLC dies you will not loose any more time than it takes to install another cooler. I strongly advise having some kind of backup cooler because when CLCs fail it's almost always the pump or a leak and if you don't have a backup cooler you will not be able to use that computer until you get a replacement cooler. ;)

Air coolers never die, but may need a new fan after lots of years use. But they will still cool with no fan for light computer use or any fan can be rubber banded onto cooler until new fan is in hand. ;)
 
I have a Microcenter 10 minutes from my house so if anything ever goes south, I can grab a replacement pretty quickly.
That's actually what inspired this post. I was helping a friend pick out a new case and I saw a multitude of new AIO coolers that got me wondering.
 
Yeah, lots of new brand names on CLCs but still almost made by either Asetek or CoolIT. Anywhere USA patents are honored are only selling CLCs made by those two companies. Patent is for all pump on water block factory sealed liquid coolers, so units with pump in radiator like Swiftech are outside of design covered by USA patents.

Edit: Link below is to Gamer Nexus article published in 2015 about who is OEM of what brand name CLCs there were at that time:
https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/2122-who-actually-makes-liquid-coolers-oems
 
I strongly advise having some kind of backup cooler because when CLCs fail it's almost always the pump or a leak and if you don't have a backup cooler you will not be able to use that computer until you get a replacement cooler. ;)

A backup cooler is always a good idea, but the AIO will still cool a bit even if the pump dies or the liquid evaporates. Many have some pretty big copper plates where it contacts the CPU, which will still provide a minimal amount of cooling. When most of the liquid in my H100i GTX evaporated, temps went up quite a bit but I could still play a game like World of Warcraft all day long, because it only uses about 2.5 cores (running hex-core 5820k). But if I tried to play Farcry5 or run 3dmark, both of which use more cores, I would get a BSOD.
 
A backup cooler is always a good idea, but the AIO will still cool a bit even if the pump dies or the liquid evaporates. Many have some pretty big copper plates where it contacts the CPU, which will still provide a minimal amount of cooling. When most of the liquid in my H100i GTX evaporated, temps went up quite a bit but I could still play a game like World of Warcraft all day long, because it only uses about 2.5 cores (running hex-core 5820k). But if I tried to play Farcry5 or run 3dmark, both of which use more cores, I would get a BSOD.

Dang, evaporated already eh?

I bought a refurbished H100 better part of a decade ago and it's still running strong. I prefer to buy refurbished. I like to think of it as a unit that no longer has the released faults.

Anyway, shitty to hear about your unit drying up.
 
A backup cooler is always a good idea, but the AIO will still cool a bit even if the pump dies or the liquid evaporates. Many have some pretty big copper plates where it contacts the CPU, which will still provide a minimal amount of cooling. When most of the liquid in my H100i GTX evaporated, temps went up quite a bit but I could still play a game like World of Warcraft all day long, because it only uses about 2.5 cores (running hex-core 5820k). But if I tried to play Farcry5 or run 3dmark, both of which use more cores, I would get a BSOD.
Sorry, but CLC waterblock & dead pump body will not keep CPU cool enough to load operating system. Your H100 pump was still working and moving coolant over CPU .. and that is the only reason your system still worked.
 
For anyone whos has an AIO and is curious as to how well it cools if its dead, just unplug it and watch the temps build. Should be able to get a couple minutes, depending on your CPU.
 
For anyone whos has an AIO and is curious as to how well it cools if its dead, just unplug it and watch the temps build. Should be able to get a couple minutes, depending on your CPU.
Indeed, or try booting up with pump unplugged and tell us if it even boots .. I'm not sure but there's a good chance it will overheat and shutdown before it boots.
 
I forgot to plug in my h100 a few times with my x5690, I think I got a minute or two. I only noticed because it kept shutting off lol.. it was a tad warm.. CPU is fine though, I just benched it at 4..8 the other day. with my trusty True Spirit 140 Power.. What a beast. Best 50 bucks ever.
 
So your x5690 booted but then shutdown. That's better than my first custom loop was. It couldn't get OS loaded before overheating and shutting down. But that was before any custom water cooling components were being made. Well, a few machinists hand made and sold waterblocks but we were using mostly car radiators, aquarium or pond pumps and off the shelf plumbing fittings.
 
To be fair it was running @ stock clocks. I really wouldn’t put the h100 next to a custom loop no matter the age.. the fans were on but the pump was off. 120x38s were plugged into Mobo headers.
 
I recently replaced my Corsair H115i for a Alphacool Eisbaer 280. Haven't noticed a huge difference between the two performance wise (except the Eisbaer's tubing is pretty ugly). What I'm interested in is the adaptability of the Eisbaer. I plan on switching out the tubing and possibly switch to a 240mm radiator (so I can move into a smaller case).

Haven't done it yet, but it seems like a straightforward process and it gives options when components of the AIO loop die (Alphacool sells the pump separately as the Eisbaer Solo).
 
I recently replaced my Corsair H115i for a Alphacool Eisbaer 280. Haven't noticed a huge difference between the two performance wise (except the Eisbaer's tubing is pretty ugly). What I'm interested in is the adaptability of the Eisbaer. I plan on switching out the tubing and possibly switch to a 240mm radiator (so I can move into a smaller case).

Haven't done it yet, but it seems like a straightforward process and it gives options when components of the AIO loop die (Alphacool sells the pump separately as the Eisbaer Solo).
Indeed, I don't know if Eisbaer lasts longer than CLCs, but at least coolant can be topped up every 6 months or so and flushed/cleaned/refilled every 12-18months with new coolant .. and if something goes bad (it will be pump) it can be replaced. I think when my be quiet! Silent Loop pump goes bad I will replace with pump and reservoir. Would make it so much easier to service and will give me some reserve coolant too. Not sure what I would get, but there are several pump & reservoir combos costing less than solo with higher flow and lift ratings, like Magicool DCP450 and DCP450M. Need to do more research before I know what to get.
 
I ran a original H50 for many years. Real set and forget stuff. I then moved it over to my new 5820K build in 2016 and it was okay for general but didnt have the heat shifting and volume for such a big chip. It got swapped out for a 240mm Artic Cooling rig (which has been fantastic).

The H50 however, is still doing just fine is a customers build. I saw it just a few months ago when the machine came in for a SSD upgrade. Was good to see my old friend again.

Must be 10 years now!
 
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