Always torn on whether to go water or stick with air.

[Monkeyboysteve]

I have a noctua d15 and i love the performance, but it looks so damned uglya and takes up such a huge chunk of my case. (and my case it big) Always tempted to go with an AIO but then my brain panics and tells me water and electronics and water shouldnt mix.

Would love to go custom loop, but that costs so damned much. been having this dilemma ffor years now and it never changes lol. Anyone else still rocking air?

 

[Monkeyboysteve]

Yup.

Personally, I would only ever do air. I can see the point of custom water but AIOs, nah.

Yeah, I priced up a custom loop on EKWB, it cist almost as much as my whole rig to cool the cpu and gpu. :/

 

[Monkeyboysteve]

The Noctua NH-D15 is great cooler, no point swapping that out. If you don't like the look, swap the original fans to Noctua NF-A15 PWM Chromax Premium Grade Fan - 140mm.

There are even these totally superfluous covers that can be purchased to change the look further:
Noctua NA-HC4 Chromax Cooler Cover - Black
Noctua NA-HC4 Chromax Cooler Cover - White
Just a couple of examples.

It's more just the size, the clips for the fans actually rest on the backplate of my gpu. If I need to remove anything i'm a bit stuffed lol, can;t reach the PCIE retention clip, and cant remove the fans as the clips are so tight against the backplate.

I love the performance and the silence, it's literally just the size of it.

 

[Monkeyboysteve]

Using the Dark Rock Pro 4, my solution to remove the GPU was to use a pencil, the classic yellow with the rubber at the end. Spot on. Some coolers, not sure about yours, allows to be installed on different orientation, not just left to right airflow, but actually horizontal to vertical change, That would allow some room. But even if you can, I guess that you'll end up with even less space.

It wont work on mine I dont think, even if it did, it would literally just suck all the air from my hot backplate as the fan would be touching it and have no room for air.
I dont even think I can fit a pencil down there because the middle fan is in the way. I really wish they would change the way these clips work, with modern GPUS its impossile to reach them without a tool if using air.

 

[Monkeyboysteve]

My basic opinion is that a machine used for work should be reliable and safe. But custom water is interesting, fun to work on and satisfying technically.

So I see custom water as part of the fun of building PCs - let's face it, it's an expensive hobby either way. So I may as well go for more expense and enjoy it more. But I wouldn't put water in a computer at work, or something I needed to be available 24/7 without downtime. Hence I don't see the point of AIOs when air coolers are so good now and more reliable. Water = hobby, air = functional, I guess.

If I could afford it I would love to go for it, but if I was going to do it i would want to get decent stuff (obviously) and it justy takes me way over any budget I have. Also I Have no idea what im doing which doesnt help lol.
My goal is to have a full loop one day that I build myself, just so i can say I have done it.

 

[Monkeyboysteve]

Do you own a computer to look at or to use? If the air cooler is doing it’s job why bother changing?

It's more the size. It actually rests on my gpu backplate which really doesn't help with sag. Also not sure if that affects thermals ( for either) also makes removing components a massive pain in the ass when needed.

 

[Monkeyboysteve]

I would be surprised if it effected thermals. Back of GPU is acting as one side of air duct to / from D15. Is it actually pushing GPU at an angle?

It must be pushing it down slightly as it's actually resting on it. It has epic sag and I had to buy an anti sag kit to push it back up.
I was worried it would Rip the damn socket off. didn't know if heat would would transfer from backplate to the cooling fins in d15 or vice versa.