i7 6700k, which cooler to pick

[neseri]

Can anyone tell me if these coolers will be able to handle the i7 6700k running at 100% for a while ?

1. Air cooled - Deepcool neptwin v2 - the most expensive 2 fan air cooled solution available here - http://www.deepcool.com/product/cpucooler/2014-03/7_813.shtml - price 41 euros

2. Deepcool gamer storm maelstorm 240T - http://www.deepcool.com/product/gamerstorm/2015-04/6_1827.shtml - local price = 52 euros

3. Deepcool gamer storm captain 240 - http://www.deepcool.com/product/gamerstorm/2014-09/6_1013.shtml - price 81eur


There are also these 2, but they have less than half the air flow of the above.. Does that even matter?: And are more expensive
4. Cooler master nepton 240m - http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/cpu-liquid-cooler/nepton-240m - price 105 eur
5. Cooler master h100i v2 - http://www.corsair.com/en-us/hydro-series-h100i-v2-extreme-performance-liquid-cpu-cooler - price 122 eur


I'm planning on getting #3 (deepcool captain 240), the price isn't too high, and from what I see - it's the best option.
I'm concerned because I have read that even a liquid cooler can be weaker or just as good as an air cooler, and even noisier.
I'm not the one to complain much about noise, but there is a line for that too.


What do you think? What can I expect from each of those? What are the pros/cons?
Give me your expert opinions.
Thanks

 

[Karadjgne]

Your head is stuck on statistics. For example the noctua nf-s12 has much higher CFM than the nf-f12, yet the s12 sucks on radiators simply due to fan blade design. It's low on static pressure, which the f12 has plenty. Radiators work best when there is ample CFM but that must be balanced with SP or there's nothing to push that big CFM through the fins. So you can't rely on stats saying any 1 radiator is better because it's got more airflow. Rads also have a certain amount of fins per inch, fpi, and more fins make for more efficient cooling ability but without higher SP fans, too many fins just block too much airflow.

Best to look at actual performance charts, doesn't matter what cpu is used, what you look for is where they stand.

Clc's are louder. Bunch of BS. I run a nzxt Kraken x61 and a corsair h55, neither of which is anything louder than silent until I really push the cpus, like in prime95. I rarely see over 55% cpu on anything so the fans generally don't go beyond 700 rpm or so. It's only under extreme cpu that the fans ramp to max, and that's true for any aircooler. A corsair h100i might be louder than a noctua nh-d14, but that's all in the fans, not the clc or heatsink. Put nf-p12 fans on a h100i and it'll be just as quiet. Stock corsair fans are loud, no escaping that on a clc or air cooler.

Fundamentaly, there's no difference in a clc or air , both cool a cpu using a heatsink and fan. In a clc, the heatsink is liquid filled and called a radiator and is not attached directly to the cpu. An air cooler is a heatsink attached directly to the cpu. This doesn't change basic ability, it's only in extreme situation that it does. High OC uses high voltages which creates high heat. An aircooler being directly attached will directly absorb this heat which is disipated at a rate controlled by the fan and fin area. This means changes in temp are quick. A clc is different. Being liquid, changes in temp are slow and controlled by the temp of the liquid, not the radiator. Keep the liquid at decent temps and there's no practical limit on cpu temp. This means that most 280mm liquid coolers and many of the 240mm will top ability of the biggest aircoolers, radiators having much greater area for cooling than an aircooler. But that's extreme oc. For most normal to large oc, there's enough over cooling ability in either air or clc that air coolers are the better value, especially for anything under @4.7GHz or so.

Then there's Skylake, the coolest running cpu in a while. A noctua nh-d14, phanteks ph-tc14pe, or similar air cooler or any 240mm, even a 140mm h90 or Kraken x41 is plenty for a high oc on a 6700k

Edit: forgot to mention the pump. There's 3 basic designs in pumps, Asetek (round pumps) Cool-it (square pumps) and Eisenberg (tall pumps) . Of these, the Asetek are the quietest and probably most reliable if a little more tricky to install correctly. Not a fan of Cool-it pumps at all. They tend to be noisier and more prone to problems although can work better than the Asetek's. Eisenberg are the strongest of the 3, almost on the level of pumps used in full custom loops, but are noisy and temperamental at best.

 

[neseri]

Your head is stuck on statistics. For example the noctua nf-s12 has much higher CFM than the nf-f12, yet the s12 sucks on radiators simply due to fan blade design. It's low on static pressure, which the f12 has plenty. Radiators work best when there is ample CFM but that must be balanced with SP or there's nothing to push that big CFM through the fins. So you can't rely on stats saying any 1 radiator is better because it's got more airflow. Rads also have a certain amount of fins per inch, fpi, and more fins make for more efficient cooling ability but without higher SP fans, too many fins just block too much airflow.

Best to look at actual performance charts, doesn't matter what cpu is used, what you look for is where they stand.

Clc's are louder. Bunch of BS. I run a nzxt Kraken x61 and a corsair h55, neither of which is anything louder than silent until I really push the cpus, like in prime95. I rarely see over 55% cpu on anything so the fans generally don't go beyond 700 rpm or so. It's only under extreme cpu that the fans ramp to max, and that's true for any aircooler. A corsair h100i might be louder than a noctua nh-d14, but that's all in the fans, not the clc or heatsink. Put nf-p12 fans on a h100i and it'll be just as quiet. Stock corsair fans are loud, no escaping that on a clc or air cooler.

Fundamentaly, there's no difference in a clc or air , both cool a cpu using a heatsink and fan. In a clc, the heatsink is liquid filled and called a radiator and is not attached directly to the cpu. An air cooler is a heatsink attached directly to the cpu. This doesn't change basic ability, it's only in extreme situation that it does. High OC uses high voltages which creates high heat. An aircooler being directly attached will directly absorb this heat which is disipated at a rate controlled by the fan and fin area. This means changes in temp are quick. A clc is different. Being liquid, changes in temp are slow and controlled by the temp of the liquid, not the radiator. Keep the liquid at decent temps and there's no practical limit on cpu temp. This means that most 280mm liquid coolers and many of the 240mm will top ability of the biggest aircoolers, radiators having much greater area for cooling than an aircooler. But that's extreme oc. For most normal to large oc, there's enough over cooling ability in either air or clc that air coolers are the better value, especially for anything under @4.7GHz or so.

Then there's Skylake, the coolest running cpu in a while. A noctua nh-d14, phanteks ph-tc14pe, or similar air cooler or any 240mm, even a 140mm h90 or Kraken x41 is plenty for a high oc on a 6700k

Edit: forgot to mention the pump. There's 3 basic designs in pumps, Asetek (round pumps) Cool-it (square pumps) and Eisenberg (tall pumps) . Of these, the Asetek are the quietest and probably most reliable if a little more tricky to install correctly. Not a fan of Cool-it pumps at all. They tend to be noisier and more prone to problems although can work better than the Asetek's. Eisenberg are the strongest of the 3, almost on the level of pumps used in full custom loops, but are noisy and temperamental at best.

Well that's much info to go on.
I have seen some performance charts for the Captain 240, and it seems it performs pretty good, a little bit on the noisy side they say though.

Anyway, I don't really have much options to go on where I live, so if you could give me your final verdict on this would be nice.

And one more followup question:
How to attach the fans, should they be positioned from the bottom pointing up and out of the case, or pointing down and into the case? And since I would like the case to be closed, how do I put the other 2 fans (front and back) to point to? Should those be inward or out?

 

[Karadjgne]

I personally prefer Clc's, I find them easier in general to install over some air coolers and they leave plenty of space behind windoww etc, they just look cleaner imho.

As to fans, generally in a top mounted rad, it's easier to clean if the fans are on top facing out, with the rad mounted under. This is a pull orientation. There is also push, where the fans are mounted under the rad, still pushing air out in exhaust, but requires removal of the fans during cleaning (to do it right). Then there is push/pull which has fans mounted over and under. Top mounted coolers should always be used ad exhaust. Front mounted follow the same orientation, but are used as intake. I have a 280mm rad that IS my exhaust, no rear at all, not needed as heat naturally rises, doesn't go 90° sideways.

Top out, rear out, front in, bottom in is the rule for best airflow.