CPU cooler upgrade worth ?

[DiogoCDS19]

Hello,

A friend of mine got a new Cooler Master Seidon 120V that hes going to sell. I was wondering if its worth for me to upgrade.
Hes gonna sell it to me for around 20€ if I want.
The cooler I got right now is a Zalman, got it since my C2D and I'm still happy with it.
Will I see any major temperature differences ? At the moment my temperatures on idle are 31C on the lowest core and 35-36C on the others, at stock clocks and fan on the cooler at max speed (2400rpm). At load, playing the witcher 3, for example, the max temperature I get is 65C.
One thing that worries me is the liquid in it... As for air cooling theres no big deal, it doesn't leak and if the fan breaks you get a new one. Does the warranty covers damages on the hardware if the cooler is faulty and leaks or breaks ?

Thanks

 

[MrGenius]

Is your system stable? Do you suspect it isn't stable due to inadequate cooling? If so, then yes. If all you expect to change is the temps, then no. If you don't plan to take advantage of having lower temps, then what's the use in having them? Lower temps don't get you anything on their own. Meaning, if it's working fine as it is, it's not going to work any better if you lower the temps. Totally pointless.

 

[DiogoCDS19]

Well I was thinking about overclocking, did some testing some days ago and my 4670k takes 1.3v to be stable at 4.4Ghz. The temps get near 90C though.
But the point is, the seidon 120v costs around 50€ here, so getting a new one (unopened box) for 20€ sounds good.
But I understand what you mean, if I'm not going to oc theres no point buying it.
I'll search around to see if the temperature difference would be big enough to make it worth.

 

[silkstone]

I saw a quite nice temp drop going from a V8 to a Seidon.

70C @ 4.5 ghz. Though they are a little higher since replacing the fans with silent ones.

 

[zo0lykas]

for sure it worth, less noise + lower temp + can overclock cpu
but couple questions..

how long your pal got that cooler? if more than 2 years not recommended, or close you that.
how old is your cooler, maybe time to change for better but same air ? if you afraid water, due leaking, because warranty not cover any damage done by water "leak"

Hello,

A friend of mine got a new Cooler Master Seidon 120V that hes going to sell. I was wondering if its worth for me to upgrade.
Hes gonna sell it to me for around 20€ if I want.
The cooler I got right now is a Zalman, got it since my C2D and I'm still happy with it.
Will I see any major temperature differences ? At the moment my temperatures on idle are 31C on the lowest core and 35-36C on the others, at stock clocks and fan on the cooler at max speed (2400rpm). At load, playing the witcher 3, for example, the max temperature I get is 65C.
One thing that worries me is the liquid in it... As for air cooling theres no big deal, it doesn't leak and if the fan breaks you get a new one. Does the warranty covers damages on the hardware if the cooler is faulty and leaks or breaks ?

Thanks

 

[doyll]

Honestly, good air coolers are cheaper than CLCs, run quieter, cool as well or better even when CLC is 2-3 times as loud and are air always out-performs CLC at same noise level. CLCs wear out and can leak. Air coolers last forever with maybe changing the fan after 5-7 years.

 

[DiogoCDS19]

The 120v is still in the box, unopened.
My cooler is like 5 years old but not sure. I got it for ~40€ at that time. It was great and after I lapped it 3 years ago it does even better. Can't complain.
Still debating on what to do.

 

[doyll]

Your Zalman is a good cooler. Not the best but still not too far from the best. As long as the fan is still performing properly you are fine. The Seidon might be a degree or two cooler, but that's about it. I don't think it's worth it. I have a near new H80 setting on the shelf I will never use because I prefer air or go all the way to a good water loop. Cheapest loop I would consider is Swiftech H220-X or H240-X .. and I can get to top tier air cooler for the same amount of money.

 

[OAcesync]

If you have good space in your system for the Cooler and want to Overclock then I would get the watercooler. Manufactuers do have warranties on their water coolers and people tend to exaggerate about leakage that only happens with faulty ones or incorrect installion.
CLCs are better than Air coolers but they do not last as long it would probably last around 5 years maximum, also I would probably buy another fan like the Noctua NF 12 to replace the stock fan with the cooler as they can tend to be loud.

 

[DiogoCDS19]

Alright! Thanks for the help.
I'll be painting my case next month and do some modding. One thing I didn't say about my cooler is that I always have it at 2400rpm and its a bit noisy, but not a big deal.
But if I could reduce that noise by upgrading would be great.
So if I wanted to go for a good performance cooler, either air or liquid. Max 100€ what you guys would recommend ?

 

[doyll]

If you have good space in your system for the Cooler and want to Overclock then I would get the watercooler. Manufactuers do have warranties on their water coolers and people tend to exaggerate about leakage that only happens with faulty ones or incorrect installion.
CLCs are better than Air coolers but they do not last as long it would probably last around 5 years maximum, also I would probably buy another fan like the Noctua NF 12 to replace the stock fan with the cooler as they can tend to be loud.

Sorry, but independent testing has found CLCs to be no better than top air, but they are more expensive, don't last a long, and make way more noise, like 4-10 times as much noise. Top air is 35-45dBA while top CLCs are 55-68dBA 65dBA sounds 4 times as loud as 45dBA and 8 times as loud as 35dBA. Much of the CLC hype is from Corsair and Asetek .. and Asetek has the patent on CLC design so there is no real competition until patent runs out .. and there as been almost no major improvement in cooling from the first CLCs to today's new releases.

Alright! Thanks for the help.
I'll be painting my case next month and do some modding. One thing I didn't say about my cooler is that I always have it at 2400rpm and its a bit noisy, but not a big deal.
But if I could reduce that noise by upgrading would be great.
So if I wanted to go for a good performance cooler, either air or liquid. Max 100€ what you guys would recommend ?

For under 100€ you can buy any of the top air coolers with money to spare. Cryorig R1, Thermalright Silver Arrow IB-E, Archon IB-E Noctua NH-D15, NH-D14, NH-U14S, be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3, Alpenfohn K2 / DeepCool Assassin, Assassin 2, ID-Cooling Fi-REEX Deluxe, to name a few are well below 100€.

 

[OAcesync]

Sorry, but independent testing has found CLCs to be no better than top air, but they are more expensive, don't last a long, and make way more noise, like 4-10 times as much noise. Top air is 35-45dBA while top CLCs are 55-68dBA 65dBA sounds 4 times as loud as 45dBA and 8 times as loud as 35dBA. Much of the CLC hype is from Corsair and Asetek .. and Asetek has the patent on CLC design so there is no real competition until patent runs out .. and there as been almost no major improvement in cooling from the first CLCs to today's new releases.

Alright! Thanks for the help.
I'll be painting my case next month and do some modding. One thing I didn't say about my cooler is that I always have it at 2400rpm and its a bit noisy, but not a big deal.
But if I could reduce that noise by upgrading would be great.
So if I wanted to go for a good performance cooler, either air or liquid. Max 100€ what you guys would recommend ?

Many benchmarks have shown that high end CLCs will have better performance than air coolers although is a small 1-9 C margin and like you said CLC are louder hence why I advised to buy better optimized fans than the ones that came with the water coolers. Air coolers have bettr price to performance but water coolers are slighty better and high end water coolers are a lot easier to fit inside a case then high end air coolers. Most Mid Towers can't even accommodate high end Dual 140 air coolers.

It all depends on your build really, if your case has a height clearance of at least 165mm then I would get something like the Noctua NH D15 if not then I would more towards a thick 120mm/140mm radiator like Enermax 120S, Corsair H80i,Coolermaster Nepton 120XL etc. If you can find a 240mm Radiator under 100 under that's even better and of course if your case.

 

[doyll]

Indeed.

But many of these benchmarks have little accuracy because they use room ambient rather than the temperature of air going into the cooler / radiator. Add that many also do their testing in cases to "simulate real world environments." What is their "real word" is and what our "real world" is are totally different worlds. Different cases, CPUs, GPUs, fans, etc. all add up to different airflow, heat load and performance. I have studied airflow for many years and have found simply changing the cooler fan speed can change the cooler intake air temp by 4-8+c and that cooler intake air temp is never the same as room ambient .. within 3-5c is very close and often it is 11-15+c. Now when using a case to test CLC and air, the CLC is either exhausting all it's heated air out of case as well as moving 1 or 2 fans worth of more air out of case or worse, drawing cool air into case through the radiator. While using cooler / radiator intake is not perfect, it eliminates a world of temperature variables not considered by most reviewers.

Now on to the CLC vs Air discussion. The cost of a top tier air cooler is about half of what a CLC and new fans cost. About as much difference as a good flowing case costs .. that when combined with the top tier cooler will improve the cooling and be quieter than the CLC and new fans do. Reason the fans are so loud on CLC is the dense finpack in radiator needed, which in turn requires high pressure and high flow fans. Quieter fans rarely move as much air resulting higher temps. The other and equally as significant shortcoming of CLCs is their pumps have only marginally high enough flow and lift ratings. Maybe 1/4 or 1/3 of what real loop pumps do. This is obvious when we look at the power ratings that are similar or less then their fan power ratings. Custom loop radiators are usually copper and brass while CLC are aluminum, low flowrate pumps, usually cheap fans, etc. all add up to poor product for the money they cost.

Hopefully this will change in the future. I've noticed in the last year there is some improvement.

 

[DiogoCDS19]

Most of those air coolers look big and ugly, no offense to anyone. Even mine doesnt look that nice but some are really ugly.
But have to take that into account, they sure are big and ugly but perform good.

 

[OAcesync]

Most of those air coolers look big and ugly, no offense to anyone. Even mine doesnt look that nice but some are really ugly.
But have to take that into account, they sure are big and ugly but perform good.

That's excatly puts me off Noctua coolers, at least the Be Quiet ones have a nice black colour, I wish Noctua would put effort into their colour schemes. But it's not like I can fit any of those coolers in my case anyways.

 

[doyll]

Most of those air coolers look big and ugly, no offense to anyone. Even mine doesnt look that nice but some are really ugly.
But have to take that into account, they sure are big and ugly but perform good.

LOL
Cryorig should be releasing a new cooler that's more like your Zalman soon.

And 6 different colored shrouds too

 

[DiogoCDS19]

LOL
Cryorig should be releasing a new cooler that's more like your Zalman soon.

And 6 different colored shrouds too

That one sure looks cool and it seems not that big, maybe the angle is helping. but seems not to be over the ram slots.

 

[OAcesync]

LOL
Cryorig should be releasing a new cooler that's more like your Zalman soon.

And 6 different colored shrouds too

Now that's a cooler I wouldn't ashamed of having.

 

[DiogoCDS19]

Saw this on their facebook page and had to post because we were talking about size haha

 

[OAcesync]

Saw this on their facebook page and had to post because we were talking about size haha

Yep that's definitely not happening xD

 

[silkstone]

Sorry, but independent testing has found CLCs to be no better than top air, but they are more expensive, don't last a long, and make way more noise, like 4-10 times as much noise. Top air is 35-45dBA while top CLCs are 55-68dBA 65dBA sounds 4 times as loud as 45dBA and 8 times as loud as 35dBA. Much of the CLC hype is from Corsair and Asetek .. and Asetek has the patent on CLC design so there is no real competition until patent runs out .. and there as been almost no major improvement in cooling from the first CLCs to today's new releases.


For under 100€ you can buy any of the top air coolers with money to spare. Cryorig R1, Thermalright Silver Arrow IB-E, Archon IB-E Noctua NH-D15, NH-D14, NH-U14S, be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3, Alpenfohn K2 / DeepCool Assassin, Assassin 2, ID-Cooling Fi-REEX Deluxe, to name a few are well below 100€.

His AIO is only 20 Euro. A much better deal than spending $100 on a 'top air-cooler.' Similar performance for less $$$.

 

[DiogoCDS19]

His AIO is only 20 Euro. A much better deal than spending $100 on a 'top air-cooler.' Similar performance for less $$$.

Yeh thats why I was asking.
By the way, the Nepton 120XL is much better than the Seidon 120V right ? I mean the price is almost doubled.

 

[R-T-B]

Saw this on their facebook page and had to post because we were talking about size haha

Is it just me or are half those not even heatpipe connected?

 

[silkstone]

Yeh thats why I was asking.
By the way, the Nepton 120XL is much better than the Seidon 120V right ? I mean the price is almost doubled.

XL versions have a thicker radiator (so better cooling) and I believe that the Nepton has better tubing.

 

[DiogoCDS19]

Is it just me or are half those not even heatpipe connected?

That looks like a troll, not sure if thats a real cooler XD