recommendations for 360mm aio

Slam · 30 May 2019 at 20:14

Hi all
what are the current recommendations for a 360mm aio with some LED goodness?

Are the Thermaltake ones any good?
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/thermaltake-water-3.0-riing-rgb-360-aio-cooler-360-mm-hs-048-tt.html
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ther...on-all-in-one-cpu-cooler-360mm-hs-04g-tt.html

These are to cool an i7 4790k @ 4.4Ghz

MikeTimbers · 31 May 2019 at 15:21

recent tests suggest that a high-end Noctua (for example) will be as good as an AIO. as efficient and as quiet.

If you want an AIO, they are all very similar. get one with a decent length of tubing so you can reach anywhere in your case with the radiator without kinking or stretching the tubes. Look to see what kind of fans are included - good and quiet, loud but pretty. Does the RGB cabling fit your system's RGB headers.

Slam · 1 Jun 2019 at 00:26

Thanks for the reply.

The reason I want to try an aio is that I've just upgraded my gpu to one that uses the rear CPU exhaust fan for it's 120mm radiator. Current setup means that the CPU cooler is blowing it's heated air into the GPU radiator.

Temps are okay but I assume would be better if CPU heat was taken up out of the case with a top mounted radiator.

MikeTimbers · 2 Jun 2019 at 23:13

Maybe a tiny bit hotter on the GPU but not massively. Can you re-align your CPU heatsink to point upwards?

ubiquity · 4 Jun 2019 at 00:59

How about Alphacool? I ordered a LT360 after seeing the temps plummet in a friend new build... It is also extendable for an AIO which is nice - https://www.overclockers.co.uk/alph...u-aio-water-cooling-unit-360mm-hs-006-ac.html

ubiquity · 4 Jun 2019 at 01:00

Or the slightly larger version is on special at present - https://www.overclockers.co.uk/alph...u-aio-water-cooling-unit-black-hs-009-ac.html

ninezerofive · 4 Jun 2019 at 01:03

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ek-w...watercooling-kit-3830046996244-wc-9m5-ek.html

This is on sale now. It's not cheap but in long term it will be a lot better than any AIO. They start to leak, pumps die, water evaporates etc.

ubiquity · 4 Jun 2019 at 18:13

Even AIOs that are extendable, such as the Alphacools? Can top this back up, replace the pump, and extend as required. Lower starting cost with the ability to extend over time to the system you need... (I am slightly biased after purchasing this, but did look at the EK kits as an option)

Grim5 · 6 Jun 2019 at 04:19

MikeTimbers said:
recent tests suggest that a high-end Noctua (for example) will be as good as an AIO. as efficient and as quiet.

The noctua is probably quieter as you don't have any pump motor sounds. However it's an eyesore to look at.
A 360mm AIO is probably overkill for a 4790k, especially at only 4.4ghz - those old quads were pretty easy to cool with cheap coolers IIRC

Ross Thomson · 6 Jun 2019 at 08:42

wouldn't buy any of the current AIO's. Far too expensive.

You don't mention what you are currently using?

Slam · 6 Jun 2019 at 11:37

I'm currently using a Noctua U12S because I've always disliked the look of the big block air coolers
(https://noctua.at/en/nh-u12s.html)

I could rotate it 90 degrees so that it blows up to the top mounted fans. Only thing is that the CPU fan will be drawing from air directly above the GPU.

An EK unit would be amazing I'm sure but it's out of my budget at the moment.

CPU peak temp was 77c with Fury Nitro card, it dropped to 67c with the 1080ti SC Hybrid. I guess it's because the GPU isn't simply dumping all the heat into the case.

Ross Thomson · 6 Jun 2019 at 14:10

temps are totally fine - wouldn't bother wasting any money. If you want one then go for a 240 and find a cheap one OC are not the cheapest for AIO's I have a cryorig A40 ultimate cooling my ryzen 1700 (with arctic P12 fans)

ubiquity · 8 Jun 2019 at 13:07

Now using a LT360 on my 4690K. Yes, it is overkill, but can extend the loop to include GPU as well...

Far better than sealed-loop AIO, and the temps are super low...

Ross Thomson · 9 Jun 2019 at 17:37

far better, really?

ubiquity · 11 Jun 2019 at 12:19

The testing is not entirely fair as the layout is different and sides are off the case, as well as the fact the H100i is old and had not been repasted in 18 months, but seeing up to a 30 degreee difference on the CPU under full load... so yes, I would categorise that as 'far better'

8 Pack · 11 Jun 2019 at 12:59

Asetek Techlabs.....

Ross Thomson · 13 Jun 2019 at 09:19

ubiquity said:
The testing is not entirely fair as the layout is different and sides are off the case, as well as the fact the H100i is old and had not been repasted in 18 months, but seeing up to a 30 degreee difference on the CPU under full load... so yes, I would categorise that as 'far better'

I would suggest 30C better points to an issue with the H100i rather than the LT360 being "far better". Also a 360 rad is generally going to cool better than a 240.