EK Predator 360 or Swiftech H320 X2 Prestige?

[Iver Hicarte]

So between these 2 liquid coolers which is better for overclocking, which is also better in performance and which is the "quietest"???

 

[faalin]

If i had the choose between the two i would go with the EK Predator 360

 

[misteriosly]

Both are good, but i would suggest EK Predator 360. Both can be expanded, which is cool if you want to upgrade later on.

 

[rubix_1011]

Predator likely performs better of the 2 based on testing I've done with the 240/220 versions of each.

Both are very quiet - you can find the fan decibel readings in the testing stickies.

 

[4Ryan6]

Since the EK Predator 360 can have fans mounted in push/pull if needed later on, I would go with that, as you cannot mount fans on both sides of the Swiftech H320-Prestige.

 

[n0ns3ns3]

To your questions:
Both have about the same cooling capacity, so they both will allow same performance/results.

Swiftech tend to use lower FPI radiators, which means they are quieter.

As a side note, you do not need 3x120 rad for just CPU. It will be fine to have such a thing for overclocked CPU+GPU in a desert 😉 just for CPU, it's an overkill that will not help you to cool your system or overclock over 2x120 solution (which is also fine for CPU+GPU, just requires slightly higher fan speeds under load)

 

[4Ryan6]

As a side note, you do not need 3x120 rad for just CPU. It will be fine to have such a thing for overclocked CPU+GPU in a desert 😉 just for CPU, it's an overkill that will not help you to cool your system or overclock over 2x120 solution (which is also fine for CPU+GPU, just requires slightly higher fan speeds under load)

It depends on how far the OP intends on overclocking his CPU as to how much radiator cooling field he needs to keep it stable and that is totally cooling the CPU alone.

Most running an all in one CPU cooler are not really concerned with high overclocks because if they were they would be custom water cooling and having enough radiator cooling field to get the job done.

Higher speed fans only make a difference to radiators designed for them.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2196038/air-cooling-water-cooling-things.html

 

[n0ns3ns3]

As a side note, you do not need 3x120 rad for just CPU. It will be fine to have such a thing for overclocked CPU+GPU in a desert 😉 just for CPU, it's an overkill that will not help you to cool your system or overclock over 2x120 solution (which is also fine for CPU+GPU, just requires slightly higher fan speeds under load)

It depends on how far the OP intends on overclocking his CPU as to how much radiator cooling field he needs to keep it stable and that is totally cooling the CPU alone.

Most running an all in one CPU cooler are not really concerned with high overclocks because if they were they would be custom water cooling and having enough radiator cooling field to get the job done.

Higher speed fans only make a difference to radiators designed for them.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2196038/air-cooling-water-cooling-things.html

Low FPI rad = high CFM fans, High FPI rad = High SP fans. So when talking about fan speed, I was referring to CFM/SP.
For example, fan speed between 20 and 80 % at idle will make very little difference. It will make a noticeable difference under load.

 

[4Ryan6]

Low FPI rad = high CFM fans, High FPI rad = High SP fans. So when talking about fan speed, I was referring to CFM/SP.
For example, fan speed between 20 and 80 % at idle will make very little difference. It will make a noticeable difference under load.

Low FPI rads are designed for lower RPM cooling fans, they are designed for the quieter system and usually low FPI rads do not benefit from higher speed and higher CFM fans past a certain point, most all in one cooling solutions already come with the best matched fans for their optimal performance.

High FPI rads do not necessarily have to have high static pressure fans, it really depends on how thick the actual radiator core is, which in most calculating factors for high overclocks, is the missing piece of the puzzle.

The thicker the radiator core the more static pressure is needed to push the air through at a good flow rate through the fin grids to remove the heat from the radiator core.

A high FPI count on a radiator core that is only 20mm thick can get by easily with high RPM but low static pressure fans, it all depends on the actual core thickness of the radiator.

There is however an exception to this because there is a low FPI radiator that requires high static pressure to get the maximum cooling from it, simply because it has a 75mm core thickness, the Alphacool Monsta.

 

[n0ns3ns3]

Low FPI rads are designed for lower RPM cooling fans, they are designed for the quieter system and usually low FPI rads do not benefit from higher speed and higher CFM fans past a certain point, most all in one cooling solutions already come with the best matched fans for their optimal performance.

High FPI rads do not necessarily have to have high static pressure fans, it really depends on how thick the actual radiator core is, which in most calculating factors for high overclocks, is the missing piece of the puzzle.

The thicker the radiator core the more static pressure is needed to push the air through at a good flow rate through the fin grids to remove the heat from the radiator core.

A high FPI count on a radiator core that is only 20mm thick can get by easily with high RPM but low static pressure fans, it all depends on the actual core thickness of the radiator.

There is however an exception to this because there is a low FPI radiator that requires high static pressure to get the maximum cooling from it, simply because it has a 75mm core thickness, the Alphacool Monsta.

You are correct.
I still can't see how it contradicts that to cool only CPU, he needs more than 240 rad I wouldn't go for less for GPU cooling, but for (even overclocked) CPU I would even feel fine with good 120/140 rad.

 

[4Ryan6]

You are correct.
I still can't see how it contradicts that to cool only CPU, he needs more than 240 rad I wouldn't go for less for GPU cooling, but for (even overclocked) CPU I would even feel fine with good 120/140 rad.

It really depends on just how far the OP wants to overclock the CPU and remain 100% stable.

The further the CPU is overclocked the more radiator cooling field is needed to cool the additional heat load the overclock creates.

A 360 will get you a little further stable OC than a 240 will.

When you say:

I would even feel fine with good 120/140 rad.

Then your concept of CPU overclocking is a very small overclock, but IMO with today's CPUs if you cannot get a 1ghz overclock over your stock clock, you aren't even really overclocking IMO.

The real key is when you reach your overclock are your CPU load temperatures acceptable for any kind of CPU longevity?

 

[n0ns3ns3]

It really depends on just how far the OP wants to overclock the CPU and remain 100% stable.

The further the CPU is overclocked the more radiator cooling field is needed to cool the additional heat load the overclock creates.

A 360 will get you a little further stable OC than a 240 will.

Then your concept of CPU overclocking is a very small overclock, but IMO with today's CPUs if you cannot get a 1ghz overclock over your stock clock, you aren't even really overclocking IMO.

The real key is when you reach your overclock are your CPU load temperatures acceptable for any kind of CPU longevity?

Seems like you are the "squeezing" overclocker type
I live in a hot area. The room ambient can be 35C. And the air conditioning is not always on. So for me, overclocking is "how much i can get, without taking care of those ambient temps". So a reasonable overclock of 500-1000MHz without taking voltage to extreme is good enough for me as long as the CPU cores are under 70C at 30 ambient.
Like I don't see the value in another 100MHz if I have to spend too much time and money to get it.

 

[4Ryan6]

Seems like you are the "squeezing" overclocker type
I live in a hot area. The room ambient can be 35C. And the air conditioning is not always on. So for me, overclocking is "how much i can get, without taking care of those ambient temps". So a reasonable overclock of 500-1000MHz without taking voltage to extreme is good enough for me as long as the CPU cores are under 70C at 30 ambient.
Like I don't see the value in another 100MHz if I have to spend too much time and money to get it.

Yes I am the "squeezing" overclocker type.

The rest of your statement is logically reasonable, your ambient is quite high 12c higher than mine, 35c is 95f, where do you live?