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Help cooling HAF X

T

Thernen

n00b
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
6
Hello all. I have been thinking about getting into water cooling. I just built my new system LINK. I live in Phoenix, AZ so system is hot. I also got a new GTX 480 via RMA and it's a lot hotter than my 295.

At this point really only need to cool CPU and GPU. Maybe in the future add a second 480 and or switch to a 580.

I am very knowledgeable and handy so adding it if pointed that right way shouldn't be a issue. I would like something that has room to grow if needed but also wife has my starting budget around $250. Is this really a doable project at this cost?

Any help/pointers and or parts for sale would be great. I would like to get all I need here before I start since no where local to run out for missing things.
 
$250 is definitely do-able. Indeed it sucks in AZ not having any local shops :(

I've gone water in the past and one thing that really puts me off is WC for video cards; I would almost recommend a loop for the GPU(s) only because it gets so hot and secondly gpu cooling >> more expensive than CPU cooling especially if you go with full coverage blocks. I also had fitment issues in the past with FC blocks I've used. There are universal GPU blocks you can use though, you would still need to cool RAM and VRM's.

Not that I'm saying don't do it lol! The HAF-X btw as I understand it has pretty good airflow to begin with. I've been out of the scene for a while so sorry I've got no specific parts or vendor recommendations.
 
It is doable, I recommend getting the XSPC Rasa kits to start with. The one with the RX360 radiator. That should fit natively in your case, and comes with everything you need for a good price. And it performs fairly well for the price. I believe the going price for that is ~$200. Throw in a universal waterblock ($50 for MCW80), and you're good to go.

Contrary to popular belief, you don't really need to cool the RAM and VRM's if you're not really overclocking your graphics cards. I find that if you keep the GPU cool, it keeps the rest of the GPU much cooler. Additionally, there's a trick you can do with the 480. You can take the plastic shroud off (not the fan and heatsink, just the cover), remove the GPU heatsink, remove the 4 corner screws on the back of the card around the GPU area, and mount the MCW80 on top of that. So you use the stock cooling for the VRM's and RAM, while using a waterblock on the GPU. If you're feeling really ambitious, you can cut a hole in your shroud to allow for tubing and put it back on, but it's not really necessary. You can google this, lots of people have done it.
 
Well for now I think I am going to stay with Air cooling. Been having a hard time finding parts for water and not sure if keeping the GTX 480, so don't want to buy anything yet when not completely sure what's up.

I do want to know what CPU cooler I should get for now. I know the stock cooler isn't great so I was looking at the Cooler Master V8 the other day but what do you guys think?

My wife is out by Fry's today and said should would pick it up so thought I would ask you guys.
 
the V8 doesn't perform that fantastic.

look at teh Zalman CNPS9900A or Max and it performs way better then the V8.
 
Hyper 212+. Or Corsair A50/A70. The V8 was a good cooler back in the day, but it is now relatively old tech, and doesn't do as good a job as many current coolers. It certainly does look nice though, it has that aesthetic factor going for it.
 
Tsumi said:
Hyper 212+. Or Corsair A50/A70. The V8 was a good cooler back in the day, but it is now relatively old tech, and doesn't do as good a job as many current coolers. It certainly does look nice though, it has that aesthetic factor going for it.
Click to expand...

Any word on the Zalman CNPS10X Extreme?
 
I'd go with anything over the CM Hyper 212+. that direct touch heatpipe IMO is inferior to a full baseplate cooler.

Having to deal with making sure TIM is in the grooves of the heatpipes makes for a chance of poor cooling.

the new Zalman CNPS11X looks to be a formidable skyscraper cooler.
 
I am kinda limited to what the local Fry's has. Plus wife is going today since in the area. It's about 75mile drive each way for me. Sucks.
 
The V6GT is about 6 degrees hotter than the CNPS10X.

Source

Edit: Here's a much more detailed comparison of many CPU coolers: Review
 
Well wife left Fry's and didn't know what to tell her. Guess using stock cooler.
 
Did you add the fan in the gpu duct? They don't supply one with so you can buy a 120mm fan for it
 
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