Might be done with AIO's

[Design1stcode2nd]

that is what literally everyone says anytime anyone ever talks about any AIO

If that was true, then everyone would have a pair of grandmas sugar cookie fans cooling those sweet fins in every PC, everywhere.

And no one would have RGB or closed off front panel cases.... Large dual tower, especially brown fan HSF's are not for everyone they limit RAM height, require cases with a lot of thickness, can conflict with the 1st PCIE slot on some boards, it can also interfere with VRAM heatsinks on some mobos and you have this giant thing covering up much of your board. There are a lot of people that don't like that.

The top "Air Coolers" have been shown to keep up with most 240 units for less money; once you get to 280 or 360 they fall behind by 5 degrees depending on unit.

 

[MacLeod]

that is what literally everyone says anytime anyone ever talks about any AIO

"DH15 is just as good and quieter" *Exits thread*

If that was true, then everyone would have a pair of grandmas sugar cookie fans cooling those sweet fins in every PC, everywhere.

I think that is true that the D15 is as good as pretty much any AIO. It's quieter I guess but only at the highest temps. My 110i cools my 1600x at 4.0 at 1000 RPM's and is virtually silent.

The downside to the big heat sink coolers is that they're BIG. I really seriously considered going with a heat sink cooler for my rig refresh but finally settled on the H110i because I just don't like having that big a chunk of metal hanging off my motherboard. For one I move my PC around all the time tinkering with shit and two, I just like the clean look an AIO has.

To me, the AIO vs HSF debate isn't about performance as they're about equal for the most part if you're comparing comparable coolers. It's more about aesthetics and your own personal taste.

 

[doyll]

that is what literally everyone says anytime anyone ever talks about any AIO

"DH15 is just as good and quieter" *Exits thread*

If that was true, then everyone would have a pair of grandmas sugar cookie fans cooling those sweet fins in every PC, everywhere.

"D15 is just as good and quieter" is absolutely positively true, but some people believe untruths and I'm not talking about unicorn eggs versus fairy dust but equally un-true believe that "AIO" and "water cooled" someone means it's better than air cooling. persists.

 

[VanGoghComplex]

"D15 is just as good and quieter" is absolutely positively true, but some people believe untruths and I'm not talking about unicorn eggs versus fairy dust but equally un-true believe that "AIO" and "water cooled" someone means it's better than air cooling. persists.

Well, "better" is more complicated than that.

Watercooling is better than air cooling at some things - economy NOT being one of them, for example - and air cooling has its advantages too.

...watercooling is objectively better though.

 

[Mermalion]

I've had good luck with my Kraken X60. I bought it in August of 2013 and have been using it 24/7 on various hardware. It now cools an 8320 and still does a great job. If it dies tomorrow I will be happy with the use I got it off it. Everyone has different success rates with these I guess.

 

[N4CR]

I started switching from custom loops back to air about 8 years ago, maybe a little longer. I've never had any desire to use CLCs .. other then the time it took me to test them when I had to review one. I have used and still have a AIO that is not a CLC (be quiet! Silent Loop 280) and like is .. is very quiet and does a great job of cooling. But I won it, so didn't have to pay what they sell for. A good top tier air cooler costs 2/3rds to 3/4ths as much as an air cooler with similar noise level and cooling ability .. that, and how little maintanance air coolers need is biggest reason I changed back from custom loops.

This. I run air where possible. Unless going balls out custom loop the difference is not much unless crazy diminishing return OCs are required. I've been looking at making my own coolers/passive case too for this reason. Water level cooling, no fans, no servicing, no leaks... Sealed case too, so no dust to worry about. How you may ask? Heat exchanging.

Notice how the guys with the crazy 20-30k builds almost always run air?
Enough said.

 

[doyll]

Well, "better" is more complicated than that.

Watercooling is better than air cooling at some things - economy NOT being one of them, for example - and air cooling has its advantages too.

...watercooling is objectively better though.

I don't believe watercooling is 'better' in probably 90% of the times it is used .. it is not 'better' priced, it is not last 'better', if it's CLC is not 'better' dependability, or 'better' noise levels .. and even in custom loops it's not necessarily 'better'.

It's all fine and good if someone wants to use custom loops and even okay if they want to use CLCs, but what is not okay is the unicorn egg mentality that CLCs are God's gift to man.

What N4CR said.

 

[VanGoghComplex]

I don't believe watercooling is 'better' in probably 90% of the times it is used .. it is not 'better' priced, it is not last 'better', if it's CLC is not 'better' dependability, or 'better' noise levels .. and even in custom loops it's not necessarily 'better'.

It's all fine and good if someone wants to use custom loops and even okay if they want to use CLCs, but what is not okay is the unicorn egg mentality that CLCs are God's gift to man.

What N4CR said.

I was being facetious to razz you a bit, bud. =) I'd also add that, at least when it comes out of my mouth, the term water cooling =/= AIOs, CLCs, or BLTs.

I will make a solid non-facetious argument here though: you absolutely cannot beat the cooling capacity of a full-cover VGA waterblock in a custom loop with any air cooler. When it comes to CPUs, you're absolutely right about diminishing returns, but GPUs are a different thing (in my admittedly limited experience.)

 

[doyll]

I was being facetious to razz you a bit, bud. =) I'd also add that, at least when it comes out of my mouth, the term water cooling =/= AIOs, CLCs, or BLTs.

I will make a solid non-facetious argument here though: you absolutely cannot beat the cooling capacity of a full-cover VGA waterblock in a custom loop with any air cooler. When it comes to CPUs, you're absolutely right about diminishing returns, but GPUs are a different thing (in my admittedly limited experience.)

BLT is best.

I agree, full cover waterblock is much better than any air cooling both for cooling ability and heated air control .. and if using a block on GPU might as well use one on CPU as well.

If only running single GPU there are a few good aftermarket coolers like Alpenfohn Peter/Deepcool Dracula, Prolimatech MK-26 and Raijintek Morpheus that are quite good .. but still problematic keeping their heated exhaust away from cool intake air going to them. Using a PCIe riser extension can often be helpful, but also more work.

 

[Putz]

did the AIO for a bit, went back to Noctua coolers, cant be bothers/find reasons for AIO really, more moving parts, more prone to failure, more noise, pain in the ass to install in tight areas. and the loops warm up over a couple hours to the point the air cooler is just as good for normal overclocking. and the air coolers are less money. i imagine well see the AIO fad die off