What are radiator shrouds for?

[snoopshibe]

Currently I am using a pc case called the wp200, it has a lot of fan brackets and right now I am running a custom loop throughout my entire pc while also using all of the fan brackets there are to install radiators with really powerful case fans. Recently I have heard of a thing called a "radiator shroud", does it help with cooling and if it does, how do i pick a radiator shroud?

 

[COLGeek]

Shrouds help channel air more effectively and efficiently through fans/rads/heatsinks. They can help make your overall cooling system more effective, but they do take space.

 

[snoopshibe]

Shrouds help channel air more effectively and efficiently through fans/rads/heatsinks. They can help make your overall cooling system more effective, but they do take space.

And how effective is it?

 

[COLGeek]

It depends on the design and the overall airflow/cooling of your system. Personally, I haven't seen many shrouds used in recent years. OEMs, like Dell, used to use them often with CPU heatsinks, to use larger, lower speed (less noise), fans to cool systems. Sort of combined the CPU heatsink and rear case fan into one integrated system. Was quite effective and quiet.

Unless you are having a problem with your current setup (plans), I wouldn't go down the shroud path.