AIO recommendations for 5950x

gsf600y · 14 Nov 2020 at 11:06

So, just bought a 5950x which will hopefully arrive next week.
Need to get myself an AIO cooler for it. Never had one before, so looking for recommendations.

I have no plans to overclock. Don't mind spending money for a decent one.
It'll be going into a Phanteks Enthoo Luxe case, which the specs say:
120mm radiator mounts: up to 240mm front, up to 360mm roof, 120mm rear, up to 240mm bottom
140mm radiator mounts: up to 420mm roof, 140mm rear, 140mm bottom

http://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/35-300x293.jpg

http://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/37-300x278.jpg

http://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/32-300x292.jpg

I'd be interested to know what AIO coolers people recommend, and also, where would be best to position the radiator.

I'm wondering if I'll need to remove the large front fan there, and the tall side panel?
Would a 360mm radiator be needed for a 5950x? If so, I wonder I could modify the front to accept a 360mm somehow by drilling holes, although the grill on the front of the case is only 240mm.

Also, the top is far more open than the front:

http://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/23-155x300.jpg
So perhaps top mounting would be better?

EDIT: should also mention, I've got an Asus Crosshair VIII Hero, so an AIO that could potentially hook up to/sync with that RGB solution would be good.
Any advice appreciated!!
Thanks

gsf600y · 14 Nov 2020 at 12:15

Thanks, having a read of that link now.
Not sure why images not displaying...put links there now too.

"block any openings not covered by intake fans so air they push into case cannot loop around "
Do you mean block any openings on the front, not covered by fans, to stop the fans immediately blowing air back out again?

gsf600y · 14 Nov 2020 at 20:05

Thanks for replies all!

Arctic Liquid Freezer 2 looks good.

Surprised to hear some 280's out perform their 360's brothers though - I can't quite understand how that works. Maybe there's some other variation the manufactures are doing on the pump or something. How can more water spread over more radiator surface NOT get cooler?

Going back to the ALF2, this Gamers Nexus review seems to show the 360 out performing the 280:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPLWlkHPlyo
I'm just wondering, would a 420 be better still than a 360? Is there such a thing as too big a radiator?

Lack of RGB not a real issue....not quite sure if I'm sold on the RGB or not yet, so it might all end up getting turned off

gsf600y · 14 Nov 2020 at 20:53

Did you mean 120mm fans are more efficient?

gsf600y · 14 Nov 2020 at 22:32

So, if the radiator is at the top of the case, do the fans sit above the radiator, pulling air up and through the radiator, or do they sit below?
Just looking in my case, I think the fans above the radiator would fit better than below.

gsf600y · 14 Nov 2020 at 23:19

Cenuij said:
Take the Arctic P14 vs P12, the P14 pushes 25% more air (73 CFM) than the P12 (56 CFM)

Interesting. So I guess comparing...
2x73=146 (280)
3x56=168 (360)
...the 360 had 15% more CFM, which isn't a massive amount more. Although, I can fit a 360 in the case OK.

3x73=219 (420)
...the 420 has 50% more CFM compared to the 280 (wait, that's obvious as it's 1 more fan than the 280

), although I don't think I can fit a 420 in the case with 3 fans underneath the rad, but I could with 3 on top pulling air up and out.

gsf600y · 15 Nov 2020 at 07:28

hyperseven said:
Isn't the Arctic liquid freezer II 420 due out soon?

It's available now ** No Competitors **, and £110 pre order here.
But I think I can only fit a 420 with 3 fans above, pulling. Could possibly fit 2 below pushing as well. Basically the void where the fans go in the case can just fit 3 140 fans, but not the slightly longer radiator.

Doug2507 said:
Yoi can use the biggest rad you can fit, as many of them as you want, all that does is slow down the time to get to ambient temp...

Not sure I follow this. The AIO testing videos I've watched seem to show bigger radiators keep the CPU at a lower temperature. Surely the more radiator that the water passes through the lower the water temperature drops before returning to the CPU?

gsf600y · 15 Nov 2020 at 11:48

I stripped out some panels inside this morning.
I think a 420 rad would actually fit. A little tight up against the cables on the right, but will probably go.

The fans may fit underneath too, although it would be tight depending on how the motherboard is (wont know until it arrives).
The heatsink at the top looks like it might collide with fans underneath the rad.
The thickness of rad+fans definitely overlaps the top of the motherboard by about 5mm (current motherboard). If the motherboard was 5mm lower in the case, it would fit.

gsf600y · 18 Nov 2020 at 19:48

So, the 420mm Arctic Liquid Freezer II arrived.....turns out it does fit inside the Enthoo Luxe case

Phew.
I think I'll even squeeze 2 or 3 fans pushing air through and out as well - currently got the 3 above pulling through and out.

[Note, that's still the old motherboard and heatsink. Not had chance to put new MB and 5950x in - awaiting RAM and thermal paste.
The pump is just in mid-air currently.]

Fans seem good - certainly can't hear them over the other fans.

Thanks for advice all.

gsf600y · 20 Nov 2020 at 07:19

Joxeon said:
I believe the cable that runs down the sleeve is just like an extention cable and that the fans just have a short cable that plugs into this so swapping the fans shouldn't be an issue.

Yep, correct. You can easily replace.

The PST fan daisy chaining though is a great idea. Up to 5 fans, just 1 cable effectively.

gsf600y · 20 Nov 2020 at 11:06

Yep, my mobo has an AIO_PUMP header, so should be fine.

gsf600y · 20 Nov 2020 at 13:23

Ah, thanks for the tip. That would have confused me for a bit

gsf600y · 21 Nov 2020 at 15:21

Finally got the new gear built. 5950x + Asus Crossfire VIII Hero.

So, plugging the Arctic into the AIO_PUMP header is not a great idea it turns out. The pump fan, AND all 3 rad fans run at 100%, all the time.
Ideally, I'd plug the pump back into AIO_PUMP, but I can't split the fans onto the CPU_FAN header yet, as I'll need a new extension cable I think.

I've now plugged it all into the CPU_FAN header instead, so I can apply a fan profile. Much quieter.

Temps about 32 on idle. Went up to about 60 whilst gaming.

gsf600y · 12 Apr 2021 at 09:23

Interesting.

I've only got 3 fans pulling, and none pulling - had no issue fitting and didn't have to force anything in.
I don't know if we've got different versions of the Enthoo Luxe (I think there might have been a later revision), but I didn't have to unscrew the top panel to fit mine. Radiator I put in from below, and fans all dropped in from above.

Mine has been working absolutely brilliantly. Temps sat about 30 degrees when idle.
I did think I'd be able to connect another 2 fans underneath the rad, pushing, but haven't needed to.

Edit:

Looking at the photo I took before (with old motherboard), I think there's room for 2 fans underneath. I'll check the new motherboard though....
Edit 2: Yeah....it would be tight.... I measured 25mm between motherboard edge, and bottom of rad. And the Phanteks 120mm fans are 25mm. Where the 4-pin connector is, like you say the clip sticks out from the top of the motherboard, so no chance fitting a 25mm fan at that end.
I don't know if there are any slimmer fans out there.

gsf600y · 12 Apr 2021 at 11:07

Ah, yes, I see - yeah, I'd stripped out the upper drive cage already. I'd forgot that.

Yeah might be worth cutting that clip off - those cables tend to be reasonably snug/tight fit, so I doubt they'd fall out accidentally.
Probably better than having any pressure applied to the connector on the motherboard....last thing you want is those solder joints failing/breaking or something.

Either that or remove the push fan nearest the back of the case. You might find it makes little to no difference to temps.