Is Water Cooling worth the money and annoying installation?

Jun 28, 2006
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I just got into the whole build it yourself thing with computers, and I was just wondering if water cooling makes much of a difference, all the extra buttons and LCD look s cool and impresses your friends but I dont know if I should just forget about that and just get a bunch of fans instead...I also cant decide if I need a full tower computer for the water cooling to fit nicely, please post as much as you know will help me out. Thanks.
 

o1die

Diamond Member
Jul 8, 2001
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You won't need watercooling unless you go with a dual core cpu and overclock it to the max. I would recommend a copper heatpipe solution with 120mm fan, such as the thermaltake "big typhoon". For stock settings, the standard heatsink will work fine. Just stick with the retail boxed cpus for a 3 year warranty, even if you don't use the heatsink. The price is about the same as oem. I also use a zalman fan mate rpm adjuster to lower fan speeds to about 2500-3000. I like a quiet rig.
 

theteamaqua

Senior member
Jul 12, 2005
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a retail wc kit, like the corsair cool watercooling kit which i got it for 90 bux in frys, retail is liek 150 bux, anyway u can usually get about 5 to 10 degree off compare to the best air cooling, like zalman 9500
 

jkresh

Platinum Member
Jun 18, 2001
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as others have said it depends on what you are doing a solid wtaercooling setup (about $250) will allow for better overclocks (assuming your cpu likes voltage (some dont) and be quieter) if you are looking at anything less then a dual 120mm radiator then the difference over a top air system probably wont be worth the cost/hassle but if you are willing to spend it can be a major improvement. Check out (http://www.ocforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=71) they tend to be more into watercoolign then most on anandtech.
 

smopoim86

Senior member
Feb 26, 2006
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Only watercool if you have time and wnjoy playing with it. If you want it stricktly for cooling don't do it.

get a tuniq tower or something if all you really want is cool temps
 

tylerw13

Senior member
Aug 9, 2006
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i love my water cooling setup....so easy to install...i have a ton of more room in my case if you can believe it....i would say get it...when i first bought it i thought it was going to be a hard thing to install but it turned out not to be and it is so much better!!! dude its not that hard to take care of either....ppl would have to be super lazy to say that they are hard to take care of them...they are awsome
 

Some1ne

Senior member
Apr 21, 2005
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I was just wondering if water cooling makes much of a difference

Nah, if you have the cash to spend on a decent watercooling setup, just wait until you have 1.5 to 2x as much available, go on e-bay, and wait around for a vapochill/prometia unit. If you're going to go for exotic cooling, you might as well go for all-the-way exotic, rather than "look, I got a crappy substitute for phase-change cooling for half the price" exotic.
 

TheRyuu

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2005
5,479
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Yea I'd say it worth it. Once you get all the parts it'll pretty much last for YEARS. 5+ years with a pump change, and taking good care of it. You pretty much buy everything at once. Then the only thing you need to put into it is water and some time.

BTW I like your user name. "ILikeElfenLied". I wonder if you like Anime, lol :p (I found it to be a rather violent series. Either that or FMP made me soft)
(sry for OT)
 

markymoo

Senior member
Aug 24, 2006
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It depends how crazy you want to go. Do you want to overclock to the max limit or you happy with it. If your not satisfied get WC. If you do dont buy a kit. The kits wont give you much gain over a extreme air cooler. If you want extreme cooling get a powerful watercooling setup. dont get mediocre

Get the best watercooling 2,3 fan radiator, powerful pump, 1/2 inch tubing, apogee cpu block
dont get a gpu block until you got used to cpu. Buy a decent case like thermaltake or lian li to do it.

Either get the best or stick with air cooling

Save up fully and get the best stuff or you regret and end up buying again

Build up your parts graduallly. Buy 1 good piece at a time if you not much cash.

 

Pabster

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
16,986
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Originally posted by: Some1ne
Nah, if you have the cash to spend on a decent watercooling setup, just wait until you have 1.5 to 2x as much available, go on e-bay, and wait around for a vapochill/prometia unit. If you're going to go for exotic cooling, you might as well go for all-the-way exotic, rather than "look, I got a crappy substitute for phase-change cooling for half the price" exotic.

I tend to agree, as most who opt for the water option are going to be suckered in to buying pre-made POS kits ala TT BigWater.

Vapo is really going all out, for sure. But you might want to adjust that 1.5 to 2x figure to 3 to 4x :p
 

smopoim86

Senior member
Feb 26, 2006
901
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Originally posted by: Pabster
Originally posted by: Some1ne
Nah, if you have the cash to spend on a decent watercooling setup, just wait until you have 1.5 to 2x as much available, go on e-bay, and wait around for a vapochill/prometia unit. If you're going to go for exotic cooling, you might as well go for all-the-way exotic, rather than "look, I got a crappy substitute for phase-change cooling for half the price" exotic.

I tend to agree, as most who opt for the water option are going to be suckered in to buying pre-made POS kits ala TT BigWater.

Vapo is really going all out, for sure. But you might want to adjust that 1.5 to 2x figure to 3 to 4x :p

not quiet 3-4x. But you have to look at operating costs. If you run a vapo 24/7 thats alot of power to pay for

with water it's not much more power usage than air