Water Cooling Suggestions?

[SUNSfan]

Hey, I've never done water cooling before. What do you guys recommend? I'm looking for the lightest and Cheapest possible kit. 100 bucks max is my budget at this point, hopefully less if possible. any help would be appreciated.

important Computer specs:

E6600, ASUS P5N-E SLI 650i (a mistake), Geforce 8800 GTS, 2 GB Corsair XMS, Thermaltake Mozart TX.

 

[tylerdustin2008]

With those specs you should want to get something a little better than $100.

 

[RallyMaster]

Get air and forget about it. Many of us spent over 100 just on air cooling. To get watercooling with $100 is unheard of.

 

[SUNSfan]

How would this be?

http://www.xoxide.com/coolit-eliminator-system.html

 

[jkresh]

the coolit isint bad and at idle it will do better then any air cooler, however at full load it wont be much better then the best air cooler. Also as it has a 92mm fan it will be louder then the best air coolers (which use 120mm fans). What are you goals for watercooling, do you want silent cooling with reasonable capacity or maximum overclocks?

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: RallyMaster
Get air and forget about it. Many of us spent over 100 just on air cooling. To get watercooling with $100 is unheard of.

get a thermalright Ultra120.

Dont even think of water if your spending sub 190.

You'll just complain and get annoyed. Plus its the margin of gain is seriously not worth it compared to air at that level.


If you want to watercool, do it right. Otherwise you'll have a lot of useless junk when you realize you did it completely wrong.

 

[stoma]

Depends on what you want to cool. If you just want to cool the cpu there are some good kits out there...if you want to cool more then you're looking at a lot more money.

I spent $130 just for the 8800 GTS block (Danger Den).

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: stoma
Depends on what you want to cool. If you just want to cool the cpu there are some good kits out there...if you want to cool more then you're looking at a lot more money.

I spent $130 just for the 8800 GTS block (Danger Den).

good kits sub 100 just to cool the CPU?

Link please.

 

[imported_Truenofan]

lol, i know what aigormorla is talkin about, i was thinking of making a nice watercooling system. but a good one runs well over 300, and for way better than air, im looking above 400. for cpu alone, pump, single 120mm rad(suggested) and a good cpu block your looking at around 140-160 w/ shipping.

then there's coolant and tubing and clamps.

 

[SparkyJJO]

$100 for watercooling won't get you anywhere really. I just spent a little over $400 on watercooling parts :Q Never thought I'd spend that much on a cooling system but I'm tired of air

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
$100 for watercooling won't get you anywhere really. I just spent a little over $400 on watercooling parts :Q Never thought I'd spend that much on a cooling system but I'm tired of air

:T

lets not get into how much my system costs.

im running dual rads + dual pumps + SLI Full Cover Blocks if your wondering :T

 

[slsmnaz]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
$100 for watercooling won't get you anywhere really. I just spent a little over $400 on watercooling parts :Q Never thought I'd spend that much on a cooling system but I'm tired of air

Plus much of the draw is that people like to upgrade and mess around with their comps. It was a great project for me to figure out how to fit it all in my case.

Sub-$100 should be aircooled, don't mess w/ water.

 

[SUNSfan]

k, thanks for the input guys. Looks like air is the only way to go for me. My stock cooling shows that my CPU is 54C in idle. If i just stay with stock cooling, what could happen? Am i looking at a shorter lifespan of my CPU?

 

[imported_Truenofan]

not really, untill you hit at least 60c, i would look see how much dust is clogging up the hsf area and clean that out, and setting the fan behind it to sucking, i never really like mine blowing onto it.

 

[stoma]

It took me about one minute and thirty seconds to pull this off of Google.
CPU All in one Water Cooling Kit Sub $100. I believe that there are several reviews out there that call this "good".

This should qualify for:

I'm looking for the lightest and Cheapest possible kit.

I guess I should have qualified myself before making statements (tough crowd)...my water cooling system cost about $500 which includes cpu/gpu/2x harddrive blocks/2x120 rad. I hand picked every component and built it myself. Now this may not be as spectacular as writing up my very own "How to Water Cool" arty...but please try a little research before calling people out.

If you spend more than 90 seconds I'm sure you can find even more items out there.

 

[stoma]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
$100 for watercooling won't get you anywhere really. I just spent a little over $400 on watercooling parts :Q Never thought I'd spend that much on a cooling system but I'm tired of air

I believe he asked what was the cheapest/lightest, not what is superior no matter the cost.

I was like you, I didn't think I'd spend anywhere near what I spent...but then I wasn't looking for cheap. $300-400 for a water cooling system is more than just good (not getting into peltiers) and prices have dropped since I've built my system close to 2 years ago.

I just recently upgraded my gpu block since I bought a new vid card. Video Card blocks are usually the most expensive block (well, full card like my 8800 DD). If you pay more than $100 for a cpu block then you are getting ripped off...there are plenty of blocks for substantially less.

If there's a choice between air cooling for $100 or water cooling for $100, I think I'd go with h20 (as long as it doesn't leak like a sieve).

 

[SparkyJJO]

Good air is better than poor water, and Tt water is no exception.

 

[nealh]

Originally posted by: stoma
It took me about one minute and thirty seconds to pull this off of Google.
CPU All in one Water Cooling Kit Sub $100. I believe that there are several reviews out there that call this "good".

This should qualify for:

I'm looking for the lightest and Cheapest possible kit.

I guess I should have qualified myself before making statements (tough crowd)...my water cooling system cost about $500 which includes cpu/gpu/2x harddrive blocks/2x120 rad. I hand picked every component and built it myself. Now this may not be as spectacular as writing up my very own "How to Water Cool" arty...but please try a little research before calling people out.

If you spend more than 90 seconds I'm sure you can find even more items out there.

But you did the research you know not to ever recommend the garbage Thermaltake is selling with the BigWater kit....

How could you even post a link ..says I know he asked for cheap..but you may as well throw the money away

The biggest issue IMHO on WCing is it is addictive....
I love my setup ..fully internal in a P180 not and easy feat...but I got a great deal on a PA120.3...$100 so now I need to buy a case for my new radiator..and might as well get a new cpu block..yes a DTEK Fuzion(not Apogee GTX for me..dont like the idea of that much mobo bowing)

 

[stoma]

Originally posted by: nealh
But you did the research you know not to ever recommend the garbage Thermaltake is selling with the BigWater kit....

How could you even post a link ..says I know he asked for cheap..but you may as well throw the money away

The biggest issue IMHO on WCing is it is addictive....
I love my setup ..fully internal in a P180 not and easy feat...but I got a great deal on a PA120.3...$100 so now I need to buy a case for my new radiator..and might as well get a new cpu block..yes a DTEK Fuzion(not Apogee GTX for me..dont like the idea of that much mobo bowing)

I just read three different reviews from respectable sites and they all said this unit was "good".

I haven't personally used it so I can't say it isn't worth a damn, so that's when I look at people who have actually used/review it. I never judge a brand name systematically, there are always good and bad products from EVERY brand.

So if you have used this specific kit, then your feedback is appreciated to all who read here, however, if you have NOT used this SPECIFIC kit then please don't stereotype because of previous lack of achievements by a brand.

In my opinion, if three sites say its good and it's this cheap $60 and this is what someone wants to get into water cooling, then I say have at it. Which is why I suggested it.

You are correct in one thing, water cooling is addictive. People have to start somewhere...some at the very basics others (like me) have an all out push at it.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: stoma

Originally posted by: nealh
But you did the research you know not to ever recommend the garbage Thermaltake is selling with the BigWater kit....

How could you even post a link ..says I know he asked for cheap..but you may as well throw the money away

The biggest issue IMHO on WCing is it is addictive....
I love my setup ..fully internal in a P180 not and easy feat...but I got a great deal on a PA120.3...$100 so now I need to buy a case for my new radiator..and might as well get a new cpu block..yes a DTEK Fuzion(not Apogee GTX for me..dont like the idea of that much mobo bowing)

I just read three different reviews from respectable sites and they all said this unit was "good".

I haven't personally used it so I can't say it isn't worth a damn, so that's when I look at people who have actually used/review it. I never judge a brand name systematically, there are always good and bad products from EVERY brand.

So if you have used this specific kit, then your feedback is appreciated to all who read here, however, if you have NOT used this SPECIFIC kit then please don't stereotype because of previous lack of achievements by a brand.

In my opinion, if three sites say its good and it's this cheap $60 and this is what someone wants to get into water cooling, then I say have at it. Which is why I suggested it.

You are correct in one thing, water cooling is addictive. People have to start somewhere...some at the very basics others (like me) have an all out push at it.

That setup is absolute CRAP. Its not even worth starting on. You'll just get depressed at your lousy temps and then curse water when something goes wrong.

http://www.svc.com/ultra-120-extreme.html

Much better solution IMO.


I cant stress how many times i have to say this. AVOID THERMALTAKE, KOOLANCE, XSPC, ZALMAN, water kits. Their just NOT worth it. Infact, all of these kits mentioned will cause problems when you try to get smart and tweek it.

And i hate to keep telling you that this is a very poor choice, but it is. Dont even look/consider water unless your prepared to start it right. If you want to try it, then go ahead. But keep your statements like my air HSF did just the same as my Water kit.

Because your waterkit isnt a real waterkit. Its junk.

 

[stoma]

I can only restate my previous post, I can only recommend it because every site I read a review on said it was a good cooler. I think that your blanket statement about those brands is wrong.

I understand what you are trying to say about not doing things half assed, but if you don't have the money yet and you want to get into watercooling then I believe this is your solution. And you are right you can't mod this starter kit, but for $70 who cares. Learn from it, rid yourself of fears and move on up later.

Not everyone can do what you and I have done.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: stoma
I can only restate my previous post, I can only recommend it because every site I read a review on said it was a good cooler. I think that your blanket statement about those brands is wrong.

I understand what you are trying to say about not doing things half assed, but if you don't have the money yet and you want to get into watercooling then I believe this is your solution. And you are right you can't mod this starter kit, but for $70 who cares. Learn from it, rid yourself of fears and move on up later.

Not everyone can do what you and I have done.

Thats the whole point. There isnt anything you learn from it. Instead it can lead you to get very bitter at the thought of doing it again.

Example:
Thermaltake and Zalman are known for massive pump failures.
Lucky enough most people have thermal shutdown of their processor if such an event should occur.

However, in the unlucky event your processor doesnt shut down, what is the result? something very very bad. Cpu will overheat to a point where it will cook your chip. That in turn will lead to a dead chip. Whats to blame? My water solution.

Sure this scenario can happen to even high priced water systems. However, the chances of it occuring is very slim, if you pick the right parts, compared to the thermaltake and zalman.

Also, whats wrong with that 100 dollar kit? I decided to take my time to write out the many flaws it has on the concept of h2o cooling:

1. Highly restrictive. The tube diameter is extremely small.
2. Extremely weak pump. That pump is incorporated onto the cpu block. That woulld also lead to the pump heat consistantly being added ontop of the water block temp. Not very smart.
3. The radiator is extremely flawed in design. Its much too small to cool a modern processor. The reviews you were reading are from people who wanted the bling factor. Give them a ultra120, i promise, they wont go back.


This is why i cant stress enough that its important to start water correct. If you dont have the funds, or means to start it properly, then DONT attempt it. You'll save a lot of headaches, and money.

However if done correctly, you'll seriously be amazed at its power.

 

[PuffDaMagicSamus]

If you're gonna go cheap on a watercooling kit you are wasting your money. You might as well get a good air cooler instead, because they can outperform cheap watercooling kits.

If you're gonna go WC you should not buy an already put together kit. You should order a pump, resevoir/t-line, radiator, and waterblocks seperately. You will save a little bit of money and you get much better results. I spent about $225 total on my setup and it works amazingly well.

 

[FireChicken]

Just been reading this thread and I might be interesting in water cooling. My box sounds like a jet plane right now.

What are some good kits for beginner watercoolers that will cool cpu and vid card?
I'd be willing to spend $200-300

Internal would be best but external is fine also

Thanks

 

[FireChicken]

Nm looks like it might be one of the swiftech apex ultra kits