Looking to dab my toe into watercooling, can I have some advice please

[beasty6]

Hello all!

Looking for some advice and opinions on what to do regarding watercooling.
I currently have a 5800x and a RTX 3070 TI, would love to put them both under water, but getting a block for the 3070 TI is proving difficult.

SO, I'm thinking if doing just the 5800x on its own as a starter. It's currently under control via a EK 280 AIO, would I see a large drop in temps moving to the custom loop?

I'm using a lancool 215 case and not looking to change it out really unless absolutely necessary.
I don't have a budget really but would rather keep the cost down.
I like the EK and bitspower blocks
A Res/pump combo that's silent

So yeh, what would you guys advise I do? Go for it and hope EK do a 70 TI block in the near future?
Cheers

 

[beasty6]

Hey, thanks for the advice.

I've found a couple of parts in the B grade section at the moment.
Its the GPU that's bothering me really, as changing it for another RTX dosent seem to be a option unless it's to a 3080 or another 70ti, which is highly unlikely either way.

I might grab the CPU waterblock while it's £40 and see if I can get rad and Res/pump combo used, what about fittings? Used also?

 

[beasty6]

Which 70ti gpu do ? Bykski/barrow/alphacool and other block manufacturers might have it.

It's a 3070 ti FE

 

[beasty6]

Which EK aio do you have? I doubt you will see a huge difference. But depending on how old it is there may be an updated mounting systems to offset the block that gives a decent improvement in temps if it's anything like my arctic AIO

It's the EK 280 AIO D-RGB cooler, hoses are a pain too, as they go horizontal on the block if your looking at it from outside the case, literally just misses my FE fan lol

 

[beasty6]

I have contacted EKWB, they have told me in response about the 3070ti Fe block that the R&D department are working on it now, but no ETA on when it will be ready.

Would it be foolish to get everything except the GPU block now? Or do CPU only and add another rad plus GPU later?

 

[beasty6]

Cheers guys, going to start planning I think.
May even add a different case more designed towards water-cooling.

As much as I like my lancool 215, it has areas that I would rather had better features.

I'm thinking maybe a Corsair 4000 or 5000D or even p500A or 011D (mid not mini)

Saying that my 215 could take a 280 in the roof and a 360 in the front, would be plenty of rad capacity for the two components I would have thought, but how would I go about mounting a pump/Res combo in such case? Where would it go?

 

[beasty6]

What about the EK SE rads? I haven't looked into them yet, found a chap selling a rad plus pump/Res combo.

From looking at my case and mobo, 27mm thick rad is the best I can do otherwise fans won't fit, this is for a 280mm by the way, 240mm I'm not sure.

I'm going by my current EK aio rad thickness which says it's 27mm rad, I'm assuming it is the same rad my aio is using lol

 

[beasty6]

I think I'm going to wait for EK to release the 3070ti Fe block, then do it all at once, gives me time to plan and get used parts in the mean time.

 

[beasty6]

probably not - if you are going to get a custom loop then stay away from corsair and EK for parts.

What's the problem with Corsair or EK parts?

 

[beasty6]

I did see the block had been announced.
£225 for the block on its own, ouch, I thought GPU blocks was around the £130-150 mark.

I wanted to get all my components via ocuk, and it seems these Hardware Labs are not sold here, I found a EK slim 360 rad in the clearance section for £45, as well as a phanteks CPU block for £39.95.

Res/combo, couldn't find anything in the clearance section, so found the Aqua Computer Ultitube D5 100 combo for £169.99

Just a case of another 240/280 slim rad, fittings, tubing and liquid (I think?)

 

[beasty6]

Crikey, that's steep. When I was upgrading to a 1080, the block and backplate was around £110.

I've been shocked recently by the price increases customers are having to swallow. I stopped buying new when the 20 series launched, it was a trend I couldn't support, and it seems to have spread.

Everything now seems more expensive; WC parts, components, even motherboards. The latest intel ones seem so bare bones with many features stripped from the previous gen. And there's a marketwide movement away from budget ranges, too.

The chip shortage hasn't helped, but frankly I do wonder if that's being worsened intentionally.

It's a real shame too; the barrier to entry is so high now for new and young people these days.

Thank goodness for the MM, eh boys

Yeh I have priced it all up and it's turned me away to he honest, think I'm just going to get some better fans and maybe a different case, that new 011 mini air is really taking my fancy!

I also agree, I ordered a 12600kf ready to make the jump, but when the board prices was released I folded and sent it back, went from my 10400f to a 5800x and b550 strix board instead

Got a high end b550 board for £125, cheapest ddr4 z690 was £200