What's the point of Liquid Cooling Systems?

[Stealthwolf667]

I don't know much about liquid cooling systems. I'm interested in the knowledge of building a computer, and I am just entering this realm. Why would one want liquid cooling?
Is it reasonably priced?
Is there manual upkeep involved, such as refilling the coolant?
What coolants should you get?
Do liquid cooling systems come with their own coolant?
Just discuss the goods and bads about liquid cooling, and why I should/shouldn't look into it.

 

[dannoddd]

Liquid can dissipate more heat than air can, it serves as a more efficient medium to conduct the heat away from the cpu or gpu to the radiator where it is exhausted by fans.

Reasonable pricing depends on what you think is reasonable. Usually for a prebuilt 280mm kit you're looking around 200-300 from my research.

Yes, you have to bleed the system, change the liquid, keep it topped off, etc.

Some people use special coolants, some use auto coolant, some use distilled water. There's lots of options.

A prebuilt kit might come with fluid.

You can go as in depth as you want in a LCS (liquid cooling system). You can buy a kit that would have the CPU bLOCK Reservoir/Pump and Radiator and the necessary components to rig it up.

Another option is an ALC which good ones usually cost around $100. An ALC is a self contained, sealed system where the various components are combined and can't be expanded. An example would be the Corsair H100 or NZXT X60. These latest models are pretty efficient and fit the gap between high end air coolers and low end LCS.

If you're not sure about getting into LCS you might consider an ALC as an entry point, or a prebuilt kit.

If you're not going to overclock, there isn't much point in liquid cooling. You don't really save any fans, they just move from the cpu/gpu/case to the radiator so they aren't necessarily quieter.

 

[ECHO WHISKEY SIX]

I think that getting an All-In-One system is worth it if you are going to be using a processor which has high heat output, such at the AMD FX series, as they are priced at or slightly above aftermarket air coolers and can be quieter and more effective.

If you are not overclocking, the main benefit would be that you would not need to hear the whine of most stock heat-sink fans as your CPU ramps up and down. Most pre-built water cooling setups use 120mm fans (larger than most stock heat-sink fans) that can spin at a lower RPM and make much less noise.

The coolers are also pretty universal, so you can upgrade your CPU or build an entirely new system and still use the cooler.

I purchased an ANTEC 620 fully enclosed water cooling system that I have used for several builds, and it currently keeps my overclocked FX 8350 at a max temp of around 45C (During extended gaming) while being no louder than my case fans.

TLDR? If the stock fan for your CPU is annoying you due to noise, pick up an option like an enclosed system.

 

[manofchalk]

Depends on what kind of liquid cooling you mean.

You have your CLC's (Closed Loop Coolers) like the Corsair Hydro series. They don't perform any better than equivalent air-coolers often for $20-30 more than said coolers unless your looking at the high end (~H100i) and very high TDP situations. Maintenance is basically nothing, dust off the rad and that's it. Assembly is simple, screw it to the CPU, screw it to the case and plug it in, no need to fill it as it comes constructed out of the box.
For noise, same as your standard air-coolers. Regardless if you have a 212 EVO or a H80i, you still have one fan blowing across a similar heatsink space so theirs going to be the same noise. With CLC's you actualy introduce the pump as a potential point of sound.
IMO, dont bother with these, get an air cooler as you will get the same performance for less. Only reason I would consider one is a space constrained system (say an ITX build) or if previous choices dictate you must (Dominator RAM with massive heatsinks for example).

The other kind is your full on Custom Water-Cooling. You get performance you simply cant achieve on air or CLC's, its flexible in that you can cool near anything (GPU's, RAM, Motherboard even HDD's if you really wanted). It costs a lot, think $300 for an easily upgradable CPU loop. Noise will depend on the loop, but it is possible to make a very quiet loop if you go overkill on rad space and run your fans slow. Maintenance also depends on what you do, you can be scrubbing down the blocks every 2 months or never depending on your choices. Initial difficulty is much higher, you buy each part separately and put it together yourself.

 

[Lutfij]

Stealthwolf - welcome to the (wacky 😛 ) world of watercooling. I think the previous folks have given solid advice's and I'd only like to add to what they have provided

Please take a look at the watercooling sticky located in my sig to fully comprehend what watercooling is all about. We've been there and done that so our experience is invaluable but the real story starts when you'll be assembling, maintaining and understanding your loop. Take your time going through the sticky/guise as it will save a tonne of headache while troubleshooting.

my 2 cents

Lutfi