Downgrade Graphics Card or upgrade watercooling?

engstrom0304

engstrom0304

engstrom0304

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Joined
5 Apr 2008
Posts
1,526
Currently i have a 3870 x2 on air, and a Q6600 watercooled.

I am only watercooling my CPU.

I am using a single radiator at the moment, Alphacool NexXxos.
I am using a pretty rubbish waterblock that keeps my stock Q6600 at >50 load.

I have a Thermaltake Soprano Case http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-014-TT


I WANT TO WC MY CPU AND GPU, WHICH MAY BE A 4870 not a 3870 x2
and hope to mount a triple radiator like
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...name=Swiftech MCR320-QP Triple 120mm Radiator
OR
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...acool NexXxoS Xtreme lll Rev2 Triple Radiator
OR OTHER


Questions
1. Is it worth downgrading my 3870 x2 for a 4870 and spending the money on watercooling my whole system (meaning i can oc)
2. What would be the best parts to buy.
 
Not sure about the w/c setup but the 4870 is a more powerful card than your 3870x2 so it wouldn't be a downgrade. Not sure how much you would actually get now for it...I'd hazard a guess around £120 maybe.
 
i bet u see better performance if you get 4870 then your 3870x2 i say do that. as fast as u can as your 3870x2 will at fish & ships price soon. and treat your self with new cpu block
 
dont mean to hijack but would the newer cpu block actually make a bigger difference in the temps that hes getting? i thought the cpu block temp differences were really small - like a few degrees.
 
i guess thats true, i was getting the impression that it would be a higher difference so i just wanted to check :-)

i do think the 4870 would be a better gpu too. what res will you be using engstrom?
 
Not sure why the op isn;t overclocking the cpu anyway with his watercooling. My (good) custom watercooled system still gets to 65-70c at 3.8Ghz.

I'm pretty sure if you try it, you could get to well over 3Ghz with you cpu. You might hit the max overclock limit of the cpu before temps become an issue in which case a new cpu block would be a waste of money.

Very good custom watercooling is only a help to get the last Mhz from your cpu.

If I was you I would sell the 3870x2 and get a 4870 plus gpu block and ramsinks and get a double or triple rad.

My swiftech double rad keeps my 4870 below 40C and my q6600 at 3.4Ghz (24/7 use) below 60C
 
engstrom0304 said:
so give me an example of both gpu block and ram heatsinks
Click to expand...

Sorry I wasn't very helpful there, trying to work!

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...id=193&subcat=1035&name=EK VGA Acetal Supreme
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...&subcat=1035&name=Alphacool GP3-07B GFX Block

And there's the d-tek fuzion (which I have) which ocuk haven't got listed at the moment which is £30.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...me=Zalman ZM-RHS1 Silent VGA RAM Heatsink Kit
 
engstrom0304 said:
is this ok
Alphacool Eheim Station 1000 12V Pump
or would
Alphacool Eheim Station 600 12V Pump do the job
Click to expand...

Yes they would or any of these:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...t=1042&name=Laing DDC 1-T Pro 10W 12V DC Pump

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...=1042&name=Laing DDC 1+ Ultra 18W 12V DC Pump

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...me=Swiftech Laing D5 Vario MCP655 12V DC Pump (which I have)

Or the xspc pumps and reservoirs get some good reviews as well.
 
I currently have an XSPC dual bay 750 pump/reservoir, it is my first pump. I rma'd one for it failing, after being quiet noisy. I got the replacement and like the other it was very quiet when i first turned it on (after taking out of the box) but it went quite noisy and has been like that eveer since. It usually gets noisier too.

How loud should it be?? I am not using any anti-vibration precautions. But i dont know if it is a vibration problem.
 
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