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Thinking about a GPU water loop...

Lumpus

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 2, 2005
Messages
441
I already have a Corsair H115i 240mm rad handling my cpu cooling (quite decently) and since I'm not doing any major component upgrades this year (except GPU) I really don't want to get too carried away and start reinventing the wheel.

I'm thinking about perhaps replacing my RX 580 with either a Vega 64 or 5700XT - with an EKWB full water block on the card, so I think I can get by with just a minimal loop - GPU/Radiator/pump-reservoir. I think I want to do a 360mm slim radiator (copper or aluminum?) as a side mount to replace the existing 2 140mm fans (push/pull with 6 120mm fans, if I have the space). Not a lot of existing bottom space to work with (see pic) so a combined pump/reservoir (if they exist) might help.

Are there any relatively simple/adequate kits or do I need to piece this all out individually? I've seen CPU+GPU kits, but not GPU only loops.

Case is a Corsair Air 540 (old but servicable) and I'll probably have to move at least one of the HDDs at the base to make room for pump/reservoir. GPU is a Ryzen 2700X on a ASRock X470 Taichi, but neither is being replaced this year.

Next year, replacing case with a Lian Li 011 + EKWB distro plate... then going full w/c with system upgrades :)
 
Another thought for consideration...
Since I'm eventually buying the EKWB distro plate + GPU block - should I then only buy a EKWB combo pump/reservoir now, to keep future compatibility?
 
I'm all about custom water loops but if you want to keep it simple why not get a Cosair Hydro X according to Corsair employee GregX the 5700 and 5700Xt will be compatible.
and clearly it fits in the Air 540
EWdR16.png


If you want to go custom I can help you with that too but not simple and not cheap, but you could sell the H115i to offset the cost.

image source
 
I like simple... I didn't realize that the Hydro X would fit. Will wait for that.
(in above pic - the Corsair h105 and h80igt's are both CPU coolers) :/

I just didn't want to start spending crazy custom loop bucks on stuff that I was going to replace (with a new case) next year.
 
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Ya, it was the only image I could find to illustrate what you can do in an Air 540. I can't vouch for performance, but I can say it doesn't take much to cool most GPUs the worst for me was 290x and even it never broke 55c with 2 in CF overclocked in a custom loop. In other words, your CPU should be your primary concern. The beautiful thing about this setup is the CPU will not dump a bunch of heat on the GPU bumping the entire loop to higher temps. Some DIY custom loops have dual loops one for CPU and one for GPU to avoid this.
 
I like simple... I didn't realize that the Hydro X would fit. Will wait for that.
(in above pic - the Corsair h105 and h80igt's are both CPU coolers) :/

I just didn't want to start spending crazy custom loop bucks on stuff that I was going to replace (with a new case) next year.


I am doing a new build with the Lian Li 011 and it is only $129 bucks. Why are you going threw all that work on a rebuild, and not using the case?
 
I'm cooling a 1080ti with a G12 bracket, 92mm Noctua Redux, pwm to mini pwm adapter, and an EVGA 120mm clc.

I'm topping out in the low 50's gaming, 2100mhz boosted, and I like a 30% starting GPU fan to keep temp ramp ups more gradual.

The trick is fresh air for a GPU aio and giving the PCB direct fan blasts before it hits the usual 60c+

BO4 is weird, and tends to like to run around 2ghz, so be mindful of the games/applications you run.
 
I'm cooling a 1080ti with a G12 bracket, 92mm Noctua Redux, pwm to mini pwm adapter, and an EVGA 120mm clc.

I have the MSI branded 1080Ti with the Corsair AIO- it has the blower on it still for RAM and power, and a 120mm AIO for the GPU. Damn near silent under load, and hits ~2100MHz.

I don't think I'd do anything else in the future for a high-end CPU.
 
I have the MSI branded 1080Ti with the Corsair AIO- it has the blower on it still for RAM and power, and a 120mm AIO for the GPU. Damn near silent under load, and hits ~2100MHz.

I don't think I'd do anything else in the future for a high-end CPU.


I wish Corsair branched out that factory aio concept to cover more PCBs before diving into the open loop market.

It's was basically them, EVGa, and a few AMD cards pre 10xx. I admired the boost headroom my buddy's aio cooled 980ti had.

The x295 was compelling, dual GPU issues notwithstanding.
 
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