How do currant air coolers compare to water cooling

2013

2013

2013

Soldato
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How do current air coolers compare to water cooling

I was just wondering about this but ive not found any comparison online
How do current air coolers compare to water cooling ??

Does anyone have a comparison ?
 
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Air cooling vs AIO isn't much if anything in it but if you go custom loop then plenty can be gained. NH-D15 vs a 240/280 AIO is close and I prefer knowing the D15 can't leak and is quieter.
 
Doogles said:
Air cooling vs AIO isn't much if anything in it but if you go custom loop then plenty can be gained. NH-D15 vs a 240/280 AIO is close and I prefer knowing the D15 can't leak and is quieter.
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Thanks, thats what i was wondering about, I have a custom tri rad loop at the moment but i only cool the CPU. Im always thinking about leaks, fluid, pressure and kinks.

for that reason I was thinking what would be the best option for my next upgrade, ive never water cooled anything other then the cpu and its not likely i will start now.
 
There are many air coolers as good and a few a little better then D15 .. and they all do as good a job of cooling as CLCs, usually at much lower noise levels and lower prices too. CLCs are built very cheaply and pump failures are common. When pump fails there is no cooling so system is unusable until CLC is removed and replaced. With air cooler the only thing that can fail is the fan, and if fan goes there is still some cooling .. with any fan doing the job until suitable replacement is in hand. A fan is much lower cost than a complete CLC replacement. ;)
 
2013 said:
Which is the best one at the moment ?

Noctua NH-D14 ?
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D14 has been superseded by the D15. As doyll says there are some air coolers better than the D15, though I do not know which these are so you'll have to check the reviews or ask doyll.
 
There are a few that are very close or even might be slightly better, If it wasnt for the fact I bought my noctua ages ago I fancied a cryorig like my housemate has.

But very good air coolers all perform very close within each other. It really comes to budget and looks primarily.
 
GoRedwings19 said:
There are a few that are very close or even might be slightly better, If it wasnt for the fact I bought my noctua ages ago I fancied a cryorig like my housemate has.

But very good air coolers all perform very close within each other. It really comes to budget and looks primarily.
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Not bad, never heard of the brand but the tests look good.

After looking at some of these i remembered why i wanted water cooling in the first place, Most of these are massive, I want to be able to see and get to my other components also, not just see a heatsink towering over my motherboard.

Maybe something good looking also.
would any air cooler come in the bracket or would i be better with a H80 or H100 ?
 
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2013 said:
Not bad, never heard of the brand but the tests look good.

After looking at some of these i remembered why i wanted water cooling in the first place, Most of these are massive, I want to be able to see and get to my other components also, not just see a heatsink towering over my motherboard.

Maybe something good looking also.
would any air cooler come in the bracket or would i be better with a H80 or H100 ?
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Basically you have three choices, unless you to even higher prices with AIO.
  • Noise, higher prices and good chance of eventual pump failure with CLC
  • Quiet, lower costs, extremely dependable but bigger mass over motherboard.
  • AIO like Swiftech H240/280 X2 or EK Predator at more than twice the price of air.
Only other option is something like be quiet! Silent Loop 240 or 280. I have tried several CLCs testing and couldn't get them off and gone fast enough, but have been using Silent Loop 280 for 2 months and like it a lot. It's cool and quiet, has copper radiator instead of cheap dense finned aluminium requireing high airflow, a decent pump, a fil plug, proper fittings and piping, and it's price is between CLC and AIO coolers.

Most builds, especially with air coolers can gain lower temps with better case airflow management than from which cooler is used. It is not uncommon for case air temp into cooler to be 10-20c above room when system is workiing hard, and with a little work this can be 3-6c.
Setting up Case for Optimum Cooling
Georges%20data%20w%20all%20coolers_zpscmcly46l.png


Here is some info on coolers. Sorry it's a few years old and there are several newer models out. All of these are within 3-5c of each other at extreme heat/overclock loads
Cooler%20Size%20amp%20Clearance%20Database%20grn_zps1sbfannt.png~original
 
H7 is a good little cooler, but if it's for your 8320 I'm guess it will be just be able to keep it cool and the fan would be running full speed. I prefer the bigger ones. Bigger coolers are not only about better temps because that is often not needed. But bigger is also about quieter cooling because the bigger fin area and more heatpipe transfer from base means less airflow speed needed, so less fan speed .. meaning less noise.

Edit: Just a few sizes for comparisons
H7 is 145x120x70.4mm (HxWxD plus fan) with 3x heatpipes.
H5 is 160x143x84.4mm (HxWxD plus fan) with 4x heatpipes
TRUE Spirit 140 rev.A is 165x155x53.4mm with 6x heatpipes
NH-D14 is 160x140x134mm (2x 51mm deep finpacks) with 6x heatpipes.
NH-U14S is 165x150x52mm with 6x heatpipes.
Difference between D14 and U14S is only a couple of degrees.

Easiest way to remember which way fans blow is open side is intake, frame holding motor side is exhaust. I don't remember ever seeing a fan that was not built this way. ;)
 
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doyll said:
H7 is a good little cooler, but if it's for your 8320 I'm guess it will be just be able to keep it cool and the fan would be running full speed. I prefer the bigger ones. Bigger coolers are not only about better temps because that is often not needed. But bigger is also about quieter cooling because the bigger fin area and more heatpipe transfer from base means less airflow speed needed, so less fan speed .. meaning less noise.

Edit: Just a few sizes for comparisons
H7 is 145x120x70.4mm (HxWxD plus fan) with 3x heatpipes.
H5 is 160x143x84.4mm (HxWxD plus fan) with 4x heatpipes
TRUE Spirit 140 rev.A is 165x155x53.4mm with 6x heatpipes
NH-D14 is 160x140x134mm (2x 51mm deep finpacks) with 6x heatpipes.
NH-U14S is 165x150x52mm with 6x heatpipes.
Difference between D14 and U14S is only a couple of degrees.

Easiest way to remember which way fans blow is open side is intake, frame holding motor side is exhaust. I don't remember ever seeing a fan that was not built this way. ;)
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Could you give me a few options that wont break the bank.
 
It seems to me, air coolers rule in the £20 to £50 price bracket, after which you need a twin fan wc rad, unless you are Happy with the noise of a single fan wc rad.
 
mattyfez said:
It seems to me, air coolers rule in the £20 to £50 price bracket, after which you need a twin fan wc rad, unless you are Happy with the noise of a single fan wc rad.
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You are blowing smoke with no fire to support it.
£20 coolers are almost all junk while £50-70 air coolers are at least as good as £70-110 CLCs and quieter doing it.
 
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doyll said:
Pretty much all of the above are same or less than price of CLC, so I guess you need to put a monetary value on 'won't break the bank'. :D
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So any of the above should be fine ?

what about the
Cryorig r1 and the phanteks what do you think of them ??
 
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