Is liquid cooling worth it?

[Heusen77]

I am looking to build a new rigg but was considering putting in liquid/water cooling set-up but was wondering if anyone can tell me if it's worth it.

 

[ChefJoe]

What are you going for ?

I put in a $150 kit to try to make the cpu cooler quiet while overclocking but you could probably use the stock cooler if you don't care about overclocking and noise.

It all depends on your goal and the money you'd spend on such a goal.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: Heusen
I am looking to build a new rigg but was considering putting in liquid/water cooling set-up but was wondering if anyone can tell me if it's worth it.

sub 200 dollar setup = not worth it.

200+ dollar setup with about 8 hours of time to do it carefully, and correctly = worth it.

 

[Heusen77]

so the liquid cooling would significantly reduce the noise level of the CPU then? saying that then I would have to find a good case with a side window to buy then so i can start building. I don't know to much about putting together a rig but i'm looking to build my first.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I'll defer to what AigoMorla says about this, but you're going to use fans anyway with a water-cooling rig unless you have an external "radiator-reservoir" like that Zalman . . . . blue aluminum . . . . thing . . .

To make water-cooling more effective for today's processors, you'll want a bigger radiator. If you plan to build Core-2-Duo and only do mild over-clocking, then I'd guess a radiator with a single 120mm fan would suffice. But if you plan on OC'ing a Core-2-Quad that is "pre-Penryn," well . . . . ask AigoMorla.

People with air-cooling are showing over-clocked core temperatures for the Q6600 in the range of 59C to the high 60's Celsius, and the B3 stepping only over-clocks easily to around 3 Ghz with those resultant temperatures. I think AigoMorla had a Q6600 setup with a high-end 3-fan radiator OC'd to 3.6 Ghz, and the load temperatures were still around 50C. It would show in posts from around a month ago.

Supposedly the G0 Quad has lower temperatures and better OC'ing potential, and there's Penryn due for release around NOvember. This fits in with newer Intel chipsets that promise lower temperatures all around, yet I've seen people here -- today -- with issues about motherboard temperatures using one of those new motherboards.

There are 140mm fans available, if your case is wide enough to accommodate them. They run at around 1,800 rpm and push as much as 80 CFM of air with noise levels just around 30 dBA. The minor drawback with these fans is their "instantaneous" exhaust pressure, which is lower than beefier 120mm fans, but they're fine for case intake, and very quiet.

 

[Heusen77]

Originally posted by: BonzaiDuck
I'll defer to what AigoMorla says about this, but you're going to use fans anyway with a water-cooling rig unless you have an external "radiator-reservoir" like that Zalman . . . . blue aluminum . . . . thing . . .

To make water-cooling more effective for today's processors, you'll want a bigger radiator. If you plan to build Core-2-Duo and only do mild over-clocking, then I'd guess a radiator with a single 120mm fan would suffice. But if you plan on OC'ing a Core-2-Quad that is "pre-Penryn," well . . . . ask AigoMorla.

People with air-cooling are showing over-clocked core temperatures for the Q6600 in the range of 59C to the high 60's Celsius, and the B3 stepping only over-clocks easily to around 3 Ghz with those resultant temperatures. I think AigoMorla had a Q6600 setup with a high-end 3-fan radiator OC'd to 3.6 Ghz, and the load temperatures were still around 50C. It would show in posts from around a month ago.

Supposedly the G0 Quad has lower temperatures and better OC'ing potential, and there's Penryn due for release around NOvember. This fits in with newer Intel chipsets that promise lower temperatures all around, yet I've seen people here -- today -- with issues about motherboard temperatures using one of those new motherboards.

There are 140mm fans available, if your case is wide enough to accommodate them. They run at around 1,800 rpm and push as much as 80 CFM of air with noise levels just around 30 dBA. The minor drawback with these fans is their "instantaneous" exhaust pressure, which is lower than beefier 120mm fans, but they're fine for case intake, and very quiet.

This is the case i'll be using but hoping it will work well:

Thermaltake Armor Extreme Edition Super Tower Case w/ Window - Black (VA8004BWS)

 

[ChefJoe]

If it's your first build then I would suggest sticking with air cooling. Liquid cooling adds to the levels of maintenance and careful assembly. If it's your first build (and you don't tinker with upgrading or modding every few months) I think you should keep cooling more direct and simpler... go with air.

The next time you build (or if you decide to get your hands dirty with the current build) you can change over to water later.

It's not that water is all that hard, it's just additional layers of complexity, things you need to look out for (water levels, growing stuff, leaks) that I probably wouldn't have wanted in my first build.

I only dropped a water kit in my ~6th build and it still took a lot of research and planning.... it would have been even more complex doing a custom system.

 

[A5]

Water in your first build is a disaster waiting to happen...go with air this time, then go with water in the future.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: ChefJoe
If it's your first build then I would suggest sticking with air cooling. Liquid cooling adds to the levels of maintenance and careful assembly. If it's your first build (and you don't tinker with upgrading or modding every few months) I think you should keep cooling more direct and simpler... go with air.

The next time you build (or if you decide to get your hands dirty with the current build) you can change over to water later.

It's not that water is all that hard, it's just additional layers of complexity, things you need to look out for (water levels, growing stuff, leaks) that I probably wouldn't have wanted in my first build.

I only dropped a water kit in my ~6th build and it still took a lot of research and planning.... it would have been even more complex doing a custom system.

2nd this comment.

if its your first build, dont migrate to water. Your going to need to learn how the components act b4 you learn how to cool them.

Play around with your first rig in terms of after market air sinks, and learn how they work. Water only moves heat from one location to another. And it moves it a hell of a lot more efficent then air.

Watercooling will not magically make your room cooler. Think one of the laws of thermodynamics. In fact it will make your room HOTTER. Think of faster transfer of heat from source to outside.

Watercooling, will not make your idle temps that much better. Once again, if your cpu is putting out almost no heat, and your temps are close to ambients, there isnt much water can do. HOWEVER water will reduce your LOAD temps. Remember faster transfer of heat, results in lower delta from idle to load. This is how you look at watercooling.

And the cooling requirements it took to take a 3.6ghz quadcore:
http://i125.photobucket.com/al...aigomorla/IMG_0721.jpg

Things get messy really fast and can result in being a complete nightmare if you dont plan correctly. If this is your first rig, forgo water, and look at great air solutions. When you understand how each components works, and what you truely want in watercooling, then look back.


Also for noise relationships. The radiator requires fans, The heat sink also requires fans. The noise difference is marginal, however the temp difference is quiet large. If your building your comp for the first time, you wont be looking at extreme overclocking. Which means an air sink at low fan speeds should pull off whatever objective your looking for.

Once you realize your too good for the air, then migrate to water to get that 20% more OC out of your chip. But when you migrate, do it properly so you do see a benifit in it.

 

[idiotekniQues]

for your first build, i also say stick with air.

get a top notch air cooler like the ultra 120-extreme. easy to mount, performs excellent.

if you dont oc, you can have a very quiet rig. if you do decide to explore oc'ing, youll have some headroom witht his cooler.

 

[Heusen77]

Originally posted by: idiotekniQues
for your first build, i also say stick with air.

get a top notch air cooler like the ultra 120-extreme. easy to mount, performs excellent.

if you dont oc, you can have a very quiet rig. if you do decide to explore oc'ing, youll have some headroom witht his cooler.

will stick with air but have to find a good full tower with a side window.