To WC or Not?

mazinger

mazinger

mazinger

Associate
Joined
17 May 2007
Posts
110
Location
N Yorkshire
Hi guys, hopefully i should get my Asus R3E Mb next week, my new set up going to be like this....

I7 980X,
Asus R3E,
Corsair Dominator GT 6GB,
Powercolor ATI HD5870 PCS+ (x2),
Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB,
Crucial RealSSD C300 128GB,
Samsung BlueRay drive,
Corsair H50,
Sound Blaster X-FI Titanium,
Antec 1200,
Corsair HX1000W

now will the H50 be ok for an OC of 4-4.2Ghz with the I7 980X on the R3E? or should i go all out with a Watercool setup? if WC is the best way then can someone give me an ideal what i need to get? it will be for the CPU and the 2 HD5870 PCS+, i had a look and come up with those, what do you guys think?

EK Supreme water block 1366
GPU block no ideas (dont see OcUK selling any for the 5870...)
XSPC DDC 10w Pro Pump/Reservoir
XSPC RS240 120mm Radiator ( i hope this fit the back of the Antec 1200 where the 2 rear fan was.)
Barbs or Compression fitting? not sure which is better..
Tubing again not sure, is 1/2 size the bigger the better?

any advice will be very welcome guys... Thank in advance...:):):)
 
Custom WC is always going to out perform a pre-built loop.
Can I recommend though, for WC 1x CPU, 2x GPU that you either pack an 18W pump or (more preferably) run two separate loops. One for the CPU and one for the GPU's.
As your case is quite tight space wise, I personally would got for a 120.1 on the back exhaust and a 120.2 mounted in the front drive-bays. (That's if you want everything inside the case anyway.) and then get a descent 18w pump to power the whole loop.
Block wise, EK Supreme HF... Love it! I've got one, it's epic ;)
As for the GPU I'd look at the EK full body blocks.
(Yes, I'm a bit of an EK fanboy, but no-one has been able to prove to me why I shouldn't!)
 
You're already spending a fortune but ask yourself why you need this. Is it just because you've got the money (it's a valid reason but there are better things to spend yourmoney on) or because you don't think you can achieve those clocks on air or that you want silence?

Google for images of the 1200 with water-cooling and see how others have done it then see what size radiator you can get where. You may need two.
 
MikeTimbers said:
You're already spending a fortune but ask yourself why you need this. Is it just because you've got the money (it's a valid reason but there are better things to spend yourmoney on) or because you don't think you can achieve those clocks on air or that you want silence?

Google for images of the 1200 with water-cooling and see how others have done it then see what size radiator you can get where. You may need two.
Click to expand...

Hi Mike, thank for the advice, reason for going water cooling is i still not sure if i can achieve the OC i wanted with the H50, it had so many mix reviews atm i just not too sure, secondly i enjoy building pc and its a hobby of mine (like most of the peeps here), so i do like a challenge, and going for wc will be a real challenge for me, and that something i enjoy most, hope you understand...
 
mazinger u really need a new case if u going for the full watercooling set up

If i was not happy with my cosmos S I would have tried a coolmaster HAF 932 case u can mount a double rad in the top and with a little bit of modding the side panel could have 2 x 240 rads fitted like u say u like a challenge and that would keep u busy for a bit

I know my cosmos s kept me busy
 
I recently built a new main system with the i980x CPU. I initially went with the Megahelems for cooling the CPU but decided to try the H50-1. The H50-1 is not as good as the Megahelems (where the fans are exhausting) but it fits in the system a LOT better and I've stuck with it.

I posted more on this here:
http://www.overclock.net/air-cooling/609119-updated-official-megahalem-vs-h50-battle-12.html

I overclock the CPU to 4.13ghz using the Gigabyte UD7 board.

http://www.overclock.net/intel-motherboards/706509-official-gigabyte-ga-x58a-ud7-owners-18.html

At this level of overclock true water cooling isn't needed, the H50-1 or the Megahelems are fine. However! I have had the CPU perfectly stable at 4.2ghz but my core temps just got too high with the Megahelems, over 90deg temps with LinX.

Basically if you want to overclock the i980x to 4.2ghz+, from my experience, you will need a full w/c setup. Less than that and air cooled or the H50-1 will probably be ok.
 
hlennie said:
mazinger u really need a new case if u going for the full watercooling set up

If i was not happy with my cosmos S I would have tried a coolmaster HAF 932 case u can mount a double rad in the top and with a little bit of modding the side panel could have 2 x 240 rads fitted like u say u like a challenge and that would keep u busy for a bit

I know my cosmos s kept me busy
Click to expand...

I have now got a SilverStone Temjin TJ07B-W V2 case and will start the build with it instead of the Antec 1200, but will try out the H50 first and see how good that work out, if not then its plan B with a WC system...
 
DragonRR said:
I recently built a new main system with the i980x CPU. I initially went with the Megahelems for cooling the CPU but decided to try the H50-1. The H50-1 is not as good as the Megahelems (where the fans are exhausting) but it fits in the system a LOT better and I've stuck with it.

I posted more on this here:
http://www.overclock.net/air-cooling/609119-updated-official-megahalem-vs-h50-battle-12.html

I overclock the CPU to 4.13ghz using the Gigabyte UD7 board.

http://www.overclock.net/intel-motherboards/706509-official-gigabyte-ga-x58a-ud7-owners-18.html

At this level of overclock true water cooling isn't needed, the H50-1 or the Megahelems are fine. However! I have had the CPU perfectly stable at 4.2ghz but my core temps just got too high with the Megahelems, over 90deg temps with LinX.

Basically if you want to overclock the i980x to 4.2ghz+, from my experience, you will need a full w/c setup. Less than that and air cooled or the H50-1 will probably be ok.
Click to expand...

that what i will try for now, H50 first, then if it doesnt work out, full WC set up

and Thank for the advices guys...;););)
 
If you get good parts and look after the loop as you upgrade in the future you can just keep the same wc loop with just cleaning.. the good pumps last.. well years.
 
jorzeh said:
If you get good parts and look after the loop as you upgrade in the future you can just keep the same wc loop with just cleaning.. the good pumps last.. well years.
Click to expand...

i agree

ive never looked back since installing custom water cooling, i use universal water blocks which helps upgrade paths.
 
ok guys, this is the set up im going for...plan A

I7 980X,
Asus R3E,
Corsair Dominator GT 6GB,
Powercolor ATI HD5870 PCS+ (x2),
Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB,
Crucial RealSSD C300 128GB,
Samsung BlueRay drive,
Corsair H50,
Sound Blaster X-FI Titanium,
Silverstone TJ07B,
Corsair HX1000W,

if that doesnt work out for OC to 4.2Ghz+, then is going to be plan B

I7 980X,
Asus R3E,
Corsair Dominator GT 6GB,
Powercolor ATI HD5870 PCS+ (x2),
Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB,
Crucial RealSSD C300 128GB,
Samsung BlueRay drive,
Sound Blaster X-FI Titanium,
Silverstone TJ07B,
Corsair HX1000W

Custom water cooling

EK-Supreme HF Nickel? (what the different between the Nickel, Acetal, Acetal+Nickel and Clear top other than the look? do different top give different performance too?
EK HD 5870 Plexi Full Cover VGA Block or EK HD 5870 Acetal Full Cover GPU Block (can anyone tell me what the different between Plexi and Acetal top cover? its just for the look?)
XSPC DDC 18w Ultra Pump/Reservoir
XSPC RX240 120mm Radiator - Black
Black Ice GT Stealth 120.3 120mm Triple Lite Radiator

what do you guys think regards to the water cooling setup?
 
Last edited:
Wow that is a dream list of components there! Are you thinking of doing a build log? I for one would be very interested!
 
I have similar components and i went with a custom loop for the pure silence which is golden! i had the 2 x 5870's running on air for a while but they just pumped out way too much heat and the case (ATCS849) ambient was too high. It really is worth watercooling and i have been doing it for a few years now with no issues what so ever... as long as you maintain everything properly! with expensive components like that you should be shining the insides daily anyhow:D

I can not advise you on the components though because you need to do your home work on heat output pressure drops and your usage which i found to be essential. Certain blocks will require a pump with a minimum head of pressure which will increase with motherboard/GFX chip coolers and with any amount of bends in your loop. Plus certain blocks are either high flow or restricted designs, i am sure that there is a nice little article on here which would guide you.

Failing that copy someone with similar specs :D
 
Last edited:
I'd switch the black ICE GTS 360 for a GTX, XSPC RX or Thermochill PA because while the GTS 140.X are well worth the money, the GTS 120.X are pretty poor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom