Question Should I get an AIO if I'm looking for long term usage?

[Raiyan235]

I've been thinking of getting a good cooler for my pc and now I'm just confused. Where I live, a Coolermaster MasterLiquid ML240L is the same price as a Noctua U12A. I think the liquid cooler looks substantially better but I recently started looking into AIOs and saw that they're supposed to be generally much less long lasting? That scared me and now idk what to choose. My CPU is a Ryzen 5 5600x and my case is the Cooler Master MASTERBOX MB530P. What would you suggest for this build?

 

[boju]

Pumps eventually fail (3yrs if you're lucky) and hsf last a lifetime. Since you don't have a hot processor, the 12a is really decent cooler and can always get the Chromax version for aesthetics. You have the air flow so it'll perform well. Just blow it out from time to time.

 

[Viking2121]

I was into AIO's, and the longest one I had was the OG Corsair h100, it lasted about 10 years, although vary light usage after around 2015 as the system was mostly retired then. I ended up just giving it away.

I had the H100i GTX, my first one the pump failed so Corsair gave me a new one, and I didn't have it for more than a year before it sounded like it was darn close to being empty.

I had the Thermaltake big water 2.0 360mm AIO, lasted a year on a i7 5960x before my CPU kept getting pretty hot. I took it apart and it grew stuff int he CPU block portion so no water flow.

I bought a Enermax TR4 360mm AIO for my Threadripper, it lasted 6 months, got Enermax to replace it, and to my Suprise the same freakin problem after about 7 months this time, got it RMA'd again with the updated "Fixed" version and of course it did it again, same problem, at that time I seen a few videos of this cooler growing stuff and Enermax just doesn't care.

So i'm personally done with AIO's, no one can make a good one in my opinion, although Corsair warranty is top notch. with a 5600x, I'd stay with a air cooler, That Noctua will cool it just fine, and as mentioned the chroma max the black one looks much better than poo brown.

I got the Noctua NH-D15 on my 5900x with just 1 fan and it does amazing, I just hate the poo brown as I've had this cooler since before the chroma max coolers were a thing, I just don't don't want to spend another $120 bucks for a black cooler.

Like I said, I'd recommend to stay away from Liquid coolers for reliability and longevity unless you plan to tinker or play with system components and like to take the risk.

Good luck!

 

[kanewolf]

I've been thinking of getting a good cooler for my pc and now I'm just confused. Where I live, a Coolermaster MasterLiquid ML240L is the same price as a Noctua U12A. I think the liquid cooler looks substantially better but I recently started looking into AIOs and saw that they're supposed to be generally much less long lasting? That scared me and now idk what to choose. My CPU is a Ryzen 5 5600x and my case is the Cooler Master MASTERBOX MB530P. What would you suggest for this build?

Direct air cooling is much simpler. Fewer things to fail. For long lasting use a quality air cooler.

 

[Phaaze88]

My 2 cents...
Even when they're the same price, the AIO is more expensive. The retail price is deceptive. If the budget is tight, don't start off with an AIO.
Once the pump dies, the loop clogs, or damage from corrosion occurs - these processes are inevitable, at least one will happen - there's little one can do about it beyond buying another cooler($$$); the majority of them are not user-serviceable. You can keep the fans that still work, at least...

AIO reliability is more like a dice roll. You can end up with one that kicks the bucket in under a year - even a widely recommended model - or one that lasts 10 years, like Viking2121's did[Though that was light use, as stated by them. Heavy use won't go quite that far.].

AIOs are not leak proof, but leak resistant. It's really good compared to earlier gens, but human error is a wild card. Should be a non issue if handled with care. Folks buy them knowing that... or some of us do, at least.

If you got money to burn on an AIO, I recommend having a backup cooler - preferably air, and not another AIO. Probably not cheap to buy 2 coolers like that, but at least you'll have something to lean on, unlike some who jump straight to AIO, see thermal problems later, and stuck for an indefinite amount of time wondering or inquiring what they can do about it.


Also 2c: NH-U12A is too bloody expensive. I like Noctua, but screw that cooler. There's little reason to get that one.

 

[hotaru.hino]

I have an Arctic Freezer 34 eSports Duo on my Ryzen 5600X. With a little bit of tweaking to undervolt it, the processor rarely gets above 60C in regular use. Even when I throw on a Cinebench or Handbrake run, it gets to about 65C.

So I think an AIO isn't worth the cost here, especially if long-term reliability is a concern.

 

[geofelt]

Short answer... no.

Looks count.
If that is most important to you, then consider AIO.
But, you have a nice case suitable for a good air cooler.
My canned rant on liquid cooling:
------------------------start of rant-------------------
You buy a liquid cooler to be able to extract an extra multiplier or two out of your OC. Or, to keep heat under control to get the best turbo boost out of your processor.

I do not much like all in one liquid coolers if a good air cooler like a Noctua, Phantex or bequiet can do the job just as well.

Liquid cooling is really air cooling, it just puts the heat exchange in a different place.

The orientation of the radiator is a catch 22 problem.
If you orient it to take in cool air from the outside, you will cool the cpu best, but the hot air then circulates inside the case heating up the graphics card, and motherboard voltage regultor coolers.
If you orient it to exhaust(which I think is better), then your cpu cooling will be less effective because it uses pre heated case air.

Past that, A AIO radiator complicates creating a positive pressure filtered cooling setup which can keep your parts clean.
The basic principle of positive pressure cooling is to have all air intake from one source and filtered.
Added fans, excepting perhaps a rear exhaust fan witll tend to draw in unfiltered air from adjacent openings.

The ultimate cooling ability of air or aio is the fin volume of the radiator which dissipates heat.
A 280 aio will have two 140mm fans, each in front of a radiator fin stack that is typically 30mm or so in thickness.
.
This is essentially the same size as the two fin stack on top air coolers like the Noctua NH-D15, Be Quiet drp 4 PRO Phanteks TC14pe and others.
The fin stack on a NH-D15, for example is about 40mm.

AIO coolers do not last forever. The cooling tubes have some degree of permeability that lets air eventually enter the system requiring a cooler replacement. The pumps are mechanical devices which will eventually fail or get clogged. I do not worry about
fans for air or aio, they can be easily replaced.
But, should an aio pump fail, you can not keep running until you replace it.

If budget is an issue, a top air cooler will usually cost less than a 280 aio.

And... I have read too many tales of woe when a liquid cooler leaks.
Google for AIO leaks to see what can happen.
While unlikely, leaks do happen.
A AIO leak may be covered by warranty but a leak is a nasty problem to recover from.

Where is an aio a good fit?
If you are into maximum overclocking and can use a 360 or larger aio, then liquid is your only option. Custom liquid will be even better(and more expensive)
Another good place for an aio is
in a space restricted case where there is insufficient height available to mount a good air cooler.

If one puts looks over function, The RGB "bling available on aio coolers may direct your choice.
That is a personal thing; not for me though.
-----------------------end of rant--------------------------