Water cooling, new CPU case, case fans, overheating - related questions for my PC.

[Fenix Lancer]

I am planning on getting a new case and a water cooling solution for my PC. Currently, I have a Cooler Master Elite 344 (or something similar, I don't remember which one) with it's stock fans. My PC specs are as follows:

Processor: AMD FX-8150 Black Edition 8-Core @ 3.6 GHz + the heatsink it comes with by default.
Video Card: AMD Radeon HD 6790
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-880GM-USB3 AM3+ HDMI microATX motherboard
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit

Let me tell you, the cooling is terrible - for one, the temperatures go upto 70°C during gaming even when it's not overclocked and also, the heatsink fan makes a loud noise (yes, I confirmed it) while rotating when the CPU gets heated up. The case has only one exhaust fan and no space for front, top or bottom fans, so it's even more of a bummer. This has been going on for a while, so I decided to do something about it.

I am looking to go for the Corsair H100i and a Corsair Carbide 500R case.

My questions are:

1) Will this fix the whole heating/noise problem? Also, what temperatures do you expect under load? My room temperature is 31°C - ish.
2) Will the new setup with the corsair cooler and the stock fans be completely silent or make a little noise?
3) I know I have to remove the thermal paste already on it and apply the new one that comes with the H100i but I have no idea how to do it - any explanation or video tutorial link will be appreciated.
4) Does the setup require any extra maintenance other than cleaning up dust?
5) Any problems I would face once the setup is complete? (other than the one where the H100i pump makes a buzzing sound which is fixed on updating the firmware)
6) I have heard replacing the case fans and cooler fans with newer and better ones help - but is it really necessary? I mean, I am not going to overclock my CPU or anything and also, I believe this is not a very high end setup either so is it required?

PS: I am a complete novice at these things so I would request you to make it as simple for me to understand as possible.

Thanks in advance!

 

[dma0991]

1. It will definitely be a substantial reduction over stock equipment. Difficult to say but, 20C or lower temp delta can be expected, assuming that you're running on stock.

2. Some noise will be expected, especially pump noise. The stock fans are typically the >2kRPM variants. If you want it to be silent, undervolt the fans or get after market fans that spin less than 2kRPM, preferably 1.5kRPM maximum.

3. Stock heatsink comes with thermal pad, so there should be little to no residue. If there's any, wipe it off, or give it a wipe with off the counter IPA alcohol. Almost all AIO watercooling comes with pre-applied thermal paste, and an installation guide/manual should be provided.

4. Just periodical dusting needed.

5. Potential of a dead pump is definitely there after several years as its a moving part and very critical to its operation. Shouldn't cause any permanent damage as thermal throttling and automatic shutdown should be sufficient indicator that you might have a dead pump.

6. It depends on how acute your hearing senses are. I'm still using the stock fans that came with my Corsair 400R and while not dead silent, they're not annoyingly loud either.

 

[Fenix Lancer]

Thanks a lot for the detailed and prompt answer.

The only thing I am worried about is the noise level. In my current setup, the heatsink fan makes a very loud noise - almost like that experienced when you are standing near an aircraft with it's engine on (well not almost, but you get the idea).

Could you please describe the noise level of the pump and the fan? I know I am being a little sluggish right now but the thing is, I can't really afford/or have the means to get a replacement if the setup turns out to be too loud or defective in some way. I want to make a solid and final investment.

Thanks once again.

EDIT: Also, I keep my PC tucked away under my desk, so will I hear any noise at all with the setup I am going for?

 

[dma0991]

If you meant by total silence, its impossible unless you have a fanless system without a spinning HDD. You will definitely hear some noise but it will not be too intrusive as long as there's ambient noise. The Corsair H100i will be substantially quieter than the stock cooler, there's no doubt about it.

The radiator fans will be expected to be loud at full load. Use Corsair LINK to manage the fans to a maximum speed that is acceptable to your ears. It will come at the cost of higher temps if silence is a more important aspect to you.

 

[Fenix Lancer]

Right, that's all I wanted to know. As long as it doesn't make too much noise and cools effectively, I am happy with it.

I think that's about it. Feel free to lock the thread if you like.