Which cooling solution to choose? Advice needed.

GiraffePencils · 16 Feb 2013 at 23:38

Hello all,
I'm planning a new computer build and I'm stuck in a rut trying to decide on which cooling method to use:
Air?
Closed loop water cooled? (cosair h100 etc)
Or custom water loop?

My problem lays with this:
Which method is offers both overclocking levels of cooling while being as quiet as possible?

Now I've done my research and looked at a lot of heat sink fan combos against closed loop water and while they are quiet at normal use it seems the closed loop solution gets reasonably loud during heavy loads and gives around the same cooling (give or take a few degrees).
But in nearly every review/discussion I read it seems to me people say you will get the best cooling and least noise from a custom water loop, is this right?
Should I just accept the cost and go for the full water?

I need help people

(Lets not even go into the aesthetic appeal of water cooling, because I could get lost down that route

)

greenbrucelee · 16 Feb 2013 at 23:50

If I was forced to choose between the two then it would be closed loop but as a rule you really could not pay me to use water cooling at all since my air cooler rips the **** out of the corsair 100 and antec kuhler

remember if your custom setup goes wrong you end up with a wet motherboard and probably knackered components.

Finners · 17 Feb 2013 at 00:24

I would like to know what air cooler you are using if its really that much better than a h100 because reviews ive seen the h100 can be within 10 degrees of custom watercooling.

for best temps/noise and looks you would have to go custom but with modern hardware that doesn't actually run that hot I would go with a top of the range air cooler for best cooling to noise ratio.

greenbrucelee · 17 Feb 2013 at 00:36

I Use a noctua DH-14 read the reviews. Water cooling really does not offer better cooling apart from the quietness. My I2500k at 4.5 idles at 24 degrees c and at full whack in IBT at 69 degrees c from what I have read that is 10 dgrees better than any closed loop crap especially the H100

greenbrucelee · 17 Feb 2013 at 00:44

BTW water cooling is basically a gimmick just like overclocking. These days there isn't really any need to overclock but we do it because its fun to see how high you can get but when it comes to overclocking I wouldn't put water anywhere near my stuff because that would be retarded especially since I don't have the cash to fork out for new stuff whenever I want. BTW water cooling or air cooling will probably not be better that each other just quieter.

GiraffePencils · 17 Feb 2013 at 14:14

the noctua DH-14, nice. Very good (if not the best) choice in air cooling, How did you find it in terms of size and weight in your case?
And while I'm saying water cooling, it's not like it has run of the mill water in it, It's a non-conductive solution which if it breaks ends only in a large mess and sad faces all round.
You see sound is a major factor for me, that's why liquid cooled appealed to me, but reviews have been turning me round to good old fashioned air,
Greenbrucelee, what case you got and how would you rate the sound you get from the noctua?

Finners · 17 Feb 2013 at 15:05

air is ahead of AIO coolers at an moderate overclock like 4.5 on a 2500k or a i7 950 at 4Ghz like the review below but push the volts and water comes out on top, as you'd expect. Although a h100 with "high fans" is loud from what i gather reading about on the net.

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/corsair_h100_review/1

GiraffePencils · 17 Feb 2013 at 15:27

Great link, thanks!
I've not seen one which pitched these all together, it's usually closed loop vs air and they leave custom out due to the high level of difference between custom set-ups
I think that really puts a good light on this for me

j.col · 17 Feb 2013 at 15:31

greenbrucelee said:
BTW water cooling is basically a gimmick just like overclocking. These days there isn't really any need to overclock but we do it because its fun to see how high you can get but when it comes to overclocking I wouldn't put water anywhere near my stuff because that would be retarded especially since I don't have the cash to fork out for new stuff whenever I want. BTW water cooling or air cooling will probably not be better that each other just quieter.

I dont see how its 'retarded' to water cool a pc, if its done right, its perfectly safe to use. :confused:

Also how is watercooling and overclocking just a gimmick? lol

Regarding cooling, are u going to be trying to achieve a high overclock? if yes then a custom water loop can get you higher depending on the parts you use.
You have done your research right, the likes of a H100i are more or less the same as a high end air cooler like the NH-D14 or K2, but only with the fans on high, which can be loud.
For this reason, if your case and ram allow, high end air is perfect for most users.
A custom loop will be better depending on parts, and will also look much better, so some people will water cool just for this reason.
The thing is custom loops can be expensive.
We have a water cooling section on this forum, consider a budget, then open a 'spec me' thread for your budget, there are some very well informed users that will bew happy to answer your questions.

Edit.
I have a NH-D14 and it is very quiet

GiraffePencils · 17 Feb 2013 at 15:46

Thanks j.col
I was planning on overclocking and I was looking to see if the custom water loops were actually better, or just die hard fan boys were saying it was when the difference was marginal. From what Finners linked it appears that water is the way forward for me.

I'll take your advice and post a 'Spec me' and see if in the end I cave in to making it look pretty

greenbrucelee · 17 Feb 2013 at 17:58

GiraffePencils said:
the noctua DH-14, nice. Very good (if not the best) choice in air cooling, How did you find it in terms of size and weight in your case?
And while I'm saying water cooling, it's not like it has run of the mill water in it, It's a non-conductive solution which if it breaks ends only in a large mess and sad faces all round.
You see sound is a major factor for me, that's why liquid cooled appealed to me, but reviews have been turning me round to good old fashioned air,
Greenbrucelee, what case you got and how would you rate the sound you get from the noctua?

I have a corsair 600T case. The noctua is very queit but it makes a little whine when it revs up the speed but it is the quietest air cooler I have ever had.

j.col said:
I dont see how its 'retarded' to water cool a pc, if its done right, its perfectly safe to use.
Also how is watercooling and overclocking just a gimmick? lol

Regarding cooling, are u going to be trying to achieve a high overclock? if yes then a custom water loop can get you higher depending on the parts you use.
You have done your research right, the likes of a H100i are more or less the same as a high end air cooler like the NH-D14 or K2, but only with the fans on high, which can be loud.
For this reason, if your case and ram allow, high end air is perfect for most users.
A custom loop will be better depending on parts, and will also look much better, so some people will water cool just for this reason.
The thing is custom loops can be expensive.
We have a water cooling section on this forum, consider a budget, then open a 'spec me' thread for your budget, there are some very well informed users that will bew happy to answer your questions.

Edit.
I have a NH-D14 and it is very quiet

I meant it is retarded for me as I dont have the cash to replace stuff if it gets knackered.

But really if you look at it, overclocking new CPUs isn't needed at all these days and if you can get air cooling that does a better job the water cooling then whats the point in risking things getting wet.