Selecting from all the water cooling options

[SunziBingfa]

Wow, this is my first of what likely will be many Anandtech forum posts!! I have a great deal of respect for the people who participate in these forums as a result of reading I've done here. Thank you all!

Right now, I'm working on building a computer from the ground up. The computer will be used for everyday tasks like word processing and surfing as well as gaming (Oblivion, F.E.A.R., etc.). As it stands right now, I'm leaning toward these core components:


DFI Lanparty UT nF4 Ultra-D MB
Opteron 165 Proc.
A 512mb ATI video card where I will see good cost savings over the $500+ models
2x1GB G. Skill HZ RAM
Fortron 500W PSU
A 10k speed HD

My reasoning behind selecting these components is that they seem to offer exceptional capabilities for the cost. This is magnified by the fact that I intend to OC the MB, Processor, RAM, and the video card.

It's my understanding that OCing to a significant degree is not feasible without some serious system cooling.

I've looked at a number of options to date, but am having difficulty deciding which is best for my situation. Ideally, I'd like the system to be efficient at cooling, not too much of a hassle to install, and to have longevity. I need to expand a bit on the idea of longevity. I'm concerned with wear and tear, and also with allowing for future computer component upgrades. If the system will konk out or be obsolete in short order, then I question whether the purchase cost can be justified.

Speaking of cost, I'm not terribly concerned at this point about setting a cost ceiling. If the system will have a long-lifespan and will not become obsolete when I'm upgrading parts (due to changing form factors or parts outgrowing the cooling capacity of the system) that works for me.

The full-blown Koolance system (the case with CPU block + additional blocks) looks like a smart choice. Can you tell my why you agree or disagree with this choice?

I appreciate your input and look forward to participating in more threads in the future!!

 

[essasin]

If you plan on going the AMD route you will not have any upgradability with the 939 socket. Newer models are moving onto ddr2, and a different socket. This means you would have to buy a completely new mobo/cpu.ram if you wanted to upgrade.

However, this does not mean socket 939 is obsolete. 939 is still fast, reliable and overclocks very well. *But it is very important to note that hardware will constantly be upgraded to newer and better things in a way that you will never be able to keep up or wait for the next best thing. Just have to pick a point and build it.

WIth that said Conroe (Intel) is looking very promosing but with a release date of 6 months. AM2 is also around the corner and we are looking forward to that as well. If you buy now you wont be able to upgrade but you will be using a matured socket with all its kinks worked out. If you wait you may end up waiting for a while because there are always issues that arise early on. On top of that you will be paying a premium.

I would not go with a Koolance system. Primary because they are a bit expensive and does not perform as well as DIY watercooling build for the money. There are plenty of good reads on the amdmb forums, hard forums, systemcooling forums and many more. They all have gudies and stickies to jsut about any question you have. As of right now this is what I would chose

Storm G5 block from Swifty

Danger Den Pump, a Swifty, hydlor, Iwaki, Hydor (really depends on how many cooling blocks or how big of a rad and which blocks rad you get)

Thermochilll Rad 2x120, BLack Ice Extreme 120mm rad or prob the best for the money and performance a heatcore

Silverprop GPU or DD maze 4

There are tons of reseviors to chose from or you can use a simple T line

I would really take the time to read all the guide in the liquid cooling forums I mentioned above to get a really good knowledge base of watercooling. There you will find out the perfect setup and components for you new watercooled rig.
all 1/2 fittings

 

[themusgrat]

Well, I don't want to start another argument, but the Storm works best when it has access to a high flow rate. Unless you are getting a pump like the Iwaki, I would get a less restrictive block. I agree with the other parts, and make sure they are all 1/2 inch. You also might want to wait a bit, since you are not really concerned about money, the OCZ phase setup is coming out soon hopefully. Good luck.

 

[TrevorRC]

First and foremost... welcome to the forums.

Anyway.

The socket 939 platform will offer you zero upgradability--lots of overclocking, but no upgradability.

So, with that in mind.

The parts you will hold onto the longest are usually:
1) PSU
2) Case
3) HDDs
4) Watercooling

As such, I'd recommend maxing out those parts.

For a PSU, there is a modular 600W Silverstone--I'd look into that, it has all of the power you'd need and more, with 4 12v rails. [GPU(s)/CPU will each occupy a different rail]. FSP is nice, but Silverstone is better. [Check out www.jonnyguru.com; he has several nice reviews on power supplies.]

Assuming you are going with an ATi Card, you might as well grab an ATi board--the RD580 chipset is looking extremely strong right now [albeit a bit more expensive]
If you don't plan on going with Crossfire eventually, grab the Ultra-D--it'll serve you well, and its rather inexpensive.

For a case, provided budget isn't an issue, a TJ-07 is a VERY nice choice if you're going to go with watercooling--it has a built in spot for a 2x120mm radiator. If not, a Lian-Li PC-70/75 suits itself to watercooling, provided you're willing to work with a dremel. [Though that might be a hassle for you.]

I'd guess the plan would be to grab a decent 939 setup now, then mid-summer '07 upgrade to a new platform [Conroe, provided these current benchmarks are accurate]; that way you'd get into a relatively mature platform, with some nice overclockers
Or
Wait until next year and buy then--you'd save quite a bit of cash this way.

If I were you, here would be my plan of attack:
DFI Ultra-D
Opteron 165 OR X2 3800+--The new X2s have been overclocking VERY well!
7900GT--It will be 300 dollars [when released in the next week or so], overclock superbly, and get the best out of games for the next year or so.
2x1GB G.Skill HZs [Great overclocking capability]
Silverstone ST60F [600W]
300GB Raptor DROOL
You would do an overhaul in 1 year, with a new motherboard, CPU and RAM. [[New platforms will be out by then, and you can CHOOSE to go with a new graphics card then--though it will not be necessary]].

As for a watercooling system.
MCP655 pump
Maze 4 GPU block
Storm G5 Waterblock
Primoflex [Or Tygon] 1/2" ID 3/4" OD tubing--7-8' is advisable
MCR 220 2x120mm radiator [Swiftech Radiator, best price-performance on the market]
2 Sanyo Denki fans [120mm]
A Radgrill for the top See note below
If you plan on going with the TJ-07, you won't need a radgrill, if you go with the PC-70, you will to make the top look nice
Of course, 1/2" OD barbs for everything
Also, you'll need 11 hose clamps--grab a bit more, just in case
A T-Line or Reservoir--I'd reccomend going with a reservoir for the kind of stuff you're specifying, though it's up to you. I personally prefer a t-line in my build
This may seem like a bit much, but remember that this stuff will be with you for ~5+ years

If you need anything else, let me know.

--Trevor

 

[SunziBingfa]

I really appreciate all of the great advice. Thanks!

I'll begin performing additional research on the cooling options you recommended. I was a little skeptical of what seemed to be premium pricing from Koolance. I like the idea of putting together a cooling system of my own, as it allows me to zero in on which options will make me happiest.

I have a couple more question at the moment. Presuming a parts list like this:

DFI Lanparty UT nF4 Ultra-D MB
Opteron 165 OR X2 3800+
7900GT or X1900XT Video
2x1GB G. Skill HZ RAM
Fortron 500W PSU or Silverstone 600W
A 10k speed HD

How long could I expect this system to last, in terms of allowing me to play the new games at at least middling resolutions with decent framerates? I suppose the better question is: with this system what kind of performance might I expect on games a year or two down the road?

Do you think I would be looking at upgrading in just a year?? I was hoping such a system could last 2-3 years... then I could perform an overhaul.

 

[Painman]

Click Me

No offense to AT... I haven't stuck here all these years for nothin'... but if you want to "immerse" yourself in the WC world... much better places to absorb knowledge.

 

[lifeguard1999]

Originally posted by: SunziBingfa
Wow, this is my first of what likely will be many Anandtech forum posts!! I have a great deal of respect for the people who participate in these forums as a result of reading I've done here. Thank you all!

*snip*

It's my understanding that OCing to a significant degree is not feasible without some serious system cooling.

Welcome to the forums!!!

No, you do not need some serious cooling to do overclocking to a serious degree. You do need some serious cooling to do overclocking to an extreme degree, however. For example, I have a 3000+ Venice that overclocks from 1.8 GHz to 2.7 GHz on stock air. Most 3000+ will overclock on air to somewhere between 2.5 GHz ~ 2.8 GHz.

Now, if you want it to be quiet while overclocked, then watercooling is the way to go.

If you want the maximum o/c, then phase-change cooling is even better.