Corsair Hydro Series Water Cooler - Which one for me?

[Moonunit707]

I am looking to purchase a water cooling system from Corsair and I am unsure which model will be best for me. My CPU is an Intel i5 3570K overclocked to a modest 4.2GHz, idle is about 25°C and normal load is approximately 45°C to 50°C on air cooling. I want to eliminate the large radial heatsink and fan which is the main source of noise. My question is will the H55 quiet model provide enough cooling? Do I need to upgrade to something like the H80i? I know I could just do overkill and go with the H100i but I'd like to go with smaller and more quiet. All input is welcome.

 

[Jake Wenta]

H100i or NZXT Kraken x60(if it will fit in your case) are the best 2 AIO as of right now. But they run for around 100 hundred, this will allow for a higher overclock or a quieter run.
If you want the best air cooler, it is 75 for a phantek or noctua NH-D14, but you are trying to eliminate the heatsink but they're quiet.
You could go for the H80i or H60, but they aren't worth it price/performance so I do not recommend it.
Or you can go for a CM 212 EVO for 30 dollars.

 

[ewok93]

The H55 silent is pretty powerful and quiet, I think that's your best choice.

 

[GavinLeigh]

I've used the H60 and it works well. A definite improvement on the stock Intel cooler and relatively quiet. I use mine in a PC that doubles as a media center. I think the smaller units will cool the CPU fine but I wouldn't expect it to be that quiet unless you really turn the fan speed down. I can hear the pump too when close to the machine. I imagine the larger units can use slower fan speeds, so they may be quieter, however reviews don't seem to prove that:

http://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/henry-butt/corsair-hydro-h55-cpu-cooler-review/6/

I hope this info helps.

 

[gman97005]

The H80i or H60 will serve you well, no need for huge liquid cooler system with your mild temps, you can get a refurbished Corsair kit on Newegg for as great price, i picked up an H60 for $35, still too warm for your taste just add another fan to the inside of the radiator for a push/pull arrangement, even bigger improvement..

 

[ewok93]

Yeah, I've got an H60, I think I got the same deal as you gman. It runs quiet too.

 

[Som3one]

The question really is how big of a rad your case can handle, how big you want it to be and how much you want to spend on it.

 

[RobCrezz]

Personally, I would only go for a closed loop cooler if it was the h100i grade or better, otherwise you can get a better air cooler for less money.

 

[ewok93]

Err... no. A water cooler can beat almost any air cooler of the same price.

 

[RobCrezz]

Err... no. A water cooler can beat almost any air cooler of the same price.

Not always.

The Phanteks PH-tc14PE beats the h80 for a similar price:
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cooling/2013/08/21/phanteks-ph-tc14pe-review/2

 

[ewok93]

Just barely though. Interesting. Air coolers require more ventilation in the case though, so from what I've seen they tend to run better in a more realistic situation.

 

[Moonunit707]

Thanks for all the input. For those asking about case size and price point, I have a CM HAF 932 and am willing to spend up to $120. I know my case will support up to a 280mm radiator. What I've seen from GavinLeigh's link to a Kitguru post shows that the sound levels from all models is close enough together that I should just go with the largest I can afford.

 

[Jake Wenta]

Well then I'd go for a NZXT Kraken x60-280mm radiator AIO for $110

 

[javsto]

is there a significant difference in cooling / noise between a fan that is 120 mm over one of 140 mm in size?? Im currently looking at the Corsair H90 and the H80 and other lower models online and they are all under $100.

 

[navyboy887]

This question's already been answered, but you could always buy a quieter and more powerful fan to put on the radiator. I'm thinking about doing that for my H100i.

 

[Jake Wenta]

is there a significant difference in cooling / noise between a fan that is 120 mm over one of 140 mm in size?? Im currently looking at the Corsair H90 and the H80 and other lower models online and they are all under $100.

Please make a new thread for your own topic.
The difference is mmH20 to dBA really. Larger fan so more area to push air, so less RPM which ends in less noise.

 

[Jake Wenta]

This question's already been answered, but you could always buy a quieter and more powerful fan to put on the radiator. I'm thinking about doing that for my H100i.

H100i comes with very powerful fans that you can't buy aftermarket- ~4 mmh20, So you'd not see a benefit in performance, but rather a loss at 100% fan speeds. But you can get better cooling at quieter levels when it comes to fans such as Noctua or Cougars.