Opinions on the use of an AOI water cooler?

[Rusheliny]

I'm building my first pc, I did all the research necessary and am pretty confident in my build. I'm not intending to overclock or nothing like that, but I have been thinking about buying an AIO but that im not really sure, here are the points I've considered:
1- I live in the middle of the second biggest Mexican desert (Altar's Great Desert) and every year my city is around 36-41 degrees Celsius, so to keep my child nice and cool it would be nice.
2- The idea of having 4 fans at top speed to cool my system scares me, imagining the noise it would make seems bothering to me
3- Maybe the case that I'm only overthinking about the noise, because realistically I dont know how much noise a full fledge pc makes, I've never experienced by myself so im doubtful
4- My budget its getting really tight, my two real options are using the stock cpu cooler or the AIO but one is obviously a lot more expensivier than the other.
5- The cpu isnt even that powerful or anything, Im going to be rocking a Ryzen 5 5600 and im not overclocking it, its perfect for my budget and for what I've seen its pretty chill
6- If I get an AIO with RGB the pc clearly is going to be faster so thats important

If somebody could please help me figure out if the cost to performance/convenience is worth the stuff, Thanks in advance everyone.

 

[shovenose]

There’s another option - a decent air cooler. Not the boxed cooler but not an AIO. AIOs do not usually give the best performance per dollar.

Also, quantity of fans does not really determine noise. That is determined by your overall setup, fan quality, fan curves set in BIOS, etc. four fans running at low RPM is going to be quieter than one or two fans running at higher RPM for example.

What case are you going to be using?

 

[Kapone33]

The potential for dust will be your greatest enemy. In that regard I would make sure I get a case that can support an AIO on the top. I would then install the Radiator in the top of the case. I would not install any front fans. I would use the exhaust fan that comes with the case. The reason I would do that is that you live in a high dust environment and want air to be sucked out instead of forced in in that situation. If you are using a 5600 you don't need to waste money on an AIO there will be no difference in speed, just idle temps. Just buy how ever many fans the top of the case can support. Maybe you could use that money to upgrade the case to one that supports 360 at the top like the NZXT H7 (Not the Airflow in your environment).

 

[Rusheliny]

There’s another option - a decent air cooler. Not the boxed cooler but not an AIO. AIOs do not usually give the best performance per dollar.

Also, quantity of fans does not really determine noise. That is determined by your overall setup, fan quality, fan curves set in BIOS, etc. four fans running at low RPM is going to be quieter than one or two fans running at higher RPM for example.

What case are you going to be using?

The case is also to be determined. I'm having a self debate about a beuty design vs airflow but that its also going to be influenced by the cooling I use so thats that.
Do you think a couple quality quiet fans are bang for buck? because I'm open to the option I just lack the experience there.

The case im using is probably be the cheapest in can buy, something like a Aerocool hive FRGB (AEROPGS-HIVE-G-BK-V3) or a NZXT H5 Flow (CC-H51FB-01) wich are examples of one I think looks better and the other has a better air flow
Thx for the help

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
No cooler can beat your room temperature AIO's are purely for looks and barely cool better and at stock clocks would mean nothing.
It's like fighting over the best thermal paste

One of the biggest perks to a air cooler is you'll never have a pump stop working and it is not pretty when it happens, I've been there lol
Only one way rma is free shipping so five year warranty doesn't mean much I sold my rma replacement on ebay

So I would just go air cooling and improve your intake filters seeing sand is a problem and those with either cooler will be needed.

 

[Rusheliny]

So I would just go air cooling and improve your intake filters seeing sand is a problem and those with either cooler will be needed.

Do you have any case recommendations?

The potential for dust will be your greatest enemy. In that regard I would make sure I get a case that can support an AIO on the top. I would then install the Radiator in the top of the case. I would not install any front fans. I would use the exhaust fan that comes with the case. The reason I would do that is that you live in a high dust environment and want air to be sucked out instead of forced in in that situation. If you are using a 5600 you don't need to waste money on an AIO there will be no difference in speed, just idle temps. Just buy how ever many fans the top of the case can support. Maybe you could use that money to upgrade the case to one that supports 360 at the top like the NZXT H7 (Not the Airflow in your environment).

Appreciate the help

 

[freeagent]

I have seen instances where air cooling is doing better than custom loop.. not every air cooler will do that though.

 

[ThrashZone]

6- If I get an AIO with RGB the pc clearly is going to be faster so thats important

Sorry but that is really funny

 

[eidairaman1]

Radiators still rely on moving air to keep them cool. Look at Autos with electric fans, when sitting idle with no ram air moving at a certain temperature the fans kick in to keep coolant at 210°Farenheit or less.

If the ambient air is hot or warm that's just going to make the heatsink or radiator hotter. You would need server fans to move the air fast enough to keep that issue from occurring in a hot environment.

The solution would be a space air conditioner to exhaust heat to the outside in the room where the PC sits in.

 

[Rusheliny]

If I keep the room to about 20-26C with a good air flow do you think that is enough to keep the cpu not burning?

Sorry but that is really funny

Glad you like it lol

 

[santis]

Hi Rusheliny, which are the other components? GPU? Because it will generate more heat than the CPU. I live in Argentina and can get very hot in the summer but if you keep your AC at 24°/25° in your room when you are at the PC I think you´ll be fine even with the stock cooler.

 

[Nihillim]

I would like to add lowering gpu power limits.
Like ThrashZone posted, no cooler can beat physics - but you can cut back on how much heat energy the PC dumps into your room.
A Ryzen 5600 is already light on power use, so you could leave it alone. Gpus of late have been ~way worse, and by far(usually) the primary contributor to that uncomfortable room feeling after a period of use.

 

[claes]

I’d check out gamersnexus for case reviews. Look at the latest review to check thermal results and then make aesthetic/build quality decisions from there.

 

[ThrashZone]

Do you have any case recommendations?

Hi,
No not really they always depend on the owners preferences
Only cases I have are 2 corsair D450 which meet my requirements plus 1 test bench, which you might consider knowing your hot/ sandy environment which a case would just complicate.

Plenty of those around
Here's my little red I sold and one black one I still use but not water cooled anymore it's on air now
But anyway no real need for fans at all besides on the air cooler and of course the gpu has it's own fans but cleanup is a lot easier without dealing with the case.
Looks like these are gone but there are others

https://www.amazon.com/Cooling-Aluminum-Overclocking-Support-Graphics/dp/B07XP7V7DG/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=PC%2BTest%2Bbench&qid=1594143981&sr=8-8&th=1

Amazon.com : pc test bench

 

[Fourstaff]

I went with AIO, but moved back to air to reduce noise. You can start of with a good bang for buck air cooler, and replace it with AIO (or big and chunky air) if its really insufficient.

For reference I am using stock against ambient of around 25-30C, you are 10C hotter.

 

[Rusheliny]

I am using stock against ambient of around 25-30C, you are 10C hotter.

Do the temps keep the same if it have been under heavy load for lets say, more than 4 hours?
In other words, are long gaming sessions a heating problem?

 

[ThrashZone]

Do the temps keep the same if it have been under heavy load for lets say, more than 4 hours?
In other words, are long gaming sessions a heating problem?

Hi,
Case will be warmer
Here's a recent image back to air

Noctua D15 air cooler

 

[Vario]

I'm building my first pc, I did all the research necessary and am pretty confident in my build. I'm not intending to overclock or nothing like that, but I have been thinking about buying an AIO but that im not really sure, here are the points I've considered:
1- I live in the middle of the second biggest Mexican desert (Altar's Great Desert) and every year my city is around 36-41 degrees Celsius, so to keep my child nice and cool it would be nice.
2- The idea of having 4 fans at top speed to cool my system scares me, imagining the noise it would make seems bothering to me
3- Maybe the case that I'm only overthinking about the noise, because realistically I dont know how much noise a full fledge pc makes, I've never experienced by myself so im doubtful
4- My budget its getting really tight, my two real options are using the stock cpu cooler or the AIO but one is obviously a lot more expensivier than the other.
5- The cpu isnt even that powerful or anything, Im going to be rocking a Ryzen 5 5600 and im not overclocking it, its perfect for my budget and for what I've seen its pretty chill
6- If I get an AIO with RGB the pc clearly is going to be faster so thats important

If somebody could please help me figure out if the cost to performance/convenience is worth the stuff, Thanks in advance everyone.

I would get a NHD15/NHD15S. It will last forever. The only thing that could remotely go wrong is if the fan died, but the heatsink would still function and provide cooling and your system will throttle to avoid any damage. Noctua provides kits to fit into newer sockets so you can carry the same heatsink on to future builds, its a good investment for the longer term.

If an AIO pump dies, you risk overheating the CPU and fluid leakage causing the board to short circuit.

6- If I get an AIO with RGB the pc clearly is going to be faster so thats important

LOL.

The case is also to be determined. I'm having a self debate about a beuty design vs airflow but that its also going to be influenced by the cooling I use so thats that.
Do you think a couple quality quiet fans are bang for buck? because I'm open to the option I just lack the experience there.

The case im using is probably be the cheapest in can buy, something like a Aerocool hive FRGB (AEROPGS-HIVE-G-BK-V3) or a NZXT H5 Flow (CC-H51FB-01) wich are examples of one I think looks better and the other has a better air flow
Thx for the help

Obviously go for the one that has better air flow. Cooler system means less fan noise. Longer component life.

 

[Lei]

I have seen instances where air cooling is doing better than custom loop.. not every air cooler will do that though.

Better in just cooling, or better in silence

 

[Fourstaff]

Do the temps keep the same if it have been under heavy load for lets say, more than 4 hours?
In other words, are long gaming sessions a heating problem?

So far no throttling during long gaming sessions. Will have to move to something heavier for throttling to occur.

 

[Rusheliny]

Thanks so much for the help everyone

 

[Lei]

1- I live in the middle of the second biggest Mexican desert (Altar's Great Desert) and every year my city is around 36-41 degrees Celsius, so to keep my child nice and cool it would be nice.

That's warm enough to consider liquid cooling

2- The idea of having 4 fans at top speed to cool my system scares me, imagining the noise it would make seems bothering to me

makes sense

3- Maybe the case that I'm only overthinking about the noise, because realistically I don't know how much noise a full fledge pc makes, I've never experienced by myself so im doubtful

when the gpu starts roaring

4- My budget its getting really tight, my two real options are using the stock cpu cooler or the AIO but one is obviously a lot more expensive than the other.

I don't like AIO, custom loop or stock fan

5- The cpu isn't even that powerful or anything, I'm going to be rocking a Ryzen 5 5600 and I'm not overclocking it, its perfect for my budget and for what I've seen its pretty chill

cpu probably makes no significant noise, but with a custom loop on gpu, you hop the cpu in since everything else is prepared.

6- If I get an AIO with RGB the pc clearly is going to be faster so that's important

RGB not only makes everything faster and quieter but also children more happy.

If somebody could please help me figure out if the cost to performance/convenience is worth the stuff, Thanks in advance everyone.

tell us your gpu model.


there are things u can do to spend less on custom loop:
don't use RGB, coolant dye. use aquarium pump, tubes. buy blocks from Bykski instead of EKWB.
use this as reservoir, not only you can float the pump inside to muffle the noise further, the internal heat capacity of so much water helps cooling. this can keep temps down without any fans on for roughly 2~3 hours:

buy long thin radiators, unless u insist on keeping everything inside the case. btw, rads outside means less leakage crisis.
rad must not be at lower height than res (unless your pump is swimming inside the res, in that scenario it can be placed at lower height than rad)

you can use a car/tractor radiator, but that's not what I'm doing. do not cheap on fasteners, especially the ones connected directly to cpu/gpu block

Do the temps keep the same if it have been under heavy load for let's say, more than 4 hours?
In other words, are long gaming sessions a heating problem?

your mobo will get hot over time, so your cpu may get hotter under the same load after 4 hours* and the air inside the case, the case panels.
It's more true when you're liquid cooling and your coolant warms up. then under same load, your temp keeps going up.


* bcz mobo is a heatsink itself

well it's better to have a cool room though in summer, when gaming, although your PC makes noise, but gameplay has its own music so....

 

[Rusheliny]

tell us your gpu model.

rtx 2060

RGB not only makes everything faster and quieter but also children more happy.

LOL

 

[Lei]

rtx 2060

160w, Nah doesn't need watercooling. Just keep the room cool.

Phanteks fans have good airflow while not expensive like Noctua.
You can change the Thermal Paste on your gpu. it keeps the die cooler and heat transmission easier. because fans listen to die temp when they decide how loud they're going to roar.

14cm fans are quieter than 12cm. the bigger the fan, the less rotation they need to blow the same amount of air. and noise comes from rotation.

for case fans buy "airflow" not "Static pressure". Airflow fans usually have less blades and they're more angled.

 

[Rusheliny]

How about I blow myself directly to the cpu while I game, I can blow pretty chill