Question AIO front mounting weakens other components

[future_wave]

Hi all, I know I read somewhere that front mounting an AIO shortens the life span of other components because it causes the intake to have warmer air coming into the PC and thus warms the GPU and MoBo more. I can't find any information on it, so I am wondering if I just read someone's bad take and don't remember or if I was making it up in my tiny mind.

Has anyone ever heard this about front mounting AIOs, particularly if you front mount the larger radiators? Trying to ask the experts to see if my memory is failing.

Thanks!

 

[future_wave]

They aren't..? The entire LF II line uses longer tubing than most other AIOs, at 450mm long. The usual length is 400mm. Less often seen are 380mm.
Now, depending on the case and some of the other hardware inside, that extra length can be a convenience, or an inconvenience.

They seem short to me. Companies darn well know the sizes of many cases so one would think they could make the tubes a bit longer for larger AIOs so more mounting options are available. Unless there is some efficeny thing that ets in the way of making the tubes longer. I imagine they can't be made too long. But I obviously don't know the numbers on that.

Money, and there's enough demand for them to turn a profit. They especially charge more cash for the very niche 420mm. [I was interested in them at first, because 140mm fans, but the limited case options was a major con.]
The larger sizes don't offer much beyond fans, and more fans or bigger fans isn't always more better.

Some review benchmarks be way off the mark. One of the biggest mistakes I've seen with them, IMO, is the cpu choice(s), or not utilizing a dummy heater. I'd think most want to see what the cooler can really do, so the reviewer should use a dummy heater or a 'big' cpu and stress test that. [Maybe they don't have access to such samples - I could cut 'em some slack for that.]
Intel's X-series is one of the best samples to use if a dummy heater wasn't available.

Others... I've seen quad core i5s - i7s(the Intel TIM wasn't helping), and later AMD Ryzen cpus, which don't really pull that much power, but are harder to cool due to the multi-chip design and higher thermal density of said chips.
You can't really see what these really big coolers are/aren't capable of with chips like those. Users can't saturate those radiators with chips like those - they're going to run into other limits long before that.

Trying not to make the post too long, but more cooler reviews need to be done with i9s and dummy heaters... and I guess Ryzen shouldn't be left completely out of the loop.
Then viewers need to make their own judgements whether they 'need/want' such a cooler.

I do kinda regret getting 2 360mm AIOs, but my curiosity had gotten the better of me at the time. [I do have one 280mm on the side as a backup.]

I agree with you for sure. I mean deep down I knew it was money, but I wonder what the profit margins are after R&D, manufacturing, shipping, marketing, etc. I did some googling and I didn't even realize how new the 360 and up AIO were relative to the history of water cooling. That explains a lot. I think as the popularity of PC building rises we might see more change in the size offerings unless new CPUs become insanely hot. I agree with you about the CPUs but I am uncertain how more to manage that than what you have said. I mean if one is a reviewer and wants to test things for the average consumer then overclocking doesn't need to be done as a lot of people aren't going to overclock their CPUs. Many will overclock, but not all of them. Reviewers have to be careful of their niche within a niche and the time spent vs gains on some things. ROI and such. If the goal is to see how efficient a cooler is then one needs to put it through its paces under "real world" scenario in which consumers will use them. I would go on, but then I fear I would be exposing my ideas if I ever get to make my own damn review channel lol The teacher in me starts rearing his ugly head. lol

I am not sure how many reviewers actually get their results even if they attempt to explain their review process. I mean I know of some of how they do things, but I want to see more than some explanations I see. We all are aware of Gamers Nexus as they have the gold standard for super thorough explanations and reviews. But even then I am left wanting to know more information. But that might be my own curiosity and inexperience talking.

I can see how you might regret certain purchases. My 420 AIO certainly is not the first purchase I have made that I regret. It's just the most recent one. Again, I haven't installed the thing yet. Not sure I will. But if i try and return it I am immediately taking a 70-dollar loss or so for shipping and restocking. Trying to sell it online, but I am not sure how good that will go.

I do appreciate you taking the time to respond and giving me your thoughts and expertise. I find the discussion instructive and helpful!

 

[Phaaze88]

They seem short to me. Companies darn well know the sizes of many cases so one would think they could make the tubes a bit longer for larger AIOs so more mounting options are available. Unless there is some efficeny thing that ets in the way of making the tubes longer. I imagine they can't be made too long. But I obviously don't know the numbers on that.

I don't know the numbers either, but it goes back to the flow rate I mentioned earlier.
Take for example, case airflow.
The further air has to travel to reach the components, the more turns it has to make, the slower it moves, solid obstacles forcing it to travel around, semi-solid obstacles thinning it as it passes through... the more time it has to weaken.
The loop flow rate follows something similar, but with tubing length, bends, twists, or turns, and organic material present.

But if i try and return it I am immediately taking a 70-dollar loss or so for shipping and restocking.

OUCH. I'm sure I would just roll with the cooler - I could buy another cooler with that much.

 

[future_wave]

I don't know the numbers either, but it goes back to the flow rate I mentioned earlier.
Take for example, case airflow.
The further air has to travel to reach the components, the more turns it has to make, the slower it moves, solid obstacles forcing it to travel around, semi-solid obstacles thinning it as it passes through... the more time it has to weaken.
The loop flow rate follows something similar, but with tubing length, bends, twists, or turns, and organic material present.

Yes, it would be flow rate probably. I would like to learn more about airflow in cases myself. I am sure it's simple science, but my degrees are not in the hard sciences lol

OUCH. I'm sure I would just roll with the cooler - I could buy another cooler with that much.

Yes. That is why I am rolling with it. I calculated the shipping and thought, "damn it. I am just going to keep it or try and sell it." It sucks, but maybe I needed to learn a lesson or something.