Which WC setup, EX360 vs RX360 vs EX420

A

Ali Man

[H]ard|Gawd
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Hey guys, I'm considering to shift to water cooling. No, I haven't ever done WC before, so Yes I'm certainly new to this. I've used all kinds of high-end air coolers, so now I thought that I'd give WC a try.

I ordered a Switch 810 and am making and wanting to have a 360 rad WC setup. I know that custom WC solutions comes with different kinds of fittings, pumps, blocks, etc which is a bit new to me.

1) Well first from those guys with first hand experiences, within my limited budget till $250 +/- ,are these XSPC kits that I've mentioned in the title any good? If so, then what are the main differences between them? I know that the RX series has a fatter rad as compared to the EX series.

2) For a custom loop, what would be the best components/parts to makeup this setup? e.g. What is the best waterblock to get these days, the same with a good rad, pump and so on.

For now I'll only be cooling my CPU, but yea I'd like some future proofing if I add another loop for the GPU. Mention all the possibilities/prices that you guys are aware of. Thanks.
 
In the effort to save all of us from having to recommend the same thing every few days, there is a Search function that would have given you plenty of information..Here is a thread that is on the front page of the sub-forum that has everything you need to really know in it..

Welcome to the forums;)
 
I'm not sure an EX420 can mount to the Switch 810 without some modifications. A safer bet would be the Black Ice SR-1 420.
 
Tsumi said:
I'm not sure an EX420 can mount to the Switch 810 without some modifications. A safer bet would be the Black Ice SR-1 420.
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Yea you're right about that, it would need to be modded which I'm not up for. I've heard that SR-1's are the best rads in the market, can you confirm that?
 
Illyria89 said:
Yea you're right about that, it would need to be modded which I'm not up for. I've heard that SR-1's are the best rads in the market, can you confirm that?
Click to expand...

EX420 and SR-1 are on opposite ends of the fan speed spectrum. SR-1 is low FPI and king of low-speed fans, while EX420 has much higher FPI and thus requires higher speed fans to work well. So with low speed fans the SR-1 will give you better temps and at high speeds the EX can do better. Hands down though HW Labs radiators are constructed much nicer than XSPC's (not that XSPC's are bad).
 
SR-1s are some of the best for low fan speed operation. I believe the Alphacool Nexxos UT60 and UT80 have taken over as king of low fan speed radiators though, but I'm not sure about their mounting design. The SR-1 still isn't far behind though, and is no slouch.

I wouldn't say the EX420 is the antithesis of the SR-1 though. The real opposite of the SR-1 is the Black Ice GTS (low FPI and thick vs high FPI and thin). The EX420 is in between (moderate FPI, moderate thickness). The Black Ice GTX is king of high fan speed though, combining moderately high FPI (not near that of the GTS) with high thickness, similar thickness to the SR-1.
 
Well as 810 switch would need to be modded to fit an EX420, so if I choose an EX360, would be alright in terms of cooling capability?
 
For a single CPU and GPU, a 360 radiator is more than enough.
 
Tsumi said:
For a single CPU and GPU, a 360 radiator is more than enough.
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Thanks man and someone had recommended me an MCP350 pump for this single rad build. So what are your takes on this? Is is a good-enough pump?

Or should I consider the more expensive MCP655.
 
I say you don"t need the 655 if you take full advantage of the mcp355 and get a pump to and if your low on space.
But if you plan for a bigger loop later you might want to go with 655 it an awesome pump with many options.
 
MCP355 or 655, either will work. I wouldn't go down to a 350.
 
If you can get two 350s cheaper, then I would go for that. If you take the pump top off and by chance you have a blue impeller, there's actually a soldering trick that will turn the 350 into a 355.
 
Tsumi said:
If you can get two 350s cheaper, then I would go for that. If you take the pump top off and by chance you have a blue impeller, there's actually a soldering trick that will turn the 350 into a 355.
Click to expand...

Nice to know man :D

I had another question with the compression fittings. Well if I tell you that I'll be going for an:

1) XSPC Raystorm waterblock
2) XSPC EX360 rad
3) Something like this res: http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...cts_id=35198:c54c18869085dcc3925315acfc88455f
4) And two 350's using the XSPC top,

Then how many compression fittings would I exactly need and if any are to be angled?
 
You don't need more than a MCP-350. People overbuy pumps and then have to deal with all that racket they make, I have no idea why. You're only running a Raystorm and a radiator, and the Raystorm is actually a very nonrestrictive block. I run a Raystorm, Swiftech MCW82, and two 240mm radiators all on a 350 and my flow is excellent; also, my case is silent. :D
 
You don't need angled fittings. They're just there to make your life easier, but not necessary. You have to plan out where the components are going to be and how the tubing is going to run.

You need 2 fittings per component.
 
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