[SOLVED] Sufficient cooling for a 9900k?

dg27

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I'm planning specs for a machine I'm having built. I'll be using a Corsair 300R case. That case has a 120 mm front intake fan and a 120 mm read outtake fan. On top I plan on having two 140 mm intake fans. I like Noctua coolers and the tallest cooler that will fit that case in the Noctua NH-U12S. If it makes any difference, I'll be getting an RX 580 GPU and a Corsair HX 850 Plus Platinum PSU.

Will this combination of fans and cooler be sufficient for a 9900k?
 
I recently built a system for a client with an i9-9900K on a Z390 Taichi.

I used a Noctua U14S to begin, and it was reaching 87C-93C at stock settings (multi-core enhancement OFF) running Prime95 w/o AVX. For whatever reason it reached 93C on my first test. Then multiple tests after that it only reached 87-89C. I then traded it for a Noctua NH-D15S w/ 2 fans and it got down to 85C. I think my point is the U12S likely will not be enough if you ever do any video editing/rendering or anything else that uses 100% of the CPU. I'd honestly recommend a 280mm AiO.

Sounds like you need a better case that allows for bigger coolers and even large AiOs. The top fans should be exhaust and not intake.

You seem to have a highly unbalanced system using a lower-mid range RX 580 with an i9-9900K. If this is a workstation machine, then I'd recommend switching to AMD.
 

j3ster

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i agree with @MrN1ce9uy your system is unbalanced, what will you use this system for? whats your budget?

if for gaming which resolution do you plan on playing? for 1080p and 1440p this would be a better choice imo would provide you with better fps.
(if you have somewhere around 700usd (assuming you live in the US) for the cpu and gpu combo)


CPU: Intel Core i5-9600K 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor ($238.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce RTX 2070 8 GB Video Card ($479.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $718.98
(there could be even much better builds but this is just an example)

vs.



CPU: Intel Core i9-9900K 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor ($479.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 580 8 GB ARMOR OC Video Card ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $658.99



but if you can pair the 9900k with an rtx 2070/super or 5700XT then go for the 9900k.
 

dg27

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My mistake on the top fans--exhaust.

I do not do any gaming. The RX580 is intentional. The GPU is the lowest priority.

The machine is for audio production (Pro Tools). It is widely accepted among Pro Tools users that AMD does not play well with Pro Tools, which is why Pro Tools builders prefer Intel. (Avid also does not recommend AMD.)

I was originally thinking about the 9700k, but without hyperthreading, I'd get fewer threads. The more threads the better with Pro Tools.

The case has been an issue because I have very limited space. The widest I can go is 8.5", which is why I ruled out so many cases.

Thanks for your input.
 
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My mistake on the top fans--exhaust.

I do not do any gaming. The RX580 is intentional. The GPU is the lowest priority.

The machine is for audio production (Pro Tools). It is widely accepted among Pro Tools users that AMD does not play well with Pro Tools, which is why Pro Tools builders prefer Intel. (Avid also does not recommend AMD.)

I was originally thinking about the 9700k, but without hyperthreading, I'd get fewer threads. The more threads the better with Pro Tools.

The case has been an issue because I have very limited space. The widest I can go is 8.5", which is why I ruled out so many cases.

Thanks for your input.
Okay, well that makes sense. I don't know much about audio production, but I have heard that Intel was better/faster for it.

The Noctua U12S will have the top-rated quality, but there are a few air coolers that are cheaper that will perform better.

Scythe has a few options that are short, but have good cooling performance. Both of these should be better than the U12S.

CPU Cooler: Scythe Mugen 5 Rev. B 51.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($48.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Scythe FUMA 2 51.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ Amazon)

8320_32_scythe-mugen-5-rev-cpu-cooler-review.png
 

Karadjgne

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That chart is accurate but I believe not realistic. Not for the i9 9900k. The 9900k is a 95w TDP cpu that'll hit 200w in stock and 250w in locked core OC.

The Scythe mugen/Fuma2 is a 180w cooler and insufficient for full thread usage.

The Noctua NH-D15, Cryorig R1 are 250w air coolers and barely make the cut. Even the @220w 240mm aios really aren't enough. The only coolers recommended for usage that can use all 16 threads in heavy, constant workloads such as editing or rendering are the 280mm/360mm aios that run 300-350w capacity.

With the i9 9900k, it isn't so much about getting the lowest temp possible, like with smaller rated cpus, it's all about maintaining a decent temp under safe limits. And the smaller coolers just will not do that as they lack the capacity.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML360R RGB 66.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Meshify C ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Walmart)
Total: $219.98
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-08-19 00:43 EDT-0400


The Meshify C is 8.51" wide and will fit a 360mm rad in front, as well as being one of the best rated airflow cases currently on the market.
 
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dg27

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Thanks for all of this valuable info. The case has been the primary issue, as I said, due to severe space limitations. (There is only one place I can put the desktop, which is in an old-fashioned computer desk. The maximum width I can fit is 8.5")

I had ruled out the Fractal because I need ODDs ( I currently have and use two). Using exterior ODDs isn't practical because since this is a studio setup, I have lots of other audio perpherals.

I went through every case on partpicker, which is how I came up with the Corsair 300R.

I read the Tom's review of the 9900k and I thought that came in as cooler than the 8700k, which I was also considering. (I had ruled out the 9700k due to the thread count.)
 

Karadjgne

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Yeah, that scythe mugen review was done on an i7-6700k and it's temps are respective of its efficiency, not capacity. There's many coolers that'll get similar if not better temps than the Noctua NH-D15, as long as wattage ranges are maintained. It's only on massive cpu wattage outputs that those big air coolers really shine.

@dg27 then if the 300R is what you need, you'd be able to mount a 280mm rad on top. The CoolerMaster ML280R, Evga CLC280, NZXT Kraken X62, Thermaltake Water 3.0 Extreme are the best of the bunch.
 
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dg27

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Karadjgne

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Number #1 statement about AIO's. But consider liquid cooling of cpus has been around almost 40 years. And don't forget all of those electronic and electric circuits under the hood of your car, along with the radiator, water pump, hoses.
Not to mention a salt water chlorine pool uses electricity to change the salt to chlorine. Solar panels are outside in the sun, and rain.
The water pipes in your bathroom run in the same walls as the electric for the plugs and lights.

Liquids and electric/electronic have been used side-by-side for more years than I can remember, which is a lot, but ppl only see what they see, they don't think broader scope, therefore pc + liquid = freak out.
 
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dg27

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Number #1 statement about AIO's.

Glad I'm not alone! o_O

The water pipes in your bathroom run in the same walls as the electric for the plugs and lights.

I live in a "pre-war" apartment in New York. Directly behind the screens I see right now is the wall this room shares with the bathroom. This is always a little unsettling considering all the studio gear on this side of the same wall.

Liquids and electric/electronic have been used side-by-side for more years than I can remember, which is a lot, but ppl only see what they see, they don't think broader scope, therefore pc + liquid = freak out.

Wouldn't say I ever freaked out; just never had to consider it before.

Thanks.
 

Karadjgne

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Lol. Now ask yourself, and answer truthfully, how many times have you stuck your coffee, coke, iced tea or whatnot on top of the pc, even temporarily.

I can't count the number of posts where ppl asked if their pc was fried, or going to be ok, because they dumped their coffee/coke by accident, some were nothing more than a splash on the side panel, some were full on dumped it into a moving fan and sprayed everything.

Having audio equipment, I'm quite sure you know how it's treated. You will slide, turn, move, bump, strum or even beat on stuff. You don't treat it like it's made of the daintyest porcelain. Aios or full custom loops aren't much different, you take all the care needed, not forcing stuff beyond sane expectations, but it is an aluminium radiator, it is rubber hose, not fine china.

As long as you treat an aio with some modicum of decency, like any of your equipment, you'll be fine.

And good luck with the build👍