There are enough nice air coolers out there that work as well or better than as most AIO's that I have never tried an AIO out myself.
Dedicated loops if you're serious, but I do not like water near my electronics.
I recognize the hobbyist aspect of it.
Just my two cents.
Jeez, MonGrel! Even I, too, would've thought that YOU would've migrated to water by now. But I remember some photos of an earlier rig -- maybe the same ! -- that you built with a D14 or D15 -- push and pull every whicha way. I think that was you, even with the aging mind-fog settling in my brain.
Given the heatpipes available, it just seems like better bang for the buck. On my latest rig, matching a Predator 240 with a TR cooler is 5C from my grasp, and it works out to about $26/C-degree if I'd chosen the EKWB model. Water may have the edge, but it's not very big unless you use two radiators or go with an external unit. you know -- "what's the goal and objective?" "How much does it cost to get there?" The cost also includes the trouble with the annual maintenance, whether it's more or less.
My acknowledgement to the water aficionados is both diplomatic and genuine. Water is not only more efficient, but water rigs are an art-form. For fitting it all in a midtower, if I can come this close to "water performance," I'll organize a club for air-cooling and you can have Emeritus membership.
I just posted a thread yesterday on my CLU-relidded CPU thermal performance.