Watercooling

[fastamdman]

I am ready to take a dip, into water cooling. I just built a z390, 9900k, rtx 2080 system as my older 8700k, gtx 1080 setup was showing its age. I currently have the NZXT Kraken x61 (older model). I am either interested in going with a custom loop or going with a better AIO. I would like to cool both the cpu and gpu, but at minimum I would like to start with the CPU.

For my case, I am using the Corsair Obsidian 900D. I can fit A LOT in this case.

I don't have a budget, but I don't waste money either. I would prefer to buy the best price to performance options or the flat out "best" solutions out there. If you have any recommendations, please let me know

 

[EXCellR8]

Custom is typically best but requires a bit more patience, if that's possible. AIO for CPU only.

If you're looking to save a bit of money, you could do flexible piping and with clamps but hard tubing typically looks a bit nicer. Definitely go with a Laing D5 pump though as they are quite reliable.

 

[fastamdman]

I've worked with a lot of different AIO's in the passed, corsair, nzxt, evga etc. I would like to either get a really nice 360 aio or a custom loop. I will be going with soft tubing either way as it's my first custom loop, later on I will do hard lines. I am more so looking for the best components for my setup. Luckily my case can fit several radiators, top, front, and 2 bottom radiators. So I have plenty of room for potential cooling. I was looking at EK's website as they make recommendations, but they are only recommending like a single 420 rad which I don't know if that will be enough for an overclocked 9900k. I was really lucky with my sample and want to push the voltage pretty far on it for a really high overclock. Between that and the hot rtx 2080 cards, I would think I would need more than one radiator.

Another thing that really interests me, especially at the price, is the EK Phoenix "custom aio's" as I call them. It's so easy to add another radiator and I like the idea of the quick connect fittings and it's already pre filled with fluid. But I don't know how well they cool and I am not finding to many reviews on them.

Let me know your opinions and feel free to toss me some links and I will start adding it all to the cart

 

[EXCellR8]

If you're going to cool both the CPU and GPU than definitely go with a 360 or 420 radiator if you have the space. EK and XSPC make some of the best radiators out there and have different profiles if you get tight on space. You can also break it up with a pair of daisy-chained 240 or 280 radiators and just run the tubing between them. That will essentially give you near equal effective cooling as a single 3 or 4 fan radiator. Since you have the flexibility, you can't really go wrong either way. You could also set it up so that one radiator is intake and one is exhaust.

I really like the Primochill LRT soft tubing because it's both super easy to work with and looks great in the available colors, if you're looking for some pop. I like to use 3/8 ID, 5/8" OD tubing but that's up to you. I've used 1/2" ID tubing before but it's a bit harder to route through the case and doesn't provide that much benefit over the 3/8" ID tubing.

Also, get a tube res and make it easy for yourself to fill and drain the loop.

 

[fastamdman]

I really like the idea of the EK MLC Phoenix, especially with it on sale. However, I don't see a rtx 2080 block available for it. Anyone else having this issue? It might just be that the video card is so new, and limited ish, that they haven't designed one yet. Even on EK's website when I go to configure something, I see my cpu/gpu/ram, but when it comes time to pick parts it only asks if I want to cool my CPU or Ram. I am not going to cool my ram, but I would love to cool the 2080 and 9900k.

Which brings me to my next thought. What I am leaning towards is the following for the cpu.

EK-CoolStream CE 420 (Triple) 100.00
EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 RGB PWM (incl. sl. pump) 180.00
EK-Supremacy EVO - Nickel 64.00

Obviously I have some fans, tubing, jumper yada yada that comes out to about 500 dollars. Let me know your thoughts on those parts. Unfortunately, that is JUST for the cpu, as I can't find a gpu block currently.

 

[EXCellR8]

EK does make one for the 2080: VECTOR Water block just no quick connect fittings unless those are sold separate. Don't let that hold you up though; just buy regular fittings--it's not like they are that much more difficult to work with...

Performance PC's, along with some select vendors on Amazon, is my go-to for niche parts now that Frozen CPU is long gone.

 

[fastamdman]

What are your thoughts on the above parts I suggested?

 

[aigomorla]

I don't have a budget, but I don't waste money either. I would prefer to buy the best price to performance options or the flat out "best" solutions out there. If you have any recommendations, please let me know

1. You dont watercool unless you have the budget, and are willing to heavily compromise on inflating that budget after you see something more blinger you want.

2. The GPU waterblock, while being the best component in a Custom LCS, is also the biggest waste as under most conditions can only be installed on 1 card without drastic modifications with a dremel.

3. This is watercooling... there is no such thing as best price to performance ratio you are talking about.
This is not AMD and Ryzen. Custom Liquid Cooling is like getting a exotic sports car, you do not walk into a MCLaren Dealarship and tell the sales rep, i am interested in fuel consumption as well as something for the IRS not to Audit me when i try to write it off as a business expense.

What are your thoughts on the above parts I suggested?

I like eK stuff.
They make nice stuff.
They make Quality Stuff.
However they make EXPENSIVE stuff for what its ranked at.

For Radiators.

NeXXXoS UT60
https://www.amazon.com/Alphacool-Ne...d=1543339682&sr=8-4-fkmr0&keywords=nexxxos+up

Its all copper.
It has a lot of port options.
It is 120mm which i prefer more then 140mm because of fan selection.
120mm fans are straight up better then 140mm fans when you need static to cool something and not circulate raw air at low noise.

Waterblock:
Honestly i cant stress this enough, get whatever you think looks the nicests, and dont worry too much on performance.
I think there are better looking blocks then a EVO.
I personally like this guy:
https://www.amazon.com/Aquacomputer..._rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=Z0PCDFSV1K45BETVFCME

I heard it has some problems with the OLED screen tho.
But i think it looks the nicest, probably doesnt perform as great as a EVO, but will get close within a couple of C's in which then i wouldnt mind the couple of C's over that OLED screen.


That res combo is a great combo, but very pricey again.
Barrow and XSPC make great alternatives.
Barrow might have a few units which uses fake D5's.
You can spot a fake D5 vs a real one by the impeller housing.
It should be all metal, and not plastic, and it will say Liang and not Lorwa.

 

[fastamdman]

When I was saying I wasn't worried about budget, I meant that I'm not going to drop a thousand dollars to cool just the cpu and gpu. But if I need to drop 500 dollars or more for a nice setup I am more than happy to. I appreciate your input. With the price to performance comment I was more so saying that I don't want to be frivolous and buy 4 radiators and 20 fans as it probably wouldn't lower temps to much more over say a 480 and a 360 setup.

Something that I just saw was this kit.
https://www.amazon.com/EKWB-Complet...=UTF8&qid=1543340940&sr=8-2&keywords=ekwb+kit

Unfortunately it's only a 360mm radiator instead of a 480 like I was going to go with, however I can always grab a second radiator and toss it in the loop. What are your thoughts on a kit like this? Since it already comes with fans, that saves roughly 60 bucks alone in my eyes which is a "good deal" ish.

 

[aigomorla]

kits to me are a sham.
If you ask enough for someone to double check cart, you can get away with better then kits, because your not locked to 1 vendor.