[SOLVED] Which cooling solution for I9-10900K ?

[Osirith]

Hi all,
I plan to buy an 10900K (or KF) to replace my old PC. I use some programs (mostly flight sims) that rely heavily on core frequency,

What would be a good cooling solution for a 10900K/KF ? I already have a Noctua DH15 but did read that it was not enough for the 10900. Also I would like to overclock it slightly.

I never tried watercooling before, but it seems to be the way to go ? what type if system would you recommend, I have no problem fitting any size and numer of fans inside my new PC case. Would like to have a system which is silent when not gaming, too.

Thanks for your help

 

[Hellfire13]

If you already have the DH15, you should try it out first. It is no slouch and with an aggressive fan curve, should be sufficient for even mild OC.
If you feel that it is unable to hold the temps, then you have to opt for one of those top of the line AIO units like these...
https://pcpartpicker.com/products/cpu-cooler/#W=10280,10360&R=5&sort=price&c=39&X=15929,68099

The board you choose also plays a significant role...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iLS3poPn8o&t=1562s


And another essential factor here...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ_AETO7Fn4

 

[Osirith]

Thanks,
good advice, I was thinking about trying my global PC setup with the D15 without OC, try to play a bit with fan setup and bios settings before attempting any more aggressive OC. Will probably do that.

I did read some posts saying that the 10900K could not be run with a D15 even without OC.

 

[vMax]

The D15 is one of the most impressive air coolers and will do a fairly good job on the 10900K/F at stock and should allow for a mild overclock. Not sure where you read that a D15 won't handle the 10900K but it will.....

In this review for the 10900K he is using a D15 with just 1 fan..

https://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cpu/141577-intel-core-i9-10900k-core-i5-10600k/?page=11

To get the most out of the 10900K/F, so better temps at stock and more headroom for a good all core overclock, then a 280mm or 360mm AIO is the route to go.

I have the Arctic Freezer II 360mm AIO which is just circa $100 if you can find it and it is more than impressive but be warned the radiator is a little thicker than normal AIO radiators at 38mm thick as opposed to 28mm thick...

Still pretty much any 280mm or 360mm AIO's will allow for very good temps and decent all core overclocks.

 

[Hellfire13]

Thanks,
good advice, I was thinking about trying my global PC setup with the D15 without OC, try to play a bit with fan setup and bios settings before attempting any more aggressive OC. Will probably do that.

I did read some posts saying that the 10900K could not be run with a D15 even without OC.

This review has been done with the D15 installed on the test bench. Although it does not show a relative temp graph, all other charts are consistent with prime results...
https://bit-tech.net/reviews/tech/cpus/intel-core-i9-10900k-review/2/

Also it is recommended as one of the best air coolers for 10900k...
https://levvvel.com/best-cpu-cooler-for-i9-10900k/

Unless you are pushing the clocks too hard, the D15 should keep you fine.

 

[Osirith]

Thanks vMax and Hellfire13,

your answers make sense. I would like to avoid AIO if possible (always a bit uneasy about flowing water inside my rig, and possible pump failure). I know that the D15 is one of the best air coolers, I will try to tweak a bit the motherboard settings after a few days...

Anyway, the first step is to be able to buy a 10900K !

Another question : I will obviously not need an iGPU, except maybe for first setp up and in case of main GPU failure. Is there a true difference in heat/OC perfs between K and KF ?

 

[Hellfire13]

Thanks vMax and Hellfire13,

your answers make sense. I would like to avoid AIO if possible (always a bit uneasy about flowing water inside my rig, and possible pump failure). I know that the D15 is one of the best air coolers, I will try to tweak a bit the motherboard settings after a few days...

Anyway, the first step is to be able to buy a 10900K !

Another question : I will obviously not need an iGPU, except maybe for first setp up and in case of main GPU failure. Is there a true difference in heat/OC perfs between K and KF ?

Not really. The integrated graphics is way too weak to generate any kind of additional heat. But if you ask me, personally i like the iGPU as it is very handy to detect GPU failure and the only way if you do not have a spare GPU. Also if you are into video editing, the QuickSync feature can even accelerate video exports up to 50%! Other than video editing, it also accelerates streaming process. The video transcoding will be processed in integrated graphics so the CPU and the discrete GPU is not taxed by anything for the streaming, leaving the GPU & CPU with full power for the games.