1st in loop 8800gtx or e6700

G

gaspah

2[H]4U
Joined
May 29, 2007
Messages
2,373
hi, i'm fairly new to liquid cooling (this will be my second setup my first was a crappy thermaltake aquarius 2 which I still have but has sat in a cupboard for about 2 years now) I think I'm going to go with Swiftech MCP655 / Swiftech Stealth Rev2 8800GTX... the rest I haven't decided on (and to me isn't important as I may or may not water cool the cpu as I have no thermal issues with it e6700), I think I'll save some bucks by getting a heatercore from a auto-shop (as mentioned in the sticky). Anyways my question is what do I put 1st in the loop (ie gets the cooled water first) the hotter (well with the standard heatsinks its the hotter one) 8800GTX or the E6700? does it even matter?

Also I'd really like to get my thermal solution in around $200-250 if possible if anyone can suggest parts that are cheaper that will do the job (well of course) i'd be really appreciative...

btw this cooling is for Omegatron with specs listed below... EDIT: 6xWD4000YS will soon be 8x and add 2x WD raptor 150GB (OS) all these things will be installed next after cooling... then its time to save up for my 42" 1920x1200 LCD (undecided on which model) :END EDIT

oh and real estate is a MAJOR issue with this build (see the hard drives and pci cards)

:rolleyes:

no matter where I go, I always feel like a n00b...
 
CPU /GPU order does not matter because the water temperature will stabilize. There are only three things you need to do when deciding how to route your tubing:

1. Make sure your reservoir or T-line is just before the pump inlet
2. Try to minimize the amount of tubing you use
3. Try to avoid sharp bends, especially at the pump inlet

As for cost of components, my first suggestion is to NOT get a stealth. Full-cover blocks are crap for the budget-conscious, and don't keep the GPU as cool as a GPU-only block anyway. If you get something like the Swiftech MCW60 (w/ G80 plate) you will have lower temps on the GPU and will be able to use the MCW60 in future builds. The only problem is that with the MCW60 you have to deal with annoying ramsinks and Vreg sinks, which can get expensive. However, D-Tek is working on revision 2 of their 'uni-sink' for the G80 series which should be a fantastic boon to MCW60 users everywhere when it becomes available.

Also, buying a heatercore may not be the cheapest solution. I just purchased some Swiftech MCR-320s and an MCR220, and if you shop at the right place, you can find the MCR320 for under $50 and the MCR220 for about $40. Considering that they're second only to the Thermochill radiators in terms of performance, that they're already barbed and fitted for 120mm fans, that they're only 34mm thick vs. ~50mm for the typical heatercore, that they don't require high speed fans to perform, and that they don't require a shroud, it seems to be that the MCR series is your best option.
 
It doesn't really matter all that much, but putting the CPU before the GPU will lower CPU temps by a very tiny margin.
 
As for cost of components, my first suggestion is to NOT get a stealth. Full-cover blocks are crap for the budget-conscious, and don't keep the GPU as cool as a GPU-only block anyway. If you get something like the Swiftech MCW60 (w/ G80 plate) you will have lower temps on the GPU and will be able to use the MCW60 in future builds. The only problem is that with the MCW60 you have to deal with annoying ramsinks and Vreg sinks, which can get expensive. However, D-Tek is working on revision 2 of their 'uni-sink' for the G80 series which should be a fantastic boon to MCW60 users everywhere when it becomes available.

> Is this still true under these conditions? I'm unsure
1. I don't plan to upgrade for a LONG time, I',m hoping for 3 years outta this rig.
2. I'm not really looking to overclock or ultra-low temperatures just a nice stable operating temperature (something that the factory heatisink on this inno3D 8800GTX just can't maintain for more than an hour of gaming), but I will be dealing with up to around 42°C ambient temperature (outside the case) in our hot summer coming up very soon..
3. It's the card itself that worrys me about temperature rather than the core (i think of all those vulnerable electronic components on this burns to the touch video card).

I'll go with the swiftech radiator though.. i could barb it myself but i'd rather not... :D
 
My post is true in any realistic conditions, however if you're only using a single GPU block in your loop, then the performance difference will be much smaller, and thus full cover block performance becomes much less of a concern (not that it is ever a huge deal - it's not like a full cover block will give you back temps, it's just that GPU-only blocks like the MCW60 give better temps).

Given that you hope to not upgrade for 3 years, I'd suggest that a full cover block is a great idea for you. The MCW60+BGA sinks for the 8800 will run you nearly $100 initially - if you upgrade often this might be worth it because you could re-use the MCW60, but if you're going to sit tight for 3 years, a full cover block won't cost much more initially, will be easier to install, and will ensure that all the components on the board are cool.

I'd still recommend not getting the stealth, however. For some reason, Swiftech has decided to add aluminum to it's recent blocks. They say it's coated blah blah blah, but EK makes some nice blocks that you can get with delrin tops - they're lower profile, better looking, and there's no chance of corrosion.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top