It's so difficult to choose :/
Quick lesson: AIO coolers are not all CLC. CLC are a sub-group of what was originally named and patented as LCLC for Low Cost Liquid Cooler .. and they live up to their name of being low cost .. to the point being almost junk. CLCs are all aluminium radiator with pumps only marginally able to flow enough coolant to keep CPU cool. They are factory sealed disposable systems .. anything but a fan fails and entire system must be replaced.
Because radiators are not good they need high airflow fans, and high airflow fans are noisy even if they are expensive fans.
The pumps being so low flow to start with means as they wear and flow rate drops they can't flow enough coolant though the block to keep CPU cool.
We have seen many many pump failures with some leaking and damaging things. While leaking is not common, pump wear and failure is.
Another problem is no provision for topping up the coolant. These liquid coolers are same principle as cars coolant systems, and occasionally they need coolant topped up, even if there are no leaks, the plastic and rubber loose some coolant .. some electrons / neutrons escape.
Back to the AIO / CLC types;
Some AIOs (like Swiftech Hxxx X & Hxxx X2; and EK Predator series are actually component much better quality components that can be replaced if needed. Higher flow rate pumps, copper radiators, better hoses, better fans, etc. These AIOs are expanded with more components added, like a GPU block and extra radiator. But they do cost more.
But now we have a new group emerging .. These have better pumps that flow more coolant, copper radiators, better fans and have fill plugs to add coolant! .. and best of all they are only marginally more money than normal CLCs. be quiet! Silent Loop is one of these. Some of the others in this group claim to be expandable, but these pumps really don't have the abilty to move coolant against more resistance.
