Prebuilt OC system

GodAtum

GodAtum

GodAtum

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I'm thinking of getting a pre-built system with these specs, what do you guys think? It's based on the OcUK Tech Lab - "Ultima 9750i Blade" but with slightly adjusted specs.

- Case: Cooler Master Cosmos II Ultra Tower Gaming Case
- Power Supply: Corsair AX 1200i PSU
- CPU: Intel Core i7 3930K 3.20GHz @ 4.20GHz
- Motherboard: Asus Rampage IV Extreme Intel X79 Chipset (Socket 2011) DDR3 Motherboard
- RAM: Corsair Vengeance RED 16GB (4x4GB) DDR3 PC3-14900C10 2133MHz Dual/Quad Channel
- Hard Drive: Samsung 256GB SSD 840 PRO
- Graphics Card: Watercooled ATI Radeon HD 7970 3072MB GDDR5
- Sound: Asus Zonar D2X 7.1
- Optical Drive: Samsung SH-B123L/RSBP 12x BluRay ROM / DVD RW DL & RAM Lightscribe SATA-II Optical Drive - Black
- Cables: BitFenix Alchemy Sleeved Cables - Silver

- Radiator: XSPC AX360 Radiator, XSPC AX120 Radiator & XSPC AX240
- Pump: XSPC Laing D5 Vario w/XSPC HF D5 Top - Black Acetal
- Reservoir: EK Multi Option 250 Reservoir - Basic
- CPU Block: XSPC RayStorm - Copper
- GFX Block: XSPC Razor 7970 Full Cover - Nickel Acetal
- Fittings: x14 OcUK Fatboy 7/16" Barbs - Nickel, x2 EK 90 PSC Rotary Fittings, x3 EK 45 PSC Rotary Fittings
- Tubing: x3 XSPC Tubing - 1m (Total 3 metres)
- Fans: x6 Scythe Gentle Typhoon 1850rpm 120mm Fan
- Fluid: Mayhems Aurora Fluid - Tharsis Red
- Water Monitoring: Aqua Computer Aquaero 5 XT
- Fan Monitoring: in-built into case

I will also be re-using a Sapphire 7970 OC, WD Raptor 300GB, Samsung 1TB hdd, and memory card reader from my old rig. This will be my 1st watercooled rig. Not sure of the maintenance involved. The PC I currently used hasnt been touched in about 4-5 years apart from fan cleaning. I'm quite worried about having to flush out the system every year, if it's under warranty can OC do this?
 
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Things I would change:

Case: Don't get me wrong, the Cosmos II is a decent case, but you can certainly get better for the money, especially when you want water. My suggestion, a TJ07, or a 900D if you can wait a few months.

Memory: Vengeance dimms on X79 can be hit and miss, though with a 3930K they should operate just fine @ XMP so not an essential change if you don't plan to clock the memory.

Radiator: AX are a great line of radiator, though if you change case you may also want to change the rad setup to suit.

GPU Block: XSPC 7970 blocks aren't the best performing, judging by the block make up they may not even have active VRM cooling. OcUK have just listed up Watercool-Heatkiller blocks, these along side aquacomputer & EK are the best performing 7970 blocks you can buy ;)

Everything else looks fine to me.

**Note that my suggestions are not critical ones, if you were to buy everything in your list today, all would be well :) **
 
Thanks for taking the time to write your comments :)

The Corsair 900D is a bit boring an square for my liking, plus i really like the top handles on the Cosmos II. The front also looks very cheap compared to the Cosmos II with its sliding door lol. Maybe fitting some wheels might help the 900D to handle.

I'll change the GPU cooler to a EK Water Blocks EK-FC7970 DCII - Acetal.

Since I already have a Sapphire 7970, should i stick with that? Not sure what the OcUK Tech Lab H2O are?

Are the Corsair SP120s better then the Scythe?

Just thinking about aesthetics, not sure whether red, white or black liquid will look good. The mbb and RAM are already red and the case is black.
 
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If you buy that coolant you will be in a right huff in a weeks time (assuming you nktice seeing as the cosmos doesn't have a window).

Also, those aren't really handles unless you're he-man (or 8-pack)

Don't bother with an ek block/backplate as you won't noice any difference between blocks and ek are masters of somehow selling ugly tat. pretty sure that model is also for the asus dcii model.

you don't need bitfenix extensions as clrsair make full cables for the ax1200i. They even have a gunmetal grey version coming out.

ek rotaries are naff
 
Have a quick look through the project logs thread theres loads of people usig all sorts of colors in there you can see what ya like hte look of once its in a case.
 
OptimaLnrg said:
He's the owner of the company that makes it, lol.

I've made my thoughts on pre-build watercooled machines known before. I don't think ocuk should offer them
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Ah ok sorry! :p I'm disappointed to hear that a reputable system builder like OCUk go against product specs. Why do you think OCUK pre-build watercooled machines are bad?
 
GodAtum said:
Ah ok sorry! :p I'm disappointed to hear that a reputable system builder like OCUk go against product specs. Why do you think OCUK pre-build watercooled machines are bad?
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The machines aren't 'bad' as such.

It's just that after a few months you should be changing out your coolant. Every time you change coolant you should be disassembling all the water blocks, thoroughly cleaning them and then flushing the entire system with distilled/deionised water.

If you're capable of doing that then you can build your own anyway.
 
I thought it was every year? I'm quite worried about the maintenance, it sounds quite scary having to drain your system!

every week - check your coolant level to ensure that you have enough in your reservoir.

every three months - use an air duster to blow dust out of your radiators to ensure optimum airflow.

every 12-18 months - empty out your reservoir and drain as much fluid as you can from your system, flush the system out with plain distilled water [you will need roughly 5 litres] by filling it, running it and emptying it. repeat until the loop is clean. then refill with fresh fluid.
some users like to put fresh tubing on too to to give their system a clean look.
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Every 6 months imo regardless of what manufacturers say.

You'll be used to draining as you're going to be filling it whether you buy pre-built or not.
 
I've read elsewhere that 12-18 months is plenty to be changing fluid, every 6 months seems a little overkill tbh.

As for maintenance free, chances are you will be spending time dusting out an air-cooled pc anyway as (certainly in my house - bloody cats) a decent amount of air flow through a case no matter how good the filters will always pick up some dust.
 
The only maintenance I do currently is detach my fan filters every so often and wash them.

Changing fluid sounds really scary! I'm not a very practical person so the though of having to balance the case and have a tube going into a bucket is scary! Also putting the liquid in again sounds a pain to get rid of the air bubbles.

Maybe getting an H100i will be a good compromise?
 
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I was new to watercooling and it's great fun. Try not to get scared by it. Draining, flushing and refilling the loop isn't too bad. Only stared watercooling last year and its great fun. And the bubbles will go after a short period of time.
 
bulletv1 said:
I was new to watercooling and it's great fun. Try not to get scared by it. Draining, flushing and refilling the loop isn't too bad. Only stared watercooling last year and its great fun. And the bubbles will go after a short period of time.
Click to expand...

That's reassuring :) Regarding radiators, atm I plan to cool the CPU and mbb. So I would need a triple and dual. I plan to add 4 GPUs down the line so I would then need to add another two triples?

Perhaps if I get a Caselabs I can get 2 quads on top and 2 quads on the bottom, but maybe that's overkill?
 
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