AIO Water Cooler vs Air Cooler (CPU)

[Dazinek]

Question here, how does a single 120mm AIO Water cooler go against a air cooler? What is better for overclocking the cpu in a general sense? Does a massive air cooler beat a single water cooler?

 

[Gam3r01]

120mm water coolers short of the H80i are beaten by even the 212 EVO. It itself competes on some level, but for the price the EVO is simply better overall.

As to the big air coolers, they compete with 240mm coolers, so they take 120mm easily down.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Phanteks/PH-TC14PE/6.html

 

[Dazinek]

Thank you for clearing up my confusion. Was a wee bit misinformed. Thanks much.

 

[hunter315]

Frosty tech has the answers you see, refer to their heatsink temperature difference/sound level chart
http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2771&page=5

Small water coolers like the H60 don't far well compared to the air coolers, bigger thicker ones like the H80 beat most air coolers but they are significantly louder, the Noctua D15 is a good example of a big air cooler, it runs only about 1C higher and 10 dBa lower than the significantly more expensive H100.

The closed loop coolers are good if you are tight on space, but aren't significantly better than a good air cooler, its all a function of surface area and airflow.

 

[Dazinek]

Understood, Thank you hunter.
I was looking in buying a new cooler, as I currently have a 120v Seidon.

Being in my position, What should I go ahead and lean for? I was thinking on getting that Noctua D15, or the CM V8 GTS, Or go ahead and stick with liquid and get the H80i. My case(CM Storm Scout Advanced 2) cannot fit a dual rad without going outside of the case, so I am limited there..

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Air Coolers win hands down over CLCs ..... even the big ones....but the Swiftech units beat them both

Swiftech H240-X OLC > Swiftech 220-X OLC > Cryrorig R1 AC > Noctua DH-15 AC > extreme rpm 240 / 280 CLCs > Phanteks PH-TC14-PE / Noctua DH-14 AC > Moderate rpm CLCs > Hyper 212 AC > 120/140mm CLCs

OLC = Open Loop Cooler (All in One) ... i.e. Swiftech
Extreme RPM CLC = Closed Loop Cooler (All in One) .... i.e. H100i
Moderate RPM CLC - Closed Loop Cooler All in One) .... i.e. H110
AC = Air Cooler

 

[Dazinek]

Air Coolers win hands down over CLCs ..... even the big ones....but the Swiftech units beat them both

Swiftech H240-X OLC > Swiftech 220-X OLC > Cryrorig R1 AC > Noctua DH-15 AC > extreme rpm 240 / 280 CLCs > Phanteks PH-TC14-PE / Noctua DH-14 AC > Moderate rpm CLCs > Hyper 212 AC > 120/140mm CLCs

OLC = Open Loop Cooler (All in One) ... i.e. Swiftech
Extreme RPM CLC = Closed Loop Cooler (All in One) .... i.e. H100i
Moderate RPM CLC - Closed Loop Cooler All in One) .... i.e. H110
AC = Air Cooler

Well you have you sold on going Air over CLC. Thanks a lot 😛

 

[JackNaylorPE]

MP