Looking for recommendation on AIO for silent build

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nitrobass24

[H]ard|DCer of the Month - December 2009
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Looking to build a SFF ITX system that is near silent as possible.
This will be my work computer for home and my desk area is in the same room as my main living area.
I will not be overclocking the CPU or GPU.
I do run the GPU @100% when I need to do some brute force / hashing work.

Here is my parts list. nitrobass24 - Saved Part Lists - PCPartPicker

Questions
1. I was thinking of using the Corsair H115i with one of those NZXT brackets for the GPU. Is there a better option if noise is my primary concern?
2. Again for the CPU I was thinking an AIO, but if I am not OCing it would a regular HSF be anymore quiet?
3. Can i get a recommendation for an AIO/Fan combo that is super quiet?
 
I am using a Corsair H115i - if you are wanting silent, I'd suggest getting some different fans because the stock ones get pretty darn loud unless you only run it in silent mode. I went with two Noiseblocker NB-eLoop B14-3 - great fans, great performance. They aren't PWM like the B14-PS versions which have lower CFM/static pressure. The PWM version would be quieter, but the version that I decided on isn't very loud even at 100% all the time, but there is a very noticeable hum with those two fans going.

A big heatsink with quiet fans can be as quiet or even more quiet than an AIO and costs a less.

If you want quiet with excellent performance, I'd highly recommend a Swiftech H220 Prestige or H240 Prestige for the great performing and quiet fans (Eloops). However, the Swiftech does has that reservoir that adds bulk, which might make a H115i + aftermarket fans a better option for

As for the GPU - a Kraken X41 or Corsair H55 works well with a Kraken G10 bracket. I replaced the stock Corsair fan with a Noctua NF-P12 that I cannot hear even maxed out at 100%. I haven't looked in to the NZXT bracket, but I know the G10 is compatible with just about every video card - but you might need longer screws if you have and want to keep a video card backplate.
 
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I can't comment on the AIO pumps, but about 140mm fans:

I had looked at 140mm fans and determined that the EK Vardar and NB-eLoop B14 series (which are 29mm thick as opposed to the standard 25mm) objectively pushed the most air/pressure for the noise.

The EK Vardars averaged about $20, whereas the NB-eLoop B14 series was $26-$30. I figured I'd go with the Vardar because more people have vetted them, but it's nice to see a favorable review of the NB-eLoop here as well. I wish someone could compare them subjectively.

At low speed, the comparison would be between the 1150 RPM EK Vardar F1-140, and the NB-Eloop B14-PS (4-pin PWM, 1200 RPM max) or B14-2 (900 RPM max). The B14-1 is 600 RPM.

Blacknoise NB-eLoop B14-PS and B14-3 140mm fans - here is a comparison. The NB-eLoop puts up the best numbers, but it's especially close at low speeds. The B14-PS seems to slightly outperform the B14-3 in its RPM range.

EK Vardar 140mm alternatives? • /r/watercooling - they pop up in this discussion, and apparently Reddit user VSG28 is the author of that thermalbench article. Funny... first discussion I found and it's the same guy again.

Note that the EK Vardar 140mm series has bested nearly all other 140mm fans in tests by other sites... I'm not sure if I've seen them compared against the NB-eLoop B14 anywhere else.
 
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I'll likely get the EVGA AIO for the GTX 1080 that I'll be upgrading to. They will be released sometime around the middle of July and will have separate SKUs to cover the reference and the custom EVGA PCBs.

If I still had a fat budget, I'd like to use the EK Predator 360 AIO, pre-filled, and with QDC hoses for the CPU, about 240.00, along with an EK full water block, about 125.00. For about 35.00 more, you can have the GPU water block pre-filled, all fittings and QDC (quick disconnect) hoses added.
 
I bet you can run that i5 with just a heatsink, and no fan at all. I ran my 2500K like that for years with no problems at all. Just use a good fan in the exhaust spot above the motherboard, and I bet you're fine. This will not save you from having fans, but it will save you from having a fan that ramps up to full blast and makes a noticeable noise whenever it wants.

Regarding the GPU, maybe consider an AIB 1080 like the Zotac Amp Extreme or whatever it's called. These come with a HUUUUGE heatsink and metal backplate. You'll have to make sure it fits in your case, obviously, but this is a much simpler solution than hacking an AIO onto it, and then trying to shoehorn that, with the adapter gizmo, into the case. It also saves you any warranty issues that may arise from replacing the cooler on the graphics card - probably worth something on a work machine.
 
O nice...I did not realize any AIO for the 1080 had been announced! I was thinking an EVGA 980 TI Hybrid, but feel silly spending that much on a previous gen GPU.
 
RazorWind said:
I bet you can run that i5 with just a heatsink, and no fan at all. I ran my 2500K like that for years with no problems at all. Just use a good fan in the exhaust spot above the motherboard, and I bet you're fine. This will not save you from having fans, but it will save you from having a fan that ramps up to full blast and makes a noticeable noise whenever it wants.

Regarding the GPU, maybe consider an AIB 1080 like the Zotac Amp Extreme or whatever it's called. These come with a HUUUUGE heatsink and metal backplate. You'll have to make sure it fits in your case, obviously, but this is a much simpler solution than hacking an AIO onto it, and then trying to shoehorn that, with the adapter gizmo, into the case. It also saves you any warranty issues that may arise from replacing the cooler on the graphics card - probably worth something on a work machine.
Click to expand...

you can either get a low speed fan which makes virtually no noise. or put any fan on a controller and keep it permanently turned down.

that said, its pretty useful to have a curve on your fan speed. So if things do get crazy, the fan is there to ramp up and save the day. My computer is virtually silent, until a load is put on it. Like a game or handbrake to make youtube videos.
 
yes fan curves are awesome! at idle and low use my system is so quite that I can only hear the buzz from my plasma and the pump on my h60, zero fan noise! under load, cpu or gpu, they ramp up to keep things cool but not as noisey as when set to auto. especially my cpu. on auto it would ramp to 100% and back down for the slightest cpu load. speedfan is a blessing once you learn how to set it up!
 
So I grabbed an AC 120 after ready the review here on H. Installed it tonight and after a few minutes of the computer being turned on idle the temps rose to 100c :(

I took it off, reset it...same results.

Put on the Intel HSF and I am getting 27c

Cant seem to figure out what could be wrong with the AC120. Fans in Push/Pull config. Everything is plugged in.
Could not tell if the pump was running and the reservoir never got warm (though the PC was on for less than 5 min).

Any ideas?
 
you removed the plastic film from the cold plate? also set the cpu header or whatever header the pump is on to be full power, usually "smart fan control" to off, something like that. if you can connect the pump to a header while you have the hsf you should be able to tell if its running.
 
nitrobass24 said:
So I grabbed an AC 120 after ready the review here on H. Installed it tonight and after a few minutes of the computer being turned on idle the temps rose to 100c :(

I took it off, reset it...same results.

Put on the Intel HSF and I am getting 27c

Cant seem to figure out what could be wrong with the AC120. Fans in Push/Pull config. Everything is plugged in.
Could not tell if the pump was running and the reservoir never got warm (though the PC was on for less than 5 min).

Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I had something similar when I was messing with my AIO on my GPU. I forgot to plug in the pump's power cable in to a motherboard header - and the temps hit 90C instantly under load. Plugged it in while the PC was on, heard the gurgle of water starting, and temps were as they should be.

As Pendragon1 said, make sure that the header you plug in to is set to 100% speed.
 
Yea i plugged it into the Fan header set to 100% and got nothing, runs a fan as expected. I guess I will start an exchange.
 
no pump noise? exchange it and test the new one in-store if you can to save another trip. I wouldn't let it deter you from the product though, DOA happens occasionally.
 
Try using some software like HWMonitor to see what the pump RPM is. If it's the same as the pump on the AC240 it should read around 5000 RPM at full speed.

Other than that, all I can think of is perhaps bad contact between the cold plate and CPU. How does the thermal paste look when you pull it off? Is it spread on both the CPU and the cold plate?

Could also be something to do with the mounting hardware. Did you make sure to use the correct set of standoffs / backplate for your socket? Are the 4 thumbscrews tightened all the way down? The standoffs are made so that you cannot screw the thumbscrews down past a certain point...so if you used the wrong set, you won't have proper contact. As long as you have the right set in you shouldn't be afraid to tighten it *all* the way down.
 
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