Question Custom loop - worth it?

[GenZone4]

I want to buy new PC and I dont know if this worth it and what is the benefits..
it was really cool and more beauty? much lower temps than D15 for example?

And what about upgrades in the future? when I want upgrade GPU or CPU.. only find new waterblock and connect?
some AIO costs maybe 300$ .. and this full custom loop costs 1000$
And I think if I have it I dont need to open the coolers and clean dust anymore.. because it was all waterblocks without fans for the cpu and gpu..

 

[WhiteNoise]

I used to build custom water loops. I was heavily overclocking and back then it helped a lot but after so many years of having to keep filling up the fluid, cleaning the tubes (I used silver coils but the tubes would still get a film within) I decided it was more effort than I was willing to put in. I also discovered some really good AIO water systems that performed very well. IMO I'd just stick with a good AIO for simplicity. Not only will you save money, and a lot of money, but AIO units cool good enough for anything you want to do.

IMO going full custom loop is more for the looks these days but in some cases when extreme OCing, a custom loop will perform better.

 

[A5]

Custom loops and AIOs still require maintenance, just in different places. I’m of the general opinion that even AIO coolers are of dubious value over a good air cooler in most situations.

 

[guidryp]

And I think if I have it I dont need to open the coolers and clean dust anymore.. because it was all waterblocks without fans for the cpu and gpu..

You still have to clean the dust out of the Radiator.

Custom loops seem to have two purposes: Style (vast majority), and extreme performance (tiny minority). Neither interests me in the slightest.

 

[aigomorla]

And I think if I have it I dont need to open the coolers and clean dust anymore.. because it was all waterblocks without fans for the cpu and gpu..

ummm.... lemme show you how bad it can get even when 90% of the PC is watercooled.

I learned its far easier controlling the dust in the room then trying to keep the dust out of the PC.

Grab 20inch box fans and slap 20x20 HVAC filters on them:

it was really cool and more beauty? much lower temps than D15 for example?

And what about upgrades in the future? when I want upgrade GPU or CPU.. only find new waterblock and connect?

That picture from above is probably from 2010 seeing how its a eVGA Classified.
In the span of 10 yrs, watercooling has evolved to be art.
Lots and Lots of fittings, customized distribution plates, hard piping for less water loss from natural evap.

Is it worth it? Its more of a hobby. Its not required, its not needed, but its enjoyable if done right, but at the same time very expensive when you make a mistake.,

Will it drop temps a lot over a D15, depends on load and usage.... if your going to compare idle all day long, then probably not by very much.
If your looking at low heat loads, then again not by much.

But if you look at GPU watercooling, then it can get significant.

 

[dlerious]

For CPU only I go with air, unless it's high core count like Threadripper. All my custom loops have been CPU+GPU - with a brief foray into monoblocks, RAM blocks, and HDD. I've never done a SFF build, but I'd consider water if space didn't allow an appropriately sized air cooler.

 

[fluffmonster]

I've never done a SFF build, but I'd consider water if space didn't allow an appropriately sized air cooler.

This is really the only practical reason for water imo...move the heat by water when airflow in the case isn't friendly to moving it by air.

 

[Stuka87]

AIO's can be a bit better than air coolers, but they are mostly about aesthetics. Air coolers are just ugly, and if you are going to have a glass case, it means you may like to look at it.

But custom loops are rarely "worth it". You go that route because you want too, not because you need too.

 

[knght990]

My computer is in a 75x30 ft room that somehow doesn't efficiently send air back via the central air return so I get tons of dust. I've been using a medify for the last year which has helped but isn't enough. I love this idea using a box fan with a central air filter. I'm going to give this a try.

 

[aigomorla]

My computer is in a 75x30 ft room that somehow doesn't efficiently send air back via the central air return so I get tons of dust. I've been using a medify for the last year which has helped but isn't enough. I love this idea using a box fan with a central air filter. I'm going to give this a try.

You want the box fan as close to the PC's as possible as it will force the filtered air directly to the PC and not let it blow from a distance for better efficiency.

I have mine right smack up in front of my server racks as they have HDD's up front.
I still get a bit of dust, but its noticeably less then when i didn't.