I'm building a workstation at work. It will be overclocked and run under 100% stress for many hours at the time. This is the hardware:
mainboard: asus rampage V extreme x99
processor: i7 5960x
RAM: 64GB
GPU: 2x Nvidia 980GTX directCU II (if to mutch heat, only one.)
PSU: AX1200i
Case: Corsair obsidian 750D or 900D
Processor cooler: H110i and replace the fans with noctua fans
What would you do to make this as cool as possible?
The H110i cooler may be adequate for limited overclocking, but I would favor a more ambitious solution. For instance, take a look at Maximum PC Magazine's "Dream Machine for 2013." It uses the 900D case. It deploys a Sandy Bridge "X" processor, thermally similar as a hex-core predecessor to the 5960X.
I haven't "done" water-cooling before, but I plan to build a Haswell-E system in the next year. Among my case options: the 900D. But my plans call for leaving the graphics card(s) with their stock air-cooled options. And -- I was looking at the ASUS "STrix" 980 card as an option.
My own plan [tentatively] calls for two radiators and two D5 pumps in series, in a loop that only includes the CPU waterblock. You could, of course, include the gfx card(s) in your loop, or use a double loop. With these newer graphics cards, I don't think it would be necessary for my own project. That could change, but -- your project or mine -- it would add some complexity and expense.
Someone else may differ or offer different advice, and I'll be interested in what they say -- for my own plans.
Question: "No experience water-cooling . . . upon what do you base your judgment(s)?"
Answer: The stock thermal design power (TDP) of all the Haswell E's is 140W, and overclocking them will surely bring the thermal dissipation to a level above 200W. You'll only get so far with an AiO cooler like the H110i.
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