What is the best 480x60mm Radiator?

VegasBaby · 11 Oct 2020 at 03:37

I'm in the market to purchase a 480mm long 60mm thick radiator and there's quite a few models. I was thinking about getting the EX 480 by EK because I've got a lot of EK stuff and not really had issues with their products.

But I did some looking around and I did find some quite exotic looking radiators like this one:

And it got me thinking, this has pure copper fins that aren't painted, I wonder if the cooling is better? - I really don't know much about the radiator landscape or what's good or what's not. Perhaps someone more informed can help me out.

I'm really looking for the best in these dimensions. Thanks

Hakanese · 11 Oct 2020 at 12:31

My opinion, is find a case you want to build in, then start looking at a rad to fit the space your case has, I have twice now been caught out by getting radiators and then finding out my case wouldn't fit the rads I had bought. But for 480mm 60mm rads, I like the Alphacool brand.

edit: the paint on the fins doesn't do much to your temps.

VegasBaby · 11 Oct 2020 at 18:07

I'm already using 2 x 480x35mm radiators in my case and there's already room at the top to fit a thicker rad I measured and such. So I just want to replace it with a thicker one for better performance. But I really got no clue which is the best etc

I guess I'll scour for some reviews.

Defy Belief · 11 Oct 2020 at 18:28

Can't imagine you have bad performance with 960mm of rad space, adding another 480 regardless of thickness will obviously help but might be more marginal than you think as you already have good cooling.

Thicker rads obviously need faster fans and often push pull to really get the performance so if you like your pc silent for cooling I'd avoid a thicker one.

VegasBaby · 11 Oct 2020 at 18:36

The performance is okay but could be better. Plus the top rad is really old now I got it like 8 years ago and I'm concerned about its age, with it being above all my other components if it were to begin leaking and so forth.

I figured if I'm replacing it anyway might aswell get a thicker one. Are push-pull really necessary? I'm using EK-Varder fans but only in a push configuration on the top at the moment.

Hakanese · 13 Oct 2020 at 12:50

Rad performance is dependant on many factors.. Fin Density per Inch, will be a factor on how fast you need to run your fans, at some point you hit diminishing returns on fans/fan speeds in regards to cooling and noise.
Depending on your temps, you may not see much of an improvement on your temps with Push/pull since you have like me a much larger than average rad space to cool the system.
TBH I would go with any rad that I like the look of and fits in my case, as long as it's all copper internals, that's my only requisite for a radiator