280mm radiators worth it?

[Thomas_202]

I'm planning on OC'ing my i7 6700k (i was thinking getting it to 4,8 maybe?), but my current cooler is not gonna cut it. Atm I have a Zalman Z11 Neo and I really like the NZXT Kraken X62, but it won't fit. I could get a new case from NZXT with it to get those neat matching components, but that gets expensive.

So my question is, is it worth it? Am I better off just throwing the Kraken X52 in my Z11, or go for the big one?

Current rig:
cpu: i7 6700k @ 4Ghz
gpu: ASUS ROG STRIX GTX1070 O8G
psu: Cooler Master G650M
mobo: MSI Z170A-G43 PLUS
case: Zalman Z11 Neo
2 hdd's and 1 ssd

 

[grimfox]

I use a H110i which is a 280 rad. Temps under a F@H load are pretty good usually staying under 55C. F@H is not prime95. I have a 6600k (second one, first one blew a core) which I could only get to 4400 on stock voltage. It's more processor than I currently use day to day so I'm not going to complain.

 

[geofelt]

Worth is something only YOU can determine.
In my opinion... not worth it.

Your 4.8 oc hopes may be a bit high.
How high you can go is determined by your luck in getting a good chip.
As of 12/04/2016
What percent can get an overclock at a somewhat sane 1.4v Vcore.

I7-6700K
4.9 5%
4.8 21%
4.7 64%
4.6 96%

The real limit is the vcore you can tolerate.

For the most part, your current case with two 120mm front intake fans should provide sufficient cooling for your parts.
If you need more, change out the fans for higher airflow versions. Of course at the cost of more noise.

Your 6700K is a 91w processor running at stock. More with various levels of overclock.
Noctua has a nice TDP fitment chart for their coolers.
You can also use the chart to size similar other coolers.
http://noctua.at/en/tdp-guide

I might suggest that a noctua NH-U14s or similar would be good..

fwiw

My canned rant on liquid cooling:
------------------------start of rant-------------------
You buy a liquid cooler to be able to extract an extra multiplier or two out of your OC.
How much do you really need?
I do not much like all in one liquid coolers when a good air cooler like a Noctua or phanteks can do the job just as well.
A liquid cooler will be expensive, noisy, less reliable, and will not cool any better
in a well ventilated case.
Liquid cooling is really air cooling, it just puts the heat exchange in a different place.
The orientation of the radiator will cause a problem.
If you orient it to take in cool air from the outside, you will cool the cpu better, but the hot air then circulates inside the case heating up the graphics card and motherboard.
If you orient it to exhaust(which I think is better) , then your cpu cooling will be less effective because it uses pre heated case air.
And... I have read too many tales of woe when a liquid cooler leaks.
google "H100 leak"
I would support an AIO cooler only in a space restricted case.
-----------------------end of rant--------------------------

Your pc will be quieter, more reliable, and will be cooled equally well with a decent air cooler.

 

[Thomas_202]

liquids look a lot better than those huge bulks which are gonna take in all of the space imo... also, my gfx is huge, prob blocking all of the front intake anyway, while still getting enough air from the bottom. They're also easier to install, installing air cooler are a pain in the butt. And from comparisons that I've seen, the X62 cools better than the noctua.