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How much extra $ for watercooling?

B

BIGJ

Gawd
Joined
Dec 19, 2006
Messages
856
Ok so I am about to start my first build ever (in about a month or 2) and have been torn between keeping my build on air, or going for water. I already have a Rocketfish case, so room is not an issue, but price is. How much are talking for a solid water cooling system (aka, pump, tubes, blocks...that kind of stuff) Is it really worth it over air? Is it going to be to complicated for a first time builder? (although fast learner..) What ALL would I need? Can you suggest some goods components? Thanks in advance :D
 
Unless you're a scavenger, I'd say a WC setup will cost you at least double a good air cooling system.

Personally, I'd just buy the highest end air cooling you can find (TRUE 120 maybe?) and just run that.
 
Price, about 300$ total when you include everything for a basic build... But with the US dollar where it is, this can rise to about 350$ if you get an imported (like, an EK) fullcover GPU waterblock.

You'll want:

Dtek Fuzion - 60$
MCP655 Pump - 90$
Swiftech triple radiator, MCR320 - 60$
EK Fullcover Waterblock = 120$
Masterkleer Tubing = 10$ (for 15 feet).

Now, if you want to get a really, really high performance loop, look into getting another single radiator to help deal with the heat... Although this isn't needed, it'll let you run your system at a much lower noise level... I can't hear my case (at full load) over the noise from a set of iPod headphones running at about 80% ... Even if they're not in my ears :p.

Is it worth it? Well, Many will say yes. Don't expect to get a better overclock. Do expect to have a lot of fun, and to astonish your gamer friends with a top of the line system running below 30dba.
 
Count on spending at least $200 for an at least decent WC'ing setup.....

Like:

Laing D5 Vario pump.....$70-$80

Swiftech MCR320 radiator.....$50

3 x 120mm fans......$15-$30 (range dependent upon brand selected)

D-Tek FuZion cpu block......$60

Tubing......$20-$30 (price will really vary upon type, quality, brand selected)

Fittings, clamps, other oddities.....$20 or so

Distilled H2O......$2-$3 for gallon

Petra's PT Nuke (biocide).......$5


That's a good, basic cpu only cooling loop....add in a morthbridge block and count on spending another $30-$40. Add a gpu block, count on another $60-$100....and maybe an upgrade to the radiator to one that can handle a higher heat load like a Thermochill 120.3, for around $130.

But......watercooling is quieter than air cooling, has a much greater heat carrying capacity than air ever could, and with a fan controller, the system can be pretty much completely silent. (Rad fans at 7V for everyday computing, rad. fans at 12V for gaming, etc.)
 
Arcygenical said:
Price, about 300$ total when you include everything for a basic build... But with the US dollar where it is, this can rise to about 350$ if you get an imported (like, an EK) fullcover GPU waterblock.

You'll want:

Dtek Fuzion - 60$
MCP655 Pump - 90$
Swiftech triple radiator, MCR320 - 60$
EK Fullcover Waterblock = 120$
Masterkleer Tubing = 10$ (for 15 feet).

Now, if you want to get a really, really high performance loop, look into getting another single radiator to help deal with the heat... Although this isn't needed, it'll let you run your system at a much lower noise level... I can't hear my case (at full load) over the noise from a set of iPod headphones running at about 80% ... Even if they're not in my ears :p.

Is it worth it? Well, Many will say yes. Don't expect to get a better overclock. Do expect to have a lot of fun, and to astonish your gamer friends with a top of the line system running below 30dba.
Click to expand...


Yea that is kinda what I want to do, have some fun and impress all of my friends....thanks a lot for the response, an extra $300 when I figured that air would be around an extra $150 or so (adding extra fans to the case, getting an after market cooler for my GPU, and of course the HS) so double the price of air...that doesn't seem to bad, now I guess the question is if taking $300 out of a $1500-$1600 budget will be worth the loss of higher performance parts to keep it all cool...
 
What's your build plans?

Maybe we can scrap together a few hundred dollars by switching around your parts?

My MSN address is in my profile if you need any watercooling help too :).
 
C'DaleRider said:
Count on spending at least $200 for an at least decent WC'ing setup.....

Like:

Laing D5 Vario pump.....$70-$80

Swiftech MCR320 radiator.....$50

3 x 120mm fans......$15-$30 (range dependent upon brand selected)

D-Tek FuZion cpu block......$60

Tubing......$20-$30 (price will really vary upon type, quality, brand selected)

Fittings, clamps, other oddities.....$20 or so

Distilled H2O......$2-$3 for gallon

Petra's PT Nuke (biocide).......$5


That's a good, basic cpu only cooling loop....add in a morthbridge block and count on spending another $30-$40. Add a gpu block, count on another $60-$100....and maybe an upgrade to the radiator to one that can handle a higher heat load like a Thermochill 120.3, for around $130.

But......watercooling is quieter than air cooling, has a much greater heat carrying capacity than air ever could, and with a fan controller, the system can be pretty much completely silent. (Rad fans at 7V for everyday computing, rad. fans at 12V for gaming, etc.)
Click to expand...

ok, so I am looking at $200-$300 for a decent watercooling system, and closer to $300 I am looking at a high end one...that seems reasonable now do you think a first time builder such as myself can handle a watercooling build?
 
Arcygenical said:
What's your build plans?

Maybe we can scrap together a few hundred dollars by switching around your parts?

My MSN address is in my profile if you need any watercooling help too :).
Click to expand...

I was thinking about a Q6600, evga 8800GTX, DFI LP LT P35 T2R, tracer ram, and a Corsair PSU, and for a HS I was thinking about waiting for the TRUE Black edition to come out...and thanks a lot for the offer (you will probably regret it later :p)

Now I know that the MOBO is a little over kill, and I am fine with switching, and I DEF. want to keep at LEAST the 6600 ( I really want the 9450...) and everything else is flexible, (except maybe the PSU...)
 
They're definitely not hard at all to put in if you've got the ability to plan your mod out.

Just try to see how others that own the same case as you did their watercooling setups.
 
Is this to OC or to keep it quiet? If you don't plan to OC much then your parts list is way overkill IMO.
Shoot me a PM if you want to talk. I have been W/Cooling for a good while now so I have a bit of knowledge built up :p
Chaos
 
kirbyrj said:
Unless you're a scavenger, I'd say a WC setup will cost you at least double a good air cooling system.

Personally, I'd just buy the highest end air cooling you can find (TRUE 120 maybe?) and just run that.
Click to expand...

More than double IMHO. A TRUE is one of the top air coolers and is $55, add $10 for a decent fan. You can go with the Xigmatek for around $30-40 with fan also.

A GOOD water block will set you back $40-90 alone. Add on a decent rad for $30-60 and a pump for $50-100. This doesn't even include tubing and misc fittings. You'll need a T line or a res as well.
 
My rig cost around $150, and all great parts =]

Check the FS/FT forum, and pick up everything you need!
 
elektronisch said:
My rig cost around $150, and all great parts =]

Check the FS/FT forum, and pick up everything you need!
Click to expand...

Yea, I figured it would be cheapest to buy from the FS/FT thread...now I just need to be patient and wait for the right parts at the right price! :D
 
If this is the first time you've ever built a rig, I'd not worry about water cooling. Once you get the rig together, you could go back and do H2O. I've built a lot of rigs over the years but have never done anything but air cooling simply because its a whole other set of issues to deal with. I just fear leaks, they do happen.
 
BIGJ said:
Yea, I figured it would be cheapest to buy from the FS/FT thread...now I just need to be patient and wait for the right parts at the right price! :D
Click to expand...

That's the key. I've been patiently waiting for months for the parts I need to come across in FS/FT. You can do it cheaper, it just takes a LONG time if you wait for the right deals. ;)
 
Had my cooling system on fs/ft this weekend, no one wanted it so I put it in a new case and it's Sweeeet! :)
 
Watercooling is not worth the money until a big system builder likes Dell starts using watercooling for more of its systems, the price will stay high.

Just get a $20 20" box fan from home depot, take off the side panel from your computer case and put the fan next to it on low.

Works better than watercooling and is not loud. :)
For uber overclocks, you can set the fan to high and make noise blocking headphones from a set of headphones and a pair of earmuffs. Here: http://www.instructables.com/id/Jackhammer-Headphones/
 
Most of my experience has been with my Dell XPS 400, it had the tall piped heatsink that work rather well, but once I gutted it and got new parts I bought my water cooling system for $40 and I believe it works way better, just takes up more space!:) (check my posts for dell case pics):D
 
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