Watercooling - Any need these days..??

[***F1ZZY***]

Before I get flamed totally, I water cool but am starting to be reluctant to carry it on as I upgrade.

See, I am still on XP-M and AGP x800PE and migration [to A64 and PCIe] would mean new blocks. I have RBX, MCP350 pump, WACC PA res and 120.2 rad. All my fans spin at <1000rpm so its pretty quite.

When I first started WC [6 years ago], heatsinks were not as good as today and used 60mm or 80mm fans. Cases too only had 80mm fan holes.

With the advent of heatpipes and big HSF, the lead of water cooling has diminished I feel. Cases too now support 120mm fans. Aircooling has the advantage of cooling surrounding components (SI-120 or Zalman 7700).

Basically, with the same number of similar fans, you can cool GPU and CPU within a few degrees of WC and have the surrounding components cooled too - which for overclocking is a must for RAM and Mobo components, passive NB etc.

The only real benefit I can see these (if it is a benefit) is pose factor, it does look slick when done correctly.....like mine is

I am tempted to go back to air and spend my cash on decent aircooling rather than new blocks for my loop.

Comments please...?

/Fizzy ducks ready fo the flames/

 

[***F1ZZY***]

A bit off topic, but what clocks did you get with your X800?

550/600, not pushed higher, I like even numbers.

For all the other peeps, looks like water for GPU is the way to go still. I will be getting x1900, not heard how loud they are.

I have a Oppy 146 (good stepping, got it in the "gold rush" before Xmas but not even powered it up yet - been out of country on business for months. Think its 0546 CABYE FPAW (or similar from memory) so /wc prob not help that as it will run low volts and cool upto 3Gig or so I hope.

I guess a new GPU block is the order of the day but I might mod a bracket for socket 939 for the RBX.

I am still a bit tempted to go air, using zalmans new GPU cooler and a spare XP-120 I have "lying around".

Was also thinking m-atx, but unsure of mobos that will do the 146 justice. Think I'll post in SFF forum for that.

I'm still confused, but cheers guys.

 

[***F1ZZY***]

Having just went back to water again, I'm now seriously considering retiring my raptors for a pair of Spinpoints.

Jokester

LOL I have spinpoints and was thinkin of getting raptors for more ooomph, why is the grass always greener??

Does the noise / performance ratio mean that we are never happy??

Right, my latest plan, is maybe go m-atx - silverstone TJ08 case - good for lans but still very practical. mmmmm 2, 120mm fans = watercooling possibilities in m-atx

XP-120 on cpu and watercool GPU with single 120mm Rad - should be same number of fans as my 120.2 and therefore same noise, similar cooling in a tiny case.

I was looking at those cheap swiftec blue rads here on ocuk (thin ones) DO you recon they could cool a x1900? Got to be better than any air solution (based on previous posts)

Was thinking just a small loop 3/8" with T-line and MCP350 pump and that thin blue rad, got to be a winner

 

[***F1ZZY***]

Cheers guys, like I say, should be a winner

I hope I get round to doing this soon. I've been workin in Malaysia for last 9 months. Hence my crazy post times. I only been home for 5 weeks in that time. I bought my opteron 146 before christmas and it's still in its box.

Eventually I'll post some pics when I get home and shoe horn it all into the TJ08.

You seen that case? Looks sweet. Classic and small(ish).

Thanks again...