[SOLVED] Should I water cool my cpu or my gpu?

[MdizzleD]

Was wondering if I should water cool my cpu or my gpu? I would love to cool both, but don't want to spend a that much money at this point. I plan on using an AIO (possibly from EKWB) so I could expand to both at a later point in time. Also, Should I use a 240 or 360 rad? I'll be using a Lancool II Mesh with a 5900x & a 3090FE.

 

[jay32267]

I would only water cool if I had to as I don't care for the added risk.
Do you know that you need to?

 

[Eximo]

With no system details, can't really say.

Generally find that a big air cooler will take care of most CPUs, really have to get up to a 360mm AIO to make sense.

GPUs benefit somewhat from good water cooling, keeping the temperature stable means getting a consistent boost clock. And of course your game framerate benefits the most from GPU performance. (unless you are going for max frame rate)

 

[MdizzleD]

With no system details, can't really say.

Generally find that a big air cooler will take care of most CPUs, really have to get up to a 360mm AIO to make sense.

GPUs benefit somewhat from good water cooling, keeping the temperature stable means getting a consistent boost clock. And of course your game framerate benefits the most from GPU performance. (unless you are going for max frame rate)

SPECS:
5900x
3090 FE
16gb T-force xtreem argb 3600 cl14
Asrock x570 PG Velocita
Lancool 2 mesh

 

[Eximo]

I would probably cool the GPU. Known memory temperature issues on the back of the card and water cooling the board, even on one side, will help memory temperatures a lot.

Also the FE card has the most GPU block options, selection for the custom cards is very limited.

 

[Phaaze88]

Gpus get far more out of it than cpus do, due to:
1)They're typically the bigger power user in the system.
2)They're direct die cooled. The IHSes on cpus reduce cooling effectiveness.

It would look backwards - to me - if you liquid cooled that 5900X, which might do up to 190w at the worst of times, Vs a 3090, which can do up to 400w or more with ease.

Should I use a 240 or 360 rad?

Ahh, no love for 280mm... 😢

 

[MdizzleD]

Gpus get far more out of it than cpus do, due to:
1)They're typically the bigger power user in the system.
2)They're direct die cooled. The IHSes on cpus reduce cooling effectiveness.

It would look backwards - to me - if you liquid cooled that 5900X, which might do up to 190w at the worst of times, Vs a 3090, which can do up to 400w or more with ease.


Ahh, no love for 280mm... 😢

LOL I'd def use a 280 ! What about airflow? Would a 360 in the front of the case be ok as an intake? 360 on front of a lancool 2 mesh with two more intakes on the bottom along with one rear and 2 on top for exhaust...

 

[geofelt]

What is your objective?
If you are seeking record overclocks, then liquid cooling can help.

Your specs are so high end that I really think overclocking is pointless.

 

[Phaaze88]

What about airflow? Would a 360 in the front of the case be ok as an intake?

I did it with a 1080Ti + Kraken G12 + Celsius S36... but that was in a H500P Mesh, and I removed the psu shroud.
I don't see the same working with a 360 gpu AIO in the front of the Lancool 2 Mesh - a custom liquid 360, sure.

140mm fans are capable of moving more air while having a nicer sound profile. I wouldn't bother with 120mm fans and coolers anymore, if I could help it.

 

[Eximo]

My attempts at overclocking my 3080Ti have not gone well, the stock FTW3 config is pretty well maxed out already it seems. GPU block also seems to have poor contact, so I might be switching that out.

Didn't even get myself an overclocking CPU this time around. Pretty much just turn on G-Sync, max the settings, and everything seems fine. Don't care much for the fine tuning of game settings these days, maybe drop down to high on occasion if the FPS seems lacking (I haven't had much time lately to try much with the 3080Ti)

Case is more suited to the 360mm front mount.

360mm radiators with the right fans generally have more static pressure. 280mm radiators are generally quieter.

One really thick radiator is also an option, or push pull if you want more airflow through the case..

 

[MdizzleD]

My attempts at overclocking my 3080Ti have not gone well, the stock FTW3 config is pretty well maxed out already it seems. GPU block also seems to have poor contact, so I might be switching that out.

Didn't even get myself an overclocking CPU this time around. Pretty much just turn on G-Sync, max the settings, and everything seems fine. Don't care much for the fine tuning of game settings these days, maybe drop down to high on occasion if the FPS seems lacking (I haven't had much time lately to try much with the 3080Ti)

Case is more suited to the 360mm front mount.

360mm radiators with the right fans generally have more static pressure. 280mm radiators are generally quieter.

One really thick radiator is also an option, or push pull if you want more airflow through the case..

Let's say I use the Alphacool Eisabaer Pro Aurora with an expansion kit to the Eisblock Aurora for the 3090. Since both are in the same loop, would it be better to put a 360 rad at the front of the case or a 280 at the top? I would put fans in the other spots.

 

[Eximo]

To cool the CPU and GPU you are probably going to need two radiators to achieve better than the stock GPU cooler and a separate CPU cooler.

Your CPU, under normal conditions, is pretty efficient, but if you are overclocking or running all cores under a full load that is easily another 200W. 550W nominal dissipation under max conditions.

3090 is no joke, and the Nvidia design is still a huge piece of metal. You don't see any 120mm radiator 3080/3080Ti/3090 for a reason, these things use a lot of power. Base TDP of 350W, with spikes commonly measured in the 500W range.


At reasonable ran speed around 2000 RPM (which is quite audible) EK gives a single standard thickness 360mm (with their quite decent EK Vardar fans) a dissipation capacity just shy of 500W. Mind that is with a more robust pump and under ideal conditions, and when there is a 10C delta, which is somewhat extreme. Probably safer to call it 400W at a more reasonable delta and fan speed.

360mm radiators have a little more surface area than 280mm radiators, so that would be a little worse, probably like 350W, which is enough for the GPU only.

Now, under most circumstances, this is probably fine, chances are you don't have much that can do 100% CPU and GPU load, unless you are running like a RTS at 4K or something. Still, overbuild and have no regrets, or have a loud computer to keep the temperature ranges in check.

So for you I would say go maximum and include also a 240mm radiator in the top.



I use an "AIO" as the core of my water cooling loop, but it is basically an off the shelf DDC pump, and it doesn't sit on the CPU, but in the radiator. I use two 280mm, with one being push pull, and I have my rear fan as intake to put cool air directly into the top mounted exhaust radiator (and give the ram and motherboard VRMs a little air)

 

[MdizzleD]

To cool the CPU and GPU you are probably going to need two radiators to achieve better than the stock GPU cooler and a separate CPU cooler.

Your CPU, under normal conditions, is pretty efficient, but if you are overclocking or running all cores under a full load that is easily another 200W. 550W nominal dissipation under max conditions.

3090 is no joke, and the Nvidia design is still a huge piece of metal. You don't see any 120mm radiator 3080/3080Ti/3090 for a reason, these things use a lot of power. Base TDP of 350W, with spikes commonly measured in the 500W range.


At reasonable ran speed around 2000 RPM (which is quite audible) EK gives a single standard thickness 360mm (with their quite decent EK Vardar fans) a dissipation capacity just shy of 500W. Mind that is with a more robust pump and under ideal conditions, and when there is a 10C delta, which is somewhat extreme. Probably safer to call it 400W at a more reasonable delta and fan speed.

360mm radiators have a little more surface area than 280mm radiators, so that would be a little worse, probably like 350W, which is enough for the GPU only.

Now, under most circumstances, this is probably fine, chances are you don't have much that can do 100% CPU and GPU load, unless you are running like a RTS at 4K or something. Still, overbuild and have no regrets, or have a loud computer to keep the temperature ranges in check.

So for you I would say go maximum and include also a 240mm radiator in the top.



I use an "AIO" as the core of my water cooling loop, but it is basically an off the shelf DDC pump, and it doesn't sit on the CPU, but in the radiator. I use two 280mm, with one being push pull, and I have my rear fan as intake to put cool air directly into the top mounted exhaust radiator (and give the ram and motherboard VRMs a little air)

OK, so I'm looking at a 360 push rad in the front(intake) and two 120 intakes in the bottom, a 240 exhaust rad on top and either a 129 exhaust or intake in the rear. Alphacool units.

 

[RD89]

Just do cpu first the blocks are easy to mount and you'll get a good feel for it later you could throw your gpu in for 250-350 with minimal downtime