Liquid CPU Cooler....worth it?

[ATB]

Closed loop water coolers are good... however they don't necesarily outperform air coolers. Everywhere I've seen comparison between the 2 you can see them performing nicely but also better performing (and cheaper) Air coolers. The main reason I went air is the price to performance ratio.

Here's a reference link, you can see where the Corsair H100i and H60 stand against other coolers.

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/cpu_cooler_roundup_2013_q1_review,8.html

goes on sale Newegg 08-08-13 $99.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103189

 

[ffk]

I have a zalman performa air CPU cooler with 2 bitfenix fans on it. Cooler master HAF case.

Running a core i5 @ 4.8ghz with idle temps around 25-28C. I'm not near my computer right now, but I believe idle voltage is around 1.08v. At x48 multiplier it's around 1.43v.

Passed 10 runs of intel burn test at highest settings. Core 3 runs hottest and it was pushing 83-85c. (It was A bit scary, but it passed.) There's usually a 10c temp difference from hottest to coolest cores.

Normal usage it's in the 40c range.

 

[Dschijn]

@ffk: 1,375v should the the maximum for the CPU voltage of a sandy bridge CPU.

 

[Tylerrouse]

Just run a custom water loop to your toilet. When things start to heat up just give her a flush!

 

[Bansaku]

I use the Zalman CNPS20LQ with 2x Corsair SP120 for a push pull and I must say it is more efficient and quiet than my old Zalman CNPS9900MAX. DO NOT got with Corsair, as their pumps are noisy! Had tried a H100 (Corsair's own custom pump design) and H110 (using the Asetek reference design) and both pumps got real loud after 1 days use. Interestingly enough, the H110's pump is the exact same design as my 20LQ, however it ran 2000RPM faster! Compared to the 20LQ, the H110 was a mere 1'C cooler under load.

I will highly recommend AIOLQ over air any day. I agree, AIOLQ are slightly more/less efficient than the best air coolers, depending on the CPU, case, and of course SIZE; your results will vary. However the tradeoffs are well worth the "potential" difference in price; Space/size, noise, cool factor (literal and figurative), and the ability to swap out the fans at any time. As well, quite a bit less stress on the mainboard's pcb!

Right now, my room sits at 21.5'C ambient, and @ 1.60GHz 0.86V my 3770K is idling at 16'C with the all case fans set to min rpm. Under load I never exceed 60'C, and I have a ****ty hot, average silicon yield 3770K. In the BIOS, the CPU sits at 3.5GHz 1.24V and the CPU reads 22'C. That my friend is fantastic cooling!

If one wants to try this, and I warn you to use caution if doing so, plug in an uninstalled AIOLQ and feel the radiator and the copper cpu plate. They get extremely cold. The rad alone gets so cold that it is difficult to hold. The cpu plate, and this is where you use cation, gets so cold I got scared my finger would freeze to the copper I yanked it away.

 

[NazariyUA]

on my stock i5 cooler

 

[totenkopf4]

Not impressed w AIO H20 cooling.
To me the issues are the overall Quality which is lacking in respect to the reviews that are posted on NewEgg and other locations. And My personal experience w the H80i. I won't go into details but after filling each of the comment blocks in the NewEgg Reply box's ( which hold 3000 characters in each box) with nothing but problems and design issues that arose from my install on the ASUS system #3. Which I have as my Dual Boot System. From Hardware issues to parts not included (small plastic spacers for the Intel bracket under the MB ) to short I mean Short tubing length and the rear exhaust cut out in the chassis was right behind the MB socket for the CPU. What it would kill them to add a few millimeters of extra length ! Here is my take on why these units have so many complaints posted by users and buyers. As we know these are make in China and each of the Communistic Capitalistic factories are owned by the state but managed by individuals with and eye on making the best profit for each unit cost. (this is why manufacturing in the US whet oversea's) So if its Unit costs that is the culprit and the managers what to maximize their profits (they get paid a fixed cost by the designing manufacture -like Corsair - they will cut corners to make more profit for themselves. Plastic parts missing a few more Renminbi in the bank, shorter tubing, a few more Renminbi in the Bank, Cheaper components made from un-specified materials (glue is cheap solder is expensive) a few more Renminbi in the bank. Plus they are always shoping for better prices on parts from their sub-contract manufactures (like Wallmart does) and as a result a few more Renminbi in the Bank. Meaning their parts are not as well desighed or spec'ed by the orginal Design or spec'ed by the Source manufacture. Results are don't work won't fit; but this is not their problem as once they get them on the Boat to ship out of China this is the Source manufactures problem AKA RMA. Oh yeah ours too... trip to hardware store for longer screws - drill out undersized holes cause China Manufacture to cheap to by drill bits (a few more Renminbi in the Bank). Just in case you don't know Renminbi is the term for money or currency in China. So this problem is rampant though out China for all items made and sent to good ole USA. (You do know that they do have an interal Market for these and other goods which are sold inside China and they are manufactured better...) Ever wonder why we got Plactic additive in the Baby Food Formula..Lead paint in the childrens toy's;they did'nt, a few more Renminbi in the bank. Pratice this mantra...you to will understand!
Oh and of course you heard about the largest meat packing plant in the USA being Purchased by the People's Republic of China did you not! I think I am now a vegetarian.

Its my conclusion that if you have the room in the Chassis that you should use a GOOD QUALITY Air Cooler w push pull fans.

Here is my BIG ISSUE - AS IS SEE IT - Thermal Convection - when you turn off the system your Pump stops so the HOT CPU has to pass its heat to the water through the pump which is not being pumped therefore baking your CPU. Yes water or Whatever fluids they use is a better / higher heat transfer rate than air. But if we look at a good quality designed Air Push Pull Heat sink w 4 or more heat tubes - the heat transfer is moved from the copper to the tubes into the fins and you have heat transfer away from the Hot CPU. As The surface area of the AIR Fins is much greater that the surface area of the radiator; now that the water is not moving. The water needs to be pushed through the radiator in order to cool it. That is not happening w AIO H20 units when powered off. This is my big bone of contention w Over Clocking and AIO H2O units. As Over Clocking produces a lot more heat that just standard clocking.

IF you want to use H20 then use a custom design especially if you have a Motherboard w Dual CPU sockets. As using 2 AIO H20 coolers w Dual Cpus and Overclocking will be asking for failure. Especially if you use a Double wide Radiator link the H100.

If you read up on custom designed systems, you will notice that many use custom tubing or even surgical tubing.

If you compare Manufactured AIO H20 coolers their plumbing or hoses range from stiff tubing to rubber. Which I ask the question do they use the same Coolant as some of these formulations of fluids will eat through the plastic or rubber that they use, then what! Oh yeah planned obsolescence - wears out or complete failure 1 week after warranty.

The only place I see these being an alternative is in small cases w limited air flow - as most of these AIO H20 units need to PULL Air into the case ( which strikes me odd) You need to have a way of exiting that air out of the case. Suggest some 120MM tubing from the Hardware store to vent it out....
So if we suck air into the case we need to partition the airflow or set the box up to vent air out! While Directing Air into the Box for other items Like video etc. Maybe some makeshift plastic Walls using spare card cage blanks to hold them.

Why is it that the custom H20 rigs use Air into the case.... As mine was Dual Fanned I have no idea as to why it would not work in reverse w Both fans Pushing air first into the radiator from inside the case then Pulling the Air out of the radiator out to the rear fan cover where its mounted. Making it an exit of the Air from inside the case. Like the other 6 Fans in the Big Case. Any ways Its installed their way but I have the side of the case off now and Oh Boy is the Fan Noise a killer, Like listening to airplanes take off at the edge of the runway.

Oh temps - as we know the Ivy Bridge TIM (and Haswell too) Do not have as good a formula of TIM as the old Sandy Bridge CPU's Did (which is why the OC higher in Sb than it is in IB or Haswell).

Over all not impressed w AIO H20; most likely its cooler but the Die temps are hot 80 to 90 Cel when gaming. But the Air traffic is nice to hear as the "planes take off and land" as the fans speed up and slow down. I can then think of some far off place that I could go too... oh Day dreaming again.. ops got killed again... oh well.

Oh temps are reported the same or darn close in both the OSX and Win7 monitor programs. So no diff w the OS. Should there have been..... NOT!

 

[matteosaeed]

would anyone know if the
CORSAIR Hydro Series H75 CW-9060015 would work?