Should I be using an air cooler or water cooler?

[Dr Eden]

After moving my case and removing, then reinstalling my CPU cooler (Hyper 212X) my temperatures have risen dramatically, most likely due to the decrease in fans, as I no longer had a fan controller for several fans, only one fan header on my mobo. I was wondering if I should look at upgrading my CPU cooler to water cooling, but even after researching I cannot tell if I should change. I used to idle at about 50C, and while gaming would be around 75C. Now, I idle aroudn 65C, and while playing earlier went to about 90C before I froze. My CPU is the x4 860k, new case is the Corsair Carbide 400c.

 

[USAFRet]

After moving my case and removing, then reinstalling my CPU cooler (Hyper 212X) my temperatures have risen dramatically, most likely due to the decrease in fans.

Temperature for what, exactly? The CPU?

I would suspect a bad installation of the existing cooler, rather than a need to change cooler type.

 

[Dr Eden]

After moving my case and removing, then reinstalling my CPU cooler (Hyper 212X) my temperatures have risen dramatically, most likely due to the decrease in fans.

Temperature for what, exactly? The CPU?

I would suspect a bad installation of the existing cooler, rather than a need to change cooler type.

Sorry, I was updating my question after realising how vague I was. Yes, it is my CPU temperature that has risen, but I can't think for what reason it has, apart from the decrease in case fans. I used to be able to use 4 fans in my case, because the NZXT Phantom had a built in fan controller, however the Carbide 400C does not, and my motherboard only has a single fan header, so I have a 140mm taking air into the case, and the CPU fan, but that is it. I do think I have applied thermal paste correctly, and I know for certain the cooler is properly installed, so the drop in case fans is the only reason I can think of that the temperature has risen.

 

[USAFRet]

Even if there were only 2 fans, 1 front IN and 1 back OUT, and a properly installed CPU cooler, the CPU should not idle that high (65C).
The case fans just move air through the case. They do very little for the actual CPU.

Even with an open case (basically NO fans), the system I'm putting together right now (i5-3570k with stock Intel cooler) idles at ~41C

What CPU is it? The stock cooler?

 

[Dr Eden]

Even if there were only 2 fans, 1 front IN and 1 back OUT, and a properly installed CPU cooler, the CPU should not idle that high (65C).
The case fans just move air through the case. They do very little for the actual CPU.

Even with an open case (basically NO fans), the system I'm putting together right now (i5-3570k with stock Intel cooler) idles at ~41C

What CPU is it? The stock cooler?

That is the thing, there is only one fan header, so I can only run a single fan aside from the CPU cooler fan, so I opted to run a 140mm fan bringing air into the case, rather than a 120mm fan removing air from the case. I will try to apply thermal paste again, as that is the only thing I can think could have gone wrong during the install, but I am pretty sure I applied it fine. It is an x4 860k with the CM Hyper 212X cooler.